s^mrnvfy 
 
 
 Logical se* 
 
 BV 811 .B524 
 
 Bickersteth, E. 
 
 A treatise on Baptism 
 
A TREATISE ON BAPTISM; 
 
 DESIGNED AS A 
 
 HELP TO THE DUE IMPROVEMENT 
 OF THAT HOLY SACRAMENT, 
 
 AS ADMINISTERED IN THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND- 
 
 1/ 
 
 BY THE REV. E. BICKERSTETH, 
 
 RECTOR OF WATTON, HERTS, 
 
 SECOND EDITION, CORRECTED AND ENLARGED. 
 
 All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye there- 
 lore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of 
 the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost ; teaching them to 
 observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you : and, lo, I am 
 with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Matt, 
 xxviii'. 18—20. 
 
 SEELEY, BURNS1DE, AND SEELEY: 
 FLEET STREET, LONDON. 
 MDCCCXLIV. 
 
A TREATISE ON BAPTISM. 
 
 f 
 
PRINTED 1JY 
 LEONARD 8EELBY, THAMES DITTON. 
 
TO THE 
 
 RIGHT HONOURABLE LORD ASHLEY, 
 
 M.P. FOR THE COUNTY OF DORSET, 
 
 IN GRATEFUL TESTIMONY OF HIS LABOURS 
 
 FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE FACTORY CHILDREN, 
 
 FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION 
 
 BY THE STATE, 
 
 AND FOR THE UNIMPAIRED CONTINUANCE 
 
 OF OUR PROTESTANT INSTITUTIONS ; 
 
 AS WELL AS OF HIS EFFORTS TO COMMUNICATE 
 
 OUR HIGHEST BLESSINGS TO OTHERS, 
 
 AND ESPECIALLY TO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL ; 
 
 AND WITH HEARTY PRAYERS FOR HIS SPIRITUAL 
 
 AND ETERNAL WELFARE, 
 
 THIS VOLUME IS INSCRIBED BY 
 
 THE AUTHOR. 
 
 Walton Rectory, 
 January 1, 1840. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PACK 
 
 Preface .. ... ... ... ... ... ix 
 
 (HAP. 
 
 I. The Baptisms of the Old Testament 1 
 
 II. The appointment of Baptism in the New Tes- 
 
 tament, with an Appendix, on the mode of 
 Baptism and its application to infants ... 10 
 
 III. The thrice holy name into which Christians are 
 
 Baptized 39 
 
 IV. The promise of the Saviour's presence in 
 
 baptism ... ... ... ... ... 49 
 
 V. The benefits designed to be given in Baptism ... 67 
 VI. Adult Baptism and its right reception ... 93 
 
 VII. Warrant for infant Baptism, and its due recep- 
 tion, with an Appendix on the covenant pri- 
 vileges of the children of believers ... ... 105 
 
 VIII. The reason and use of Sponsors 136 
 
 IX. The connection of Baptism with spiritual regen- 
 eration ... ... ... ... ... 145 
 
 X. Meditations and devotions before Baptism ... 178 
 
 XI. Baptismal services of the cburch of England, and 
 
 the instruction given in its Catechism ... 192 
 
 XII. Meditations and devotions after Baptism ... 220 
 
Vlll CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAP. P AGE 
 
 XIII. On the Christian name given in Baptism ... 233 
 
 XIV. The duty of parents to their baptized children 242 
 XV. The duty of the baptized 263 
 
 XVI. Confirmation and joining the Holy Communion 282 
 
 XVII. The abuses of Baptism 290 
 
 XVIII. On Apostacy after Baptism 304 
 
 XIX. Baptism with the Holy Ghost and with fire ... 320 
 
 XX. The coming Regeneration 336 
 
 XXI. Address to various classes to recal them to bap- 
 tismal privileges and duties ... ... ... 349 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 List of the chief books on Baptism 365 
 
 Index 371 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 The object of the author in this Treatise on Baptism 
 has been the edification of Christians. It was not so 
 much his design to maintain and defend controversi- 
 ally even what he has stated and believes to be God's 
 truth on this interesting ordinance, as to lead his 
 readers to the use and great practical benefit con- 
 nected with a right reception of it. He could not 
 indeed attain this without showing the grounds on 
 which he held the truths thus practically set before 
 the reader, but his object has been, not the full main- 
 tenance of particular opinions, but the practical and 
 spiritual profit of the reader, in the believing view of 
 truths which the author considers to be plainly re- 
 vealed in God's word, and which have been generally 
 believed by the church of Christ. 
 
 This treatise completes a series of works com- 
 menced in 1815, to promote the practical improve- 
 ment of THE MEANS OF GRACE, for the SUCCeSS of 
 
 which the author cannot be too grateful to the Father 
 of mercies. He first published his Scripture Help, 
 then his Treatise on Prayer, then that on the Lord's 
 Supper. His Christian Hearer was published next, 
 then his Christian Student, and the series is now 
 
X PREFACE. 
 
 closed with this Treatise on Baptism. The kindness 
 with which the Christian church has received trea- 
 tises, published amidst incessant occupations which 
 only allowed hurried and often distant intervals of 
 leisure for their preparation, has led him on till he 
 has completed his purposes on this subject. The 
 good Lord pardon all defects, and accept the attempt 
 to promote the spiritual welfare of his people.* 
 
 * Our older divines felt very strongly the great importance of a 
 diligent attendance on all the means of grace. The condensed 
 and practical instruction of the following pithy sentences of Dr. 
 John White (who flourished at the end of Elizabeth and the be- 
 ginning of James's reign) will be useful, notwithstanding its occa- 
 sional quaintness and want of fulness in evangelical motive, and 
 will shew how earnestly they pressed this. It is a postscript of a 
 letter to a friend. 
 
 " Let him that will live reposedly and die cheerfully — hear, 
 pray, meditate, do. First. Hear God's word in the scriptures 
 and in the pulpit ; in the scriptures daih r , in the pulpit make choice 
 of a fit teacher, and stick to him ; for the practice of God's word 
 gives knowledge, works holiness, breaks down natural corruption, 
 and fills with strength and comfort against all assaults. Secondly. 
 Prayer has three rules : daily without intermission ; free, that 
 the mind be unladen ; go to prayer as you go into the water to 
 swim, take a time first, go not hot in, but cool yourself, feeling 
 that the words touch your soul. The da} r that I neglect either 
 God's word or prayer is unhappy. That God being so near and 
 within me, I should neither speak to him nor he to me that were 
 too much between a man and his wife. Thirdly. Meditation is 
 the most sovereign cure of the soul that is. My course is this : I 
 miss no day, but I retire myself, if I be at home, to my study or 
 the field, and there I first pray to God to give me a recollected 
 mind ; secondly, I enter into consideration of my sinful state, and 
 examine myself, I call for help to God ; thirdly, I take notice of 
 my passion, disposition, and inclination, and so I come to the 
 knowledge of myself; fourthly, I arm myself by vows, resolutions, 
 and prayer to conquer myself as a city ; fifthly, I call to mind if 
 anything has passed between my neighbour (any other) and me : 
 if I remember any unkindness offered or received, I wash it out, I 
 
PREFACE. XI 
 
 National circumstances make it now more than 
 ever requisite for the ministers of Christ to bring for- 
 ward the nature and duty ofChristian baptism. This 
 blessed ordinance has by recent legislative measures 
 ceased to be requisite for the enrolment of our names 
 in the national registry of British subjects. I have 
 been informed that in one large town the number of 
 baptisms has considerably decreased since the Re- 
 gistration Act came into operation. Even should 
 this be generally the case, may the church of Christ 
 only the more prize it and use it, and thus more than 
 recover its true national standing. 
 
 The subject of baptismal regeneration has in 
 various periods engaged the attention of the church, 
 and in our own times has been again and again the 
 occasion of controversy. The views which the 
 
 clear the score, I suffer no man's infirmity to possess me with 
 conceit ; sixthly, I inquire after the day of my death in this sort ; 
 I set it before my eye, I examine whether I be fit, prepared, ready, 
 willing to die ; my cowardly soul I encourage and teach it to look 
 death in the face ; I end this point with flying to my Saviour for 
 help, till I became more than a conqueror. I will with great and 
 tender passion in this point pour out myself and my weakness to 
 him. Seventhl}-, I think also of my worldly state, and if it pros- 
 per I give thanks and lay humility and compassion in my mind ; 
 if I be poor, I pray for supply, and bethink me of some honest and 
 lawful means, and here I remember wife, children, servants, and 
 purpose to bring them towards God. Fourthly. Doing is the life 
 of all, for it is nothing to be religious in ceremonies. Here are 
 four principal points. First, beware of doing against your con- 
 science. Secondby, omit no occasion, place, or time, or person if 
 you can do good. Thirdly, follow the good of your own calling ; 
 too many meddle with the good that belongs to others to do, as 
 Uzzah. Fourth^, the best good in the world is compassion and 
 alms, and comforting in distress, as sickness, &c. Life is short, 
 the days are evil, our company is small, the account is certain, the 
 comfort is unutterable." 
 
Xll PREFACE. 
 
 author has here given are substantially those which 
 he many years since stated in his Christian Student, 
 p. 522 — 524. Many of the differences among Chris- 
 tians, as Mr. Bosanquet has shewn in his valuable 
 work, " A New System of Logic," arise from the 
 inadequacy and ambiguity of all language.* But 
 collateral benefits have arisen from this controversy, 
 and especially I trust there will be the setting forth, 
 in a clear and fuller light, the true use of baptism, 
 and the nature and indispensable necessity of the 
 saving regeneration of the Spirit. 
 
 There is a depth of hidden wisdom and love in all 
 the divine appointments which we can at present but 
 very partially discern. The two sacraments are full 
 of this heavenly wisdom. The past history of the 
 church has already disclosed this in part. The out- 
 ward sacraments from age to age, amidst the shifting 
 scenes of this world and the ever-varying opinions of 
 fallible men, and the innumerable heresies that have 
 troubled the church, have greatly helped to preserve 
 to us the great vital and inward truths, on the due 
 reception of which, and on our constantly being in- 
 fluenced by them, our holiness and eternal blessed- 
 ness so much depend. Dr. Waterland has shewn 
 this very distinctly in his charge delivered about a 
 century since to the clergy of Middlesex. They are 
 standing monuments of the truth of Christianity 
 
 * It is pleasant to see such writers as our lay brethren, Bosan- 
 quet and Abercrombie, and many others, redeeming fresh fields of 
 thought from that wilderness in which the absence of Christianity 
 has left them, and making them, through the truths of the gospel, 
 abundant in fruits of blessing. May we not hope that this will 
 more and more be the case, till every science, recovered by Chris- 
 tianity to its highest use, yields its richest stores for the glory of 
 God and the good of man. 
 
PREFACE. X1U 
 
 against Atheists, Deists, Jews, Turks, Pagans, and 
 all kinds of infidels, bearing date, and continuing in 
 visibleand open observance, fromthedaysof ourLord; 
 being abiding memorials of the great facts of our 
 religion. It will be seen in this Treatise, bow Bap- 
 tism bears witness to the great truths of the gospel 
 p. 81 — 84. Dr. Waterland also observes, "When 
 the Praxeans, Noetians, and Sabellians of the second 
 and third centuries presumed to innovate in the doc- 
 trine of the Trinity, by reducing the three persons 
 of the Godhead to one, then the sacrament of baptism 
 remarkably manifested its doctrinal force to the confu- 
 sion of these misbelievers. There was no resisting 
 the pointed language of the sacramental form, which 
 ran distinctly inthe name of the Father, and of the Son, 
 and of the Holy Ghost. When the Avians of the 
 fourth century took upon them to deprave the doc- 
 trine of the Trinity in an opposite extreme, by re- 
 jecting the deity of our Saviour Christ, who is over all, 
 God blessed for ever (Rom. ix. 6), then again the same 
 sacrament of baptism reclaimed against novelty, and 
 convicted the misbelievers in the face of the world. 
 It was obvious to every impartial and considering 
 man, that the form of baptism ran equally in the 
 name of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and that it 
 could never be intended to initiate Christ's disciples 
 in the belief and worship of God and two creatures. 
 The Eunomians set aside the scripture form. About 
 the year 366 rose up the sect of the Macedonians, 
 impugners of the divinity of the Holy Ghost. By 
 the sacrament of Baptism, a lasting monument of the 
 true divinity of the Third Person as well as of the 
 Second, the generality of Christians were confirmed 
 in the ancient faith, and preserved from falling into 
 
XIV PREFACE. 
 
 the snares of the seducers. About 410, Pelagius op- 
 posed the church's doctrine of original sin ; but the 
 sacrament of the baptism of infants for the remission 
 of sins, had weight sufficient to bear down all the 
 abstracted subtleties and laboured refinements of 
 Pelagius and his associates, and proved one of the 
 strongest securities to the Christian faith. In the 
 sixteenth century, Faustus Socinus revived (perhaps 
 ignorantly) the ancient Sabellianism, Photinianism, 
 and Pelagianism, with other exploded heresies. He 
 discarded baptism as needless, and reduced the eu- 
 charist to a bare commemoration of an absent friend. 
 These sacraments directly withstand his heresies. 
 Baptism is a standing monument of the personality 
 and equal divinity of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, 
 and the Lord's Supper is an abiding memorial of 
 the merits (though no creature can merit) of our 
 Lord's obedience and sufferings: and both together 
 were lasting attestations, all the way from the very 
 infancy of the church, of the secret workings, the 
 heavenly graces and influences of the Holy Spirit 
 upon the faithful receivers." 
 
 These excellent observations of Dr. Waterland 
 might be enlarged by mentioning farther great truths 
 maintained and confirmed through the sacrament of 
 baptism, as he also shews how the Eucharist pre- 
 served the church from other heresies, and established 
 other peculiar and vital doctrines of the gospel of 
 Christ. Let us be led by these considerations to a 
 more full and entire confidence in the Lord, and a 
 more diligent, believing, and practical observance of 
 every direction of our God, though at the time we may 
 little discern its full meaning and importance. 
 
 Those who wish to see a full detail of many an- 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 cient practices in baptism may consult Bingham's 
 Antiquities of the Christian Church, book xi. ; or on 
 a still fuller scale, " Martene de Antiquis Ecclesiae 
 Ritibus." A variety of superstitions were soon min- 
 gled with the simplicity of the scriptural ordinances, 
 and it is painful to read the lengthened details of 
 them, with so little of God's revealed truth, in its 
 simple power, purity, and majesty. 
 
 Amidst all the evils of these times, and even by 
 them, we may entertain the hope that the true church 
 is more rising to discern the spiritual glory and the 
 real blessedness of all God's ordinances, and using 
 them more and more in the spirit of faith, hope, and 
 love. By the far more general practice of the public 
 administration of baptism, this delightful sacrament 
 of God's first grace and love to us sinners, is again 
 vividly brought out before the church in its true value 
 and blessedness. It becomes a help in the ministry, 
 a means of the revival of family piety, and a mighty 
 aid to assist parents in making their families the nur- 
 series of the church of Christ. 
 
 The author has read many of the controversial 
 treatises on baptism, and few without some profit; 
 though there is a mistiness and a haziness over some, 
 that tends very greatly to obscure the bright beams of 
 the Sun of Righteousness, and the clear air of his 
 own Spirit. Let the Father's love be displayed ; let 
 Jesus be glorified ; let his Spirit be honoured and set 
 forth ; — thus only can we enter into the blessedness 
 of being baptized in the name of the Father, and of 
 the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. 
 
 If, Christian reader, you derive any benefit from 
 this, or any of the author's other writings, give 
 
XVI PREFACE. 
 
 to your Heavenly Father all the praise, and pray for 
 the writer that he may be upheld to the end, and be 
 enabled ever to seek the glory of God, in the salva- 
 tion and spiritual welfare of our fellow men. 
 
 E. BICKERSTETH. 
 Watton Rectory, 
 Jan.l. 1840. 
 
 The present Edition has been corrected and occa- 
 sionally enlarged. 
 
 Watton Rectory, 
 Nov* 1843. 
 
TREATISE ON BAPTISM. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 THE BAPTISMS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT. 
 
 The restoration of his fallen creatures to the favour 
 and the presence, to the image and the enjoyment of 
 their glorious Creator, is the great and gracious de- 
 sign of our God, in all his varied dispensations, as 
 well as in the full light and enlarged grace of the 
 gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. The present con- 
 dition of the human race is most affecting and awful. 
 Sin has separated weak and dependent creatures, 
 with ten thousand thousand capacities of daily mise- 
 ries or daily joys, from communion with their Crea- 
 tor, the only sure protector from evil, the only 
 source of all good and all joy. Since men have 
 sinned against him, they live as ivithout God in the 
 world. He is their terror, and not their refuge ; their 
 hatred, and not their delight. They fly from him, 
 being alienated and at enmity, and dread each mani- 
 festation of his presence and power. But God has 
 B 
 
Z TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 boundless pity and unsearchable riches of mercy. 
 He has revealed in his word his loving-kindness to- 
 wards sinners, and has manifested his grace in Christ 
 Jesus lo the guilty nations of the earth, calling all 
 men now to be reconciled, and return back to him 
 from whom they have revolted. He has shewn that 
 he means nothing less for us, as the result of his in- 
 finite wisdom, righteousness, and goodness, than to 
 bring us, through the mediation of his only-begotten 
 Son, and the gifts of his free Spirit, to his own happy 
 and everlasting kingdom, when to us also, sinful as 
 we have been, God shall be all in all. 
 
 Who can tell all the goodness and loving-kindness 
 of our God in giving such various means as he has 
 provided, for our recovery from our iniquities, and 
 our renewed communion with him, and our full resto- 
 ration to holiness and happiness? This great result 
 has from the beginning been in the mind of Him who 
 has commended his love to us, in that while we were yet 
 sinners Christ died for us. Innumerable are the wit- 
 nesses in creation and providence, of his doing good 
 to men, giving them rain from heaven and fruitful 
 seasons, and filling their hearts with food and glad- 
 ness. 
 
 In his word, we see still more distinctly that full 
 provision has been made for testifying visibly and 
 constantly his love to man. Sacrifices were from the 
 beginning appointed for this end; the rainbow was 
 made the token of a covenant of peace; circumcision 
 was given to the father of the faithful; the minute 
 and comprehensive law of Moses was, throughout, 
 full of proofs that God would have all Israel restored 
 to holiness and communion with him. 
 
 The various parts of the Old Testament dispensa- 
 
THE BAPTISMS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT. 3 
 
 tion were introductory to the more simple, spiritual, 
 and general worship of our God. The good tidings 
 of great joy revealed in Christ are for all people, and 
 designed to be made known to all nations, and to 
 shew God's love to all men, and his full purpose 
 finally to bless our whole earth with the knowledge 
 of his salvation. The instructive histories of the Old 
 Testament give us, however, continual types of spi- 
 ritual blessings, and the ceremonies of the law, or the 
 necessities of our condition in this world, prepared 
 the way for the simple rites and sacraments of the 
 gospel. 
 
 Many parts of the Old Testament are in the New 
 thus applied to the sacrament of baptism — one of 
 those two distinguished sacred mysteriesof God's grace 
 and love which he has given for our instruction and sal- 
 vation, and which it is the objectof thepresenttreatise 
 to illustrate, if it shall please God to bless the efforts 
 for the edification of the reader. For the more clear 
 and full comprehension of that sacrament, we will 
 first notice these preparations of the Old Testament 
 for the baptism of the gospel. 
 
 That great and awful event the deluge, is the 
 first illustration in the Old Testament which we have 
 of the baptism of the New Testament. God, in the 
 destruction of the whole world of sinners, and the 
 salvation of one family in the midst of that destruc- 
 tion, thus gave, from the beginning, a type and em- 
 blem of his purposes of love to our fallen race, as well 
 as of his righteous and most awful wrath against all 
 sin. When the long-suffering of God waited in the 
 days of Noah, while the ark was preparing, wherein few, 
 that is, eight souls were saved by water, the like figure 
 whereunto even baptism doth now also save us. We see 
 
 B 2 
 
4 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 there the waters of the flood made the means of sepa- 
 ration between the church and the world ; while 
 those waters were the means of destruction to the 
 world, they were the means of bearing the church of 
 God, in the ark, above that destruction. Thus ad- 
 mission by baptism into the church of Christ is God's 
 appointed ordinance, as admission into the ark was ; 
 and hence our means of salvation ; while its wilful 
 rejection, and turning to creature confidence, will 
 leave men exposed to condemnation and wrath. Yet, 
 as in the outward deliverance by the ark, there was 
 one at least left under the sentence of a curse through 
 his persevering wickedness, so the privileges of 
 Christian baptism are connected with a curse on 
 such as profane, in their evil conduct afterwards, that 
 divine ordinance. And as the flood was to those 
 saved through it, the beginning of a new life and a 
 new world, of which they were the heirs, so is bap- 
 tism to Christians the introduction by faith and in 
 spirit to a new world of which they are called to be 
 the heirs. We may view the ark as typical of the 
 Church of Christ, and Noah, the builder of the ark, 
 as the figure of our Lord Christ, who institutes all 
 the ordinances of the Christian church. In this 
 first great type, then, what a solemn lesson we 
 have of the vast importance of Christian baptism, 
 and its connection with our safety from that wrath 
 to come which shall overtake assuredly the un- 
 godly. 
 
 It has been supposed, that from the time of the de- 
 luge washings with water were used as typical of 
 cleansing from wickedness ; and that Jacob's direc- 
 tion to his household, and to all that were with him, Put 
 away the strange Gods that arc among you, and be clean. 
 
THE BAPTISMS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT. 5 
 
 and change your garments, has a reference to this spi- 
 ritual washing. 
 
 A second striking lesson of baptism is given us in 
 
 THE PASSAGE OF THE ISRAELITES THROUGH THE RED 
 
 sea. Brethren, says the Apostle, / would not that ye 
 should he ignorant, how that all our fathers were under 
 the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and were all 
 baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea. Under 
 the conduct of their leader, Moses, in their passage 
 from Egypt to Canaan, the Israelites were brought 
 to the Red Sea. It was the way by which they were 
 to pass out of Egypt into the wilderness that lay be- 
 tween them and Canaan. So we Christians, under 
 the conduct of Christ, our leader, are brought to bap- 
 tism, as a first step in our passage from this evil 
 world, and a first great change introducing us to 
 the experience of the Christian life. When the Isra- 
 elites were brought to the Red Sea, they seemed to be 
 brought to death rather than to life ; yetthe waves were 
 opened before them, and through those very waves, 
 roaring all around them, (Isa. li. 15.) and sprinkling 
 them with spray through the mighty east wind, (Exod. 
 xiv. 21.) they were to be brought to the promised 
 land ; while the Egyptians were indeed irretrievably 
 overwhelmed in that sea. Thus when we are brought 
 to baptism, it is to be baptized into the death of 
 Jesus, to have fellowship with his sufferings, and yet 
 that apparent death is the very passage to victory 
 over our enemies, and to spiritual life and final glory. 
 Both fathers and children passed under the cloud 
 and through the sea ; the baptism was common to 
 both, and in this it corresponds to the enlarged com- 
 mission of Christ to disciple all nations and baptize 
 them. All this national baptism was in great mercy : 
 
6 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 He made Israel to pass through the Red Sea, for his 
 mercy endurethfor ever. It was a pledge and token 
 of his covenant love to them, to call forth, strengthen, 
 and increase their faith. Ye have seen what I did 
 unto the Egyptians, and how I hare you on eagle's wings, 
 and brought you unto myself. Now, therefore, if ye will 
 obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall 
 be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people, for all 
 the earth is mine, and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of 
 priests, and an holy nation. Their obtaining the bless- 
 ing was connected with faith and obedience. Their 
 entrance into the land, and their glory there, was 
 still dependant on their acting out God's gracious 
 promises. Faith was still requisite to make the real 
 blessings effectively theirs. To those who believed, 
 like Caleb and Joshua, the promises were fully real- 
 ized. Those who believed not, entered not in, be- 
 cause of their unbelief. In all this we may learn the 
 exact character and meaning of Christian baptism. 
 
 The people were prepared for the reception of the 
 law by washing. Moses went down from the mount to 
 the people, and sanctified the people, and they washed 
 their clothes. Exod. xix. 14. 
 
 We have a farther instruction in baptism in the 
 
 WASHINGS APPOINTED BY THE LAW OF MOSES. 
 
 Aaron and his sons, on their being consecrated to the 
 priesthood were to be wholly washed with water, 
 as well as sprinkled with blood, at the door of the 
 tabernacle, Exod. xxix. 4. 21. And whenever they 
 went into the tabernacle, they were to wash their 
 hands and their feet at the brazen laver. Exod. 
 xxx. 18—21. For cleansing from various ceremo- 
 nial uncleannesses also the Israelites were directed 
 to wash themselves, (Lev. xiii. 54, 58 ; xiv, 8, 9: xvi. 
 
THE BAPTISMS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT. 7 
 
 4, 24; xxii. 6,) and this was made of such importance, 
 that on washing he was counted clean ; but if be 
 washed not, then he shall bear his iniquity, Lev. xvii. 
 15, 16. For the cleansing of the Levites, the Lord 
 gave this direction to Moses, Num. viii. 7. Sprinkle 
 water of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their 
 flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and so mahe them- 
 selves clean. These things are called by the Apostle 
 divers washings or baptisms — a figure for the time then 
 present, imposed upon them until the time of the reforma- 
 tion,Heb. ix. 9, 10. It is not clear that the Jaw re- 
 quired the priests or ministers of the sanctuary ever 
 to cleanse the unclean otherwise than by sprinkling, 
 or pouring of water and washing. The general na- 
 ture and meaning of such washings were obvious ; 
 they pointed out spiritual uncleanness, our sinfulness 
 before God, and the need of spiritual cleansing to be 
 accepted in his sight. Christians are a royal priest- 
 hood they have an initiatory washing, the ordinance 
 of baptism, to consecrate them to their high and holy 
 office, and they need the frequent renewings of the 
 Holy Ghost to be cleansed from their sins. It is to 
 be observed, that the priest's whole body was washed 
 at their first institution as priests for the service of 
 the sanctuary (Exod. xxix. 4) ; but afterwards they 
 were only required to wash their hands and their 
 feet, Exod. xxx. 18 — 21. The Apostle similarly dis- 
 tinguishes the Christian's life into the commencing 
 regeneration, and the daily renewing : Not by works of 
 righteousness, which we have done, but according to his 
 mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and 
 the renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he shed on us 
 abundantly through Jesus Christ our Lord. 
 
 Through the prophets we observe a frequent con- 
 
8 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 nection between the washing of the body with water 
 and the cleansing of the soul from sin, Wash me tho- 
 roughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. 
 Psalm li. 2. Wash you, make you clean, put away the 
 evil of your doings. Isaiah i. 16. O Jerusalem, wash 
 thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. 
 Jer. iv. 14. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, 
 and you shall be clean. Ezek. xxxvi. 25. These and 
 similar passages (Zech. xiii. 1. Isaiah Hi. 15.) point 
 out how fully the Jewish church was prepared to 
 recognize a baptism with water, as naturally figura- 
 tive and expressive of the cleansing of the soul from 
 its sinfulness. 
 
 There is a farther practice noticed in the Old Tes- 
 tament at the birth of an infant which is com- 
 mon to the humbling circumstances in which, in all 
 countries, human beings are first brought into the 
 world, that will yet farther illustrate baptism. The 
 commencement of the Jewish nation is thus com- 
 pared to the birth of an infant — As for thy nativity, in 
 the day thou ivast born, thy navel was not cut, neither 
 wast thou washed in water to supple thee, thou wast not 
 salted at all, nor swaddled at all. When I passed by 
 thee, polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee, when 
 thou wast in thy blood — live, (and it is repeated be- 
 cause of the delightful trutli the words contain) 
 yea, I said unto thee, when thou wast in thy blood — live* 
 Thou wast naked and bare. Now, when I passed by 
 thee and looked upon thee, behold thy time ivas the time 
 of love, (there is the first beginning of all our hopes 
 and blessings,) and I spread my skirt over thee, and 
 covered thy nakedness; yea, I sware unto thee, and en- 
 tered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and 
 thou bccamcst mine; yea, I washed thee with water, I 
 
THE BAPTISMS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT. 9 
 
 thoroughly washed thy blood from thee, and I anointed 
 thee with oil. The prophet goes on to describe fully 
 the many favours then bestowed on that helpless 
 infant. We may hence gather the designed analogy 
 of Christian baptism. From the absolute bodily 
 wants of anew-born babe, we are taught the spiritual 
 wants of the soul; from that which the new-born 
 babe requires to be done for its preservation and 
 health, we are led onwards by baptism to consider 
 what blessings are requisite for the soul at its spiri- 
 tual birth for its preservation and health. In the 
 words of the Christian father Jerome, " As the bo- 
 dies of infants polluted with blood need to be washed 
 as soon as they come from the mother's womb, so 
 our spiritual birth needs this salutary washing." 
 And yet the very passage shews how all this may 
 only increase, through abuse, our guilt and condem- 
 nation. Judah fell, and the reason is given ; it is 
 said to her, Because thou didst trust in thine own beauty. 
 From these few observations the Christian reader 
 may see how large a preparation was made, even in 
 the Old Testament, for the baptismal ordinance under 
 the New, and how carefully the Divine Spirit had 
 ordered all that had previously taken place to give 
 his full instruction concerning it, and to secure, as 
 it were for our use, the blessings which God intended 
 in his love to convey to us, and yet to guard us 
 against the perverse abuse of that love and the turn- 
 ing of his grace into licentiousness. 
 
10 TREATISE ON BAPTISM 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 THE APPOINTMENT OF BAPTISM IN THE NEW 
 TESTAMENT. 
 
 The covenant which separated Abraham and his 
 posterity from the nations of the earth, then falling 
 into idolatry, to be the people of God, was a glorious 
 manifestation of God's special grace to an elect 
 people. Yet we find in the very first call of Abra- 
 ham, abundant proof of God's love to all men. The 
 words / will bless thee and make thy name great, and 
 thou shalt be a blessing ; and in thee shall all the fami- 
 lies of the earth be blessed (Gen. xii. 3, 4.) form part 
 of that covenant. The same overflowing love of God 
 is continually manifesting itself through the various 
 dispensations of Israel to the coming of our Lord. 
 We see indeed an election of grace, but it is with 
 the assurance that Godregardeth not persons, and loveth 
 the stranger. Deut. x. 17, IB. That the Gentiles might 
 glorify God for his mercy, (Rom. xv. 9.) was, as the 
 apostle shews, ever in the divine mind. 
 
 When Christ himself appeared, it became still more 
 clear that he was the Light to lighten the Gentiles, and 
 the Saviour of the world. (Luke ii. 32. John vi. 42.) 
 
THE APPOINTMENT OF BAPTISM. 11 
 
 This glorious truth became yet more manifest by 
 the death of our Lord Jesus Christ, as the Lamb of 
 God that taketh away the sin of the world. As ail 
 things were created by Christ, and for Christ, so has 
 be redeemed the world to himself by his death. He 
 gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time, 
 God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, 
 not imputing their trespasses unto them. In the strong 
 words of Luther ; after speaking of Christ as the 
 greatest transgressor that was or would be in the 
 world, he goes on, " For he being made a sacrifice 
 for the sins of the whole world, is not now an inno- 
 cent person and without sins, is not now the Son of 
 God, born of the Virgin Mary; but a sinner which 
 has, and carries, the sin of Paul, who was a blas- 
 phemer, an oppressor, and a persecutor ; of Peter, 
 who denied Christ; of David, who was an adulterer, 
 a murderer, and caused the Gentiles to blaspheme 
 the name of the Lord ; and, briefly, who has, and 
 bears all the sins of all men in his body, not that he 
 himself committed them, but, being committed or 
 done by us, he received them, and laid them on his 
 own body, that he might make satisfaction for them 
 with his own blood. Isaiah liii. Matt. viii,l7. By 
 this means the whole world is purged and cleansed 
 from all sins and so delivered from death and all 
 evils. Now sin being vanquished and death abo- 
 lished by this one man. God would see nothing else 
 in the whole world, if it did believe, but a mere 
 cleansing and righteousness. And if any remnants 
 of sin should remain yet for the great glory that is in 
 Christ, God would wink at them and would not see 
 them." * 
 
 * See bis Comment ou Gal, iii. 13. 
 
12 TREATISE ON BAPTISM ! 
 
 O wondrous plan of mercy ! by the death of Jesus, 
 sin is condemned ; by his resurrection, the most sin- 
 ful, believing in him, are freely justified. Thus all 
 men may look upon their own sins with detestation 
 and abhorrence, and upon Christ's righteousness as 
 their own righteousness now and forever; may know 
 that this is the only right state for sinful man, and a 
 standing which every human being is called to take. 
 
 According with this full exhibition of God's love, 
 baptism was appointed to bring all nations visibly 
 and manifestly under this covenant of grace, to give 
 them solid ground for their faith, both in the word 
 and in the sacrament, and admit them to be members 
 of Christ, children of God, and inheritors of the 
 kingdom of heaven. 
 
 Great and wonderful is both the holiness and the 
 loving-kindness of God in our free salvation, by 
 Christ Jesus. In the words of that noble champion 
 of the doctrine of grace, Martin Luther, "Christ 
 has already saved us; he has performed all things 
 which are required hereunto, that we may be saved ; 
 has overcome and subdued sin, death, hell, &c. so 
 that he has left nothing for any man to care for ; he 
 
 HAS ALSO GIVEN ALL THESE THINGS TO US IN BAP- 
 TISM, that whosoever believes in Christ, has performed 
 them, has them together in the same moment, he has 
 
 NEED OF NOTHING MORE UNTO SALVATION BUT FAITH 
 
 alone, that he may firmly believe that these things 
 are so performed. But mark what incomparable 
 riches of his grace God has poured upon us in bap- 
 tism, who has delivered us even from those works 
 whereby those holy foolish ones go about to merit 
 Leaven and to be saved ; for we must have heaven 
 and be saved before we can do any good works ; so 
 
THE APPOINTMENT OF BAPTISM. 13 
 
 that works cannot merit heaven, but heaven being 
 before given of mere grace, causes us to do good 
 works, and that not for the hope of merit or reward, 
 but only to the profit of our neighbours and to the glory 
 of God, until this body be delivered from sin and 
 death. Wherefore all the life of a Christian after 
 baptism is nothing else but an expectation of salva- 
 tion and felicity to be revealed, which they that be- 
 lieve in Christ do now possess although hidden. 1 John 
 iii. 1 — 3." (Sermon on Titus Hi. 4 — 7.) 
 
 Luther, in speaking afterwards of a true and right 
 faith, thus describes it : u First, that thou doubt not 
 that God is become to thee a merciful Father, who 
 has pardoned all thy sins, and in baptism adopted 
 thee for his son and heir, that thou mayest certainly 
 know that thou art saved ; again, thou must also 
 know this, that this was not done gratuitously, nei- 
 ther without satisfaction made to the divine justice, 
 for there can be no place in thee for the divine grace 
 and mercy to work salvation and to give thee eternal 
 good things, unless the justice of God were before 
 most fully satisfied." Matt. v. 18. 
 
 That we may the more clearly see this large design 
 of God's love, let us proceed to consider the appoint- 
 ment of baptism by our Lord. 
 
 There were many preparatory steps before the 
 Lord Jesus Christ finally appointed Christian bap- 
 tism. The title of his forerunner, John, was emi- 
 nently the baptist, and our Lord, referring to him, 
 says : This is he of whom it is written, Behold I send my 
 messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way 
 before thee. Verily I say unto you, among them which 
 are born of women there hath not risen a greater than 
 John the Baptist. 
 
14 TREATISE ON BAPTISM '. 
 
 Let us first consider the baptism of John. 
 
 The ministry of John was emphatically to prepare 
 the way of the Lord, and his preaching was the baptism 
 of repentance for the remission of sins ; having also to 
 set before men tins designed issue of God's love, that 
 every obstacle should, in the result, be removed, and 
 all flesh shall see the salvation of God. His instruction 
 was, Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand ; 
 and his baptism was connected with the confession 
 of sin. They were baptized of him in Jordan, confess- 
 ing their sins. 
 
 This ministry excited a general expectation among 
 the Jews. Jerusalem and all Judea, and all the 
 region round about Jordan, went out to John preach- 
 ing in the wilderness, and were baptized of him in 
 Jordan, confessing their sins. He gave to each class 
 appropriate instruction, teaching them to bring forth, 
 fruits meet for repentance. But his great office was 
 to point out the coming Saviour. As the people were 
 in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John 
 whether he were the Christ or not, John answered, say- 
 ing unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water, but 
 one mightier titan I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I 
 am not worthy to unloose ; he shall baptise you with the 
 Holy Ghost and with fire. Luke iii. 15, 1G. 
 
 It does not appear that John the Baptist baptized 
 disciples into any particular name. The Jewish dis- 
 pensation was still subsisting, and his ministry ap- 
 pears to have been supplementary to that dispensa- 
 tion, rather than the commencement of the Christian. 
 Indeed the great truths connected with the death of 
 our Lord form so the whole foundation both of Chris- 
 tian Baptism and of Christianity, that till his cruci- 
 fixion and resurrection, the new dispensation could 
 not be fully opened and proclaimed. 
 
THE APPOINTMENT OF BAPTISM. 15 
 
 But had the Jews received John's testimony to 
 our Lord, instead of rejecting it, as they did, how 
 different would have been the result to the Jewish 
 nation ! The balance for a moment seemed favour- 
 able. He was the burning and shining light, (6 Xvxvos 6 
 KaiofievosJ and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in 
 his light ; but when it came to the spirituality and 
 humiliation of the gospel, and our Lord appealed to 
 them, the baptism of John, was it from heaven or of 
 men? they took shelter in that common subterfuge 
 of a wicked mind, pretended uncertainty, and replied, 
 We cannot tell. Our Lord had warned them of the 
 immensely important issue of receiving John's testi- 
 mony, when he told them, If ye will receive it, this is 
 Elias which was to come. (Matt. xi. 14;) But they 
 rejected him, and for eighteen hundred years have 
 thus thrown back the kingdom of glory, till Elias 
 truly shall first come, and restore all things. Matt, 
 xvii. 11. 
 
 Their sin was the more wilful and their guilt the 
 more inexcusable, as John referred them from his 
 outward baptism to the inward baptism, (Luke iii. 16, 
 17,) pointed to Christ only for the remission of sins, 
 (John i. 29 ; and explicitly warned them against trust- 
 ing in a mere formal baptism, Luke iii. 7—14. 
 
 Jesus himself also came, and submitted himself to 
 John's baptism. Though without sin, yet bearing 
 our sins, he refused not the baptism of repentance 
 fur the remission of sins, but was baptized in the 
 river Jordan, and was then acknowledged to the 
 eyes of men by the visible descent of the Spirit, and 
 to the ears of men by the audible voice of God, as 
 the beloved Son of God, in whom his Father was well 
 pleased* He was afterwards again and again expli- 
 
16 TREATISE ON BAPTISM ; 
 
 citly pointed out to the people by John the Baptist, 
 while he said to them, Behold the Lamb of God, which 
 taketh away the sin of the world. John i. 29. 36. 
 
 Our Lord's yielding himself to be baptized by John 
 is full of instruction. The Baptist, sensible indeed 
 of his true glory and freedom from all sin, forbad 
 him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and 
 contest thou to me. But the whole life of Jesus was a 
 life of self-sacrifice and humiliation, and he would 
 therefore yield himself to be baptized by his own 
 messenger and forerunner. Jesus answering said unto 
 him, Suffer it to be so now, for thus it becometh us 
 to fulfil all righteousness. And so he was baptised of 
 John. 
 
 The Baptism of our Lord was a connecting link 
 between the ordinances of the Old and of the New 
 Testament. 
 
 Our Divine Redeemer, who was under the law for 
 us, and fulfilled all righteousness for our redemp- 
 tion, submitted himself both to circumcision and 
 baptism, thus sympathising with his saints who 
 lived before, as well as those who lived after, his 
 coming. Archbishop Usher, in his tract entitled 
 4 Immanuel,' remarks thus on this part of our 
 Lord's conduct: — 'Howsoever circumcision was by 
 right applicable only unto such as were dead in sins 
 and the uncircumcision of their flesh, (Col. ii. 11, 
 10 ;) yet he in whom there was no body of the sins of 
 the flesh to be put oil', submitted himself notwith- 
 standing thereunto ; not only to testify his commu- 
 nion with the fathers of the Old Testament, but also 
 by this means to tender unto his Father a bond 
 signed with his own blood, whereby he made himself 
 in our behalf a debtor unto the whole law,' Gal. v. 3. 
 
THE APPOINTMENT OF BAPTISM. 17 
 
 In like manner Baptism appertained properly unto 
 such as were defiled and had need to have their sins 
 washed away : and therefore when all the land of 
 Judea and they of Jerusalem went out unto John, 
 they were all baptized of him in the river Jordan, 
 confessing their sins. Matt. iii. 6. Among the rest 
 came our Saviour also: but the Baptist considering 
 that he had need to be baptized by Christ, and Christ 
 no need at all to be baptized by him, refused to give 
 way unto that action, as altogether unbefitting the 
 state of that immaculate Lamb of God who was to 
 take away the sin of the world. Yet did our Medi- 
 ator submit himself to that ordinance of God also, 
 not only to testify his communion with the Christians 
 of the New Testament, but especially, — which is the 
 reason yielded by himself, — because it became him 
 thus to ful/ill all righteousness. Matt. iii. 15. 
 
 After his own baptism we see a further preparatory 
 step. He went up to the passover at Jerusalem, and 
 wrought miracles there ; and Nicodemus, struck by 
 these miracles, came to him by night for instruction. 
 In that instruction our Lord appears to open to him 
 the real significance of baptism in the words, Verily, 
 verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and 
 of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 
 The great character of John's baptism was a baptism 
 with water, confessing sins, and unto repentance; the 
 great character of Christian baptism was a baptism 
 with water indeed outwardly ; but as to its real sig- 
 nificance and glory, a baptism with the Holy Ghost, 
 setting forth the washing away of all our sins, and 
 producing a death unto sin and a new birth from 
 above unto righteousness. Let the reader notice 
 how frequently the baptisms of John and our Lord 
 c 
 
18 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 are thus contrasted. (Matt iii. 6—16. Mark i. 8, 9. 
 Luke iii. 16. John i. 25—33. Actsi. 5 ; ii. 38; xi. 16.) 
 
 Further preparatory steps were taken in the bap- 
 tisms by our lord and his disciples before his 
 crucifixion. Immediately after the discourse with 
 Nicodcmus, we read, Jesus and his disciples came into 
 the land of Judea, and there he tarried with them and 
 baptized. And John also was baptizing in Enon, near 
 to Salem, because there was much water there, and they 
 came and were baptized. The beautiful spirit of John 
 is then noticed, as rejoicing in the growing work of 
 the Redeemer. He that hath the Bride, is the Bride- 
 groom, but the friend of the Bridegroom which standeth 
 and heareth him rejoiceth greatly because of the Bride- 
 groom's voice ; this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He 
 must increase, but I must decrease. 
 
 But in what light are we to regard this baptism by 
 our Lord and his disciples ? It does not appear to 
 be the commencement of Christian baptism, but the 
 continued preparation for the new dispensation of 
 the gospel. Many as had been baptized by John, 
 more still were baptized under our Lord's directions, 
 (John iv. 1.) And though Jesus himself baptized not, 
 but his disciples (v. 2.), yet was it a part of that lowli- 
 ness and humiliation which marked all his steps to 
 the very last, that he appears here to be subservient, 
 if we may say so, to John's administration of bap- 
 tism, and rejoicing to carry on that work of repent- 
 ance which John had commenced. Hence we find 
 him using the very same form of instruction which 
 John had previously used, Repent, for the hingdom of 
 heaven is at hand. (Compare Matt. iii. 2. and iv. 17.) 
 I lis not baptizing himself might, as in the case of 
 the apostle Paul (1 Cor. i. 14.), be to guard against 
 
THE APPOINTMENT OF BAPTISM. 19 
 
 that excessive overvaluing of outward ordinances by 
 which the Christian church so soon fell away from 
 the simplicity of the gospel. 
 
 One more preparation for Christian baptism before 
 its actual appointment, recorded only by that divine 
 evangelist (whose gospel is so simply full of hea- 
 venly things, that he only of the four evangelists 
 omits the external sacraments* that he may give the 
 glory of their spiritual import more clearly and 
 brightly,) may explain yet farther our Lord's design 
 in baptism, I mean our lord's washing the feet 
 of his disciples at his last supper with them.* He 
 riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments, and 
 took a towel and girded himself. After that he poureth 
 water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, 
 and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. 
 
 Peter, with his usual ardent spirit, objects to this. 
 Our Lord tells him he shall know the reason after- 
 wards. Peter still objects, till Jesus answers, If I 
 wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. On hearing 
 this, Peter's ardent love takes a directly opposite di- 
 rection, and he says, Lord, not my feet only but also 
 my hands and my head. Jesus saith unto him, He that 
 is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean 
 every whit ; and ye are clean, but not all. In this he 
 points out the spiritual meaning of what he had done, 
 as intended to shew to them the need of spiritual 
 cleansing by the Lord himself, and yet that his own 
 appointment might, through the wickedness of the 
 receiver, (as in the case of Judas,) utterly fail of a 
 blessing, and only aggravate the guilt of the par- 
 taker. Oh affecting thought ! that Jesus should 
 
 * The expression, (John xiii. 2.) Supper being ended, should rather 
 be, supper being come, or ready, yevofievov. 
 C 2 
 
20 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 stoop to wash the very feet of his betrayer, and yet 
 that it should only harden where it ought to have 
 melted and subdued. And yet, equally affecting 
 thought ! that so many should be washed in his 
 name, and yet only harden themselves in rebellion 
 against him. 
 
 Thus was the way prepared for the Christian ordi- 
 nance of baptism. By typical histories and institu- 
 tions, by that which is natural on the birth of every 
 child born into our world, by the washings of re- 
 pentance connected with John the Baptist's ministry, 
 and the washing of the feet of his disciples before 
 their supper, the church of God was prepared for 
 the due understanding of this sacred institution. 
 
 Let us now proceed to its appointment by our 
 Lord. 
 
 Just before he left the scene of his humiliation, 
 and ascended to his original glory, having purchased 
 eternal redemption for us, he gave his last directions, 
 inclusive of this ordinance. If the Lord's Supper 
 be specially interesting, as founded on his last com- 
 mand before he suffered, baptism is also specially 
 interesting, as contained in his last charge before he 
 ascended and returned back again to his heavenly 
 mansion, carrying with him there our nature, and 
 wearing there our very form in the presence of God 
 and all his angels. 
 
 The direction appears to have been given on two 
 occasions. The more full statement with which St. 
 Matthew closes his gospel, which some have thought 
 was given on Mount Tabor in Galilee, is as follows : 
 All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go 
 ye, therefore, and teach (naOriTevaaTe, train up as dis- 
 ciples) all nations, baptizing them in the name of the 
 
THE APPOINTMENT OE BAPTISM. 21 
 
 Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost ; teach- 
 ing (Stdaa-Kovres, instructing) them to observe all things 
 whatsoever I have commanded you : and lo, I am with 
 you always even unto the end of the world. Amen. Oh ! 
 full and blessed conclusion of our Lord's eventful 
 history, shewing his large designs of love to the whole 
 human race ! 
 
 The conclusion of St. Mark's gospel contains our 
 Lord's address, probably given on another occasion, 
 and, as has been thought, at Bethany, on his ascen- 
 sion. It is : Go ye into the world and preach the 
 gospel to every creature : he that believeth and is bap- 
 tized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be 
 damned. He connects with this direction the pro- 
 mise of power to work miracles, a power actually 
 realized by those to whom the promise was first 
 given : the Lord worked with them and confirmed the 
 ivord ivith signs following. 
 
 This all-importantand last commission given by our 
 Lord to his disciples is the foundation of the Chris- 
 tian ministry, the sum of Christian doctrine, the com- 
 mencement of the visible church, the grand means 
 and charter for its propagation through the world, 
 - the rule for Christian obedience, and the cheering 
 stay and hope of the church in the spiritual presence 
 of its Head, while he is as to his bodily presence 
 absent. It enlarges the church of God from a con- 
 fined country, and sends it through the earth on its 
 glorious message of grace and love to all men : and 
 it continues this its blessed office to the final consum- 
 mation of all things. 
 
 In the baptism appointed by our Lord, there is a 
 more distinct exhibition of the forgiveness of sins. 
 John's was the baptism of confession of sin. (Matt. Hi. 
 
22 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 6.) and of repentance for the remission of sins. The 
 baptism appointed by Christ pointed out rather sins 
 already washed away by his blood. Hence the charge 
 is, Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, 
 calling on the name of the Lord. Be baptized everyone 
 of you, in the name of Jesus, for the remission of sins. 
 Acts ii. 38. The great fact of the putting away of sin 
 by the sacrifice of Christ, was now fully accomplished, 
 and men were freely invited to partake of the bless- 
 ing 1 , and have it assured to them by baptism. 
 
 The obligation under which all Christians are to 
 observe the rite of baptism, is what may be hence 
 first deduced. This obligation may be seen on various 
 grounds.* 
 
 1. The command is decisive. Disciple and bap- 
 tize all nations. The word is unequivocal as to the 
 real application of the clement of water, when it is 
 connected with the previous practice of John the 
 
 * Archbishop Whitgift, in his reply to Cartwright, on the necessity 
 of baptism, though the necessity of salvation be not tied to the sacra- 
 ment, speaks thus— 
 
 * The outward sacramental signs are seals of God's promises, and 
 whosoever kefuseth the same shall never enjoy the promises ; and 
 although the necessity of salvation is not so tied to the sacraments, 
 that whosoever hath the external signs shall therefore be saved, yet 
 it is so tied to them, that none can be saved that willingly and wittingly 
 is void of them, and not partakers of them. Circumcision, which 
 is a figure of baptism, had that necessity joined unto it, that whoso, 
 ever lacked it was not counted or reckoned among the people of God. 
 It is not nothing that Christ saith : ' Qui creclidcrit et baptizatus 
 fuerit,' &c. Cut your manner of doctrine is such, that it maketh men 
 think that the external signs of the sacraments are bare ceremonies, 
 and in no wise necessary to salvation, which must in time bring in a 
 contempt of the sacraments, and especially of baptism for infants.' 
 
 ' M. Zuinglius, llucer. and Calvin, although they do not think chil- 
 dren without baptism to be damned, yet do they judge the baptism of 
 children to be necessary, and that for just causes. And what Chris- 
 tian would willingly suffer his child to die without the sacrament of 
 regeneration, the lack whereof (though it be not a necessary) yet may 
 it seem to be a probable token and sign of reprobation.* 
 
THE APPOINTMENT OF BAPTISM. 23 
 
 Baptist and of our Lord's disciples. The Jews could 
 not mistake its meaning. The practice of, in many 
 respects, a truly valuable body of Christians, who, 
 under the idea of peculiarly maintaining the spiritu- 
 ality of the gospel, omit the external ordinances of 
 baptism and the Lord's supper, has no foundation in 
 the word of God, or in a just view of the real cha- 
 racter and necessities of man as composed of body 
 and spirit, and requiring the visible and outward to 
 quicken him to the understanding and perception of 
 the invisible and spiritual ; and tends to the entire 
 loss of that spirituality it aims to preserve. To en- 
 deavour, from the self-righteous abuse of a formalist, 
 to discard all forms, is to make ourselves wiser than 
 He who knew what was in man, and what man re- 
 quired, and has explicitly appointed forms for our 
 use ; and experience has shewn that it is unavailing 
 for its professed end. 
 
 2. The PRACTICE OF THE EARLY CHURCH, from 
 
 the beginning, is clear. The apostles, in consequence 
 of the command of Christ, went forth and baptized 
 all who received the gospel. On the day of Pente- 
 cost, when the Jews, pricked in their hearts, asked, 
 What shall we do? they were plainly directed, not 
 only Repent, but also, be baptized every one of you, in 
 the name of Jesus Christ (Acts ii. 38) ; and about three 
 thousand gladly received his word, and were bap- 
 tized. When Cornelius and his household had re- 
 ceived the Holy Ghost, Peter commanded them to be 
 baptized in the name of the Lord. In this command he 
 set a pattern which the apostle Paul copied after- 
 wards, not baptizing himself, lest the external rite 
 should be unduly magnified, but yet commanding the 
 baptism lest it should be slighted and neglected. 
 
24 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 Through the Acts of the Apostles, and through 
 their Epistles, we have frequent indications that 
 baptism was practised by them. The Ethiopian 
 eunuch no sooner confessed his faith in Christ than 
 he was baptized by Philip. Lydia no sooner had 
 her heart opened to attend to the things which were 
 spoken of Paul, than she was baptized and her whole 
 household, (Acts xvi. 15); and, soon afterwards, the 
 jailer, seeing his danger, and flying to Christ, tvas 
 baptized, he and all his, straightway, (ver. 33.) The 
 Ephesian church was founded on twelve of John the 
 Baptist's disciples being baptized in the name of the 
 Lord Jesus. Acts xix. 5. Through the Epistles, Chris- 
 tians are argued with on the ground of their baptism, 
 (Rom. vi. 1 Cor. 1. Gal. iii. Col. ii. &c.) and are consi- 
 dered as being by one Spirit all baptized into one body. 
 1 Cor. xii. 13. The practice then of the church, as 
 recorded in the scriptures, founded on Christ's com- 
 mand, confirms the plain obligation of baptism. 
 
 Baptism is also connected with salvation. It 
 is evident that the obligation of baptism is greatly 
 strengthened by the connection which the scriptures 
 declare to exist between this ordinance and our salva- 
 tion. Our Lord says, He that believeth and is baptized, 
 shall be saved. Mark xvi. 16. It has been the gen- 
 eral faith of the church, that, in the discourse with 
 Nicodemus, our Lord had a special reference to bap- 
 tism, in connection with the new birth, when he so 
 solemnly testifies, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except 
 a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter 
 into the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of heaven 
 in its present state on earth, which is but its com- 
 mencement, may be regarded as two-fold ; visible, 
 including all professing Christians ; and invisible, in- 
 
THE APPOINTMENT OF BAPTISM. 25 
 
 eluding only those truly converted to God. The laver 
 of regeneration in baptism, is requisite for admission 
 into the outward visible, and to be born of the Spirit 
 is requisite for admission into the spiritual and visible 
 kingdom. 
 
 In harmony with this is the testimony of Peter : 
 Even baptism doth also now save us ; not the putting 
 away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good 
 conscience towards God, by the resurrection of Jesus 
 Christ. 1 Peter iii. 21. The Holy Spirit has thus 
 connected baptism with salvation. But let us take 
 heed that we mistake not the connection. It is not 
 meant that all the unbaptized shall not be saved ; 
 the distinction carefully made here by our Lord 
 should not be overlooked ; He that believeth and is 
 baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be 
 damned. We have no mention of "is not baptized/' in 
 the second and condemning part of our Lord's words. 
 The dying thief was not baptized, and yet was as- 
 sured that he would be with Christ in paradise. The 
 Israelites who were baptized in the Red Sea, failed, 
 through unbelief, to enter Canaan. Baptism is a 
 divinely-appointed means towards our salvation, in 
 the right acceptation of which what is needful for 
 salvation may be expected, and in the wilful and 
 voluntary neglect of which we lose the benefit of 
 God's promises made in that ordinance. It is a great 
 mistake to say that without baptism there is no sal- 
 vation ; but it is also a great sin to disregard the 
 Lord's plain command, which he has connected with 
 salvation ; and this sin cannot but be followed with 
 evil consequences. 
 
 The immediate benefits of this ordinance will be 
 considered in a separate chapter. As the ark was a 
 
26 TREATISE ON BAPTISM ! 
 
 means of escaping the wrath coming on the ungodly, 
 and yet contained a wicked Ham ; as the Passover 
 was a means of preserving the Israelites from the 
 destruction of the first-born, and yet many Israelites 
 perished in the wilderness; as the baptism in the 
 Red Sea preserved them from Pharaoh's army, and 
 yet many never entered Canaan; so is baptism con- 
 nected with salvation, but it may all be made void 
 by unbelief, and we may perish with the ungodly. 
 Yet the obligation to observe it, only with faith, is 
 most clear. 
 
 The sacraments were expressly designed to be 
 observed by the church till our Lord's return. 
 When our Lord appointed each sacrament, he con- 
 nected with each, statements to shew this. At the 
 appointment of the Lord's supper he said, / will not 
 drink henceforth of the fruit of the vine, until I drink it 
 new with you in my Father's ki7igdo?n. And the apostle 
 Paul savs of it, As oft as ye eat this bread, and drink 
 this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. 1 Cor. 
 xi.20. At the appointment of baptism his declara- 
 tion to his church is, Lo, 1 am with you always to the 
 end of the world, (ecus ttjs vvvreXeias re aiavos,) and it con- 
 veys the same important truth. The sacraments are 
 visible signs of good things to come, even of that 
 perfect holiness and of that heavenly bauquet pro- 
 mised to the children of God in the coming kingdom 
 of glory ; and they are to be prized and diligently kept 
 till we arrive at that glory. 
 
 In farther considering this appointment, let us 
 notice what is the meaning of the woiid baptism. 
 It is originally a Greek word, which has been 
 adopted into our language, as having in its use at 
 least a more general signification than immersing 
 
THE APPOINTMENT OF BAPTISM. 27 
 
 and dipping ; such as pouring water on, washing or 
 bathing, and including, by the scriptural illustration 
 of symbolical cleansing, these modes of the applica- 
 tion of water to the body. It was the general habit 
 in eastern countries to bathe frequently, so that 
 bathing was to them as customary as washing is to 
 us. Either immersion, therefore, or pouring water 
 on the head of a person at the water, * was the fre- 
 quent practice of the first churches. No one can 
 read Bingham's account of Baptism without admit- 
 ting the early practice of immersion. We see in the 
 scriptures that they were sometimes baptized by the 
 side of rivers, (Matt, iii.; Mark i. ; John iii. 23.) or 
 of a pool; (Acts viii. 38.) but even here it is not 
 certain that more was done than going into the 
 water and the pouring of water on the head. It is 
 again highly improbable that the 3000 baptized at 
 once in Jerusalem, on the day of Pentecost, were 
 immersed. (Acts ii. 41.) The promised baptism with 
 the Holy Ghost and with fire, was fulfilled by their 
 being filled with, or the falling of the Spirit, and 
 tongues of fire sitting on each : there was no immer- 
 sion here. (Matt. iii. 11; Acts ii. 1 — 4; x. 44.) Our 
 Lord, alluding to his bloody sweat and the pouring 
 out of his blood on the cross, says, I have a baptism 
 to be baptized with ; no literal immersion is necessary 
 to justify this figure. The same term, (fra-ima fxovs), 
 (Matt. vii. 4,) is applied to the w ashing of cups and puts, 
 brazen vessels and of tables or beds. This was not 
 necessarily by immersion. When we consider the 
 multitudes that went to John's baptism, (Matt. iii. 5.) 
 the presence of much water in an eastern country 
 
 * See note at the end of this chapter. See also Taylor's Facts and 
 Evidences on the subject of Baptism. 
 
28 TREATISE ON BAPTISM *. 
 
 might be requisite for other purposes besides immer- 
 sion. (John iii. 23.)* The church of England leaves 
 the minister at liberty to dip or pour water. 
 
 This may suffice as to the outward mode in admi- 
 nistering baptism ; for the author is unwilling to 
 detain the reader on so very unprofitable a contro- 
 versy, so uncongenial to the whole spiritual cha- 
 racter and glory of the gospel, and so calculated, 
 when men remain in the outside form, to lead to self- 
 righteousness and self-exaltation, and despising 
 others. The design being to signify cleansing, let 
 water be used and applied to the boly in any quantity, 
 however minute, and in any of the senses which 
 the original word, by customary use, bears, ac- 
 cording to the institution of Christ, and it is true 
 baptism. Oh! how has the enemy of souls prevailed 
 to divide, weaken, and pollute Christians, by dis- 
 putes about the mode of administration, and so 
 effectually to turn them from the spiritual character 
 and due improvement of the ordinance itself. 
 
 On the subjects of baptism we shall have to speak 
 more fully afterwards. I would only here remark, 
 that the term, all nations, is universally comprehen- 
 sive of all ages ; as is the term fxaQi\T^u>v, specially ap- 
 propriate to infants, as learners and disciples. 
 
 It is needless in a Protestant country to refute the 
 absurd practice of Popery in baptizing bells, &c. 
 This was one of the centum gravamina of the Ger- 
 man Diet at Nuremberg in 1518. Nor would I enter 
 
 * In the times of Athanasius, Ambrose, and Chrysostom, they had 
 baptisteries, and were immersed, being unclothed, when baptised. See 
 Bingham, i. 521. I would fully admit with the Baptists the original 
 meaning of fiairrco being to dip, and acquiring by use a farther 
 meaning of dyeing, or tinging, and thence gather a like conclu- 
 sion as to Pcnrrigw. A note appended to this chapter will explain 
 this more fully. 
 
THE APPOINTMENT OF BAPTISM. 29 
 
 on the other peculiarities of Popery ; however early 
 they may have been practised, they have no warrant 
 in God's word. 
 
 The meaning of the ordinance is simple and 
 acknowledged, and unspeakably important. Every- 
 where impurities of the body are cleansed by wash- 
 ing the body with water, and this universal practice 
 is by baptism made the foundation of a great spi- 
 ritual lesson, the cleansing of the soul from the 
 filthiness of sin. In this divinely-appointed rite, by 
 the outward application of water to the body, in the 
 name of the sacred Trinity, is pointed out to the eye 
 of faith the invisible and inward purification of the 
 soul, and all the spiritual and eternal blessings 
 gained through the knowledge of the Father, of the 
 Son, and of the Holy Ghost. We have in Isaiah 
 and in Ezekiel the figure and the substance, the 
 sign and the blessing, thus joined together. In 
 Isaiah the promise is more direct to the parent, / will 
 pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the 
 dry ground. I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and 
 my blessing upon thine offspring. In Ezekiel the pro- 
 mise is to all the seed of Israel. Then ivill I sprinkle 
 clean water upou you and you shall be clean ; from all 
 your filthiness, and from all your idols will I cleanse 
 you ; a new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit 
 will I put within you ; and I will take away the stony 
 heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of 
 flesh ; and I will put my Spirit ivithin you, and cause 
 you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall do them. Who 
 can read such precious promises without saying, Be 
 it thus unto me, O Lord : Be it unto thy servant as 
 thou hast said. 
 
 The rite of baptism is on God's part a representa- 
 
30 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 tion and means of the grant of these spiritual bless- 
 ings, and on our part a representation and means of 
 the receiving of them. 
 
 The varied statements which have been thus 
 brought from the holy scriptures, shew with what 
 justice the church of England, in its 27th Article, 
 has defined thus this ordinance : ' Baptism is not 
 only a sign of profession and mark of difference 
 whereby Christian men are discerned from others 
 that be not christened, but it is also a sign of re- 
 generation or new birth, whereby, as by an instru- 
 ment, they that receive baptism rightly are grafted 
 into the church ; the promises of forgiveness of sin 
 and of our adoption to be the sons of God by the 
 Holy Ghost, are visibly signed and sealed; faith is 
 confirmed and grace increased by virtue of prayer 
 unto God. The baptism of young children is in any- 
 wise to be retained in the church as most agreeable 
 with the institution of Christ." 
 
 Farther light is thrown on the meaning of this or- 
 dinance by comparing it with its accompanying sacra- 
 ment, the Lord's Supper ; the only two ordinances of 
 the Christian religion which correspond to the descrip- 
 tion given of a sacrament: " an outward and visible 
 sign of an inward and spiritual grace, given unto us, 
 ordained by Christ himself, as a means whereby we 
 receive the same and a pledge to assure us thereof." 
 By baptism I am admitted into the Christian church. 
 Acts ii. 41. By the Lord's Supper, I testify my con- 
 tinuance in it. Baptism describes the first entrance 
 on the Christian life ; the Lord's Supper describes 
 the continued maintenance of that life. By baptism 
 is set before me my death in sins and my new life in 
 Christ Jes«s. By the Lord's Supper is set before me 
 
THE APPOINTMENT OF BAPTISM. 31 
 
 my spiritual nourishment for my soul's health and 
 strength in daily feeding on Christ. By baptism the 
 cleansing of sin by Christ's blood, and by the gift of 
 the Holy Ghost, as the life-giving Spirit quickening 
 my soul, is exhibited. By the Lord's Supper, Jesus' 
 death, as the ransom for my sins, continually beheld 
 by faith, is declared to be the means of my soul's 
 daily sustenance, as Christ our Lord says, As I live 
 by the Father, so he that eateth me, even he shall live by 
 me. By baptism received in faith, I am grafted into 
 the Church, promises are sealed to me and graces 
 increased. By the Lord's Supper, received in faith, 
 I really feed on Christ. We see in both the redemp- 
 tion of the ordinary necessaries and enjoyments of 
 life, from a mere bodily and sensual use, to the de- 
 signation of high and holy realities of spiritual bles- 
 sings. And the Lord seems to be thus preparing 
 his church for the full redemption of all earthly 
 things to that high use we may expect when the pro- 
 mise is realized, Behold I make all things new. 
 Rev. xxi. 5. 
 
 The reception of baptism only once bears a striking 
 witness to the completeness of that forgiveness there 
 is in the blood of Jesus, and the constant all-suffi- 
 ciency of his atonement for all our sins. The recep- 
 tion of the Lord's supper continually points out the 
 need of continued faith for spiritual nourishment, 
 and the constantly-renewed communion to be enjoyed 
 with our Lord now in glory, and with our brethren 
 gone before us, and here on earth a foretaste of that 
 feast preparing for us in the coming kingdom of our 
 Redeemer. God as a righteous judge has forgiven 
 ail our sins, as we see in the acceptance of Jesus, our 
 surety and Redeemer; and he daily now, as a loving 
 
32 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 Father, pardons our daily offences confessed before 
 him in the name of Christ. 
 
 The spiritual import of the terra water seems most 
 appropriately to be first applied to the Holy Ghost. 
 We see very frequently in the Scriptures that his 
 grace is compared to the beneficial influence of water, 
 (Isa. xliv. 3 : Ezek. xxxvi. 25, 26 ; Joel ii. 28; John 
 viii. 38), and in the expression, except a man be born of 
 water and of the Spirit, they seem united together with 
 reference to baptism. The first spiritual import, then, 
 of baptism with water, is cleansing by baptism with 
 the Holy Ghost, specially promised as the peculiar 
 and gracious work of our Lord and the privilege of 
 his people. 
 
 Yet there is a washing with blood not to be lost 
 sight of, and ever connected with the gift of the Holy 
 Spirit, who, it is promised, shall take of Christ's, and 
 shew them to us. The blood of Jesus Christ his son 
 cleanseth us from all sin — unto him that loved us, and 
 washed us from our sins in his own blood. These are 
 they which come out of great tribulation, and have washed 
 their robes and made them white in the blood of the 
 Lamb. These may well be joined together in bap- 
 tism, as they are by the Apostle : But ye are washed, 
 there is the outward baptism ; but ye are sanctified, 
 there is the inward cleansing : but ye are justified, 
 there is the acceptance as righteous before God, in 
 the name of the Lord Jesus, who has procured every 
 blessing, and by the Spirit of our God, who affects all 
 within us. Thus Ambrose says, "There are three 
 things in baptism, water, blood, Spirit. If you take 
 away one of these, the sacrament of baptism does not 
 remain.*' 
 
 And to these may be joined the word itself, as 
 
THE BAPTISMS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT. 33 
 
 another bath or means of cleansing the soul connect- 
 ed with baptism ; Christ also loved the church, and gave 
 himself for it that he might sanctify it, and cleanse it with 
 the washing of water, by the word. It is the truths of 
 God's word that reach the mind and heart, and really 
 cleanse the soul. Thus our Saviour prays, Sanctify 
 them through thy truth : thy word is truth. The vari- 
 ous powers of the mind and affections need as much 
 daily contact with and cleansing by the word, to re- 
 move the filth of sin, as the outward members of the 
 body need daily contact with and cleansing by water, 
 to remove the daily gathered uncleanness of the 
 body. May, we then, constantly make use of the 
 word, the blood, and the spirit of Jesus for the 
 cleansing of our souls ! 
 
 The dedication of the baptized unto God is im- 
 plied in the direction to baptize them in the name of 
 the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. 
 Not only am I brought under this shelter, and the 
 rich enjoyment of a full portion in the triune Jehovah 
 as my God and my portion for ever, but I am enlisted 
 into all the privileges and holiness of that happy ser- 
 vice which is perfect freedom ; I am dedicated to his 
 honour and glory. St. Paul shews at length, (Rom. 
 vi. 3—14,) that baptism is a great motive for yielding 
 ourselves to God. Know ye not that so many of us as 
 were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his 
 death : therefore we are buried with him by baptism into 
 death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead, 
 even so we also should walk in newness of life. Let not 
 sin, therefore, reign in your mortal bodies ; but yield 
 yourselves unto God as those that are alive from the 
 dead. 
 
 The goodness of God, as revealed in his gospel, 
 
 D 
 
34 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 and exhibited in baptism, is calculated to lead us to 
 repentance, and to constrain us not to live to our- 
 selves, but to him who died for us. The promises 
 made at baptism (avveiSricrews ayad-qs eirepwTrjjUo ets 6cov) 
 the profession of a good conscience towards God, in- 
 clude a solemn renunciation of the world, the flesh, 
 and the devil, — a confession of faith in the one living 
 and true God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and a 
 purpose of heart to walk in all God's holy will and 
 ways. It is a marked sign of separation from the 
 world and its vanities, and of our being set apart as 
 the disciples of Christ for his service, his will, and 
 his glory. O happy course ! for all his ways are ways 
 of pleasantness, and all his paths are paths of peace. 
 May we know the loving kindness of God in all his 
 gracious appointments, and have a heart within us 
 corresponding to his grace, and welcoming all his 
 love to us. 
 
 ATPENDIX TO CHAPTER II. 
 
 The following remarks on the mode and subjects of Baptism 
 have been furnished by a friend in answer to the objections of 
 the Baptists. 
 
 ' The Baptist maintains that the word Bairrigu), in its proper 
 classic usage, means to dip or immerse only. He further asserts 
 that when applied to the ordinance of Christ, this idea of a 
 specific mode remains so essential, that without it the ordinance is 
 void. He believes, that although the minister design solemnly 
 to administer Christ's ordinance, though the believer designs to 
 receive it, though the name of the Father, Son, and Spirit be 
 invoked, though the element of water be used — unless the whole 
 
THE APPOINTMENT OP BAPTISM. 35 
 
 body be immersed beneath the element, the whole is vain and 
 nugatory, and the party remains unbaptized. 
 
 ' The churchman, on the other hand, allows that to dip is the 
 primary and almost constant meaning of the word in classic 
 authors. He further admits, that probably, if not certainly, in 
 some of the Scripture instances, and possibly in all, immersion 
 was practised. But he believes that when once the word was 
 regularly applied to the ordinance of Christ, it received a new and 
 more important element of meaning, and that thenceforward the 
 idea of one specific mode was no longer essential. He sees that 
 in Scripture, dipping, pouring, and sprinkling are all variously 
 used as signs of spiritual cleansing. He knows that in ceremo- 
 nial observances, Christ has enjoined regard to decency, comeli- 
 ness, order, and convenience. He is aware that total immersion, 
 in colder climates and tender age, is less convenient. He believes 
 that Christ has given to his church authority in precisely such 
 points of outward order, to appoint, under varying circumstances, 
 as the spirit of wisdom shall teach and suggest. He therefore 
 concurs fully in the arrangement of the church in this land, by 
 which dipping is proposed as the standard mode, the more primi- 
 tive and fully significant, but in which, for seemliness or safety, 
 pouring is expressly appointed in certain cases, and sprinkling 
 practically allowed in all. 
 
 ' The meaning of the words are thus given by an able Baptist. 
 '* 1st. Bo7ttco, except when it signifies to dye, denotes mode, and 
 nothing but mode. 2dly. Bawrw and Baimgca are exactly the 
 same in meaning, as to increase or diminution of the action. That 
 the one is more or less than the other, as to mode or frequency, is 
 a groundless conceit. 3dly. There is one important difference. 
 Bo7tto> is never used to denote the ordinance of baptism, and 
 Buimgco never signifies to dye. The primitive word has two 
 meanings, — the primary, to dip ; the secondary, to dye. But the 
 derivative is formed to modify the primary only. 4thly. BairTw 
 means also to dye. And although this meaning arose from the 
 mode of dyeing by dipping, yet the word has come by appropria- 
 tion to denote dyeing without reference to mode. As this point is 
 of material consequence in this controversy, I shall establish it 
 by examples that put it beyond question. Nothing in the history 
 of words is more common than to enlarge or diminish their signi- 
 fication. Ideas not original^ included are often affixed, while 
 others drop ideas originally asserted. In this way Bairru 
 from signifying mere mode, came to be applied to a certain opera- 
 tion usually performed in that mode. From signifying to dip, it 
 D 2 
 
36 TREATISE ON BAPTISM '. 
 
 came to signify to dye by dipping, because this was the way 
 in which things were uusally dyed. And afterwards, from 
 dyeing by dipping, it came to denote dyeing in any manner. A 
 like process may be shewn in the history of a thousand other 
 words." 
 
 w These remarks are distinct and clear. They are also substan- 
 tially true. But they really overthrow his own theory. He has 
 given us the strongest warrant for extending the meaning of 
 Ba-n-Tigw, by shewing us the like extension in its primitive, Bairra), 
 from the very same cause. He has proved that the idea of mode 
 is secondary, and non-essential, when BairTigw is applied to the 
 sacrament of Christ, by proving the very same of its primitive, 
 Bairra, when used in the sense of dyeing. The author has left 
 no link wanting in his own refutation. The two words originally 
 signify the same, as to mode. Bairra acquires the secondary sense 
 of dyeing ; fiairriga acquires the secondary sense of baptizing. 
 Bairra, from dyeing, by dipping, comes to denote dyeing in any 
 manner. BaT7n£«, from baptizing, by dipping, comes to denote 
 baptizing in any manner. What analogy can be more perfect ? 
 What justification of the practice of the church can be more com- 
 plete ? 
 
 ' On the subjects of Baptism the main stress is laid on the com- 
 mission, Matt, xxviii. which it is contended, excludes all but 
 actual believers. Let us, in a few words, examine this, his cardinal 
 and main argument. 
 
 ' The commission of Christ does not contain the words, Go and 
 baptize believers — still less, Go and baptize believers only. The 
 only command expressed on the subject is, to baptize all nations. 
 The only limitation to be learned by inference is previous disci- 
 pleship. The words in Mark contain no command to baptize at 
 all ; they are a promise to baptized believers. There is no ground 
 in the commission for saying that St. Mark calls the same persons 
 believers, whom St. Matthew calls disciples. If disciples and 
 believers are synonimous, the proof must be found elsewhere, 
 here there is none. 
 
 ' In fact, the commission of itself, waving other arguments, 
 rather implies than excludes infant baptism. Taken in the nar- 
 rowest sense the words allow, it commands all disciples to be bap- 
 tized. Now a disciple is simply a learner. And the infants of 
 pious and believing parents are, from their very birth, learners of 
 Christ ; they are by providence placed immediately under the 
 teaching of those who are themselves taught by Christ, and who 
 are his appointed channels for imparting divine truth to them. 
 
THE APPOINTMENT OF BAPTISM. 37 
 
 They are, in the strictest sense of the word, /xaB^rai. Learners 
 they are by the necessity of their age and by the privilege of be- 
 lieving parents, learners of Christ. To shut them out of the 
 ordinance is then to reject those whom Christ has himself included. 
 
 1 Nay, the argument may be carried still further. We have 
 reasoned as if the words had been, Go, disciple all nations, and 
 baptize the disciples, &c. But these are not the exact terms. 
 Our Lord's command is, Go, and disciple all nations, baptizing 
 them, &c. If we press the force of the letter setting aside all 
 scripture analogy and argument, and all the testimony of the 
 church, we should be led rather to the compulsory baptism of the 
 ungodly, than to the exclusion of infants. It is reason, scripture, 
 analogy, and attention to the spirit of the command, which alone 
 warrant any limitation, and these alike require that the only re- 
 striction should be drawn from the previous clause, and that the 
 term disciples should be there interpreted in the largest sense.' 
 
 Two replies only seem possible to this reasoning. It may be 
 alleged that the word Bairriga) has never in fact undergone a like 
 change of meaning as is admitted in the kindred word. And fur- 
 ther, that after the ordinance was once appointed, no change 
 afterwards could affect the strict obligation of immersion. 
 
 The first statement is so evidently untrue that it scarce needs 
 refutation. There is not one work of the strictest advocate of im- 
 mersion, which does not yield abundant materials to disprove it. 
 To substitute immersion for baptism, and to immerse for to baptize, 
 would turn some sentence in almost every page into mere nonsense. 
 If the sense were not changed, every immersion would be, in the 
 actual usage of terms, a baptism, which is manifestly untrue. 
 
 But still this entire change, it may be urged, cannot affect the 
 force of the original ordinance ; now the answer to this is, in the 
 first place, that the change had previously begun. It is in classic 
 usage, as granted above, that the word means to dip simply. But 
 it is not true of the Hellenic use, among the Jews of the time of 
 our Lord. It has been proved by many writers, and is clear both 
 from St. Mark and St. Paul, that it had already been appropri- 
 ated to an ecclesiastical sense, and included the notice of a ritual 
 purification. 
 
 Again, even allowing, what is not the fact, that the change had 
 not previously begun, the fact of the institution would of itself 
 introduce it. It would be easy to prove this on grounds of reason, 
 but would require too much space. It is enough to confirm it by a 
 parellel case, which is exactly in point. The supper of the Jews 
 or Greeks, it is well known, was the last meal of the day, now 
 
38 TREATISE ON BATTISM : 
 
 the other sacrament is by inspired authority, called the Lord's sup- 
 per. But because a fresh and more important element of mean- 
 ing has been introduced, the idea of a participation of food alone 
 remains permanent ; the special notion of its being the latest meal 
 becomes variable, by the very fact of the appointment. The rea- 
 son which would make immersion essential to the baptism, would 
 make it essential to the Lord's Supper to be the last meal in the 
 day. But this restriction is rejected bj' the judgment and the 
 practice of every body of Christians. The other restriction may 
 and ought therefore to be rejected on the same ground. 
 
 May we all be led to that caution and modesty in our asser- 
 tions, and that forbearance in our judgment of others, which befits 
 our character as merely learners still, then should we all be brought 
 sooner to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son 
 of God. 
 
THE THRICE HOLY NAME. 39 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 THE THRICE HOLY NAME INTO WHICH CHRISTIANS 
 ARE BAPTIZED. 
 
 The most remarkable part of the appointment of bap- 
 tism is, that the Lord thereby gives us the clearest 
 and most fully revealed knowledge we have in the 
 Scriptures of the unity, and yet distinct threefold 
 personality of that unspeakably glorious being, the 
 only living and true God. Baptism brings us into 
 immediate and direct relationship with him, in those 
 united, distributed, divine, and yet personal glories 
 which~the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost pos- 
 sess, as engaged for our salvation and everlasting 
 blessedness. 
 
 It is remarkable that the very entrance into the 
 church of Christ introduces us to the highest and 
 deepest of its mysteries, and the fulness of human 
 happiness, the knowledge and enjoyment of God. 
 This is the life eternal, to know thee, the only true God, 
 and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. 
 
 In the direction to disciple all nations, baptizing 
 themintothenameoftheFather, theSon, andtheHoly 
 Ghost,(Bairn<f(H/T6S avrovs (is to ovofia tov Tlarpos ncu row Tiov 
 
 wot rov Ayiov Uvevfiaros) there is a largeness of instruc- 
 
40 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 tion and blessing that we can probably yet but little 
 discern. How can we know all the fulness of Him, 
 of whom Moses, who, beyond others, was permitted to 
 see God face to face, (Deut. xxxiv. 10), hid in a cleft 
 of the rock, saw but the back parts? How glorious 
 even that revelation was, we see in that proclamation 
 of it, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, 
 long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth, keep- 
 ing mercy for thousands (of generations), forgiving 
 iniquity and transgression, and that will by no means 
 clear the guilty ; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon 
 the children, and upon the children's children, unto the 
 third and fourth generation. Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7. 
 
 When we begin to think and speak of the great 
 God, it becomes us to think and speak with the deep- 
 est humility and reverence. We speak of the source 
 of all being, we speak of one infinitely above us, and 
 infinitely beyond us, and yet on whom we wholly de- 
 pend for life, and breath, and all things. To use to 
 the utmost every means that he has given us for 
 knowing, and worshipping, and enjoying him, is our 
 clearest duty. The direction to baptize all nations 
 into his name distinctly shews that God would have 
 all nations brought to this their highest happiness. 
 
 Let us first view each name distinctly, next the 
 oneness of the name, and then baptism into it; and 
 lastly this as designed for all nations. 
 
 The name of the Father is first mentioned by 
 our Lord, that we may be led to see the Father Al- 
 mighty, the Maker of heaven and earth, and of all 
 things visible and invisible, the God and Father of 
 our Lord Jesus Christ, giving his authority and his 
 blessing with baptism, and leading us thereby back 
 to himself. It is not the minister into whose name 
 
THE THRICE HOLY NAME. 41 
 
 we are baptized. How explicitly St. Paul renounced 
 this: Were ye baptized in the name of Paull I thank 
 God that I baptized none of you but Crispus and Gaius, 
 lest any one should say that lhadbaptizedinmyown name. 
 1 Cor. i. 13 — 15. The Father himself adopts us. His 
 name is love and he so loved the world that he gave 
 his only begotten Son. Our Lord begins with the free 
 mercy of God the Father, whom he sets forth thus as 
 the fountain head of all goodness and blessing, de- 
 siring our restoration into his family, and taking a 
 most encouraging first-step for accomplishing this bis 
 amazing grace and loving kindness towards the re- 
 bellious nations of the earth. 
 
 The name of the Son is the next step in this 
 mystery of love. And what wonders are connected 
 with this name in all its varied fulness of meaning. 
 He is the Son of God, the only begotten of the 
 Father, full of grace and truth ; and there are mys- 
 teries and glories in this his eternal generation un- 
 fathomable and exhaustless. He is also the Son of 
 Man. We frequently find these interchanged and 
 joined together. When the high priest asks our 
 Lord whether he was the Christ, the Son of God, he 
 acknowledges it, yet immediately styles himself the 
 Son of Man, Matt. xxvi. 63, 64. When he asks, 
 Whom do men say that I the son OF Man am ? Peter 
 replies, Thou art Christ THE son of the living 
 God ; and our Lord says, that the Father had re- 
 vealed this to him. Matt. xvi. 13—17. As Son of 
 Man he lived, he died for all, and invites all to par- 
 take of his salvation. Here we discern, God brought 
 into a close, inseparable, perfect union with the very 
 nature of man, so full of loving kindness, as can 
 never be duly magnified. God and man are one 
 
42 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 Christ ; and in that union we see, by the eye of faith, 
 Imruanuel, God with us, and all the inestimably pre- 
 cious work of our redemption and restoration to one- 
 ness with God. 
 
 The name of the Holy Ghost yet farther un- 
 folds the glories of God and his goodness to man. 
 The only begotten Son of the Most High has opened 
 the way for the descent of the Holy Ghost to sinful 
 men. Having received of the Father this promised 
 gift, he only is privileged to shed it upon us, that we 
 may be truly regenerated, sanctified, and partakers 
 of all divine blessings. This Divine Spirit is the 
 Lord and giver of life ; he proceeds from the Father 
 and the Son, and, together with the Father and the 
 Son, is worshipped and glorified. He comes into, 
 and inhabits the human body as his own temple, 
 and there remains for ever as the Teacher, Sanctifier, 
 and Comforter of each member of the church of 
 Christ. 
 
 Thus distinct, as are the Persons of the Trinity, 
 there is but one name, " one God in Trinity, and 
 Trinity in unity;" for we can find out no better 
 terms to describe this mystery, than those to which 
 God has led his church, in its long conflicts with 
 heresy. As Christians were first so called at An- 
 tioch, so was the name of Trinity first given to our glo- 
 rious God, by Theophilus the Bishop of Antioch. 
 Thus it brought before us the perfect oneness of the 
 Divine Being. Into the holy and happy joys of this 
 oneness, God the Father, Son, and Spiritseek to bring 
 the human race; that they all may be one, as thou Fa- 
 ther art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one 
 in vs, that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 
 John xvii. 21. 
 
THE THRICE HOLY NAME. 43 
 
 No part of this name must be lost, in our view of 
 the grace of baptism. We need the whole : the 
 adoption of the Father, the mediation, headship, and 
 oneness with us of the Son, and the indwelling of 
 the Holy Ghost. 
 
 Into this name we are to be baptized, wholly im- 
 mersed and cleansed thereby ; that is, redeemed, 
 justified, restored, adopted, blessed and purified, and 
 finally glorified. Hereby it is acknowledged that the 
 Father has adopted us, the Son has cleansed us in 
 his blood, and the Holy Ghost has regenerated and 
 sanctified us, and we are brought into complete com- 
 munion and fellowship with God, even with our own 
 God. The more clearly to discern the importance of 
 this, let us notice the true condition in which we now 
 are. The property of sin is to separate the creature from 
 the Creator, to cast us out of his sight and presence 
 and favour. We see it in thefirsttransgression: we see 
 it in all the effects of sin — Your iniquities have separa- 
 ted between you and your God, and your sins have hid 
 his face from you. Isaiah lix. 2. Thusthough God be 
 not far from every one of us, for in him we live, and 
 move, and have our being, and the joyful consciousness 
 of this is the proper condition of every human being, 
 yet being by wicked works alienated, and enemies in 
 our minds, we are afar off from him, and live as with- 
 out God in the world. O deplorable condition of 
 guilty man, in wilful enmity with his Creator, Sus- 
 tainer, and only true rest and portion? That man 
 might be reconciled to God, is one great design of 
 the glorious gospel (2 Cor. v. 19.) To bring us back, 
 in a right state of mind, to the realizing presence 
 and enjoyment of God, so that we may know him 
 and walk with him always, and be like him, and 
 
44 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 delight in him; nothing less than this is the great 
 purpose of God's love in Christ Jesus. See how St. 
 John writes : That which we have seen and heard, de- 
 clare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with 
 us ; and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and 
 with his Son Jesus Christ. 1 John i. 3. Through his epis- 
 tle he shews that the proper standing of a Christian is 
 to dwell in God. Hereby know ice that we dwell in him, 
 and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. 
 Whoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, 
 God dwelleth in him and he in God. God is love, and 
 he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in 
 him. 1 John iv. 13 — 16. Baptism, then, into the 
 name of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, is the 
 first step to restoration to the divine indwelling, God 
 in us, and we in God. It is the beginning of that 
 life of holiness and blessedness, and of that return of 
 God to man, and of man to God, in a heavenly king- 
 dom, which will only be perfected when God's pur- 
 poses are so completed, that God shall be all in all, 
 (1 Cor. xv. 28.) or in the sublime words of St. John, 
 I saw no temple therein, for the Lord God Almighty 
 and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no 
 need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it ; for 
 the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light 
 thereof. Rev. xxi. 22, 23. 
 
 The first step is an admission, on God's part, into 
 these glorious privileges — our immersion into his 
 name ; a doctrine so sweetly unfolded in the innu- 
 merable practical and experimental descriptions of 
 the privileges of Christians in the New Testament, 
 as connected with the living God. Thus St. Peter 
 describes us as elect according to the foreknowledge of 
 God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit unto 
 
THE THRICE HOLY NAME. 45 
 
 obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. 
 1 Peter i. 2. Thus St. Jude calls us to build up our- 
 selves in our most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost 
 to keep ourselves in the love of God, looking for the 
 mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. Jude 
 20, 21. 
 
 Admitted gratuitously through God's loving-kind- 
 ness into this name and these unspeakable blessings, 
 then are we in a prepared state of mind for those 
 lessons of practical obedience, which we can only 
 attain through the previous grace given to us. Thus 
 our Lord carries on his commission, by giving the 
 following injunctions with reference to those thus 
 baptized, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever 
 I have commanded 7 you. The privilege precedes the 
 duty, the justification goes before the sanctification, 
 the promise opens the door for the practice. 
 
 We have yet farther to notice the large extent of 
 this commission, comprehending all nations; all 
 nations are to be discipled and baptized. God will 
 have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of 
 the truth. He will have every human being to be a 
 learner and every learner to be baptized, and brought 
 into all the blessings of his name, and then, in the 
 lively faith of those blessings, to be taught to observe 
 the whole loving and gracious, righteous and holy 
 commandments of our divine Redeemer. 
 
 What purposes of love are here. O that the un- 
 belief and worldliness of the church, O that the indif- 
 ference and alienation of men at large should stop 
 this current of mercy, and refuse, as far as man can 
 refuse, to let it refresh as it was intended in the com- 
 mand to do, every nation under heaven, Go ye into all 
 the world and preach the gospel to every creature : he that 
 
46 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 believeth and is baptized shall be saved, and he that be- 
 lieve th not shall be damned. 
 
 See then the glorious position of true Christians. 
 They are stamped with the divine name. The name 
 of Christian is not a fiction, but a reality. They have 
 put on the new man which after God is created i?t right- 
 eousness and true holiness. Each, as Ignatius con- 
 fessed before Trajan, isonewhocarries God,orone who 
 has Christ in his breast. As it was the glorious pro- 
 perty of Christ, my name is in him, (Exod. xxiii. 21.) 
 so the same name was put on the children of Israel, 
 (Numb. vi. 27.) and is now put in baptism on every 
 Christian, teaching him that he is to share the cha- 
 racter and partake of the joys of the Father, the 
 Son and the Spirit. To be like the one living and 
 true God, and to drink of the rivers of his pleasures 
 is our everlasting blessedness. 
 
 Our present situation in the church of Christ on 
 earth is but a tuition and education for this eternal 
 state of glory. Every step from baptism to the return 
 of our Lord and our gathering together to him is but 
 our preparation and instruction under the effective 
 teaching of the Holy Ghost for this glory. Baptism 
 is God's first token of our heavenly birth and eternal 
 inheritance, which is nothing less than God himself; 
 for each faithful Christian is an heir of God andajoi?it 
 heir with Christ, and may say with joy of heart the 
 Lord is the portion of my inheritance and of my cup. 
 Thou maintainest my lot. 
 
 How is it that this is not realized ? that the world is 
 
 fullofbaptizedinfidelsand idolaters? thatthere is every 
 
 where such a falling away from the faith of Christ? 
 
 It is clear that the fault, in our own country, is not 
 
 in the church of England. Her baptismal service 
 
THE TIIRICE HOLY NAME. 47 
 
 and her elementary instruction in the Catechism, 
 and her fuller instruction in the Articles and Homi- 
 lies all proceed on these scriptural principles. 
 
 But are we in the ministry equally free from blame ? 
 Have not ministers on one side lost the idea of our 
 true spiritual blessedness in Christ, and by the Holy 
 Ghost? Have not ministers on the other side lost 
 sight of Baptism as a scriptural foundation of hope, 
 and purity, and gratitude ? Have we taken advan- 
 tage of God's providential and gracious dealings in 
 bringing our whole nation, in their infancy, into the 
 situation of disciples, and baptising us into his 
 name, to make those strong appeals which such 
 grace to us requires? Have we not gone either 
 simply on the idea of electing love to the saved, or 
 on the general grounds of God's love to all men ; 
 rather than, in the union of both, taken the large 
 ground of God's peculiar love to his people, that they 
 may be the salt of the earth ; and his remarkable 
 favour to us as a Christian nation, and thence drawn 
 our high duties and responsibilities? There is a 
 special grace to the elect, but it makes them the 
 vessels of mercy to their fellow-men, and there is 
 a special grace to nations, but it is that they may 
 be a blessing to nations less privileged. Every 
 gift is given to us to profit withal. For himself, 
 the author would confess his sinfulness in these 
 respects, and he desires to leave the subject on the 
 minds of his brethren in the ministry and his 
 readers at large, with an acknowledgment of his own 
 neglect in the earlier years of his ministry. Because 
 men have trusted in outward baptism instead of trust- 
 ing only in Christ ; because men have neglected the 
 reality of spiritual life, while they have urged the 
 
48 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 laver of regeneration ; because the form has been too 
 much magnified and the grace in which that form 
 is communicated has been too little regarded, serious 
 as these errors are, and as we see in our Lord's dis- 
 courses with the Pharisees, truly soul-destructive, 
 we must not empty the sacraments of grace, and 
 make them a mere sign. This is to lose faith in 
 God's love and his appointed means of grace, as 
 much on the one side as the opposite system does on 
 the other. All the blessing is received through faith. 
 We may apply here to baptism (taking in parents 
 and sponsors and the child as it grows up) what our 
 church has stated respecting the Lord's Supper. 
 " Thus we see beloved, that resorting to this table 
 [or baptismal font] we must pluck up all the roots of 
 infidelity, all distrust in God's promises, that we 
 make ourselves living members of Christ's body. 
 For the unbelievers and faithless cannot feed upon 
 that precious body, or be fully regenerate in his 
 sight. Whereas the faithful have their life, their 
 abiding in him, their union and their incorporation, 
 as it were, with him. Wherefore let us prove and 
 try ourselves unfeigned, without flattering ourselves, 
 whether we be plants of the fruitful olive, living 
 branches ofthe true vine, members indeed of Christ's 
 mystical body, whether God hath purified our hearts 
 by faith, to the sincere acknowledgment of his gos- 
 pel and embracing of his mercies in Christ Jesus, so 
 that at his table [or at this, his laver of regeneration,] 
 we receive, not only the outward sacrament, but the 
 spiritual thing also ; not the figure, but the truth ; not 
 theshadow only, but the body ; not to death, butto life: 
 not to destruction, but to salvation, which God grant 
 us to do, through the merits of our Lord and Saviour, 
 to whom be all honour and glory, for ever. Amen. 
 
THE PROMISE OF THE SAVIOUR'S PRESENCE. 49 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE PROMISE OF THE SAVIOUR'S PRESENCE IN 
 BAPTISM. 
 
 The first book of the New Testament closes with the 
 appointment of baptism, to which is joined that re- 
 markable and most cheering promise, Lo, I am with 
 you always, even unto the end of the world: the last 
 book of the New Testament closes with the same 
 gracious truth — The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be 
 with you all. The promise that the Saviour would 
 always be with his people was specially designed for 
 the comfort of the church in his personal absence. 
 Remarkably were the disciples led to the true mean- 
 ing of these words, for they were followed by that 
 event which seemed a direct contradiction to them, 
 and to make them literally false. After the Lord had 
 spoken to them, a cloud received him out of their sight, 
 and he was taken up into heaven and sat on the right 
 hand of God. By this temporary absence He prepared 
 the way for all the blessings of his spiritual presence: 
 and that bodily absence but spiritual presence is di- 
 rectly connected with his visible and personal return. 
 Acts i. 11. Rev. xxii. 20. This is the great object of his 
 church's hope and desire. Titus ii. 13. Rev. xxii. 17. 
 
50 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 It may be profitable here to notice the distinctness 
 of the manifestations of the Lord's presence in the 
 various ages of the church. 
 
 In Paradise, before the fall, God manifested him- 
 self visibly to our first parents, walking in the very 
 garden with them in the cool of the day and talking 
 with them ; they lived in the full flow of his good- 
 ness and loving kindness, (Gen. i. 28, 29 ; ii. 16—22 ; 
 iii. 8.) but they sinned and lost this near sight of God. 
 
 Yet God still had compassion on sinful men, and 
 afterwards to Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac and 
 Jacob, there were appearances of the living God, some 
 being in a visible form. This was more remarkably 
 still the privilege of Moses, of whom it is said, 
 There arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto 
 Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, (Deut. xxxiv. 
 30.) speaking to him face to face, as a man speaketh to 
 his friend. Exod. xxxiii. 11. 
 
 At length God set apart the nation of Israel for 
 himself and to be a blessing to the earth, and dis- 
 tinguished them from all others, by a visible dwelling 
 among them. For this end, among varied other 
 rites, He had a tabernacle, made according to the 
 pattern of heavenly things, in which He dwelt, and 
 manifested himself visibly on extraordinary occasions, 
 and gave audible answers to guide this nation aright. 
 It was called the tabernacle of the congregation, not 
 merely because the people met together, but because 
 God himself there met the assembled people. Exod. 
 xxv. 22; xxix. 42, 43; xxxiii. 7. When Moses 
 went in he heard the very voice of God. Numb. vii. 
 8, 9. On one occasion all the people saw the glory 
 of the Lord. Lev. ix. 23. God, in fact, resided among 
 them, seated on^thc mercy-seat between the Chcru- 
 
THE PROMISE OF THE SAVIOUR'S PRESENCE. 51 
 
 bims, and was visible there to the High Priest, when 
 he went into the Holy of holies. Lev. xvi. 2. This 
 was the glory of the Jewish nation, as we see by 
 their frequent reference to it. 2 Kings xix. 15 ; 1 
 Chron. xiii. 6. Ps. Ixxx. 1 ; xcix. 1 ; ix. 11 : lxxvi. 2; 
 1. 2. It was, however, a blessing confined to one 
 place and one nation. 
 
 This national favour became, through their high- 
 mindedness, self-righteousness and disobedience, the 
 occasion of their fall. They trusted in the outward 
 temple and its glory: (Jer. vii. 4. 12.) and this visi- 
 ble presence was taken away at the captivity in 
 Babylon and not restored in the second temple, the 
 Lord purposing to lead his church to a higher state 
 of spiritual blessedness by taking from it, for a sea- 
 son, the visible display of his glory. 
 
 This purpose of his love was effected by the Chris- 
 tian dispensation ; in which the Lord, after he 
 had been seen of men and angels, manifest in the 
 flesh, was no longer visible on earth ; but a real 
 presence not confined to one nation, was, and is 
 everywhere manifested spiritually, according to the 
 promise — Where two or three are gathered together 
 in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Matt. 
 xviii. 20. And this with a far higher and fuller 
 blessing. The epistle to the Hebrews shews abun- 
 dantly that all the rites and services of the law of 
 Moses were but figures of good things to come ; (see 
 especially chap. viii. ix. x.) these good things we now 
 enjoy in spirit, through faith; being already come, as it 
 were, to the foot of the Mount Zion, (Heb. xii. 22.) 
 and raised up together and made to sit together in hea- 
 venly places in Christ Jesus. Ephes. ii. 6. Christ is 
 now the true mercy seat, (Rom. iii. 25.) and the throne 
 
52 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 of grace (Heb. iv. 16) to which all have access. Heb. 
 x. 19, 21. He is ever in the midst of his churches, 
 (Rev. ii. 1.) and with a spiritual, but a real presence, 
 presides over, assists, influences and governs their 
 assembly. The word of Christ is read, and preached, 
 and heard ; the Spirit of Christ comes to his people ; 
 the praises of Christ are sung, and He manifests him- 
 self really to them. John xiv. 22 — 24. And this 
 presence is enduring ; there is much strength in the 
 expression — I am with you always to the end of the 
 world, (iraaas ras y/JLcpas €«s T7]S crvvreXeias re auavos, all the 
 days to the finishing or full end of the age, or world.) 
 He will be with us every day without intermitting so 
 much as one day to the end of the world. 
 
 The spiritual presence of Christ, always, even unto 
 the end of the world is associated, by our Lord, with 
 the appointment of baptism, and the discipline and 
 instructing of all nations. While then it is a uni- 
 versal promise belonging to all circumstances of the 
 church of Christ, it has a direct reference to the min- 
 istry of the word, and the ordinance of baptism. It 
 is also such a blessed promise that we may well give 
 it a distinct consideration. 
 
 The giver of this promise is the Lord himself. The 
 very promise is full of his divine glory : every term 
 .speaking that glory. I am with you is the language 
 of Deity. God said unto Moses, I am that I am, and he 
 said, thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, I am 
 hath sent me unto you. It is language that our Lord 
 here and in the statements — Before Abraham was, I 
 am (John viii. 58.) — Where two or three are gathered 
 together in my name, there am I in the midst of them — 
 appropriates to himself, avoiding the natural form of 
 expression, to bring in the reality of his Godhead as 
 
THE PROMISE OF THE SAVIOUR'S PRESENCE. 53 
 
 well as his omnipresence. O the mysteries of glory 
 encircling Christ Jesus ! He that came down from 
 heaven, even the Son of man could say, at the same 
 time, and while on earth, which is in heaven. Though 
 on earth, it could be said of him, The only-begotten 
 Son which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared 
 him. 
 
 But with all this glory, He who speaks the pro- 
 mises appears as a man, wearing our very form ; 
 having our flesh, and bones, and blood, the members 
 and senses of our body ; the words, image, and sub- 
 stance of man. He has hence all the sympathies of 
 our nature. He is one who can enter into our fears 
 and our hopes, our feelings and our wants, our sor- 
 rows and our joys, every suffering and every tempta- 
 tion is known to him. We have a High Priest 
 touched with a feeling of our infirmities. We have not 
 only the mystery of Christ on earth and Christ in 
 heaven, but the mystery of God manifest in the flesh, 
 Immanuel, God with us. 
 
 And how refreshing and endearing to his discon- 
 solate disciples this assurance ! Sorrow had filled 
 their hearts when they heard of his leaving ; now 
 they hear of a presence that will never be taken from 
 them. If their souls were inflamed with love, from 
 the compassion, kindness, and excellences of this 
 life, how would that love be augmented by the grace 
 manifested in his agony, sufferings, and death ! 
 How sweet, after all Hehadgonethrough, to hear that 
 He would never really leave them nor forsake them ! 
 
 It is unnecessary here to enter at large into the 
 speciality of the promise as here made to the 
 apostles and their successors. Some things were 
 peculiar to the apostles, as their commission was 
 
54 TREATISE ON BAPTISM *. 
 
 direct from Christ, their gifts miraculous, and their 
 diocese the world at large. Some things are general ; 
 and these descend to those who have succeeded 
 them ; such as preaching, admitting into the church 
 by baptism, administering the Lord's Supper, putting 
 the wicked out of the church, absolving the penitent, 
 and ordaining elders. 
 
 The threefold order of the ministry may be dis- 
 tinctly seen in the scriptures, as the author has shewn 
 in his Christian Hearer (p. 112) ; but he has there 
 stated he dares not condemn those churches who 
 have not been so happy as to have this scriptural 
 and primitive plan of church government continued 
 to them. Our church has beautifully combined both 
 these views, stating, in the preface, before the ordi- 
 nation of its ministers: "It is evident unto all men 
 diligently reading the Holy Scriptures and ancient 
 authors, that from the apostles' time there have been 
 these orders of ministers in Christ's church, bishops, 
 priests, and deacons." And yet it states, in its Ar- 
 ticles, on this being in harmony with foreign Pro- 
 testant churches, " It is not lawful for any man to 
 take upon him the office of public preaching, or min- 
 istering the sacraments in the congregation, before 
 he be lawfully called and sent; and those we ought 
 to judge lawfully called and sent which be chosen 
 and called to this work by men who have public au- 
 thority given unto them in the congregation, to call 
 and send ministers into the Lord's vineyard." 
 
 Oh that we in the ministry may ever be more 
 anxious about the solemn trust and responsibility, 
 than about the peculiar distinctions and honour of 
 the ministry ! When we are seeking its dignity, 
 without humbling ourselves to its sacrifices and ser- 
 
THE PROMISE OF THE SAVIOUR'S PRESENCE. 55 
 
 vitude (2 Cor. iv. 5), we are acting in the spirit of 
 popery (3 John 9. 2 Thess. ii. 4) ; and are likely to 
 come under that sentence, He that exalteth himself 
 shall be abased. Luke xiv. 11 ; xviii. 14. 
 
 And very solemn is the trust of rightly adminis- 
 tering sacraments. Mr. Strong thus notices it in his 
 book on the Covenant : " I find in the administration 
 of the seals of the covenant, as well as in the appli- 
 cation of the promises of the covenant, that they are 
 to be administered with judgment in the parties that 
 do administer them, and that there is a great trust 
 and a special charge committed to them therein : 
 Matt. vii. Give not that which is holy unto dogs. It is a 
 dangerousevil for a man either wittingly or negligently 
 to dispense the ordinances of God and the privileges 
 of the covenant, to those unto whom God did never 
 intend them, as it is to deny them unto those whose 
 right they are. The trust committed unto officers in this 
 kind is exceeding great, and therefore the account will 
 be dreadful. For what is a particular visible church, 
 but a golden candlestick, and the spouse of Christ, and 
 the body of Christ ? Now how great a trust is it to be 
 employed in things of so high concernment; and 
 how dangerous must the error needs be to espouse a 
 soul to Christ, that He neither can nor will own for 
 his! How great a wrong is it! Now the nearer 
 the relation the greater the transgression ; and so it 
 is to place a member in the body of Christ that He 
 abhors ; and therefore admissions and ejections of 
 church members are some of the greatest acts of 
 men's lives, and should be done with greatest heed 
 and the greatest solemnity. And how shall that officer 
 appear before the Lord at the last day, who through 
 ignorance knows not, or through carelessness or 
 
56 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 custom regards not the rules of Christ in either of 
 them ? » 
 
 Let our Comfort be in the assured presence of 
 Christ, and in looking to him for wisdom, and faith- 
 fulness, and love. 
 
 Having thus noticed the office of the ministry, we 
 proceed to consider the nature of that pre- 
 sence, which still continues with his church, and 
 to which we may especially look in every adminis- 
 tration of his word and of baptism. 
 
 It is manifest that it is not a bodily presence. 
 His body, with all the living characters of hu- 
 manity; the very same body in which He was cruci- 
 fied, with the marks of the nails and of the spear, 
 with flesh and bones as we have (Luke xxiv. 39), 
 ascended up to heaven. In this body He is now ab- 
 sent from earth, and though He will not be absent 
 always, nor long, but shall soon come again (and 
 much sooner than most think), to judge the quick 
 and the dead : but with this body, as our forerunner, 
 He for us entered within the vail (Heb. vi. 19, 20), 
 having gone into heaven itself, now to appear in the 
 presence of God for us (Heb. ix. 24), and there ever 
 living to make intercession for us. 
 
 And it is a distinct blessing from that glorious 
 presence, which, as God, Christ has everywhere, as 
 we have already seen. John i. 18; iii. 13. In this 
 view, He is with every human being; in him we live, 
 move, and have our being ; all things were created by 
 him and for him, and he is before all things, and by him 
 all things consist, Col. i. 1G, 17. 
 
 The presence specially intended in this promise is 
 A manifested presence, full of power, grace, and 
 blessing. The Holy Ghost is the great communicator 
 
THE PROMISE OF THE SAVIOUR'S PRESENCE. 57 
 
 of this presence. This is according to the promise : 
 I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another 
 Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever, even 
 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive be- 
 cause it seeth him not, neither hnoweth him, but yehnow 
 him, for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 1 
 will not leave you comfortless, I will come unto you. 
 Thus the Holy Ghost supplies the place of Christ; 
 and he shall not speak of himself, but, in the words of 
 our Redeemer, He shall glorify me, for he shall receive 
 of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that 
 the Father hath are mine; therefore said I, that he 
 shall take of mine, and shew it to you. Here is that 
 spiritual, lively, life-giving presence of Christ, which 
 is peculiar to his people. How is it, asks Jude, that 
 thou wilt manifest thyself to us, and not to the world ? 
 Jesus answered, and said unto him, If a man love me, 
 he will keep my words, and my Father will love him, 
 and we will come unto him, and make our abode with 
 him. John xiv. 22, 23. There is then a real presence 
 of Christ with his disciples, and a real fellowship 
 which they have with him. 
 
 The subject is so full of blessedness and glory, that 
 we may well here enlarge upon it by considering the 
 blessings which the presence of the Redeemer brings. 
 Where Christ is, there is the rich store of all mercies, 
 there are the treasures of grace, which are in him for 
 our use. In the case of a large family, at the head of 
 which is a wise, wealthy, powerful, righteous, and af- 
 fectionate Father, his very presence is a blessing: his 
 instruction, his experience, his affection, make the 
 happiness of the family circle. This may illustrate to 
 us something of the blessedness of having him with 
 us, who is the source of every excellence in all others, 
 
,58 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 and who really dwells with and in his people. His 
 treasures are exhaustless. 
 
 These blessings are set before us in the scrip- 
 tures in a thousand different forms. Every good in 
 nature, and Providence, and in social economy, is ap- 
 plied with exhaustless fulness and wisdom to display 
 the riches of grace treasured up in Christ for our use. 
 We might regard these treasures simply in the offices 
 which our Saviour sustains, and how varied and com- 
 prehensive they are. The principal offices, prophet, 
 priest, and king, were distinguished by men being set 
 apart for them through anointing, and to these our 
 primary attention is called by the very name of Christ. 
 In addition to these, those most commonly dwelt 
 upon in the scriptures are Mediator, Lord, Son of 
 God, Word, Redeemer, and Saviour. But indeed He 
 is all in all. When we have our Lord Christ with 
 us, we have all that is beneficial in every thing else 
 with us. Every good to be seen in any form of love 
 in man, is to be seen in perfection only in our Divine 
 Lord. 
 
 Where Christ is, there is overflowing grace. 
 He is full of grace, that is, full of favour, kindness, 
 and tenderness to us his unworthy people. If He, 
 the very mercy seat, and the very throne of grace, is 
 with us, how full and ever flowing must be those 
 streams of grace which make glad the city of our 
 God, for the use of all who apply to him. This 
 grace brings salvation to all men. Titus ii. 11. O 
 that none rejected it ! This grace abounds over all 
 sin. Rom. v. 20. O that none received it in vain! 
 2 Cor. vi. 1. This grace is sufficient for us in every 
 extremity. 2 Cor. xii. 9. Let us prize it above 
 every thing. Let us abide in Jesus, that in all 
 
THE PROMISE OF THE SAVIOUR'S PRESENCE. 59 
 
 its overflowing blessings this grace may be imparted 
 to us. 
 
 Where Christ is, there is fulness of truth. He 
 is described as full of truth. He says, J am the truth. 
 And indeed once realize the only-begotten Son of the 
 Most High God, incarnate in our nature, suffering 
 extreme agony, and dying as a malefactor on the tree 
 for our sins, rising again from the dead, ascending to 
 heaven with our very form, and there living for us, 
 speedily to return as our everlasting Saviour and 
 King, and what truths are not included in this ! 
 How it displays the wisdom, righteousness, holiness, 
 purity, compassion, mercy, grace, in short the every 
 perfection of our God. As He is kept out of sight, all 
 truth is veiled and hidden ; as He is made prominent 
 according to the scriptural fulness, all truth is clear 
 and conspicuous. Here is the truth of all the types 
 and shadows of the law of Moses — Christ is the sub- 
 stance. Here is the goodness of all goodness. What- 
 ever there is good and glorious in the face of creation, 
 it is only a picture of a part of that goodness which 
 is in its fulness in our blessed Redeemer. The sun, 
 the light, the air, the waters, bread, and meat, and 
 drink, the vine, and every other good we enjoy, only 
 pourtray parts of his sufficiency. Whatever there is 
 excellent in works of art may also lead us to him; 
 He our clothing, He our crown, he our all and in all. 
 Where Christ is, there is prevailing intercession 
 with the father. There is a remarkable connec- 
 tion made by our Lord between his presence with the 
 assemblies of his people and the answer of prayer. 
 If two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything 
 that they shall ask, it shall be done of my Father which 
 is in heaven. For (observe the reason of prayer being 
 
60 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 heard) for where two or three are gathered together in 
 my name, there am I in the midst of them. He is there 
 as the high priest offering much incense, with the 
 prayers of all saints, so that they may ascend up ac- 
 ceptable before God. Rev. viii. 3, 4. He is there as 
 the beloved Son, in whom his Father is always well 
 pleased, ever living to make intercession for us, and 
 thus obtaining for us mercy and grace. By this me- 
 diation we are accepted in the Beloved ; through this 
 presence and intercession, power is given to the ordi- 
 nances of God, and our services, feeble and sinful as 
 they are, yet are acceptable through him. 
 
 Where Christ is, there is restored communion 
 with God. Very rich and gracious are the promises 
 to Israel. In all places where I record my name, I will 
 come unto thee, and I will bless thee. (Exod. xx. 24.) 
 And in the more full and explicit promise, Thou shah 
 put the mercy seat above upon the ark ; and in the ark 
 thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee, and 
 there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with 
 thee from above the mercy seat, from between the Che- 
 rubims, of all things which I will give thee in command- 
 ment unto the children of Israel, Exod. xxv. 21, 22. 
 Christ is now this mercy-seat (iXaarnpiov, compare 
 Rom. iii. 25 ; Heb. ix. 5 ;) where God meets with his 
 people, and communes with them. No possible way 
 is there for our access unto God but by him, (John 
 xiv. 6.) and through him there is free, immediate, 
 confiding, and child-like access to the Father for 
 every human being. He is, as it were, an elder bro- 
 ther, who, full of love to his offending brethren, re- 
 joices in taking them back into his Father's presence ; 
 his conduct being altogether in contrast to the elder 
 brother of the prodigal, he has no higher joy than 
 
 
THE PROMISE OF THE SAVIOUR'S PRESENCE. 61 
 
 to be the very door and way of our return to our 
 God. 
 
 Where Christ is, there is full blessedness. 
 Blessedness for this life ; (1 Tim. iv. 8.) for by Christ 
 all things work for our good; (Rom. viii. 28.) every 
 thing is made ours, even of things present; (1 Cor. 
 iii. 22.) so that we have exactly those earthly and 
 temporal benefits which are most suited for our best 
 good and greatest usefulness. Blessedness in spi- 
 ritual things: for all these are freely given to us in 
 Christ Jesus, (Ephes. i. 8—12 ; 1 Peter i. 3—5.) so 
 that everything is divinely appointed for the believer's 
 highest spiritual welfare; and even our sinfulness, 
 though most vile and base, and to be abhorred with 
 intense hatred by every child of God, is yet made 
 the occasion of deeper humility and more ardent gra- 
 titude. Blessedness for eternity is ours also with 
 Christ. God hath given us eternal life, and this life is 
 in his Son ; and he that hath the Son hath life. 
 
 Thus in having the Head of the Family with us, 
 we have all his riches, wisdom, power, love, posses- 
 sions, dominion, blessing, and glory ; and that for 
 ever. Were there nothing in baptism but our Lord's 
 connecting it as he has done with his presence, oh how 
 grateful ought we to be for this ordinance ! 
 
 May the Lord himself open the eyes of our under- 
 standing, and give us the spirit of wisdom and reve- 
 lation in the knowledge of Christ; may our hearts 
 welcome all his love ; but the treasures of that love 
 can never be told : they will enrich us, and gladden 
 us through eternity. 
 
 Look, then, Christian reader, at baptism as a mani- 
 festation of Christ's presence. There you see the 
 minister of Christ, the steward of his mysteries, as 
 
G2 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 his ambassador, coming in his name and adopting 
 the baptized into his family on earth, and in his 
 name assuring to that baptized his grace and loving 
 kindness. The visible scene is deeply interesting. 
 But if we realize what is invisible, what a scene it 
 is ! Angels are present ; for they are ministering 
 spirits, ministering to the heirs of salvation: and with 
 regard to infants, we are specially assured by our 
 Lord in heaven, their angels do ahvays behold the face 
 of my Father which is in heaven. But the Lord of 
 angels, too, is there. Jesus himself walks in the midst 
 of the golden candlesticks, approving the work of 
 Christian parents and ministers, and himself as it 
 were again taking the little ones in his arms, putting 
 his hands upon them and blessing them. What a scene 
 of spiritual glory is here ! The Lord grant that it 
 may cease in Christian lands to be longer profaned 
 by awful formality, levity, and unbelief! 
 
 But how can we enter into this presence ? how can 
 we make it a reality ? Though Christ be really pre- 
 sent, how few feel and enjoy it, how few even know 
 or perceive it! By what eye may He be seen? by 
 what ear may He be heard ? 
 
 It is by faith that we realize and enter into the 
 presence of Christ, and hear his voice in his word 
 read and preached, in his ordinances and sacraments. 
 Faith gives substance and evidence to this presence* 
 The power of faith to discern what is invisible to the 
 eye of sense has been experienced by every believer. 
 We live not by sight but by faith. See Moses not fear- 
 ing the wrath of the King of Egypt, though wholly 
 dependent, in human estimation, upon him. What 
 made him firm and stedfast? he endured as seeing him 
 who is invisible. What made Abraham rise up early, 
 
THE PROMISE OF THE SAVIOUR'S PRESENCE. 63 
 
 and patiently proceed day by day to Mount Moriah, 
 and there offer up Isaac? he had full confidence in 
 the promises of God. Faith gives us eyes to discern 
 the things afar off, and full persuasion of them. 
 Looking unto Jesus is but another description of the 
 faith by which we enter into his presence. 
 
 But hope follows faith ; anticipating all the glory 
 yet to come ; fixing herself as an anchor within the 
 vail — where the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus. 
 Hope sees all that he is now doing, and all that he is 
 preparing and speedily coming to do. Hope sees 
 through the regeneration of which baptism is the 
 sign and means, that regeneration and restitution of 
 all things which is speedily coming on, and thus 
 raises the soul above the world, and enables us to 
 live in the atmosphere of heaven, in the very pre- 
 sence of Ihe Saviour and his coming kingdom, look- 
 ing for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of 
 the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. 
 
 And love, last of all and greatest of all, enjoys 
 this presence now while it faints and longs for its 
 fuller manifestation. Thus speaks the Apostle Peter. 
 After noticing the future appearing of Jesus Christ, he 
 goes on, whom having not seen ye love, in whom though 
 now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy un- 
 speakable and full of glory. Love delights itself in the 
 truth, that he is now really with us, and seeks every 
 opportunity of meeting the beloved object: coming 
 to an ordinance full of expectation to find Christ, 
 and to meet him whom our soul loves. Oh does not 
 our weariness in worship sadly prove we have not, by 
 faith, hope, and love, met there with Him, who is the 
 light and glory and joy of all Christian assemblies ? 
 
 Let us also look for a moment at that glorious 
 
64 TREATISE ON BAPTISM '. 
 
 kingdom which is hastening on, where the visible 
 and spiritual presence in their united and combined 
 blessedness will be realized. That which was the 
 peculiar blessedness of Moses, (Deut. xxxiv. 10.) 
 that the Lord spake unto him face to face as a man 
 speaketh unto his friend. Exod. xxxiii. 11. And that 
 which was the distinguishing privilege of Israel, that 
 the tabernacle of God was among them, and he dwelt 
 in Zion : will be joined with that also which was the 
 high enjoyment of St. Paul, to me to live is Christ ; 
 (Phil. i. 21 ; 2 Cor. v. 16, 17.) or of St. John, our fel- 
 lowship is with the Father and tvith his Son Jesus 
 Christ ; and for ever we shall enjoy the visible and 
 spiritual glory of our God and Saviour. Nothing is 
 more clear than that we shall see him face to face. 
 1 Cor. xiii. 12. Nothing is more plainly promised 
 than that in the new heavens and the new earth, wherein 
 dwelleth righteousness — a great voice shall be heard 
 out of heaven, saying, Behold the tabernacle of God 
 is with men, and he will dwell tvith them, and they shall 
 be his people, and God himself shall be with them and 
 be their God. Rev, xxi. 3. Let us look for more than 
 a figurative millennium ; let us hope for a millennium 
 having full streams of good connected with the reali- 
 zingof thesecond table of the Law in family and social 
 blessedness, and one in which the ylory of the Lord 
 shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together : 
 and thus the realizing the first table too, in the 
 presence of the fountain-head of all blessings, to be 
 manifested in a glory yet inconceivable, and with 
 a largeness of blessing far beyond our present capa- 
 bilities of knowing. May our affections be there 
 fixed, may our eyes be ever regarding that glo- 
 rious hope, through all earthly and even present 
 
THE PROMISE OF THE SAVIOUR'S PRESENCE. 65 
 
 spiritual blessings, looking onward to the things 
 which are not seen and are eternal. 
 
 The promise closes so emphatically with Amen, 
 that I am led to add a few words on that seal of the 
 whole. It is introduced with a special call to atten- 
 tion, Lo, (iduv, behold) though I am leaving you, yet 
 regard attentively what I say, I will be really present 
 with you ; and it is closed with a solemn assurance 
 of its truth. 
 
 This Amen may be viewed as the voice of 
 Christ, and then it speaks his delight in being with 
 us, and its certainty. Before the mountains were 
 settled, before the hills existed, while as yet the 
 earth was unmade and the heavens unprepared, he 
 loved our fallen race, and anticipating our creation, 
 was rejoicing in the habitable parts of the earth, and 
 his delights were with the sons of men. The same joy 
 he has still ; J will never leave you, I will never forsake 
 you, is his rich promise ; and the words always, to 
 the end of the world, correspond to this. Had it been 
 only always, it might have been confined to the 
 apostles ; had he said only to the end of the world, we 
 should have lost the full assurance of the constancy 
 of the blessing. The union of both combines all we 
 need. 
 
 This Amen may be viewed as the voice of the 
 Spirit. He speaks by the word, which was all in- 
 dited by him; and he thus puts his seal of concur- 
 rence and confirmation to his presence now with his 
 people, as he does to his future return, when he says, 
 the Spirit and the bride say, Come, and let him that 
 heareth say, Come. The love of the Spirit is a de- 
 lightful though little considered part of divine truth. 
 He speaks not of himself, but we should not forget 
 F 
 
66 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 all his grace, but have real communion with the Holy 
 Ghost. 
 
 This Amen may also be viewed as the voice of 
 the church, — language put into our mouths, as in 
 the Psalms and the prophets, by the Spirit of God ; 
 and according to the twofold meaning of Amen, it is 
 the language of faith, saying in full triumph, assur- 
 edly it is so ; Jesus is with his church now and 
 always; and it is the language of desire ; Amen, 
 so be it. May we and all men everywhere partake 
 of this experience, and fully enjoy this incomparable 
 blessing. 
 
BENEFITS TO BE GIVEN IN BAPTISM. 67 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 THE BENEFITS DESIGNED TO BE GIVEN IN BAPTISM. 
 
 We are so encompassed with flesh, and surrounded 
 on every side with sensible things, that it is hard and 
 difficult for us to realize and constantly raise the mind 
 to invisible and spiritual objects, though of infinitely 
 superior importance, and most directly connected with 
 our highest and eternal good. 
 
 To remedy this infirmity of our nature, and to 
 make the sensible and visible objects themselves 
 means of raising our minds to those spiritual and 
 heavenly things, to enjoy which for ever is the great 
 end of our being, God has given us his word, shew- 
 ing us the spiritual meaning of earthly things, and 
 making them the very steps to communion with God 
 and to the enjoyment of his presence and love. 
 
 The Living Word, our Lord Jesus Christ, who was 
 in heaven while on earth (John iii. 13.) and lived by 
 the Father (John vi. 57.) has shewn us how to con- 
 nect heaven and earth together, and has left us a 
 glorious example of doing the will of God on earth 
 as it is in heaven. 
 
 God has farther given men ministers, sending them 
 
 F 2 
 
68 TREATISE ON BAPTISM I 
 
 through the earth to proclaim every where the good 
 tidings of his love to sinful men, and to call them 
 back from earthly to heavenly things, from alienation 
 of mind and aversion of heart, to be reconciled to 
 God, in every thing seeing his love, and delighting 
 in him. 
 
 Thus, those things which are so widely present on 
 the face of all creation as to be visible and sensi- 
 ble to all men, as well as the events of a constant pro- 
 vidence, become like a second Bible, pregnant with 
 lessons of grace indelibly engraven on earthly things. 
 Every birth becomes a symbol of the new birth of the 
 soul ; every death, with all its distressing horrors of 
 a stiffened, insensible, motionless body, sinking 
 speedily into corruption, shews forth the state of a 
 soul dead in trespasses and sins. The air by which 
 our daily life is sustained, inhaled and exhaled every 
 moment, teaches us how spiritual life is maintained 
 by the continual prayer of faith receiving the Spirit 
 of God, and the constant return of praise and 
 thanksgiving. The water by which we are continu- 
 ally refreshed or cleansed, teaches us how the divine 
 Spirit acts upon our souls. Every seed-time followed 
 by the spring, the summer, and the autumn, proclaims 
 to every listening ear of faith and love the precious 
 doctrine of the resurrection, and the future — the com- 
 ing glory of the children of God. While God has, 
 at present, veiled himself from us, so that his title is, 
 Verily, thou art a God that hidest thyself, and we have 
 still to address him— Our Father which art hi heaven, 
 he has surrounded us on every side with tokens of 
 his real presence and unfailing love. We may read 
 his name in every flower that grows, and in every 
 star that shines ; the whole earth is full of his grace 
 
BENETITS TO BE GIVEN IN BAPTISM. 69 
 
 and goodness ; and the time is coming when it 
 shall again, in visible glory, be his tabernacle, and 
 our Father will be on earth as he is in heaven. Rev. 
 xxi. 1—3. 
 
 Nor is his love content with these methods of in- 
 struction. He has instituted visible sacraments, 
 taking the very materials of our earth, and out of 
 them exhibiting and preaching his loving-kindness 
 to men, by a direct, and individual, and immediate 
 application ; first, as in baptism, to the outward frame 
 of man; and then, as in the Lord's Supper, to his 
 inward frame ; teaching deeper and fuller lessons of 
 his grace to us, and manifesting his design to bring 
 us into the closest union and most intimate commu- 
 nion with himself. 
 
 By the ministry of his word there is a proclamation 
 made in the hearing of all men, of the gospel of the 
 grace of God, and of all those truths which belong 
 to the salvation of men. But things merely heard are 
 more liable to be let slip and to pass away. By the 
 sacraments of the church a more manifest and visible 
 stamp of Christianity is affixed to the history of the 
 world. 
 
 By the ordinance of baptism to be administered to 
 all nations, and in professedly Christian lands ad- 
 ministered to most even from infancy, the whole of 
 Christianity becomes embodied in the history of the 
 world; every human being is justly claimed by his 
 creator, the Lord of all, from his infancy, and 
 promised blessings, incalculable and eternal, on his 
 faithfulness. The fulness of the divine love is 
 brought home to every soul, and cannot be lost but in 
 the wilful rejection of that love. 
 
 That his sacraments might be perpetually observed 
 
70 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 and we might receive inestimable spiritual advan- 
 tages, it has pleased our merciful Saviour to make 
 
 them EFFECTUAL MEANS OF GRACE TO THE BELIEVER, 
 
 and to guard against their perversion, the very 
 means used are most significant and striking figures 
 and representations of the heavenly blessings in- 
 tended to be conveyed. Thus, in the Lord's Supper, 
 partaking of food, is the lively representation of our 
 needy and perishing state, and of feeding on Christ 
 in our heart by faith, for our spiritual strength and 
 refreshment; and in baptism, the washing of water 
 is the lively representation of our defilement, and of 
 purification from sin, pointing out thus, the real be- 
 nefits to be obtained in these sacraments. 
 
 That we may have a clearer view of the benefits of 
 baptism, let us first see the grace given before 
 baptism. The holy scriptures point out repentance 
 and faith, (Acts ii. 38, 39. Mark xvi. 16. Acts 
 xviii.18.) as requisite in adults, and the promises to 
 the children of believers as the ground of infant 
 baptism. Act ii. 39. The free promise in God's 
 covenant, to the believer's seed ; (Gen. xvii. 7.) 
 and repentance whereby men forsake sin, and faith 
 whereby they stedfastly believe the promises of God 
 made to them in that sacrament, are gifts previ- 
 ously bestowed on the baptized. Thus we enter into 
 the kingdom of God in spirit and belong to it spiri- 
 tually before baptism. There is a commencement of 
 spiritual blessedness before it is publicly attested 
 in the church. 
 
 At the time we are actually baptized, the act 
 of baptism gives us a change of state, an entrance 
 into the church of God, and a new standing with re- 
 lation to our fellow-men. We have a new place in 
 
BENEFITS TO BE GIVEN IN BAPTISM. 71 
 
 the thoughts and prayers of the church, and a new 
 aspect in the eyes of men. We are acknowledged to 
 be no more strangers and foreigners , but fellow-citizens 
 with the saints and of the household of God. Ephes. ii. 
 19. We see this in the case of the apostle Paul : 
 the scales had been removed from his eyes ; he had 
 been converted to God. It was true previously — 
 Behold, heprayeth ! But he had not been joined out- 
 wardly to the church, and therefore Ananias is sent 
 to bid him, Arise now and be baptized, and wash away 
 thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. Acts xxii. 16. 
 And when the disciples at Jerusalem believed not 
 that he was a disciple, Barnabas soon removed all 
 doubt from their minds, and he was received as a 
 member of the Christain church. Thus there is in 
 baptism the confirmation of faith, the assurance of 
 pardon, and the admission into the privileges of the 
 church of God, including its prayers, special inter- 
 est, and love. 
 
 The general benefit of baptism to all Christians is 
 thus stated by Archbishop Usher. It is " the same 
 as was the benefit to the Jew outward ; " (Rom. ii. 28 ; 
 iii. 1, 2,) " there is a general grace of baptism which 
 all the baptized partake of as a common favour, and 
 that is their admission into the visible body of the 
 church, their matriculation and outward incorporat- 
 ing into the number of the worshippers of God by 
 external communion. And so as circumcision was 
 not only a seal of the righteousness which is by faith, 
 but, as an overplus, God appointed it to be a wall of 
 separation between the Jew and the Gentile ; so is 
 baptism a badge of an outward member of the church, 
 a distinction from the common rout of heathen, and 
 God thereby seals a right upon the party baptized to 
 
72 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 his ordinance, that he may use them as his privi- 
 leges, and wait for an inward blessing by them. Yet 
 this is but the porch, the shell, and outside ; all that 
 are outwardly received into the visible church are 
 not spiritually ingrafted into the mystical body of 
 Christ. Baptism always is attended upon by that 
 general grace, but not always by that special." 
 
 Union to the church of Christ is, then, the di- 
 rect benefit of baptism. St. Paul declares this truth 
 when he gives that rich and striking figure of the 
 oneness of the church of Christ, by comparing it 
 at length to the human body. For by one spirit 
 are tie all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews 
 or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, and have 
 been all made to drink into one spirit. 1 Cor. xii. 13. 
 Our church thus expresses it, " they that receive bap- 
 tism rightly are grafted into the church." Christ is 
 the vine, and professing Christians are the branches 
 of his visible church. All that are baptized with water 
 are admitted into that church. But if men, Iovingtheir 
 sins, neglect Christ, they abide not in him, and receive 
 not the indwelling grace of his Spirit, and thus become 
 worthless branches. In the words of Jewell, " The 
 general outward church of God is visible, and may 
 be seen ; but the very true church of God's elect is 
 invisible, and cannot be seen or discerned by man, 
 but is only known by God alone." To be admitted 
 into the visible church of Christ is to be placed 
 amidst the means of grace and the prayers of God's 
 people. Those who really believe are truly grafted 
 into Christ, and bear fruit. St. Paul thus states it 
 to the Galatians, Ye are all the children of God by 
 faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been 
 baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is nei- 
 
BENEFITS TO BE GIVEN IN BAPTISM. 73 
 
 titer Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there 
 is neither male nor female, for ye are all one in Christ 
 Jesus ; and if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, 
 and heirs according to the promise. This statement is 
 the foundation of the parallel statement in our Cate- 
 chism, that we were in our baptism made members of 
 Christ, children of God, and inheritors of the kingdom 
 of heaven. The expressions of the Catechism follow 
 those of the apostle. The titles, members of Christ's 
 body, children of God, and heirs according to the 
 promise, are by St. Paul connected with baptism in 
 the same manner as in the Catechism, and the solu- 
 tion of the apostle's words will be the solution of 
 those of the Catechism.* And if we have doubt of 
 any, let us remember that St. Paul had the same 
 doubt, (Gal. iv. 19,20,) and yet hesitated not to make 
 the universal statement, as many of you as have been 
 baptized into Christ have put on Christ. It was never 
 intended to be expressed that the outward adminis- 
 tration of baptism by the rightly ordained minister 
 should produce these inestimable benefits, without 
 reference to the grace of God and the right reception 
 of the ordinance. This were to exalt baptism at the 
 expense of the Lord of baptism, and the sovereignty 
 and freedom of his grace, and to give unscriptural 
 honour to man. The sacrament gives the title, but 
 faith, the work of the Spirit, gives the possession 
 itself. The baptism of the Spirit, which may be quite 
 separate and distinct from the baptism with water, 
 
 * A fuller explanation of this part of the Catechism will be after- 
 wards given. There is clear scriptural example of each term, as 
 applied to those who yet proved in the result not to reap the designed 
 blessing: members of Christ, John xv. 1, 6; child of God, Isaiah 
 i. 2, 10} inheritor of the kingdom of heaven, Matt. xiii. 41, 42. Heb. 
 xii. 16, 17- 
 
74 TREATISE ON BAPTISM ! 
 
 (Acts viii. 21,) is alone efficacious for this great end. 
 We say of those baptized, they are in baptism made 
 members of Christ, in that judgment of faith, hope, 
 and charity which is the very character of Christianity, 
 and according to that fulness of God's love which the 
 ordinance is intended to set forth. Assured that 
 baptism with the Spirit is accompanied by these 
 blessings,* hearing the prayers offered up, and in the 
 judgment of a true charity believing they are true 
 prayers, we believe that God has given the baptism of 
 the Spirit, and speak accordingly. With respect to in- 
 fants, we have no right to make any exceptions; the 
 blessings of the gospel are bestowed freely, and ex- 
 pressly promised in God's gracious covenant to the 
 children of believers. With respect to adults we are 
 bound in the same charity, till their conduct compel 
 us to think otherwise, to hope thus well of them. St. 
 Paul says of the kindred rite of circumcision, Cir- 
 cumcision verily profteth, if thou keep the law, but if 
 thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made 
 uncircumcuion. So we may say of baptism ; if thou 
 repent of sin and believe in Christ, thy baptism pro- 
 fiteth; thou art united to his family, and wilt share 
 their glory; but if thou despise all the grace and 
 goodness of God, and neglect his great salvation, thy 
 condemnation will be the more aggravated, and thy 
 
 * It must be remembered, that in the latter part of the Catechism, 
 the learner is expressly taught there are two parts in the Sacrament 
 of baptism— the outward and visible sign, and the inward and spiritual 
 grace ; the baptism with water, and the death unto sin, and a new 
 birth unto righteousness. Let the term baptism be seen to compre- 
 hend both parts, and both parts to be assured to our children in the 
 promises of God, and the answer in the earlier part of t^e Catechism 
 will not only be clear from objection, but give a ricl tuI precious 
 view of the believer's assurance of the spiritual blesst ?ss of his 
 children, and lead the child to the same view of God's lc >ag-kiDu- 
 ne6s. 
 
BENEFITS TO BE GIVEN IN BAPTISM. 75 
 
 baptism will avail only to increase thy guilt. May 
 we thus realize baptismal grace by walking worthy of 
 our high calling. And O ! how blessed it is when we 
 realize our Christian privileges, to receive another 
 member of the happy family by baptism, to acknow- 
 ledge another fellow-citizen of the saints and of the 
 household of God. 
 
 That which especially distinguishes Christian bap- 
 tism, and is to be expected by the faith of the adult 
 baptized, and the faith of the infant's parents and spon- 
 sors, is the enlarged gift of the Holy Ghost, in the 
 season and in the measure wherein it shall please the 
 divine Lord who has appointed baptism to bestow it. 
 Jesus, the gift of God to man, is the bestower of this 
 gift. If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that 
 saith to thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldst have asked 
 of him, and he would have given thee living water. John 
 iv. 10. This is the well of water springing up into 
 everlasting life, (iv. 14,) and flowing in ten thou- 
 sand streams of blessedness. All other benefits 
 may be traced up hither as to their spring-head. 
 Jesus claims it as his own office, and appoints bap- 
 tism as his own rite for bestowing this unspeakable 
 gift. 
 
 Well does Archbishop Whitgift observe, that the 
 force of baptism depends not upon man, but upon 
 God. He also says, "Certainly if the being of the 
 sacrament depended upon man in any respect, we 
 were but in a miserable case, since weshould be always 
 in doubt whether we were rightly baptized or no : 
 but it is most true, that the force and strength of the 
 sacrament is not in man, be he minister or not minis- 
 ter, be he good or evil, but in God himself, in his 
 Spirit, in his free and effectual operation. And there- 
 
76 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 fore saith St. Paul, what is Paul, what is Apollos ? 
 1 Cor. iii." 
 
 The gift of the Holy Ghost is joined in many places 
 of the scripture with baptism. Thus John the Bap- 
 tist explicitly, and more than once, testifies of Christ, 
 He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, (Matt. iii. 11. 
 Mark i. 8. Luke iii. 16,) and our Lord himself as- 
 sured his apostles after his resurrection, John truly 
 baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the 
 Holy Ghost. Acts i. 5. Hence we find, after ex- 
 horting the Jews to repent and be baptized, Peter 
 assures them as a consequence of it,— and ye shall re- 
 ceive the gift of the Holy Ghost. In that day this gift 
 was in many instances made palpable and obvious 
 to all by its being accompanied with the power of 
 working miracles, and speaking with tongues, (Acts 
 viii. 13 — 20; x. 44 — 47; xix. 6,) butthose graceswhich 
 the three thousand received are the ordinary fruit of 
 the Spirit, only in a blessed degree of fulness. Acts ii. 
 41 — 47. God has called baptism the laver of regene- 
 ration, and the apostle assured them, speaking of the 
 gift of the Holy Ghost in baptism, the promise is unto 
 you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, 
 even as many as the Lord our God shall call. Acts ii. 39. 
 Here is an ample foundation for our faith in this pro- 
 mise connected with baptism. According to our faith 
 the promise will be realized. If it be not communi- 
 cated, man's unbelief and neglect of fervent prayer 
 are the true cause of our failure ; the blame is en- 
 tirely man's. And on the other hand, if the Divine 
 Spirit be communicated, the praise is wholly due to 
 God : of whom cometh every good gift, and according 
 to whose mercy is the washing of regeneration. 
 
 The sad inconsistency of the baptized, has made it 
 
BENEFITS TO BE GIVEN IN BAPTISM. 77 
 
 needful to guard every part of doctrine on this blessed 
 sacrament. The Puritan Cartwright had objected to 
 Whitgift, that he made baptism, whereby only the 
 family of God should enter into his house, to be a 
 common passage for all. It is justly replied by 
 Whitgift, and his reply meets the error of those who 
 would over-exalt the benefits of baptism : — 
 
 " I must tell you, that I make the holy sacrament 
 of baptism no other kind of passage than God himself 
 hath made it, and the church of Christ hath ever held 
 it. Good and evil, clean and unclean, holy and pro- 
 fane, must needs pass by it, except you will indeed 
 in more ample and large manner tie the grace of God 
 unto it, than ever did the Papists, and say that all 
 that be baptized be also saved ; or else join with the 
 Anabaptists in this, that after baptism a man cannot 
 sin. Who can tell whether he be holy or unholy, 
 good or evil, clean or unclean, elect or reprobate, of 
 the household of the church or not of the church, 
 that is baptized, be he infant, or at the years of dis- 
 cretion?" * 
 
 * Hooker's remarks distinguishing the views of the Romanist and 
 the Protestant, place the grace given in the sacrament, with his usual 
 clearness, before the reader. They are given in an Appendix to Book 
 V. by Mr. Keble. See vol. ii. p. 702. 
 
 " The schoolmen which follow Thomas do not only comprise in the 
 name of justifying grace the favour of God, his Spirit, and effect of 
 that favour and saving virtues, the effects of his Spirit, but over and 
 besides these three a fourth kind of formal habit or inherent quality, 
 which maketh the person of man acceptable, perfecteth the substance 
 of his mind, and causeth the virtuous actions thereof to be merito- 
 rious. This grace they will have to be the principal effect of sacra- 
 ments, a grace which neither Christ nor any apostle of Christ did ever 
 mention. The fathers have it not in their writings, although they 
 often speak of sacraments and of the grace we receive by them. Yea, 
 they which have found it out are as doubtful as any other what name 
 and nature they should give unto it; besides, inasmuch as whatsoever 
 doth belong to our spiritual perfection on earth, the same is complete 
 in that grace which was first mentioned j their new scholastic inven- 
 
78 TREATISE ON BAPTISM I 
 
 The blessings following baptism, rightly re- 
 ceived and improved, are all the blessings of the 
 gospel, which may indeed be included in that one 
 word, regeneration. Regeneration is not amerein- 
 stant act, but a life of principle, holiness and bles- 
 sedness that never ends, having many parts and 
 helps in all our Christian course : but the sole author 
 of all its holiness and blessedness is God himself: 
 the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. 
 
 Regeneration in this comprehensive sense includes 
 the whole spiritual life here, and the life of glory 
 hereafter. This is so important a part of the doc- 
 trine of baptism, that its connection with it will be 
 more distinctly and fully considered in subsequent 
 chapters. 
 
 We may, however, here remark, that the chief 
 grace or benefit intended to be set forth by baptism, 
 and of which it is a means, is that gift of the Holy 
 Ghost which consists in a death unto sin and a 
 
 tion must needs be vain and unnecessary. Let it therefore suffice us 
 to receive sacraments as sure pledges of God's favour, signs infallible 
 that the hand of his saving mercy doth thereby reach forth itself to- 
 wards us, sending the influence of his Spirit into men's hearts, which 
 maketh them like to a rich soil, fertile with all kind of heavenly 
 virtues, purgeth, justifieth, restoreth, the very dead unto life ; yea, 
 raiseth even from the bottomless pit to place in thrones of everlast- 
 ing joy. 
 
 " They pretend that to sacraments we ascribe no efficacy, but make 
 them bare signs of instruction or admonition, which is utterly false. 
 
 For SACRAMENTS WITH US ARE SIGNS EFFECTUAL ; THEY ARE THE 
 INSTRUMENTS OF GOD, WHEREBY TO BESTOW GRACE, HOWBE1T 
 GRACE NOT PROCEEDING FROM THE VISIBLE SIGN, BUT FROM HIS 
 
 invisible power. God by sacraments giveth grace (saith Bernard), 
 even as honours and dignities are given— an abbot made by receiving 
 a staff, a doctor by a book, a bishop by a ring; because he that giveth 
 these pre eminences declareth by such signs his meaning, nor doth 
 the receiver take the same but with effect ; for which cause he is said 
 to have the one by the other ; albeit that which is bestowed proceeded 
 wholly from the will of the giver, and not from the efficacy of the 
 sign." 
 
BENEFITS TO BE GIVEN IN BAPTISM. 79 
 
 NEW BIRTH UNTO RIGHTEOUSNESS, On this, in the 
 
 Epistles, the inspired writers dwell most frequently, 
 and at considerable length. Baptism is the very 
 token and sign that we are dead unto sin. How 
 shall we, asks St. Paul, that are dead to sin, live any 
 longer therein. Know ye not, that so many of us as 
 were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his 
 death ; therefore we are buried with him by baptism into 
 death,* that like as Christ was raised up from the dead 
 by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk 
 in newness of life. For if we have been planted to- 
 gether in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in 
 the likeness of his resurrection : knowing this that our 
 old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might 
 be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 
 For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be 
 dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with 
 him. Rom. vi. 2 — 8. The statement in the Colossians 
 is similar, ii. 11 — 13; iii. 1 — 3. 
 
 In this distinct and striking passage the apostle 
 shews how spiritual regeneration is the very sub- 
 stance of a right reception of the gospel, and that 
 the symbolical meaning of baptism is a plain and 
 full declaration of the necessity and nature of this 
 spiritual regeneration, and of God's readiness to 
 give it fully and wholly to the baptized. In baptism 
 
 * It has been supposed there was an allusion made by the apostle 
 to the mode of baptism by immersion, but this does not seem the 
 apostle's primary intention. His reference is to our Lord Christ's 
 death and burial, to which believers are conformed ; and his resur- 
 rection, which is a type of our spiritual resurrection now, as well as 
 the first fruits of that completed resurrection of the whole man for 
 which we are hoping. The words which follow, Knowing this that 
 our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sinmight be destroyed, 
 may shew that something far deeper than an outward resemblance to 
 the mode of his death, burial and resurrection is intended. 
 
80 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 we put on the whole Christ, the suffering Christ now, 
 the glorified Christ hereafter: His death in our daily 
 dying to sin ; his resurrection in our daily living to 
 God, and being raised up and made to sit together in 
 heavenly things in Christ Jesus. 
 
 The all-comprehensive blessing thus included in 
 baptism is our being so brought therebythrough 
 
 FAITH INTO UNION WITH CHRIST AS TO SHARE ALL 
 
 HE did. Hence we should by faith regard all that 
 Christ went through as gone through for us ; and we, 
 believing in him, are judicially regarded before God 
 as having passed through all that he did. It does 
 not appear to me that true faith in the apostle's 
 statement, in the 6th of Romans, can rest in a mean- 
 ing short of this : So many of us (observe here the 
 universality, every individual without exception) as 
 were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his 
 death. A. similar universality in a distributive indi- 
 viduality we have, Gal. iii. 27, As many of you, &c. 
 His suffering was ours ; his lying in the grave was 
 ours ; his resurrection, acceptance, and freedom 
 from farther punishment was ours; his welcome be- 
 fore the throne of God ours: his future glory ours ; 
 for ice are Christ's and Christ is God's. This is beau- 
 tifully expressed in the original of 2 Cor. v. 14, 
 if one died for all, then were all dead. This is the 
 blessing set before us by baptism, and in which we 
 express our faith by that ordinance. Let there 
 be real faith in Jesus as thus made unto us of 
 God all we need, and there is the true spring of 
 all holy and heavenly affections. Baptism is our 
 public incorporation and grafting into Christ before 
 his church, and God's seal of our participation of 
 these blessings. Wherever the parent has faith in 
 
BENEFITS TO BE GIVEN IN BAPTISM. 81 
 
 the promises made to his children, or the adult faith 
 in the promises made in the gospel, these promises 
 are individually applied and enjoyed. 
 
 But while this is the main benefit connected with 
 baptism, there are many other important truths and 
 benefits thus set before us. 
 
 The benefits conveyed by baptism may farther be 
 viewed in various lights. 1. The divine truths 
 which it sets before us. The act of baptism, and 
 the solemn sprinkling or washing of an infant in the 
 face of a congregation, is to the eye what a sermon 
 is to the ear — a preaching of the doctrines of God's 
 word. Thus the doctrine of original sin, " the 
 fault and corruption of the nature of every man that 
 naturally is engendered of the offspring of Adam, 
 whereby man is very far gone from original righte- 
 ousness, and is of his own nature inclined to evil, 
 so that the flesh lusteth always contrary to the 
 Spirit, "* is clearly taught by the baptism of infants. 
 Origen, writing in the beginning of the third cen- 
 tury, in his Homily on Lev. ch. 12, says, " Let it be 
 considered what is the reason, that whereas the bap- 
 tism of the church is given for the forgiveness of sins, 
 infants also are by the usage of the church baptized ; 
 when, if there were nothing in infants that wanted 
 forgiveness and mercy, 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 sacrament of bap- 
 
 * See Article IX. The doctrine of the Holy Trinity is so clearly 
 set forth in Baptism that it has by this ordinance been firmly main- 
 tained from age to age against all the heresies which have arisen in 
 the Church of God. 
 
82 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 tism the pollution of our birth is taken away, that 
 infants are baptized." 
 
 The doctrine of The need of spiritual life is 
 also preached by baptism, in the figure by which it 
 is illustrated (John iii. 5.) in the cleansing away of 
 pollution by washing with water, and the newness 
 and freshness thence given to that which was pol- 
 luted. Thus Origen, on Matt. xix. 28, testifies, " ac- 
 cording to the regeneration of the laver, every one 
 that is born again of water and of the Spirit is clean 
 from pollution ; clean, as I may venture, to say in a 
 glass and senigma." We are thus taught that our 
 souls need to be renewed and sanctified. 
 
 The doctrine of the free grace of God is richly 
 and abundantly exhibited also. He appoints the 
 whole ordinance. He directs his ministers to dis- 
 ciple and baptize all nations. He appoints water as 
 the emblem of his Spirit. He promises it shall come 
 to pass in the last days, I will pour out of my Spi7*it 
 upon all flesh. Thus in baptism we have visibly set 
 before our eyes this love and goodness of our hea- 
 venly Parent. 
 
 And the great advantage of this instruction is, it 
 is obvious to the senses ; it demands, by its peculi- 
 arity, publicity, and visible character, the considera- 
 tion and the enquiry of all men. The unconverted, 
 who have not spiritual eyes to discern its glory, are 
 yet compelled to enquire what can be its meaning, 
 and so gain lessons of spiritual instruction ; while the 
 church of Christ is taught inwardly, impressively, 
 and repeatedly, the solemn and valuable lessons, 
 which otherwise might slip from their memory. 
 
 Baptism is a continual testimony to the all- 
 important doctrine of the resurrection of the 
 
BENEFITS TO BE GIVEN IN BAPTISM. 80 
 
 dead. It derives its chief motive from the reality of 
 that doctrine. There would be no use in baptism if 
 there were no resurrection from the dead. As it was 
 well worth while for the most suffering martyrs to go 
 through all their bitter sufferings with this hope : so 
 though men baptized have been continually subject 
 to death, and have died and been buried, it was well 
 worth while for fresh converts to come forward and 
 enter into Christian baptism, as fresh witnesses that 
 they had not died in vain, but should yet rise to 
 future glory. This seems to be the leading meaning 
 of the apostle, in his strong appeal, What shall they 
 do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at 
 all? Why are they then baptized for the dead? Yirep 
 rwuueKpwv in the short and powerful language of the 
 apostle, seems to convey the idea, " as witnesses in 
 behalf of the dead, that they would really rise;" 
 thus he shews that the very entrance of converts 
 into the Christian life, as well as the daily dan- 
 gers endured by the most devoted apostles, all tes- 
 tified most distinctly to this great and fundamental 
 doctrine.* Nor is it merely lessons of instruction 
 but divinely appointed means of grace, communica- 
 
 * Bingham gives the following statement of the views of the prin- 
 cipal fathers, which substantially agrees with the above account. 
 " Chrysostom supposes the apostle to refer to the Catholic custom of 
 making every catechumen at his baptism, with his own mouth, de- 
 clare his belief of the resurrection of the dead, by repeating the 
 creed, of which that was a part, and so being baptized into that faith 
 or hope of the resurrection of the dead. And therefore he puts them 
 in mind of this, saying, If there be no resurrection of the dead, why 
 art thou then baptized for the dead, that is the body ? For therefore 
 thou art baptized for the dead, believing the resurrection of the dead, 
 that the body may not remain dead but revive again. So that bap- 
 tizing for the dead is an elliptical expression for being baptized into 
 the faith or belief of the resurrection of the dead. And so I think 
 Tertullian is to be understood, when he says, in opposition to the 
 G 2 
 
84 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 ting, through union with the Saviour, as it pleases 
 the Spirit of God to work, in answer to the faith and 
 prayer ef his people, the grace of God to the baptized. 
 This distinguishes, indeed, all divinely-appointed 
 means of our salvation. God has graciously given 
 them, as steps by Christ to himself, means of remov- 
 ing hindrances that separate us from God, and sup- 
 plying channels in which the grace of his Holy 
 Spirit may flow to us. Nor can we ever conceive of 
 their being vain and empty, where the faith and 
 prayer of his people lay hold of his promises in the 
 due use of them.* 
 2. Remission of sins is a special blessing connected 
 
 error of the Marcionites, that " to be baptized for the dead is to be 
 baptized for the body, which is declared to be dead by baptism : that 
 is, we are baptized into the belief of the resurrection of the body, 
 both whose death and resurrection are represented in baptism." And 
 the interpretation of Epiphanius comes pretty near these, when he 
 says, " It refers to those who were baptized upon the approach of 
 death, in hopes of the resurrection from the dead; for they shewed 
 thereby, that the dead should rise again, and that therefore they had 
 need of the remission of sins, which is obtained in baptism.' The 
 same sense is given by Theodoret and Theophylact, and Balsamon 
 and Zonaras, and Matthew Blastares among the Greeks ; and it is 
 embraced by Bishop Patrick and Dr. Hammond, as the most 
 natural and genuine exposition of this difficult passage of the 
 apostle. 
 
 * Mr. Maurice has ably shewn the ground of harmony and fulness 
 of truth, in the respective views of high-churchmen and the evan- 
 gelical school. « The high-churchman declares the origin and ground 
 of our salvation to be in the will of God ; the evangelical believes the 
 order and method to be our being constituted and redeemed in Christ. 
 The one says, God has chosen and adopted you to be his sons ; the 
 other, God has chosen and adopted you to be his sons in Christ. The 
 one lays the foundation of a universal family; the other gives the 
 foundation on which the faith and life of each member of the family 
 is to rest as he grows to man's estate. The one shews the perfect 
 freeness of God's grace ; the other, that grace in its proper sense can 
 only appertain to a spiritual creature. Take the first principle with- 
 out the second, and the church sinks into the world, as it did under 
 the Popedom; take the second principle without the first, and the 
 church sinks into a sect or a body of sects, as it has been inclined to 
 do since the Reformation.' 
 
BENEFITS TO BE GIVEN IN BAPTISM. 85 
 
 in the holy scriptures with baptism. ThusSt. Peter, 
 in his first public address to the Jews, charges them ; 
 Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name 
 of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. Acts ii. 38. 
 The address of Ananias to Saul on his conversion, 
 conveys a similar truth : Arise, and be baptized, and 
 wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. 
 Acts xxii. 16. While the uticleanness of the body is 
 removed by water, the sins of the soul are washed 
 away in a free forgiveness. 
 
 To understand this more distinctly, let us remem- 
 ber, there is free forgiveness of all sins through the 
 blood of Christ. God was in Christ reconciling the 
 world to himself, not imputing their trespasses unto 
 them. To enter into this amazing love of God by 
 lively faith is true happiness, and the root of true 
 holiness ; Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, 
 whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the 
 Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is 
 no guile. On which passage the apostle proves the 
 blessedness of him that believeth. Rom. iv. 4 — 9. 
 Baptism is the sign, the means, and the pledge of 
 this forgiveness, and a real help to assure our souls 
 of it. The outward washing of water does not cleanse 
 the soul. Christ only, by his own blood washes away 
 our sins (Rev. i. 5); and the Holy Ghost applying 
 this, or, to use the figures of scripture, sprinkling his 
 blood on the conscience, purges it (John xvi. 14, 15, 
 Heb. ix. 14; xii. 24), and makes it pure and clean 
 before God. In baptism this is, by the direction of 
 God, both brought before us, and represented to 
 us for the confirmation of our faith ; through it 
 also, as a divinely-appointed means, forgiveness is 
 assured to our faith. It is a personal individual ap- 
 
»b TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 plication of the general proclamation of God's love, 
 enabling the believer to feel and to say, We have re- 
 demption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, ac- 
 cording to the riches of his grace. Ephes. i. 7. 
 
 3. The seal or assurance of a personal share 
 in the covenant of God's love is hereby given. 
 Circumcision is called the covenant which the Jews 
 were to keep (Gen. xvii. 10), and the seal of the righ* 
 teousness of his faith, which Abraham received from 
 God (Rom. iv. 11) ; and baptism stands to us in the 
 place of circumcision. Col. ii. 11, 12. Faith lays 
 hold of this testimony, and realizes it, so that the as- 
 surance of hope is imparted to us. Those who know 
 how feeble our faith is, and what helps it wants for 
 all its arduous conflicts with the world, the flesh, and 
 the devil, will not think lightly of so great a help 
 to faith. It gives, under the divine direction, that 
 which is a personal title and warrant of the privi- 
 leges of the gospel. It is a pledge of God's entire 
 willingness and gracious desire to bestow on us his 
 Holy Spirit, and to renew our souls unto holiness. 
 When God has provided a special ordinance for my 
 individual introduction into his visible church, I 
 have additional and personal ground afforded me 
 that He loves me, and would not that I should perish, 
 but that I should come to the knowledge of the 
 truth, and be saved. However, through neglect or 
 unbelief, this benefit may be disregarded, let faith 
 realise God's love to us, and it will be found to be a 
 real benefit. The covenant made with the whole 
 Israelilish nation at Mount Sinai was real, and 
 though many perished in the wilderness through un- 
 belief, it was proclaimed and made known for the 
 benefit of all. 
 
BENEFITS TO BE GIVEN IN BAPTISM. 8< 
 
 But it may be said, Is it not the special office of 
 the Holy Ghost to assure our hearts before God ? 
 Are we not by him sealed unto the day of redemption ? 
 Undoubtedly. And yet Abraham received, the apostle 
 tells us, the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteous- 
 ness of the faith which he had yet being uncircum- 
 cised. Rom. iv. 11. The distinction is well explained 
 by our Reformers, in Nowell's Catechism, thus, " To 
 lighten and give bright clearness to men's minds and 
 souls, and to make their conscience quiet and in se- 
 curity, as they be indeed, so ought they to be ac- 
 counted the proper work of the Holy Ghost alone, 
 and to be imputed to him, and this praise is not to 
 be transferred to another. But this is no impedi- 
 ment but that God may give to his mysteries the se- 
 cond place in quieting and establishing our minds 
 and consciences, but yet so that nothing be abated 
 from the virtue of his Spirit ; wherefore we must de- 
 termine that the outward element hath neither of 
 itself npr in itself inclosed the force and efficacy of 
 the sacrament, but that the same wholly floweth from 
 the Spirit of God, as out of a spring-head, and is, by 
 the divine mysteries which are ordained by the Lord 
 for this end, conveyed to us.' 
 
 4. Baptism is a confession of Christ before 
 men. Thoughts and affections are hidden, words are 
 more liable to dissimulation (James ii. 14); open 
 actions, especially in things peculiar to the gospel, 
 and having no meaning but on gospel principles, are 
 more certain and unequivocal marks and proofs of our 
 profession. They bear witness of our faith before 
 men ; they plainly shew that we are not ashamed of 
 Christ and his gospel. This was very manifest in 
 the early days of Christianity. It is in a measure 
 
88 TREATISE ON BAPTISM I 
 
 still the case, as baptism is attended to conscien- 
 tiously and consistently, and not formally, and 
 merely because it is the practice of our country. The 
 benefit of an open confession of Christ is great, 
 spiritually for our souls here, and eternally in his 
 visible kingdom of glory hereafter. 
 
 5. The ordinance of baptism places all our obe- 
 dience on evangelical motives. As many of you 
 as have been baptized into Christ have also put on Christ. 
 It is God's first act of love, after he has led us to 
 receive his truth. The murderers of our Lord (Acts 
 ii. 87.) are no sooner pricked in their hearts with a 
 sense of their sins, and gladly receive the word, than 
 they are immediately baptized, and admitted into the 
 full privileges of the gospel, as we have been stating 
 them. The plan of the gospel is, by the overpowering 
 riches of grace and love, to subdue the heart to God. 
 It shews us what God has done for us, when it calls 
 us to give up our hearts to him. We must be justi- 
 fied freely, that we may bring forth good works. 
 Baptism, with a joyful sound, comes to the heart of 
 the believer, and tells him, You are cleansed by 
 Christ's blood, you are made members of his body, 
 children of God, and heirs of his glory, and now, in the 
 strength of his grace, and with faith in his promises, 
 go and sin no more, go and tell thy friends what great 
 things the Lord has done for thee. It is the divine im- 
 pression of those truths, — We love him because he first 
 loved us. I beseech you by the mercies of God that ye 
 present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable 
 to Gody which is your reasonable service. The value of 
 infant baptism is great in this view. It places our 
 children on the vantage-ground of God's covenanted 
 love. It gives us the privilege of bringing them up 
 
BENEFITS TO BE GIVEN IN BAPTISM. 89 
 
 as his children. Being baptized, we have a fresh 
 plea for their devoting their earliest days to God. 
 The spirit of adoption ought to be through faith the 
 daily enjoyment of God's baptized ones; and we may 
 with sweet confidence and earnestness, affection and 
 joy, bid them look at their baptismal privileges and 
 engagements, and call them to be followers of God as 
 dear children. 
 
 6. It is lastly, as an appointed ordinance, a means 
 of great moral influence. Not only are great 
 truths there set before us with peculiar impressive- 
 ness, but a sacred relation is there taken up towards 
 God our Father, Jesus our Saviour, and the Holy 
 Spirit our Comforter. All the offices which the 
 triune Jehovah did in such love and condescension 
 engage to fulfil for man, are there assured to us, in 
 being baptized in the name of the Father, of the Son, 
 and of the Holy Ghost. And we also engage and 
 vow to conform ourselves to this gracious purpose of 
 God, to renounce the world, the flesh, and the devil, 
 and to believe and live according to the word of 
 God. The public manifestation of such truths be- 
 fore the church, and the recollection of such vows, 
 are spiritual benefits, strengthening and confirming 
 our souls in time of temptation. They furnish a 
 strong ground of appeal in the Christian ministry. 
 I am no longer in the situation of an indifferent per- 
 son. By the piety, wisdom, and love of my Christian 
 parents, the first step has been taken in my dedica- 
 tion to God; renunciation of my hope in Christ 
 would be the real character of my disowning it. 
 God anticipates me with his love, and before I can 
 know the evil of my springing from sinful parents, 
 prepares for me the assurance of his grace and love, 
 
90 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 providing me the means of a new nature and a hea- 
 venly kingdom. 
 
 It is clear from what has been said, that all those 
 blessings of which we have been speaking, are not 
 received by all who are baptized. " Sacraments by 
 resemblance represent, by institution signify, and by 
 the power of Christ they sanctify," or as Cyprian 
 puts it " the Spirit only confers the grace of the 
 sacrament." 
 
 It is too evident that really saving grace is not re- 
 ceived by every baptized person. We see, espe- 
 cially in the apostacy of these last days, the chief 
 proportion of those baptized, growing up in sin, and 
 living afar off from God : the wickedness of man thus 
 rejecting the loving-kindness of God. Nor are we to 
 conceive, that to those thus living in sin, and con- 
 tinuing such an evil course, baptism has availed for 
 their benefit. The apostle is express — In Jesus Christ 
 neither circumcision availeth anything nor uncircumci- 
 sion, (a truth connected, in different places, with 
 three different practical conclusions, that we may be 
 effectually guarded against so soul-destructive an 
 error, as resting in the outward form, 2 Tim. iii. 5.) 
 but a new creature (Gal. vi. 15), but faith which ivork- 
 eth by love (Gal. v. 6.), but the keeping of the command- 
 ments of God. 1 Cor. vii. 19. 
 
 But on the other hand, we have no right to expect 
 the thing signified, if we neglect God's appointed 
 sign and means. Let us not be wise above that which 
 is written (to fir] vrrep 6 yey parrTcu (ppoveiv. 1 Cor. IV. G.) 
 
 and seek to separate what God has joined together. 
 
 Baptism then really represents our receiving Christ 
 in all that to which he calls us, and which is summed 
 up in our dying to sin, and rising with him. And it 
 
BENEFITS TO BE GIVEN IN BAPTISM. 91 
 
 does more than represent, it really conveys it, not by 
 virtue of the outward act to the unbelieving, — but to 
 the eye, the ear, and the hand of faith, which really 
 receives the blessing. 
 
 Consider the goodness of God in providing so 
 many benefits and blessings for us. He might have 
 left us to perish in our rebellion. But he has a Fa- 
 ther's heart towards us, and thinks with compassion 
 of his prodigal children afar off. And he has insti- 
 tuted and ordained this holy mystery to teach us the 
 great lessons of our free salvation, to apply to us 
 personally the rich blessings which he has provided, 
 to be a pledge of his love, and to instruct us in the 
 high and holy privileges and duties in which he calls 
 us to walk. Well may we magnify his great name, 
 and continually show forth his praises. Let us not 
 lose sight of the things taught us, but keep them in 
 our memory that we may be saved. 
 
 And on the other hand, let us beware of over-valu- 
 ing or resting in the outward rite. Remembering 
 the wise caution of St. Bernard,* "The fashion is 
 to deliver a ring, when seizing and possession of in- 
 heritance is given ; the ring is a sign of possession, 
 so that he which takes it may say, ' The ring is no- 
 thing, I care not for it ; it is the inheritance that I 
 sought for.' In like manner, when Christ our Lord 
 drew nigh to his passion, he thought good to give 
 seizin and possession of his grace to his disciples, 
 and that they might receive his invisible grace by 
 some visible sign : for this end all sacraments are 
 instituted." 
 
 I would close this important part of the subject of 
 
 * Sermon de Coen, Dom. 
 
92 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 baptism, with one remark by a pious non-conformist, 
 on the benefit received through the outward rite, 
 and with another, by a pious archbishop, on the need 
 of faith. 
 
 Matthew Henry thus testifies his sense of the bene- 
 fits of his own early baptism. " For my own part I 
 cannot but take this occasion to express my gratitude 
 to God for my infant baptism, not only as it was an 
 early admission into the visible body of Christ, but 
 as it furnished my pious parents with a good argu- 
 ment (and, I trust, through grace, a prevailing argu- 
 ment) for an early dedication of myself to God in my 
 childhood. If God has wrought any good work upon 
 my soul, I desire with humble thankfulness to ac- 
 knowledge the moral influence of my baptism 
 upon it." 
 
 On the need of faith, Archbishop Usher says, " As 
 baptism, administered to those of years, is not effec- 
 tual unless they believe; so we can make no com- 
 fortable use of our baptism administered in our 
 infancy until we believe. The righteousness of 
 Christ, and all the promises of grace, were in my 
 baptism estated upon me, and sealed up unto me on 
 God's part ; but then I come to have the profit and 
 benefit of them, when I come to understand what 
 grant God in baptism hath sealed unto me, and actu- 
 ally to lay hold upon it by faith." 
 
ADULT BAPTISM. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 ADULT BAPTISM, AND ITS RIGHT RECEPTION. 
 
 The subjects of baptism in the New Testament were, 
 in the providence of God, at the commencement of 
 Christianity, not ordinarily of the same age as the 
 subjects of baptism where Christianity is nationally 
 received. The instances of baptism which we have 
 brought before us in the New Testament are chiefly 
 those of grown up persons, come to full age : we say 
 chiefly, because, as it will be seen afterwards, there 
 are intimations, at least, of the baptism of younger 
 members of a household. It will be conformable, 
 then, to the providence of God, and tend to clear our 
 way to the scriptural view of baptism, and its right 
 reception, to consider first the case of grown-up 
 persons. 
 
 When Christianity became generally established, 
 infant baptism became almost universal ; indeed the 
 practice of infant baptism had become so general, that 
 the church of England provided, at the Reformation, 
 no office for the baptism of adults. It was only 
 found to be necessary after the time of the Common- 
 wealth, when, amidst the various disorders of those 
 days, the Baptists and Quakers had so multiplied, 
 
94 TREATISE ON BAPTISM I 
 
 that it became desirable to have a distinct service for 
 adults. 
 
 A little reflection will fully account for the bap- 
 tisms in the early days of Christianity being chiefly 
 adults. It is the natural and obvious result of the 
 first propagation of Christianity. The gospel ad- 
 dresses itself to the understanding, consciences, and 
 affections of men, and wins its mighty way over all 
 their sins and all their prejudices. Its first converts 
 in a new country are those who can form a judgment 
 of its claims, and yield an intelligent submission to 
 them. Hence our Lord, on one occasion of his men- 
 tioning baptism, speaks of faith as a first requi- 
 site ; He that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved ; 
 while, on the other occasion, he merely requires dis- 
 cipleship, or being brought into his school. 
 
 We will first notice some examples of Christian 
 baptism. 
 
 The day of Pentecost was marked by the first 
 outpouring of the Spirit, and the largest introduction 
 by baptism, at one time, of fresh members into the 
 church of Christ. There had been considerable pre- 
 vious preparation. The ministry of John the Bap- 
 tist, and of our Lord and his disciples had occu- 
 pied several years. The miracles accompanying 
 our Saviour's death and resurrection, as well as the 
 miracles of the day of Pentecost, must have tended 
 to prepare the people's minds to receive the won- 
 derful fact that the crucified One was indeed the 
 Messiah. The discourse of Peter therefore produced 
 a deep impression ; when they heard it, they were pricked 
 in their hearts, and said unto Peter and the rest of the 
 apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do ? They 
 were exhorted to repent and be baptized, and then 
 
ADULT BAPTISM. 95 
 
 they that gladly received his word were baptised, and the 
 same day there were added unto them about three thou- 
 sand souls. We see here repentance and faith pre- 
 paring the njinds of the converts for baptism. We 
 next read of another call to repentance, (Actsiii. 19 ) 
 and many of those which heard the word believed, and 
 the number of the men was about Jive thousand; and 
 soon afterwards we read, Believers were the more added 
 to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women. 
 
 When the gospel spread to Samaria, Philip went 
 down and preached Christ unto them ; and it is said, 
 When they believed Philip, preaching the things con- 
 cerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus 
 Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. At 
 this time occurred that remarkable baptism of Simon 
 Magus, which is conclusive that there may be an 
 outward ordinance, rightly administered, and no 
 saving spiritual blessing received. It is said, Simon 
 himself believed, and token he was baptized he continued 
 with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and 
 signs which were done. There was a profession of 
 faith in Christ, and a real faith in the superiority of 
 the miracles wrought in his name, but the subse- 
 quent history shews that there was no real con- 
 version. 
 
 The Ethiopian eunuch is the next striking ex- 
 ample of Christian baptism. He had come to Jeru- 
 salem to worship, and returning, was reading the 
 prophecy of Isaiah, chapter liii., when Philip was 
 directed to join him. Gladly receiving the tidings of 
 Christ the Saviour ; prepared by his previous study 
 of the word of God, and the remarkable providence 
 of such a Teacher joining him, when he came in sight 
 of water he exclaimed, See, here is water, what doth Aim* 
 
96 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 der me to be baptized? * On hearing this the chariot 
 was stopped, and Philip and the eunuch went down 
 into the water, and he baptized him. The eunuch went 
 on his way rejoicing. 
 
 The baptism of Saul the persecutor is the next 
 baptism recorded. It was preceded by his conver- 
 sion and inquiry, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do ? 
 Ananias was then sent by the Lord Jesus to restore 
 him to sight, and that he might be filled with the Holy 
 Ghost . . . and he received sight forthwith, and arose and 
 was baptized. And soon after began his glorious mis- 
 sion to preach Christ. 
 
 The next baptism was remarkable as being that of 
 the first Gentile, the devout centurion Cornelius, 
 who feared God with all his house. Miraculously in- 
 structed to send for Peter, who was similarly pre- 
 pared to go to him, he heard the gospel from his lips. 
 And while Peter yet spake, the Holy Ghost fell on them 
 which heard the word, and Peter said, Can any man 
 forbid water, that these should not be baptized which 
 have received the Holy Ghost as well as we. And he 
 commanded them to be baptized in the name of the 
 Lord. 
 
 Lydia of Thyatira is the first Christian woman 
 baptized of whom we have an account. She heard 
 the apostle, the Lord opened her heart, that she at- 
 tended to the things which were spoken of Paul, and she 
 was baptized and her household. It is also the first time 
 we hear of a whole household baptized. She then 
 constrained them to abide in her house. 
 
 * The answer of Philip, in the received version, is, If thou believest 
 with all thine heart, thou mayest ; and he answered and said, I believe 
 that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. But there is reason to think the 
 37th verse, from its omission in the earliest MSS. is not genuine. 
 
ADULT BAPTISM. 97 
 
 The jailor of the prison at Philippi was a remark- 
 able instance of sudden conversion under great 
 terrors. His inquiry, What must I do to be saved ? 
 and the full answer, Believe in the Lord Jesus. Christ, 
 and thou shalt be saved, preceded his baptism. And 
 when they had farther instructed him, and all that 
 were in his house : while he took them the same hour 
 of the nighty and washed their stripes ; he was baptized 
 and all his straightway. Thus again we read of a 
 whole family baptized together. 
 
 The baptism of many of the Corinthians, who hearing, 
 believed and were baptized, follows. Soon after we 
 have the baptism at Ephesus, of twelve of John the 
 Baptist's disciples, and the distinction between 
 John's baptism and Christian baptism ; and the one 
 as preparatory to the other is set before them. When 
 they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the 
 Lord Jesus ; and when Paul had laid his hands upon 
 them, the Holy Ghost came on them, and they spake with 
 tongues and prophesied. This is the last baptism re- 
 corded in the Acts, referring us again to the opening 
 of baptism under John. 
 
 The apostle, writing to the Corinthians, to reprove 
 their contentions and divisions, gives us a statement 
 respecting his mode of proceeding among them, as 
 to baptism, which must not be omitted. He tells 
 them, I thank God that I baptized none of you but Crispus 
 and Gaius ; lest any should say that I had baptized in 
 my own name. And I baptized 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. 
 
 Much instruction may be derived from these de- 
 tails of baptism. It is very plain that the first Chris- 
 
 H 
 
98 TREATISE ON BAPTISM I 
 
 tian teachers did actually with water baptize the con- 
 verts to Christ, and the proof here is very weighty and 
 conclusive, as to the obligation of this ordinance. It 
 was performed in the case of some, before the Holy 
 Ghost was given, and, in the case of others, after. 
 The baptism of the Spirit did, therefore, not super- 
 sede the baptism of water, so as to render that a mere 
 unprofitable form. 
 
 The requisites for Christian baptism are clearly set 
 before us : repentance towards God, and faith to- 
 wards the Lord Jesus. These marks of regeneration 
 being manifested, immediately the sign and confir- 
 mation of regeneration, and the means of receiving 
 the fuller gifts of the Spirit, were imparted to the 
 convert. 
 
 The connection of the ministry of the word and 
 baptism should not escape our attention. First the 
 word preached, then faith, and then baptism. With- 
 out the word, there was no new birth. So St. James 
 joins our new birth with the word ; of his own will begat 
 he us with the word of truth. St. Paul does the same ; 
 In Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel, 
 (1 Cor. iv. 15); aud that in cases where he did not 
 baptize (1 Cor. i. 14) ; and St. Peter also says, 
 Being born again not of corruptible seed, but of' incor- 
 ruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abide th 
 for ever. 
 
 The value of baptism in producing joy, stability, 
 decision, and enlargement of love, as well as its con- 
 nection with fuller gifts of the Holy Ghost, is clear 
 from these facts. 
 
 Two other facts may be gathered by implication. 
 It is in the highest degree improbable that the three 
 thousand baptized in Jerusalem on the day of Pente- 
 
ADULT BAPTISM. 99 
 
 cost, or the jailor at Philippi and his family baptized 
 in prison, were wholly immersed. There is nothing 
 in the history to warrant such an idea. 
 
 It is again highly improbable that in the three fami- 
 lies mentioned as being baptized, there should be no 
 children. On this more will afterwards be said. 
 
 Let us now consider the right reception of 
 baptism by adults. It is a subject which has ac- 
 quired much increasing importance from the progress 
 of the gospel in our day among the heathen, and very 
 much of the benefit of baptism depends on its being 
 received in the right state of mind. It tends also to 
 clear up the difficulties of the connection of baptism 
 and regeneration, to see what was requisite in adults. 
 
 We are in considerable danger of looking for too 
 much in those to be baptized, forgetting that it is but 
 the first entrance into Christianity, and how readily 
 the apostles received converts on a genuine profes- 
 sion of simple faith in Christ. The details already 
 given of baptism have shewn that repentance and 
 faith are the two graces requisite for Christian bap- 
 tism. This corresponds with the statements given 
 by the church of England in the catechism and the 
 baptismal service for adults. 
 
 In answer to the question, " What is required of 
 persons to be baptized ? " we are instructed, " Repent- 
 ance, whereby they forsake sin, and faith, whereby 
 they stedfastly believe the promises of God made to 
 them in that sacrament." And so in the service for 
 their baptism, we are told they are to be previously 
 examined, whether they be sufficiently instructed in 
 the principles of the Christian religion ; and before 
 baptism are in their own persons to profess that they 
 renounce the devil,, the world and the flesh, and be- 
 H 2 
 
TOO TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 lieve in all the articles of the Christian faith, and 
 will hereafter keep God's holy will. 
 
 These things are manifestly the very elements of 
 spiritual regeneration in its largest sense; where the 
 profession is sincere, the soul is born of God. The 
 scriptures are decisive, Whosoever is born of God over- 
 eometh the world. 1 John v. 4. Whosoever is born of 
 God sinneth not, but he that is begotten of God heepeth 
 himself and that wicked one toucheth 1 dm not. 1 John 
 v. 18. Every one that loveth is born of God. 1 John 
 iv. 7- Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is 
 born of God. 1 John v. 1. It is clear, then, that the 
 adult is required to possess those things which pecu- 
 liarly distinguish the divine birth before he is bap- 
 tized. But he is not before the church regenerate ; 
 nor in the whole sense of scripture fully regenerate 
 till this has been recognized and confirmed in bap- 
 tism. His baptism is the sign and seal of these 
 things, not the very things themselves, but the re- 
 presentation and means and confirmation of them in 
 the face of the church. The prayers that they may 
 be born again, and be made " heirs of everlasting sal- 
 vation," which are offered before the profession of 
 these things by the baptized adult, perfectly corre- 
 spond with this view ; and the profession is to the 
 church that evidence of regeneration, upon which 
 the seal of baptism is then affixed. 
 
 Having thus cleared away these difficulties, let us 
 regard more distinctly repentance and faith as essen- 
 tial to a right reception of baptism in adults. 
 
 1. Repentance — to which the apostles so often 
 call their hearers. Repentance (fx^avoia) is a change 
 of mind or thought respecting God. Our natural 
 \iew of God, through our sins and rebellions agains 
 
ADULT BAPTISM. 101 
 
 him, is, that God is our enemy and hates as; that he is 
 hard and severe to us, and the more distant we can 
 be from him the happier we shall be. Thus the 
 carnal mind is enmity ayainst God, and is not subject to 
 the Ian) of God, neither indeed can be. There is 
 enough, indeed, in all creation, and in the constant 
 providence of God, to teach all human beings what 
 lies they are fostering in entertaining these hard and 
 false views of God. Every ray of sunshine, every 
 flfctp of rain; all his care of the brute creation, all his 
 clothing of the flowers of the field, speak irresistibly, 
 God is love, and patiently forbears with sinners, that 
 he may lead them to himself. But men yield not to 
 this loving-kindness of God, but after their hard and 
 impenitent heart treasure up to themselves wrath. 
 
 To subdue at length this enmity of man is the 
 glorious prerogative of him who overcomes evil with 
 good. He does this by giving his Son to die, not for 
 the good, nor for the righteous, but for sinners. He 
 makes this known by the preaching of the gospel ; 
 and a cordial reception of this grace discovers to 
 us our exceeding blindness, wickedness, ingrati- 
 tude and rebellion ; our great ignorance of God's 
 true character as full of holy lovo to man, and our 
 great ignorance of our own evil state. For we our- 
 selves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, 
 serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and 
 envy, hateful and hatiny one another. But after that 
 the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man 
 appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have 
 done, but according to his mercy he saved us. 
 
 Under the bright light of this true view of God's 
 gracious character, I learn to hate sin, to loathe my- 
 self, to delight in God and in his will and ways. I 
 
102 TREATISE ON BAPTISM .* 
 
 get an entire change of mind ; a real repentance, 
 being a godly sorrow for sin and a hearty turning 
 from sin to God. The beginning of this repentance 
 is requisite in the adult before baptism ; but baptism 
 greatly confirms and strengthens true repentance. 
 
 How precious is this change of mind, which is the 
 gift of God's love ! Both to the Jew and to the Gen- 
 tile it comes from his bounty. St. Peter tells us of 
 our risen Saviour, Him hath Godexalteth with his right 
 hand, to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repe^g- 
 ance to Israel and remission of sins. Acts v. 31. And 
 the whole church at Jerusalem were filled with 
 praise, when to us Gentiles repentance was also im- 
 parted. They glorified God, saying, then hath God also 
 to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life. 
 
 Here is the first requisite for baptism — the next is 
 faith in God's precious promises. The order in 
 which our Lord mentions faith and baptism (Mark 
 xvi. 1G.), the receiving the word before baptism, 
 (Acts ii. 41.), and other passages before mentioned, 
 shew the necessity of faith previous to baptism.* 
 God has made in his word the richest and fullest 
 declarations of his kindness to man, and of his pur- 
 poses to do him good. He has promised us the 
 greatest and most desirable things, including nothing 
 less than life eternal. This is the record that God 
 hath given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 
 Our plain duty is without hesitation to believe what 
 he has said ; not to charge our God with falsehood, 
 but to give entire confidence to him, being fully per- 
 
 * It is remarkable that the clearest passage as to the necessity of 
 faith before baptism (Acts viii. 37.), should be an interpolation, as if 
 to shew that the strongest arguments of the baptists, the necessity of 
 faith, can only be received by the same inferential reasoning which 
 they reject as proving infant baptism. 
 
ADULT BAPTISM. 
 
 103 
 
 suaded that what he has promised he is able also to per- 
 form. If by divine grace I thus glorify God, I am 
 filled with joy and peace in believing, I have a means 
 of victory over the world and all its temptation, and 
 I shall rejoice in being baptized into the death of 
 Jesus. 
 
 Faith has a reference, however, to all that God 
 has revealed in his word. Its objects of hope and 
 fear, desire and expectation, are as numerous as the 
 objects there set before us. It takes the whole word 
 of God, as given in infinite love, to be our treasury 
 of spiritual riches, and the light to our feet and 
 lamp to our paths. 
 
 The first beginning of this faith is what is requisite 
 in adults before baptism. The growth of it is one of 
 the ends of baptism. 
 
 It may be observed, that the Catechism of the 
 Church of England directs us to faith in the promises 
 of God made to us in that sacrament. Faith in the 
 grace of the sacrament is needful to the right recep- 
 tion of the sacrament. The promises made in con- 
 nection with baptism have already been set forth. 
 Baptism is the laver of regeneration, and there are 
 the promises of forgiveness of sins, and the gift of 
 the Holy Ghost (Acts ii. 38, 39,) as well as the ac- 
 knowledgment, manifestation and assurance of re- 
 generation. When God invites us to come out and 
 be separate, and touch not the unclean thing, he 
 promises, J will receive you, and will be a Father unto 
 you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the 
 Lord Almighty. And in faith of these promises the 
 apostle exhorts us to cleanse ourselves from all pithi- 
 ness of the flesh and of the Spirit, perfecting holiness 
 in the fear of the Lord. St. Paul was told, Be bap- 
 
104 TREATISE ON BAPTISM! 
 
 tized and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the 
 Lord. 
 
 Incalculably great are these promises, and difficult 
 it is to give our God credit for this fulness of love. 
 The sacrament of baptism is designed to strengthen 
 our feeble faith. May we be followers of Abraham 
 the father of the faithful, who staggered not at the pro- 
 mise of God through unbelief but was strong in faith, 
 giving glory to God. 
 
 O how many a Christian, like the first Ethiopian, 
 when baptized, has gone on his way rejoicing; this 
 open confession of his Lord, and this seal affixed to 
 him by his appointed minister, has greatly strength- 
 ened his faith, enlivened his hope and enlarged his 
 love, and lifted up his soul with joy and gratitude, 
 enabling him to run in the way of God's command- 
 ments. 
 
 
WARRANT FOR INFANT BAPTISM. 105 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 THE WARRANT FOR INFANT BAPTISM, AND ITS DUE 
 RECEPTION. 
 
 It is one of the gracious truths of God's word, re- 
 vealed for the unspeakable comfort of the church, 
 that the children of believers are beloved for their 
 fathers' sake (Rom. xi. 28.) ; or, as it is beautifully 
 expressed (Deut. x. 15.), Only the Lord had a delight 
 in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after 
 them, even you above all people, as it is this day. The 
 tracing of this through the scriptures will shew us 
 the rich promises made to the children of those who 
 love God, and how graciously they are in his sight 
 regarded. 
 
 The family of Noah were saved in the ark through 
 his piety. Come thou and all thy house into the ark, 
 for thee have I seen righteous before me in this genera- 
 tion. Gen. vii. 1. And on his coming out of the ark, 
 God promises, Behold I establish my covenant with 
 you and with your seed after you. Gen. ix. 9. In yet 
 more explicit language, Abraham is told (Gen. xvii. 
 7.)» I w iM establish my covenant with thee, and thy seed 
 after thee, in their generations, to be a God unto thee 
 and thy seed after thee — every man-child among you 
 
106 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 shall be circumcised, and it shall be a token of the cove- 
 nant between me and you. 
 
 In this remarkable promise and covenant of the 
 Old Testament church, infants were, by express di- 
 rections from the Lord, made members of the church, 
 and received the seal of the righteousness of their 
 (dithers' faith. 
 
 The covenant on Mount Sinai expressly included 
 infants. Ye stand this day all of you before the Lord 
 your God — all the men of Israel, your little ones, your 
 wives — that thou shouldest enter into covenant with the 
 Lord thy God — that he may establish thee to-day for a 
 people unto himself and that he may be unto thee a God 
 — as he hath sworn unto thy fathers. Deut. xxix. 10 — 
 13. We see here also the children regarded for the 
 sake of their fathers. 
 
 The promises of spiritual circumcision are given to 
 their seed after them. The Lord thy God will circum- 
 cise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the 
 Lord thy God with all thine heart. Deut. xxx. 6. Cir- 
 cumcision was indeed confined to males; but the 
 apostle, (Gal. iii. 27, 28,) in mentioning baptism, 
 seems expressly to allude to this difference between 
 the Christian and the Jewish dispensation : now there 
 is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor 
 free, there is neither male nor female. 
 
 The promises made to the children of believers are 
 exceedingly rich and numerous. Our attention is 
 specially directed to it by the inspired writer, Lo, 
 children are an heritage of the Lord, and the fruit of 
 the womb is his reward. Happy is the man that hath his 
 quiver full of them. Thus David testifies— The righte- 
 ous is ever merciful and lendeth, and his seed is blessed. 
 Psalm xxxvii. 26. The mercy of the Lord is from 
 
WARRANT FOR INFANT BAPTISM. 107 
 
 everlasting to everlasting , upon them that fear him, and 
 his righteousness unto children's children. Psalm ciii* 
 17. Again. The generation of the upright shall be 
 blessed. Psalm cxii. 2. Similar are the promises 
 given in the Proverbs, The seed of the righteous shall 
 be delivered. Prov. xi. 21. The just man walketh in 
 his integrity : his children are blessed after him. Prov. 
 xx. 7. 
 
 The prophetical writings are rich in these promises. 
 Isaiah testifies this promise — 7" will pour my Spirit 
 upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring — one 
 shall say, I am the Lord's, and another shall call himself 
 by the name of Jacob, (Isa. xliv. 3—5,) and Jeremiah 
 in a similarly glowing statement assures us of God's 
 purpose : I will give them one heart and one way, that 
 they may fear me for ever, for the good of them and of 
 their children after them. Jer. xxxii. 39. So again 
 Isa. lix. 21. In the latter day glory of Israel, this 
 promise is peculiarly explicit, They are the seed of the 
 blessed of the Lord, and their offspring tvith them. Isa. 
 Ixv. 23. 
 
 But were not these promises peculiar to the Old 
 Testament dispensation? Assuredly not. All the 
 promises of God are yea and amen in Christ Jesus. They 
 are all sure to the spiritual seed of Abraham. The 
 great promise of the ordinance of circumcision was 
 not a mere national and external good ; it was a spi- 
 ritual promise. (Gen. xvii. 7 — 11. Deut. xxx. 6,) 
 and had a special reference to the Gentiles, (Gen. 
 xvii. 4, 5. Gal. iii. 14.) in its fulness of blessing. 
 
 The New Testament also has its gracious continu- 
 ation of promises to children. His mercy is on them 
 that fear him from generation to generation. And this 
 in special reference to the spiritual blessings con- 
 
108 TREATISE ON BAPTISM ; 
 
 nected with baptism. For the promise (that is, of remis- 
 sion of sins and the gift of the Holy Ghost through 
 baptism) is unto you and to your children, and to all 
 that are afar off, even as many as the Lord shall call. 
 
 Even where one of the parents is unbelieving, the 
 fulness of God's love is not restrained from overflow- 
 ing to the offspring — For the unbelieving husband is 
 sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanc- 
 tified by the husband ; else were your children unclean, 
 but now are they holy ; that is, they are set apart for 
 God. 1 Cor.vii. 14. 
 
 We have also, as I would mention in the last place, 
 a concentration of every promise in the gracious acts 
 and words of our Redeemer — Suffer little children to 
 come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the 
 kingdom of God. And he took them up in his arms, put 
 his hands upon them, and blessed them. Mark x. 14 — 16. 
 Whoso shall receive one such little child in my name re- 
 ceiveth me. Matt, xviii. 5. 
 
 See, then in virtue of these promises, the true posi- 
 tion of the children of believers before the Lord ; they are 
 partakers of covenant love, pronounced an heritage of 
 the Lord, and blessed by him ; they have explicit pro- 
 mises of the Holy Spiritand anew heart; are under the 
 Saviour's express testimony of such is the kingdom of 
 God; they were already from infancy admitted by cir- 
 cumcision into the Jewish church; and are pronounced 
 holy by an inspired apostle, as the offspring of abeliev- 
 ing Christian parent. Who may, then, without an 
 express prohibition, refuse their admission by baptism 
 into the Christian church? As far as regards per- 
 sonal qualification, the requisitions which the Jewish 
 children had for circumcision, Christian children have 
 for baptism ; the only exception being, circumcision 
 
WARRANT FOR INFANT BAPTISM. 109 
 
 was confined to the male children, and the precise 
 age of the Jewish child was pointed out ; while, in the 
 larger scheme of the gospel, the distinction of male 
 and female is lost (Gal. iii. 28.) and no age is speci- 
 fied that no age may be excluded. 
 
 How good is the Lord ! He has provided a full 
 remedy for all our sin and misery in Christ; he bids 
 his ministers proclaim it to every human being, and 
 invites all to partake ofit ; he secures the application 
 of it to every believer; and then, as a crown to the 
 whole, meeting the strongest wishes of parental love, 
 he entails upon the posterity of his people the grace 
 of his covenant ; giving the fullest encouragement to 
 the faith of the parent and of the child ; strengthening 
 parental hopes, as well as furnishing general motives 
 to the believing performance of all our duty. The 
 sovereignty of grace, and the faithfulness of truth, 
 shine with pre-eminent brightness here ; the saltation 
 of the infant of the believer is assured : the strongest 
 arguments for pleading in prayer are put into the 
 mouths of parents and of children ; and, supposing 
 faith in personal claims to fail, it may still be sus- 
 tained, as the experience of the children of God 
 shews, by these promises to parents. Psalm Ixxxvi. 
 16 ; cxvi. 16. 
 
 It is true that children when they come to age may 
 by personal unbelief and disobedience fall from 
 this grace, giving another painful example of the 
 stubbornness of evil against all God's gracious deal- 
 ings ; but let God be true, and every man a liar. No 
 experienced Christian who knows himself will charge 
 the fault of ungodly children on God's failure in his 
 own promise, but rather on his own or his children's 
 unbelief and inconsistencies. He will with his whole 
 
110 TREATISE ON BAPTISM! 
 
 soul clear God, however he condemns himself, or his 
 own offspring. The mercy of the Lord is from ever- 
 lasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his 
 righteousness to children's children, to such as keep his 
 covenant, and to those that remember his commandments 
 to do them. Psalm ciii. To use the words of Nasraith, 
 in a valuable work, " a Treatise on the entail of the 
 covenant of grace:" " if a covenanted people break 
 their part of the covenant, they shall know his breach 
 of promise, that is, that he is not obliged to perform 
 what he had promised, and would have performed, if 
 they had performed their duty towards him." Numb, 
 xiv. 34. 2 Chron. xv. 2. 
 
 It is strenuously objected by Baptists that faith is 
 essential to baptism. We admit it in the case of 
 adults, but not of infants. And the distinction may 
 be very clearly seen in the case of Abraham. The 
 sign of circumcision was a seal of the righteousness of 
 the faith which he had, being uncircumcised. Yet he 
 was required to circumcise his infants. There may, 
 then, be a seal of the righteousness of faith, without 
 there being faith in the receivers of that seal. The 
 distinction is clear in the case of the jailor; he and 
 all his were baptized. Acts xvi. 33. He believing, 
 ireTTKrreu/cwj, rejoiced with all his house. The Baptist 
 really contends not for, butagainst the divine testimony 
 as to the subjects of this seal, on the very ground he 
 takes. God has shewn that infants are precious in 
 his sight, and that this his seal is to be affixed upon 
 them. Neither faith, nor repentance, nor anything 
 else in us are in themselves the cause of our salva- 
 tion. The blood of Jesus is the only price before God, 
 and he gives salvation by his promises according to 
 his own loving kindness. 
 
WARRANT FOR INFANT BAPTISM. Ill 
 
 The fulness of the grace of God, under the gospel 
 of Christ, is indeed a subject that well may be pre- 
 cious to every heart, and welcomed as a rich treasure 
 by every believer. It was opened with / bring you 
 glad tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 
 Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will 
 towards men. With the very first introduction of re- 
 generation by water and the Spirit, the Lord testified 
 the fulness of divine love, saying, God so loved the 
 world that he gave his only-begotten son, that whosoever 
 bclievelh in him should not perish, but have everlasting 
 life. He closes his heavenly mission with the same 
 assurance of real love to all men, Go ye into all the 
 world and preach the gospel to every creature; he that 
 believeth and is baptized shall be saved. 
 
 The baptism of infants corresponds with this gra- 
 cious character of our Heavenly Father, and this am- 
 plitude, this universality, and this living reality of 
 God's love to every creature. It well harmonizes 
 with that system of rich, and free, and enlarged grace 
 which characterizes the gospe of Christ; which first 
 begins not with our good disposition, then we should 
 despair: but with a voluntary proclamation of grace 
 on the part of God, that we apprehending that grace 
 by faith, may live to him. The gospel at once places 
 man on the ground of grace, proclaiming everywhere 
 God ivas in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, 
 not imputing their trespasses unto them, and calls them 
 in this confidence to be reconciled to God, and be 
 happy in his service. How delightful it is to see in 
 the ordinance of infant baptism, the provision of 
 God's love for our benefit long before we had any 
 knowledge of him. 
 
 The general warrant, then, for the baptism of in- 
 
]12 TREATISE ON BAPTISM '. 
 
 fants, given as we have seen, in the first commission, 
 is mightily strengthened by the many great and gra- 
 cious promises then made. If such promises of spi- 
 ritual blessings already belong to children, on what 
 ground can the sign and seal of the promises be with- 
 held from them ? If the greater be given, why shall 
 the less be withheld ? St. Peter argued most forcibly 
 respecting Cornelius, and those who heard the word 
 with him, on whom the Holy Ghost had fallen — Can 
 any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized 
 which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we ? So 
 we may argue in the case of infants. They are par- 
 takers of the promise ; let us shew our faith in that 
 promise by giving them its appointed sign. When 
 God in the fulness of love has given such gracious 
 promises to our children, let us believe his promises, 
 and in the expression of this faith, bring our children 
 thus acknowledged by him in the riches of his grace, 
 as meet in his sight for baptism. 
 
 That repentance and faith which is requisite for 
 the adult previous to baptism, is in the case of the 
 infant supplied by the promises of grace and of the 
 Spirit to them. Parents are called to dedicate them 
 to God, (Gen. xviii. 19. Deut. iv. 9 ; vi. 6, 7. Joshua 
 xxiv. 15. Prov. xxii. 6. Ephes. vi. 4. 1 Tim. iii. 15,) 
 and when dedicated in baptism they are called holy, 
 as devoted to the Lord. 1 Cor. vii. 14. The sign and 
 seal of that holiness in baptism, ought not, therefore 
 to be withheld from them.* This regeneration and 
 
 * I have withheld from the text the strong testimony of the early 
 church to infant baptism. This testimony is given at length in Wall's 
 History of Infant Baptism, and the following summary from Nicholls 
 on the Common Prayer may shew how full and constant that testi- 
 mony is. " The ancient fathers who lived nighest to the apostolical 
 times, and were the best judges both what was the practice of the very 
 
WARRANT FOR INFANT BAPTISM. 113 
 
 salvation is so to speak an objective blessing for the 
 food of faith, and to be brought into a subjective 
 
 first ages, and how they understood the words of holy writ, do uni- 
 formly declare in favour of infant baptism. Irenaeus, who lived about 
 180 years after Christ, says, " Our Saviour Christ came into the world 
 to save all by himself. I say all who are born again by him to God, 
 infants, and children, and boys, and young.men, and old men." B. 2, 
 ch. 29. Now, as by being born again can be meant nothing else but 
 baptism, 'tis plain from this writer that the children, which in his time 
 were said to be born again, were baptized. Tertullian, who lived 
 about the year 203 after Christ, allows infant baptism to be the general 
 practice of his time ; though by the heretical notions which he had 
 imbibed, he thought the deferring of it was more profitable — "The 
 delay of baptism is more profitable, especially that of little children." 
 Tertul. de Bapt. Origen, who liyed but a little after him, says, " Be- 
 cause by the sacrament of baptism the soils of our nativity are laid 
 aside, therefore children are baptized." In Luc. Horn. 8. That this 
 practice was universal in St. Cyprian's time is plain, from the ques- 
 tion which then arose, "Whether children were not to be baptized 
 upon the eighth day, as they were formerly circumcised upon, under 
 the Jewish law ? " St. Cyprian says, *' That a synod in his diocese 
 had resolved this question in the negative." Cyp. Ep. 58. And in 
 another place he is more express : " As to the cause of infants, we 
 have judged, that to no one that is born of human race, the mercy 
 and grace of God is to be denied." Ep. 59. To the like purpose St. 
 Ambrose : " Neither an old proselyte nor an infant slave is excepted ; 
 for as every age is obnoxious to sin, so every age is capable of the 
 sacrament." Lib. ii. de Abr. So St. Jerome : " Unless perhaps you 
 think that the children of Christians, if they do not receive baptism, 
 are themselves only guilty of sin, and that the guilt ought not to lie 
 at their doors who would not present them to baptism." Hier. Ep. ad 
 Laetam. St. Austin declares his opinion as to this point: " what the 
 universal church by tradition holds, when little children are baptized 
 who as yet cannot believe with their heart. &c, and yet no Christian 
 will say that they are baptized in vain." Aug. cont. Don. Lib. iv. cap 
 23. And again in another place . " The custom of our mother the 
 chrrch in baptizing infants is not to be despised, or by any means to 
 be thought superfluous ; neither were it to be believed unless it were 
 an apostolical tradition." Lib. x. de Gen. ad Lit. cap. 23. Nor were the 
 Greek fathers of a different mind. St. Athanasius asks the question, 
 " How shall a man know that he was at all baptized, and received the 
 Holy Ghost, who was an infant when he was baptized 1 " Athan. Q. II. 
 ad Antioch. The apostolical constitutions order thus : " Baptize also 
 your infants." Lib. vi. cap. 15. St. Chrysostom asks a parent who 
 had lately lost a child, " Why do you mourn for this babe 1 Why for 
 one that is lately baptized ?" Chrys. Horn. xxi. in Act. The like may 
 be proved from Gregory Nazienzen : " What shall we say to the case 
 
114 TREATISE ON BAPTISM '. 
 
 reality in the future lives of the baptized, first through 
 the faith and consistent conduct of their parents, and 
 then in their own growing years. 
 
 When the evidence of early infant baptism is 
 brought forward, our Baptist brethren are accustomed 
 to say there was also evidence in the early church 
 during the third, fourth, and fifth centuries at least 
 of early infant communion. The answer here is very 
 simple and clear: infants are capable of dedication 
 to God, learning, and salvation ; infants are not cap- 
 able of remembering Christ, and fellowship with his 
 people. We do not receive any customs because 
 they may have been long practised, or been ancient, 
 but because they are scriptural, or not unscriptural, 
 and tend to edification. The church of Christ at 
 large, therefore, has never received infant commu- 
 nion, but the church of Christ at large has ever held 
 infant baptism. An infant may be capable of inhe- 
 riting an estate, and yet quite incapable of enjoy- 
 ing it. 
 
 Let us not forget the holy perseverance of Moses, 
 we will go with our young, and with our old, with our 
 sons and with our daughters. Let us not forget they 
 were all baptized in the Red Sea. Let us not forget 
 that it was Pharaoh who said, I will not let your Utile 
 ones go. Let us not forget the wrath that fell upon 
 
 of infants? Shall we baptize them ? Yea, indeed, especially if there 
 be any danger ; for it is better that they be sanctified without knowing 
 of it, than to die without the seal and initiation of baptism." Greg 
 Naz. Or. xl. Indeed about the year 400, there were some who enter 
 tained some heterodox notions concerning the baptism of infants, but 
 they were condemned by a canon of the council of Miletus, which was 
 held, a.d. 418 j " Whosoever shall deny that children may be baptized 
 as soon as they are born, let him be Anathema." It is endless to 
 reckon up the authorities of later wwters in the church, who do unan 
 imously confirm the use of Infant Baptism." 
 
WARRANT FOR INFANT BAPTISM. 115 
 
 Pharaoh for this, and that the young became the 
 valiant champions, who alone, excepting Joshua and 
 Caleb, passed through the wilderness, overthrew the 
 Canaanites, and took possession of the promised land. 
 
 The very character of our Lord and Saviour is the 
 fulness of love ; grace before merit ; unexpected good 
 freely bestowed ; more loving kindness than we could 
 have anticipated or imagined ; first love to us, before 
 we have any love to him. What believer has not 
 found it? He was always first, from the beginning, 
 in doing us good. It is only in harmony with all his 
 character to bless those so dear to us as our children, 
 with full blessings also: he does exceeding abundantly 
 above all that we can ask or think. The baptism of 
 infants is the confession of the whole church to this 
 grace in our God. 
 
 Taking all these things into consideration, there 
 seems great danger both of unbelief and self- righteous- 
 ness in refusing to bring our children to baptism. It 
 is a virtual denial of the truth of God's promises of 
 grace to our children, and of the freeness of his love, 
 marked in a refusal to express faith in those promises, 
 by the seal which God has appointed for its manifes- 
 tation and confirmation. It is a virtual requiring of 
 man's goodness before God's grace. It is a failure of 
 entering into the enlarging fulness of his love, as re- 
 vealed in the glorious gospel of his grace, and a con- 
 traction of that love into narrower limits than God 
 clearly exhibited by circumcision, even from the time 
 of Abraham, and long before the giving of the law. 
 
 Salvation by grace is the glory of Bible truth, the 
 hope of fallen man, the grand instrument of holiness 
 and of restoration to communion with God, the en- 
 joyment of his love and the full hope of his glory. 
 I 2 
 
116 TREATISE ON BAPTISM.* 
 
 In none of the ordinances of God is this free sal- 
 vation more brightly exhibited than in the precepts 
 to circumcise the Jew and his infant offspring, (Gen. 
 xvii. 7—9.) and to disciple and baptize the Gentiles, 
 with their households. Matt, xxviii. 18. Acts xvi. 
 15.33. 
 
 Before an infant can have done any good work 
 whatsoever, here is a precious ordinance of God's 
 free love, translating it from nature to grace, from a 
 fallen state to a state full of hope and full of bless- 
 ing; engrafting it into his own church, exciting the 
 hopes and prayers of his people for it, sealing to it 
 most precious promises, shewing the promptness and 
 fore-casting love of God for its salvation, and lead- 
 ing parents to bring up their children with the high 
 and holy hopes, and rich spiritual privileges of the 
 children of the living God. And, with all this, in a 
 visible public exhibition to all men, in the face of 
 day, by an outward and most significant rite, point- 
 ing out the full design of God's love to be the re- 
 moving of all its sins, and the bringing it cleansed 
 and purified to his heavenly kingdom. 
 
 It may tend farther to illustrate this subject to 
 consider the scripture statements respecting the 
 
 SALVATION OF INFANTS. 
 
 The first ground of our hopes is the death of our 
 Lord Jesus Christ for all — as by the offence of one 
 judgment came vpon all men to condemnation, even so by 
 the righteousness of one the free gijt came vpon all men 
 unto justification of life. No other foundation of hope 
 can we have, but through the merit of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ, and that death is ample to atone for 
 the sins of all. 
 
 The scriptures shew us that the saints of God have 
 
WARRANT FOR INFANT BAPTISM. 117 
 
 justly hoped for the salvation of theirchildren. David 
 said of his dead infant — I shall go to him, but he shall 
 not return to me. Rachel mourning for her chil- 
 dren, applied (Matt. ii. 17, 18.) to the slaughter of 
 the infants, under two years of age, is comforted by 
 the assurance — There is hope in thine end, saith the 
 Lord, that thy children shall come again to their own 
 border. Jer. xxxi. 17. 
 
 Observe the conduct of Christ under the New Tes- 
 tament— He is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever* 
 He has the same mind and heart now, in heaven, 
 that he had when on earth. Look at his conduct to 
 children — He took a child, and set him in the midst of 
 his disciples, and when he had taken him in his arms he 
 said unto them, Whosoever shall receive one of such chil- 
 dren in my name receiveth me. And whosoever shall 
 offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is 
 better for him that a mill-stone were hanged about his 
 neck, and he were cast into the sea. And he after- 
 wards, on another occasion, explicitly says, of such 
 is the kingdom of God. These testimonies seem con- 
 clusive as to the love Jesus bears to infants, and their 
 salvation on dying before they have committed actual 
 sin in their own persons. If they are then fit to be 
 taken to the heavenly kingdom, well may they be wel- 
 comed to the spiritual kingdom. 
 
 The kingdom of God may either mean his mili- 
 tant church here on earth, or his triumphant hea- 
 venly kingdom; in either view our Lord's words 
 justify their baptism ; if they already belong to 
 his militant church, they are entitled to baptism, 
 which is the rite of entrance into it. If he means 
 his triumphant heavenly kingdom, into which they 
 cannot enter without spiritual regeneration, then are 
 
118 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 they also entitled to baptism, which is the appointed 
 sign of this regeneration. 
 
 Having thus prepared the way, we may now the 
 more summarily notice, the express scriptural war- 
 rants for this practice. 
 
 1. The clear and numerous promises of grace 
 to the children of believers, as already brought 
 forward. 
 
 2. The comprehensiveness of the commission. 
 Go ye, and train vp, as disciples* all nations, baptizing 
 them. It is clear that the term nations includes in- 
 fants. There is not merely no prohibition against 
 the practice, but the command includes the class 
 in consideration. And when we remember that in- 
 fants were members of the Jewish church, and that 
 the Christian dispensation was never designed to 
 contract, but was designed to enlarge and extend the 
 manifestations of divine grace, we cannot but justly 
 view them as designedly comprehended in this com- 
 mission. Our Baptist brethren ask for a command, 
 and urge obedience. Here is a plain and positive 
 inclusive command. Let them obey the Lord of hea- 
 ven and earth. 
 
 3. The corresponding rite of circumcision 
 
 DEMANDS THE BAPTISM OF INFANTS. It is true that 
 
 circumcision became distinctive of the Jewish church, 
 but it was appointed as the token of Gentile blessed- 
 
 * This has, in a forner chapter, been sufficiently established as in- 
 clusive of infant baptism. The application of /J.adr)Tzvu> to infants is 
 clear also from a passage in Justin Martyr's Apology, where he says, 
 "several persons among us of 60 and 70 years old, of both sexes, who 
 were made disciples to Christ from their childhood (e/c vrcuSoov 
 €fiaOr]T€vOr}oav) do continue uncorrupted." When we remember 
 that Justin wrote about 140 years after Christ— 70 years taken from 
 this would bring his testimony of the practice of infant baptism to 
 the apostolic age. 
 
 
WARRANT FOR IXFAXT BAPTISM. 119 
 
 ness ; (Gen. xvii. 1 — 14.) it also is true that it was 
 confined to male children, but we are told in a pas- 
 sage having reference to baptism, As many of you as 
 have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 
 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond 
 nor free, there is neither male nor female, for ye are all 
 one in Christ Jesus. The analogy of baptism and 
 circumcision and the merging of circumcision in the 
 rite of baptism are set before us in the epistle to the 
 Colossi a ns — In Christ also ye are circumcised with the 
 circumcision, made without hands, in putting off the body 
 of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 
 buried with him in baptism. They are both ordinances 
 introducing members into the church of God ; what 
 circumcision was under the law, baptism is under 
 the gospel. 
 
 4. The actual baptism of Christian families 
 reoorded in the Acts strengthens these views. We 
 have seen that Lydiaand her household, (Acts xvi. 15.) 
 the Jailor and all his, (Acts xvi. 31—83.) Stephanas 
 and his household, (1 Cor. i. 16.) were baptized. The 
 inference to be naturally drawn from the mention of 
 households is that the children, servants, and de- 
 pendants were baptized. 
 
 The objections made to these statements by no 
 means set them aside. It is asked why then are not 
 infants expressly named in the commission to bap- 
 tize, as in the household? We might ask another 
 question too, why are not females mentioned in the 
 institution of the Lord's supper? Drink ye all of it 
 is not more comprehensive than baptize all nations. 
 Or why do not Baptists confine the holy communion 
 literally to a supper ? The fact is, that as every doubt 
 could not be met, so it did not please God to give 
 
120 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 greater light, that the spirits of men might be mani- 
 fested, and it might be seen how far they would act 
 in harmony with his gracious designs of love. The 
 whole of Revelation is full of illustrations of this 
 truth. The evidence of the resurrection was not in 
 the Old Testament so full as to exclude controversy, 
 and our Lord proved it by inference. Matt. xxii. 
 Our Lord's life and conduct left innumerable things 
 in a measure of darkness on this very ground. And 
 to what watchfulness and self-distrust does this call 
 us ! 
 
 It is asked, what is your plain scriptural authority 
 for iufants being baptized ? and that authority has 
 now been given. The first appointment is the full 
 authority. Matt, xxviii. 19. It may then now also, on 
 the other side, with far more weight, be asked, Where 
 is the authority for excluding infants from the church 
 of God ? or from the rite of admission to that church ? 
 Where is there a shadow of proof that the christian 
 church excluded infants who had been admitted into 
 the Jewish church ? How dare you risk all the con- 
 sequences which would follow through a whole pro- 
 fessedly Christian country, from the neglect of infant 
 baptism ? 
 
 Do you talk of obscurity still, Christian reader? 
 neglecting infant baptism, you are acting, in your 
 own case, on greater obscurity. Rather admire the 
 wisdom of God in not more positively and distinctly 
 ordering the baptism of infants. It has called forth 
 researches full of benefit to the churches. We have 
 seen how infant baptism also, though included in the 
 command and though it be rather by just inferences 
 from God's word than express precept, that the 
 church baptizes children, has been overvalued and 
 
WARRANT FOR INFANT BAPTISM. 121 
 
 perverted, how much more would Christians have 
 been exposed to this danger had there been minute 
 directions respecting it ? * The Christian church has 
 also a freedom and liberty from forms which the 
 Jewish had not, and we see this in the different di- 
 rection respecting the introductory rites. In that of 
 the Jewish it was confined to the male child, and the 
 day was specified, and the mode was bloody. In 
 that of the Christain, the female is included, the 
 age is not fixed, and the mode is with pure water. 
 
 Though it seems harsh to say so — yet faithfulness 
 is true love, and let us suggest to our brethren, whether 
 instead of want of scriptural light it may not be want 
 of conformity to God's mind and will ; whether in- 
 stead of the failure of precept, it may not be the 
 failure of a right moral disposition within, that is the 
 grand impediment to conviction on this subject. It 
 has been very forcibly observed, in addressing them — 
 " Though you little think, the strongest testimony 
 you now require would leave you unconvinced, I 
 am persuaded that were there two solemn records of 
 an express literal command to baptize infants, fol- 
 lowed by an instance of not less than 2000 infants 
 being baptized in one day, and subsequently ten 
 
 * The care of God over his church , in not more explicitly commanding 
 by positive and direct institution appointing the baptism of infants is 
 strikingly seen from the perverse use made of their baptism without 
 such direct institution. Self-righteous formalism grew to a prodi- 
 gious extent under the outward services of Judaism ; and the simple 
 rites even of Christianity have been abused to the undue magnifying 
 of the priesthood and of the sacraments. If, with so little that is said 
 upon the subject, and infant baptism itself flowing rather from infer- 
 ence than positive appointment, men have ventured to identify bap- 
 tism and regeneration, had then such baptism been more prominent 
 in the scripture, we may easily conceive how much more extensively 
 it would have been abused. The omissions of scripture are full of 
 instruction. 
 
122 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 oilier instances in the scripture of infant baptism, 
 whether singly or in companies, yea, and in addition 
 to all this, seven references to the doctrine of infant 
 baptism by the New Testament writers, drawing les- 
 sons of holiness and comfort from it, I am persuaded 
 that even such a testimony as this would not alter 
 the opinions of many, if not the majority of those who 
 now oppose infant baptism : for this is precisely the 
 testimony for baptism in general ; (adult or other- 
 wise) nevertheless, it is rejected by two whole sects 
 with saints in both of them, and by sundry scattered 
 individuals. It is a simple fact, that if a little unin- 
 telligence creates a little wilfulness about any truth, 
 that wilfulness again re-acts upon the unintelligence, 
 making it greater than before ; and this tendency 
 never so betrays itself as when it patronizes some 
 favourite dogma, or tramples on some rejected truth." 
 May the knowledge of this lead us all to forbearance, 
 and love towards each other, and great self-distrust 
 and suspicion as it regards ourselves. 
 
 The celebrated Baxter, in his plain scripture proof 
 of infant church membership, thus closes his remarks 
 on Mark ix. 36, 37. " I bless the Lord Jesus, the 
 King of the church, for having so great tenderness 
 to the infants themselves, and so great a care of the 
 information of his church concerning his will as to 
 speak it thus plainly — that plain meaning men may 
 well see his mind ; even as if he had therefore done 
 this because he foresaw that in these latter days some 
 would arise that would renew the disciples' mistake 
 on this point, and think it unfit to bring infants to 
 Jesus Christ." Page 107. 
 
 The goodness of God in thus caring for infants 
 and providing for their being dedicated to him from 
 
WARRANT FOR INFANT BAPTISM. 123 
 
 their earliest years, is very great ! It stamps the form 
 of Christianity deeply on a whole country; it directs 
 the parent how to bring up his children in faith in 
 God's promises ; it seeks to secure obedience to the 
 divine direction of bringing up children in the nur- 
 ture and admonition of the Lord ; it furnishes chil- 
 dren with many motives for adhering to the faith of 
 Christ, and it is a great step towards making each 
 country a righteous nation. 
 
 The baptism of infants admirably corresponds with 
 the benevolent and gracious character of the gospel — 
 or the good tidings of great joy to all people: as a 
 system of rich, free, sovereign and unmerited grace. 
 Here God meets us at our very birth with a provision 
 of mercy ; introduces us into the bosom of the church, 
 and brings us into the sympathy and prayers of his 
 family. Hence, even those who have not been able 
 to see the scriptural warrant for infant baptism, have 
 yet judged it to be so valuable, as an institution 
 even of the church, that Christians should, on that 
 account, adhere to it. But it is indeed the wisdom 
 and love of God in his word, rather than the wisdom 
 given to the church, which is the true and solid foun- 
 dation of infant baptism. 
 
 It may tend to quicken the hearts of parents to 
 avail themselves of all the means which God has af- 
 forded for promoting the salvation of their children, 
 to notice the unutterably important issues of a godly 
 seed, or an ungodly seed, and what provision God 
 has made that we may escape the evil, and obtain the 
 good. 
 
 How fearful, when we look on the face of the whole 
 earth, and trace the present condition of its inhabi- 
 tants back to their original ancestors, and mark how, 
 
124 TREATISE ON BAPTISM ! 
 
 step by step, men departed from God, is the respon- 
 sibility of rightly using that precious trust, the gift 
 of children ! We may see, with broad and distinct 
 lines, in every land, how vast and extensive, how 
 lengthened, how enduring is the influence of the con- 
 duct of the parent on the character and happiness of 
 future ages ! An infant born in New Zealand, fol- 
 lows its eruel parents in barbarism and cannibalism ; 
 an infant in China inherits the deceitfulness and un- 
 godliness of Chinese paganism : infants among 
 Arabs, Hottentots, American Indians, are brought 
 up in all the respective peculiarities, vices, and 
 miseries of their various countries, and continue in 
 them, unless as God graciously interposes, with deep- 
 ening darkness and misery. Yet the original ances- 
 tors of all these, thus sunk in error and wickedness, 
 were the sons of one man, and had equal advantages 
 in the beginning, till parents led the way in evil. 
 Ham and his son Canaan departed from the good 
 ways of Noah, and so all Africa became debased. 
 In one branch of the family of Shem, chiefly through 
 God's special interposition in the call of Abraham, 
 the church of God continued for 2000 years ; in other 
 branches we see the issues of wickedness throughout 
 the immense continent of Asia. 
 
 What a blessing was Abraham's piety to his pos- 
 terity! And the inheritance of this isexpressly assured 
 to all the followers of the faith of Abraham ; so that 
 we see a similar blessing in the families of all who 
 truly receive the gospel. The strength of vital god- 
 liness in every country is in those who were the chil- 
 dren of pious parents, and the hope of the age to 
 come is in their descendants. They, too, are made 
 the vessels of mercy to bear mercy to others, and thus 
 
WARRANT FOR INFANT BAPTISM. 125 
 
 gospel blessedness spreads through them all around 
 them. 
 
 This accords with the revealed mind of God, who 
 meets the deepest and strongest wishes of the human 
 heart, yearning over our offspring that they may par- 
 take of our happiness, by assuring to the children of 
 believers the same blessings which they themselves 
 enjoy, and by giving the seal of baptism to strengthen 
 the faith of the parent, animate him to a faithful dis- 
 charge of his momentous duties, and stir up every 
 baptized child to lay bold of God's covenant of pro- 
 mise, by his own faith and obedience to his everlast- 
 ing salvation. 
 
 The abuse of infant baptism furnishes to many 
 minds the most plausible objections to this full privi- 
 lege of the church when rightly used. God has in 
 his word predicted that rising of the smoke out of 
 the bottomless pit which should darken the sun and 
 the air, obscuring the glory of Christ and the influ- 
 ences of his Spirit. Rev. ix. 2. One specimen of this 
 may be seen in the way the Romanists have corrupted 
 the baptism of infants with human additions, and 
 over valued it, as conveying of itself, when adminis- 
 tered by authorized ministers, the blessings which it 
 signifies, and of which it is the means and pledge to 
 the faithful receivers.* May our Protestant church 
 never be seduced back again to those errors from 
 which we have been so mercifully delivered. 
 
 The abuses in the administration of infant baptism 
 have also lowered our sense of this privilege. Some, 
 sacrificing all the benefit of the communion of saints 
 
 * A learned Romanist, Edmund Martine, may give the reader a full 
 illustration of this in his work, Da Antiquis Ecclesise Ritibus j a book, 
 however, with much valuable information. » 
 
126 TREATISE ON BAPTISM \ 
 
 in the public congregation, perfer having it in a 
 drawing-room or in a cottage. The size of some 
 parishes are such as to occasion its administration to 
 be gone through in a way very unsuitable to an 
 ordinance of God, and in a crowd and haste very 
 unfavourable to personal devotion. With many it is 
 a mere ceremony to give a name to the child, or to 
 have a family feast and an outward shew. The 
 sponsors often count it rather an act of mere friend- 
 ship, with no accompanying blessings and duties. 
 Let these abuses be put away, and let us return to 
 the regularity of church order and decency, accord- 
 ing to the directions which God himself has given 
 us, (I Cor. xiv. 40.) and we shall roll away many a 
 scruple and difficulty. 
 
 The right reception of infant baptism, concerns 
 especially the parents and the church of Christ, and 
 the baptized only as they come to age. The fore- 
 going chapter and the following appendix will shew 
 what ample ground God has given in his word for 
 our faith. Let us look then on the whole service 
 with the eye of faith, being fully persuaded that what 
 God has promised heis able to perform, and in the strength 
 of this faith let us joyfully receive a fresh member 
 into the church, entering into every prayer and every 
 thanksgiving in our beautiful baptismal service, and 
 every testimony in our brief but most comprehensive 
 Catechism. There is an entail of grace in the ful- 
 ness of God's love for our children. It is not an 
 object of sight and sense, but of promise and faith ; 
 that faith which gives a substance to things hoped 
 lor, and is the evidence of things not seen, and to 
 which all things are possible. The Lord give all 
 Christian* parents and Christian congregations this 
 
WARRANT FOR INFANT BAPTISM. 127 
 
 precious faith in every baptism of every child, and 
 seal with his own Spirit all receiving his own ordi- 
 nance. 
 
 APPENDIX TO CHAPTER VII. 
 
 The covenant privileges of the children of believers 
 have been largely considered by theological writers. It is a sub- 
 ject of such deep importance, and so calculated to strengthen the 
 faith, and enliven the hopes of Christian parents, that I have made 
 the following somewhat lengthened selections from that valuable 
 work, Strong on the Covenants, on this subject :— 
 
 " It exceedingly advances the grace of God unto parents, and 
 makes much for the consolation of believers, that not only the 
 Lord extends mercy to them, but to their seed, as he extended it 
 to Abraham's seed (Gen. xvii. 7) ; by which God exceedingly 
 exalts his free grace ; and so it is made an argument of special 
 love unto parents. Deut. iv. 37- Because he loved thy fathers, 
 therefore he chose their seed aj ter them. 
 
 " This is one of the great arguments that the scripture uses 
 to draw men in to believe ; because not only they shall have be- 
 nefit by it, but their posterity. There is a double use that I find 
 the apostle makes of that argument : (1.) To the children, as a 
 means to bring them in. Repent ye therefore, and he converted, 
 for ye are the children of the covenant which God made for your 
 fathers (Acts iii. 19, 2.5) ; there is mercy in a special manner of- 
 fered unto you, and unto you first, because you are the children 
 of the covenant, and therefore have in a special manner a right to 
 it. (2.) To the parents (Acts ii. 38), Repent and be baptized 
 every one of you, in the name of the Lord Jesus, for the remission 
 of sins, for the promise is to you and your children ; not only you 
 shall have benefit by it, but your children, upon whom you have 
 brought a curse, and therefore were not pa rentes sed peremptores 
 (not parents, but murderers,) as Bernard speaks of all men, in 
 reference to their children, in a state of nature ; they also shall 
 have benefit by it ; and by your laying hold of the covenant, be 
 brought in under the same covenant with you ; your children, that 
 are now children of the curse, they shall become children of the 
 covenant. Now as it should be a great argument to keep men 
 from sin, that therein they wrong their posterity, it is a treason 
 
128 TREATISE ON BAPTISM.* 
 
 that taints the blood : so it should be a great engagement unto all 
 parents to come within the covenant, that the grace of the co- 
 venant might also in them be extended unto all their seed." 
 
 Mr. Strong then gives many proofs that children are taken into 
 covenant with their parents. Among others, stating these : — 
 
 " Children are members of the visible church, where their pa- 
 rents are in covenant with God : grafting in its admission into 
 visible membership, as breaking off is a casting out of visible 
 membership. So Mark x. 4. Of such (not only of these very 
 little ones, but of such as these) is the kingdom of heaven. 
 
 " Hence it comes to pass, that there is a holiness comes upon 
 those children of believing parents, Rom. xi. 16. If the root be 
 holy, so are the branches, and if the first fruits be holy, tlie lump is 
 also holy. The root is Abraham and the fathers, and they are 
 said to be the first fruits, because they were first consecrated unto 
 God, and the branches were dedicated in their root, and the 
 lump in the first fruits. And so 1 Cor. vii. 14. Else were your 
 children unclean, but now are they holy* What is the holiness that 
 is here meant? It is not a personal and inherent holiness that 
 is here spoken of; for the branches that were thus holy were 
 broken off, which, if they had been truly and spiritually holy, 
 they could never have been ; therefore it is spoken only of a fe- 
 deral and derived holiness from their parents covenant ; as Israel 
 is called the holy nation. Exod. xix. C, and the holy people Dan. viii. 
 24 ; xii. 7, that is, a people that God had separated to himself, 
 of all nations under heaven, whom he would in a special manner 
 own, and amongst whom he had set up his ordinances, and 
 would dwell ; for federal hoi iness is nothing else but being 
 separated from the world, to become a member of- the visible 
 
 * Mr. Strong afterwards makes these further remarks on this 
 passage : 
 
 " The apostle does not say, that the child is sanctified unto the 
 parents, but 'tis said positively of their children, that they are holy. 
 There is a double holiness, status et usus, of state and use, the wife is 
 sanctified unto his use, as all other things are by virtue of the cove- 
 nant of grace, a blessing to him, and shall not be a snare unto his 
 soul, nor a means to pollute and defile his inward man ; and so is his 
 honour sanctified, and his estate sanctified, and all things that belong 
 to him ; which cannot be said to be holy in themselves, but sanctified 
 unto the man ; but this of Children is the holiness of their state ; that 
 they are holy without respect unto their parent's use, they are so 
 counted by God and are to be so reputed by men. 
 
 " It is a holiness that may be lost ; for these branches may be 
 broken off, that is, cither cast out with their parents, as the church of 
 
WARRANT FOR INFANT BAPTISM. 129 
 
 church, and thereby to have a right unto the ordinances and pri- 
 vileges of a visible member, though he be not truly converted or 
 begotten unto God : and this is called being a Jew outwardly, that 
 is, a member of the visible church, and to whom the privileges 
 of a church member did belong ; but there is a Jew inwardly, in 
 whose heart there dwells converting grace. 
 
 " We meet with very glorious promises that God has made to 
 the posterity of the saints. Deut. xxx. 6. The Lord will circum- 
 cise thy heart and the lieart of thy seed ; fear not, Jacob my servant, 
 and thou Jeshurun whom I have chosen ; I ivill pour my spirit upon 
 thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring ; and they shall spring 
 up as the grass, and as the willoivs, §c. My spirit that is upon thee, 
 and my words which I have put into thy mouth, shall not depart out 
 of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed^s seed, from henceforth 
 and for ever. Now though these promises shall not be made good 
 unto every particular person in the church, yet it is the church of 
 God that is the proper subject unto whom they shall be made 
 good, and in an ordinary way they shall be accomplished unto 
 none else. 
 
 " The first discovery that we have of the gospel in Scripture is 
 that (Gen. iii. 15.) where the woman being first in the transgres- 
 sion, the Lord was pleased to enter into covenant with her, I will 
 put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and 
 her seed. 
 
 " The covenant was renewed in delivering Noah himself from 
 the flood that was then to come on the earth, and therein his seed 
 also was taken in; for so it runs, with thee and thy sons, &c. ; and 
 also after the flood, in reference to himself and his posterity, that 
 the Lord would not destroy them by a flood, as he had done their 
 forefathers. Gen. ix. 9. I establish my covenant with you and 
 
 the Jews were, when the Lord was pleased to unchurch them, and 
 call them Lo-ammi, he did with their parents cast out their children, 
 and they wer«jholy unto God no more ; or else they may be cast out 
 and justly deprived of their own privileges by their own personal of- 
 fences, and so be cast off from this state of holiness, This holiness is 
 a special privilege which the Lord hath annexed unto the covenant of 
 grace, taking in the children of believing parents into covenant with 
 themselves, making the promises of the covenant to run to them and 
 their seed ; that as natural parents in a natural way convey sin, so 
 believing parents in a federal way may also convey holiness to their 
 seed. 
 
 *• They are separated from the rest of the world, to be a visible 
 church unto God ; and by virtue of this separation or partition-wall, 
 the Jews were commonly called the holy people, because they were 
 taken by God into the holy covenant. The name of God is called 
 upon them, and they are children of God, and he owns them for his." 
 —Strong, 217. 
 
 K 
 
130 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 with your seed after you, so that the covenant still runs in those 
 terms ; the Lord never made a covenant with the parent, but he 
 took his seed into the same covenant expressly. The next men- 
 tion we read of the covenant was with Abraham, when the Lord 
 would take his family into covenant with himself; wherefore the 
 covenant is said after a sort to begin in him. Micah vii. 20. 
 Mercy to Abraham, and truth to Jacob ; and still it runs with thee 
 and thy seed, and not only his immediate seed, but also his seed 
 in many succeeding generations, from one age to another, unto 
 the end of the world •, thy seed after thee in their generations. 
 
 " Children have exercised faith by virtue of their parents' co- 
 venant ; and pleaded to God their covenant interest. So David, 
 (Psalm Ixxxvi. 16,) O turn unto me and have mercy upon me, give 
 thy strength to thy servant, and save tlie son of thine handmaid ; 
 truly I am thy servant, and tlie son of thy handmaid. 
 
 " The benefit of the covenant, from God's abundant grace, is 
 thus conveyed, not only to the parent, but to his posterity ; and 
 so David looks upon it, and admires the mercy. 2 Sam. vii. 18, 
 19. 'Lord, who am I, and what is my house, that thou hast 
 brought me hitherto ? And yet as if this were a small thing in 
 thy sight, Lord, thou hast spoke of thy servant's house for a 
 great while to come : and is this the manner of men, O Lord ? 
 for thy word's sake, and according to thy own heart hast thou 
 done all these great things, to make thy servant to know them. 
 
 " God has so ordered the eternal decree of election, that the 
 great number of the elect of God do proceed out of the loins of 
 his own people ; and therefore the promises being but the inde- 
 finite expressions of his decrees, they run to parents called, and 
 unto their children, because the great number of them that shall 
 be called are their children." 
 
 He shows thus that children have always been * members ' of the 
 church : 
 
 " Children have always been taken into the same covenant with 
 their parents, and have been members of the same church with 
 them. When the Lord made a covenant with Abraham, he took 
 in his family to be a church ; when he took in the Jews, he took 
 in their children also to l be unto him a holy and a peculiar peo- 
 ple ; ' and when he cast out the children of the kingdom, and gave 
 them a bill of divorce, removing the candlestick, he excommu- 
 nicated and disinherited their children ; and when he takes the 
 Gentiles into covenant also, it is with them and with their seed 
 in their generations, and therefore the master of the family being 
 converted, ' salvation is come to his house,' and there is ' a church 
 in his house,' his family becomes of those of whom the visible 
 church is constituted ; for the ( tentilea were grafted in as the Jews 
 were broken off, and that was in reference to a church state for 
 themselves and their posterity; and so were tlie Gentiles grafted 
 into a church state for themselves and their posterity ; and tli»- 
 
WARRANT FOR INFANT BAPTISM. 131 
 
 Lord has given us a rule for it, (Deut. xxix. 14,) when he enters 
 into a church covenant with that people, and with their little 
 ones, that they should be a people unto himself, that is, a church 
 unto God, (ver. 15.) 
 
 In speaking of the privileges insured to children of believers, 
 Mr. Strong remarks — 
 
 " In Rom. ix. 4, the apostle recounts the external privileges of 
 the Jewish church and members thereof, and he reckons up 
 eight very remarkable ones : 'whose is the adoption ;? not spi- 
 ritual adoption, but the honour to be called the sons of God, and 
 to be separated from all other people, and nations under heaven, 
 by a marriage-covenant. Exod. xix. 5. ' The glory ; ' the ark 
 was the special token of God's presence : and to them was given 
 ' the law, the worship of God, the promises ; of whom were the 
 fathers, and of whom according to the flesh Christ came. 1 Now 
 all these belonged to the body of the nation, as being taken into 
 a marriage covenant, and the external privileges of it, which did 
 belong to them, that should never have any spiritual and saving 
 benefit b} r it. It is one thing to have an interest in the covenant 
 in reference to the spiritual and eternal mercies of it, called ' the 
 sure mercies of David ' by the prophet, and by the apostle ' the 
 holy things of David ; ' and another to have interest in the co- 
 venant only in reference unto the temporal promises and outward 
 privileges thereof ; and there is many a man that has interest 
 in the one, that neither has nor ever will have benefit by the other. 1 
 
 " It will aggravate their sin if they abuse this grace, therefore 
 it is a mercy and a privilege in itself, for what is not a mercy 
 and a privilege in itself, that cannot add to a man's sin and judg- 
 ment. Now as it is in riches and honour, and all the blessings in 
 this life, they will be unto a man judgment if they are abused ; 
 therefore they are blessings in themselves, blessings in the thing 
 though a snare to the man ; so this very argument, that is brought 
 to prove that they are no blessings, and give no benefits, does 
 clearly prove that the thing itself is a privilege and a blessing. 
 
 " But what are those privileges and those particular benefits 
 that come upon a person and his posterity thereby? (1.) Many of 
 them shall be saved, elected, and converted to God ; for the Lord 
 takes the number of his elect out of the loins of his own ; ' the 
 church of the first-born, whose names are written in heaven,' is 
 hid in the visible church here as wheat in a heap of chaff. (2.) 
 It is the only hope that parents have for the salvation of their 
 children dying in their infancy : ' David 1 did hope it, though he 
 might say with Austin, ' Ego in illo puero nihil habim prseter 
 delictum : ' yet he saith, ' I shall go to him,' and his heart was 
 quieted concerning his eternal state, by virtue of that covenant 
 made with him. " We have no other promise but this, ' I will 
 be thy God and the God of thy seed ; ' and this is gospel. A man 
 is as truly bound to lay hold of the promise, and cast himself 
 upon it, for his seed as for himself. (3.) There is no ordinary way 
 K 2 
 
132 TREATISE ON BAPTISM l 
 
 of salvation, but it is amongst them that are taken into covenant ; 
 ' salvation is of the Jews ; there was in an ordinary way salva- 
 tion to be had nowhere else ; and therefore by being taken into 
 the outward privileges of the church, a man is brought into the 
 ordinary way of salvation. (4.) It is a special honour to be the 
 vineyard of the Lord, the garden of the Lord hedged in from the 
 rest of the world, his wall, a wine-press, a garden enclosed, a 
 fountain sealed, to be called the sons of God, the people of God, 
 and the Lord to avouch them such publicly before all the world 
 to be his peculiar treasure, the Lord to be their God, and they 
 his people above all the people of the earth, ' their's is the adop- 
 tion ; ' it is spoken of this federal external sonship. (5.) By this 
 you have special privileges . ' Jerusalem ' is the ' valley of vision,' 
 and ' Jeshurun ' the ' seeing people ; ' it is ' Ariel, the altar of 
 the Lord : chiefly to them are committed the oracles of God,' 
 which they are to keep and transmit unto posterity ; it is a ' de- 
 positum ' laid up and concredited to them, ' In Judah is God 
 known, and his name is great in Israel ; he hath not dealt so with 
 other nations ; ' they are a people near unto him, and the Lord 
 hath promised that he will give them his special presence : ' I will 
 dwell in the midst of them : ' Christ walks in the middle of the 
 golden candlesticks, though he be in glory." 
 
 The grounds on which it pleases God to continue his covenant 
 to the children of his people, are stated in part as follows : — 
 
 " The Lord will continue the covenant from parents to children 
 by a kind of lineal descent, in reference to the external privileges 
 of the covenant ; and they shall be conveyed from parents unto 
 children, who shall have a covenant- right as the parent's pri- 
 vilege ; and the grounds of it are these : — 
 
 " Because the Lord will have a visible church out of the loins 
 of his own people ; therefore when he takes in their parents into 
 a church-covenant, he takes in also their children. 
 
 " The covenant is entailed in reference to the privileges thereof, 
 that the Lord might magnifj^ and exalt his love unto parents the 
 more ; and that it might be a great inducement to come into co- 
 venant with God, because ' the promise ' shall be * unto 3 - ou and 
 your children, even unto them that are afar off,' or ' as many as 
 the Lord shall call ; ' not only to the Jews and their children, 
 but also to the Gentiles, for that is meant by afar off. Eph. ii. 17. 
 
 " The Lord would engage their children to himself above all 
 the families and posterities of the earth, and therefore he calls 
 them ' the children born unto him, thou hast taken my sons and 
 my daughters that thou hast born to me ; ' and they shall have 
 the privilege that none upon earth have, whereby they may be 
 engaged to God; and if they be wicked, they may be the more 
 left without excuse; they are persons given up and dedicated to 
 God in their infancy, and from the womb: there is written upon 
 them, ' holiness to the Lord ;' and if outward and temporal mei- 
 ciee be such great obligations upon the soul, what are spiritual 
 and church mercies ! 
 
WARRANT FOR INFANT BAPTISM. 133 
 
 " To shew forth the goodness and overflowing mercy of Christ, 
 under the second covenant, unto unregenerate men, who for the 
 state of their persons are under the covenant of works, and are 
 enemies unto the covenant of grace, and yet they shall enjoy 
 many privileges and benefits thereby ; and this the Lord does 
 bestow upon them, either as preparatives and as means to fit them 
 for services, or as privileges and rewards of services ; for all the 
 creatures are now given into the hands of Christ, and all men 
 in the church belong to him ; they all come under him, either as 
 servants or as sons ; they that are sons partake in the graces of 
 the covenant, but the servants also partake in the privileges of it, 
 for they abide in the house, though not for ever ; and while they 
 are in the house they have bread enough and to spare ; they par- 
 take of the root and fatness of the good olive-tree ; they have 
 church ordinances that fit them for service, and they receive 
 church privileges as temporal rewards of sendee." 
 
 Mr. Strong well meets the common objections of the Baptists 
 about the analogy of circumcision. 
 
 " Some men deny the authority of the whole Old Testament, at 
 least any further than it is in express words confirmed in the 
 New ; and this is looked upon as an argument sufficient to answer 
 any argument that is brought for any thing of the Old Testament : 
 Can you shew any thing in the New Testament for it ? As if the 
 Old Testament were now antiquated and out of date : but we 
 dare not divide the two words of the apostle, which he doth apply 
 generally unto all the Scripture — iraaa ypa<p^ freoirvevo-Tos kcu 
 
 U(f)4\tlXOS. 
 
 " * The whole scripture is given by inspiration, and is profi- 
 table, &c.' therefore either we must deny it to be divine inspi- 
 ration, or we must say not only that it was, but it is still profi- 
 table : and we know that Christ and his apostles generally 
 confirm the doctrines of the gospel by ' Moses,' and the prophets ; 
 and our divines do generally therefore say that the Old Testament 
 is but Evangelium sub velo, which 'now we see with open face.' 
 
 " Our baptism is the seal of the same covenant that circumcision 
 was ; then the covenant of grace was the same for substance with 
 that under the New Testament ; for it is ' Abraham's ' covenant 
 that was sealed in circumcision, and so it is in baptism also : 
 6ee Rom. iv. 
 
 " The persons taken into covenant of old were the children and 
 their parents : — ' I will be thy God and the God of thy seed ; 
 their children are the sons of the covenant, and of the promise 
 that God made with their fathers, &c. This has been manifested, 
 not only under the law, but before the law, from the beginning, 
 and also under the gospel ; the Lord, as he cast off the Jews and 
 their children, so he took in the Gentiles and their children into 
 covenant with himself. 
 
 " That baptism succeeds in the room and place of circumcision, 
 as the seal of the same covenant, and as the ordinance of ini- 
 
134 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 tiation, will appear, 1st. Because the end was the same in both; 
 viz. to be the sacrament of admission of visible members; 2nd. 
 Because the grace of the thing signified is the same. Circumci- 
 sion is cutting off the body of sins from the flesh, and baptism is 
 a being buried with Christ in his death by a work of mortifi- 
 oation. ,, 
 
 The objections on the ground of the incapacity of children are 
 thus met : — 
 
 "As the children are brought into covenant by a parentaliight 
 and not a personal, so to their being in covenant the consent of 
 the parents is, in God's account accepted : and a personal consent 
 is not required ; but as when the parent doth dissent, he doth 
 thereby keep the child out of covenant, as all heathens do, who 
 do not consent to the gospel, and as the Jews did that cast off and 
 rejected the word of life ; so when parents do consent, they bring 
 the children within the covenant, which runs unto them and to 
 their seed as confederates ; it is therefore the consent of the pa- 
 rent that is in God's covenant taken for the consent of the child. 
 
 " Suceamus, in his book ' Be Baptismo,' laj-s down two rules 
 which are of excellent use unto the present question, that the co- 
 venant of grace is to take in the seed together with the parent. 
 1. It is a special overflowing of grace to the parents, which they 
 are to believe and consent unto : for though the benefit of it comes 
 ufion the children, yet it is the parents' privilege, and it is a part 
 of the gospel of grace which he is to give consent unto, and his 
 faith takes hold of, that God will be the God of his seed, as well 
 as of himself. He is to take hold of the covenant in all the parts 
 of it, — that is not for himself only, but for his seed also. 
 
 " 2. All infants may be imputatively called believers, that is in 
 God's consent and esteem. They are also persons in covenant 
 with God, and the consent of their parents is imputed or counted 
 by God as their consent. Now we know that imputation is an 
 act of sovereignty and of God's own free-will, as it appears in 
 that God will account ' Adam ' and his posterity one, and that he 
 will account Christ and the saints to be one ; and so impute the 
 sin of the one and the righteousness of the other. And if the 
 Lord will impute the consent of parents to their children's, so as 
 to own them as his in covenant with him according the word, till 
 they do themselves manifest their dissent and cast off the covenant 
 of their God, he may justly do it. 
 
 " Shall God say — 4 1 will take thee and thy seed into the co- 
 venant, and shall men say, Were it not better to leave the seed out 
 till fhey can actually understand and give consent unto the co- 
 venant into which they are taken ? Truly it is abominable pre- 
 sumption and unthankfulness." 
 
 These extracts are closed with the following practical re- 
 marks on the use of baptism of children. 
 
 " So should all the faithful do, look upon all the promises that 
 are made unto the seed of the faithful in the scripture, and put 
 
WARRANT FOR INFANT BAPTISM. 135 
 
 them in suit before the Lord for thy seed also, as being part of 
 the covenant which the Lord has made with you. We might by 
 this means leave and entail very great blessings on our posterity, 
 and live to see the covenant accomplished to them to the great 
 comfort and consolations of our soul : ' Thy children shall be like 
 olive-plants round about thy table ; Behold, thus shall the man be 
 blessed that feareth the Lord. The church has been called the 'olive- 
 tree,' as we have seen in Rom. ii. 16, 17, and they, as church- 
 members, are as olive-plants, those who are of use and excellence, 
 profiting church and common- wealth. 'This is my covenant,' saith 
 the Lord, ' my Spirit that is upon thee, and my words that I 
 have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth — nor 
 out of thy seed or seed's seed, henceforth and for ever.' Whilst 
 we straighten the covenant and our covenant interest to ourselves, 
 we are enemies to our own consolation ; the great flourishing of 
 our soul lies in the enlargement of the faculties, and they are 
 vast objects that do cause large faculties ; it is of admirable use to 
 a man's own soul to look unto the covenant in the extent of it to 
 you and your seed. 
 
 " 2. It is a matter of exhortation unto children, that they would 
 walk worthy of this mercy ; — this inheritance that God has en- 
 tailed upon them, and not despise the grace of God in their pa- 
 rents' covenant, but actually take hold of the covenant in their 
 own persons. (I.) Consider, grace has prevented a t ou, and you 
 are taken in by God into a familiar covenant with himself, merely 
 out of preventing mercy, whereas thou mightest have been born 
 among the uncircumcised ; it is no small privilege to be born of 
 those who are themselves in covenant with God. (2.) It will be 
 a great aggravation to thy sin and judgment when thou shalt, like 
 Esau, despise thy birthright ; the contempt of a spiritual privi- 
 lege is a great sin and dishonour to God, and it will surely add 
 to thy judgment : 'The children of the kingdom shall be cast out 
 into outer darkness.. Matt. viii. 12. And how will that never- 
 dying worm gnaw upon thy conscience when it shall tell thee — I 
 had a godly parent, one within the covenant of God, by whom I 
 had a right unto all outward privileges of membership ; but I have 
 walked unworthy of them all, and abused them all, and therefore 
 now some come from the east and from the west, others are grafted 
 by their own faith that were born of wicked parents, and I was 
 as it were a natural branch, grew upon a holy stock and in cove- 
 nant, and am now rejected and cast out as an abominable branch. 
 (3.) The people of God have exercised faith upon their parents' 
 covenant, and have been able sometimes in distress to plead that, 
 when they have little to say for themselves. Exod. xv. 1. When 
 Moses prays, he says — ' Thou art my God and my father's God ' ; 
 and the children of Israel, though they could say little for them- 
 selves, for they were a wicked and disobedient people, and all their 
 righteousness as filthy rags, yet they say — ' Remember the 
 covenant that thou madest to Abraham, and the land that thou 
 gavest unto Abraham thy friend for ever ; ' and so David pleads 
 — ' Thv servant and the son of thy handmaid.' " 
 
136 TREATISE ON BAPTISM 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 THE REASON AND USE OF SPONSORS. 
 
 One great design of the Christian religion is ulti- 
 mately to heal all the divisions, and remove all the 
 enmities that now subsist on our earth. Its first 
 effects may indeed have an opposite tendency. / 
 came not to send peace, but a sword; but its issue is 
 abundance of peace, so long as the moon endureth ; they 
 shall beat their swords into ploivshares y and their spears 
 into pruning-hooks ; nation shall not lift up sword 
 against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. 
 
 The main character, principle, and rule of the 
 gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is in the spirit of this 
 issue ; it is the law of love, that is the leading and 
 prominent law of the gospel. Clearly are we taught, 
 the duty of every man not to look on his own things 
 only, but on the things of others also ; and plain is the 
 direction to bear one another's burdens and so fulfil 
 the law of Christ ; and it is enforced by the highest 
 of all sanctions — the glorious example of the Lord 
 of all. 
 
 It is in entire accordance with such principles that 
 the Church of England has appointed godfathers 
 and godmothers as sponsors (or persons making pro- 
 
THE REASON AND USE OF SPONSORS. 137 
 
 mises for others), to answer for infants at their bap- 
 tism. The term godfather and godmother is given, 
 because they promise before God that they will be 
 as spiritual parents to the infant, being such at his 
 initiation or reception into the church of Christ. 
 
 That the church has full right to appoint things 
 not contrary to God's word, which those in authority 
 judge to be for edification, is clear from the plain 
 direction, Let all tilings be done unto edifying, 1 Cor. 
 xiv. 26. That we ought to be subject to such ap- 
 pointments is clear also : The spirits of the prophets 
 are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author 
 of confusion, but of peace, as in all the churches of the 
 saints, (ver. 82, 34) ; and let all things be done decently 
 and in order, ver. 40. In these things the true fear of 
 God calls not to dispute and division, but charges us, 
 Submit yourselves one to another in the fear of God. 
 Ephes. v. 21. 
 
 The institution of sponsors must be considered, 
 as an appointment of the church, judged meet for 
 edification, and not directly as an ordinance of the 
 word of God. We say directly, because in human 
 appointments, when not contrary to the scriptures, 
 the divine rule makes them really obligatory on us. 
 Let every soul be subject to the higher powers — ye must 
 needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for con- 
 science'' sake. 
 
 But it is worthy of remark, that the turning-point 
 in Judah's conduct, on which the whole of the happy 
 issue of his father and brethren out of their troubles 
 hinged, was an act of sponsorship for a younger 
 brother. I will be surety for him ; of my hand shalt 
 thou require him ; if I bring him not unto thee, let me 
 bear the blame for ever. A promise nobly redeemed 
 
138 TREATISE ON BAPTISM *. 
 
 on that touching occasion when he offered himself 
 instead of that brother, saying, Now, therefore, I pray 
 thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad, a bonds- 
 man unto my Lord, and let the lad go up with his 
 brethren. 
 
 It is well also for us to remember that far more 
 glorious Surety, who not only offered himself, but at 
 the costly price of his own blood redeemed us from 
 all our sins. With such a debt of obligation to 
 such a surety, well may we be willing, at some little 
 cost, to undertake exertions for the spiritual good of 
 those unable by reason of their infancy to undertake 
 anything for themselves. 
 
 It is probable, from the scriptures, that the Jews 
 had witnesses at the naming of their children at cir- 
 cumcision. Thus when Isaiah's son was called 
 Maher-shalal-hash-baz, he says, J took unto me faith- 
 ful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah 
 the son of Jeberechiah. Isaiah viii. 2. 
 
 But it is certain that the institution of sponsors 
 began very early in the Christian church. Traces of 
 it may be discovered in the writings of the fathers of 
 the second, third, and fourth centuries. An early 
 writer, supposed to be Justin, says, " Children par- 
 take of the benefits of baptism, by the faith of those 
 who bring them." Tertullian speaks of the desir- 
 ableness of the delay of baptism, because of the 
 sponsors otherwise being exposed to so much hazard. 
 Cyril says, " He who brings the infant, answers 
 aloud Amen for him." Augustine says, " Where 
 shall we place the baptized infants but among the 
 faithful, for this privilege they have acquired by 
 virtue of the sacrament, and by their sureties answer- 
 ing for them." These statements shew that in these 
 
THE REASON AND USE OF SPONSORS. 139 
 
 early ages persons were accustomed to bring the 
 children, and answer for them.* 
 
 When the church of England was reformed and 
 purified from papal corruption, was she then to 
 lay aside a practice which had been observed in the 
 church before the time of papal apostacy and corrup- 
 tion, — especially when that custom tends to much 
 edification ? This would not have accorded with 
 that wisdom which God gave to its founders. 
 
 It has been objected — " Parents, not strangers, 
 ought to be the sponsors? They have the natural 
 authority over the children." No doubt they have. 
 And therefore the parents are the very persons to 
 provide the sponsors, and to give them, for that of- 
 fice, their own authority. And in this method many 
 kindly, social, and uniting feelings are diffused and 
 spread, and would be much more so, were the ap- 
 pointment more seriously regarded and observed. It 
 is far more accordant with the enlarged spirit of love 
 which characterizes the gospel, and which is of such 
 a diffusive and expansive nature as to know no limits, 
 and which views all Christians as the members of 
 one body, to bring friends and neighbours, rather 
 than parents, into an intimate spiritual relationship. 
 
 * The origin of the custom of sponsors is thus given by Austin . — 
 " There were many that were converted from Paganism that were 
 not well instructed in the principles of religion. And therefore, to 
 testify their great care of those that by baptism they received into the 
 church, in reference to their education, though their parents were 
 Christian, and so their children had a right, yet some able and faithful 
 men of known integrity and authority in the church were as sureties, 
 together with the parents, to engage themselves to take care that 
 they were instructed and educated according to the principles of that 
 religion into which they were baptized." Seethe quotation in Strong 
 on the Covenants, p. 2-21. Augustine also says, " Infants are brought 
 to partake of spiritual grace, not so much by those in whose arms 
 they are carried, as by the universal society of saints and believers." 
 
140 TREATISE ON BAPTISM I 
 
 The real character of the sponsorship is to give, in 
 a vivid form, that essential part of baptism which 
 recognizes the responsibility of man under privi- 
 leges. In adults, the answer of a good conscience to- 
 wards God is requisite. 1 Peter iii. 21. In infants, 
 that it might never be supposed that outward bap- 
 tism was sufficient, and that the future repentance 
 and faith which are requisite to salvation (Mark xvi. 
 16,) might be distinctly seen to be so, " they pro- 
 mise them both by their sureties ; which promise, when 
 they come to age, themselves are bound to perform. 
 
 It is in complete accordance with that whole sys- 
 tem which God has appointed, that almost every 
 blessing comes to us through our fellow men, and 
 that every gift is given to us to profit withal. 
 
 Were the engagement for the child's injury, ob- 
 jections might indeed be made against it ; but the 
 engagement is the child's real privilege and clear 
 duty ; and it is most significant to instruct the child 
 in what course of conduct he is to insure the rich 
 promises of God in baptism, of his being a member 
 of Christ, a child of God, and an inheritor of the 
 kingdom of heaven. 
 
 The good of the child also makes it desirable that 
 others besides the parents should have a special 
 and immediate interest in its spiritual welfare ; 
 should feel an obligation to pray for it, to watch over 
 it, to admonish it, and give it from time to time spi- 
 ritual counsel and instruction. 
 
 The promise of the surety or sponsor must not be 
 supposed in any way to include responsibility for 
 any subsequent unallowed wickedness of the child. 
 If the sponsors have done their part in prayer and 
 advice; the child alone is answerable for its guilt 
 
THE REASON AND USE OF SPONSORS. 141 
 
 in the neglect of the gospel and apostacy from 
 Christ. 
 
 The abuse of this office is one great reason of the 
 low esteem for it. When parents choose godfathers 
 and godmothers merely from worldly motives, be- 
 cause of relationship, or influence and rank in so- 
 ciety, without reference to spiritual character, what 
 spiritual blessing can they hope to gain by such a 
 choice? The church has taken precautions by the 
 following canon, to have duly-qualified sponsors : 
 " No parent shall be urged to be present, nor be ad- 
 mitted to answer as godfather for his own child ; nor 
 any godfather or godmother shall be suffered to make 
 any other answer or speech, than by the Book of 
 Common Prayer is prescribed in that behalf; neither 
 shall any person be admitted godfather or god- 
 mother to any child at christening or confirmation, 
 before the said person so undertaking hath received 
 the holy communion. " 
 
 And when godfathers take upon them the office 
 merely to oblige a friend, without any regard to their 
 spiritual obligations, without prayer for their god- 
 children, without care whether they really have any 
 suitable religious instruction in their early years, 
 and without once perhaps in their whole youth speak- 
 ing to them about the soul's health, what can be 
 expected ? 
 
 The state of the visible church has sunk into such 
 a cold formality in these things, that we far too much 
 come under the awful character of a form of godliness 
 without the power. We cannot, by reason of our 
 negligence and sinfulness, make head and firm front 
 against the adversaries of truth ; nay, what is much 
 more, we must adopt the words of Ezra in the time of 
 
142 TREATISE ON BAPTISM I 
 
 Israel's revival in bis day, Behold we are before thee 
 in our trespass ; for we cannot stand before thee because 
 of this. Ezra ix. 15. 
 
 But is it right for sponsors to undertake that ano- 
 ther shall fulfil their duty ? As none can by any means 
 redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him ; 
 is it not a mockery to promise that for the child which 
 we are unable to make the child perform? 
 
 Men do not reason so about worldly things. They 
 do not quarrel with the will of a father, who appoints 
 trustees for legacies to their children when of age, 
 because the trustee is unable to compel the child to 
 receive it. They do not find fault with there being 
 executors to a will, or with the arrangements that 
 executors or guardians make for the good of children. 
 Were we as wise and believing in the things of the 
 soul as we are in the things of the body — were we as 
 desirous of spiritual blessings as we are of earthly 
 riches — we should admire the wisdom and providence 
 of that careful parent, the church to which we be- 
 long, in thus thinking of us ; and it would be another 
 ground of attachment and endearment, instead of 
 cavil and objection. 
 
 The faith of a stranger may be a blessing to those 
 for whom he is interested. The centurion's servant 
 was restored to health through his master's faith; 
 (Matt. viii. 10,) the man in the palsy was cured 
 through the faith of those who brought him to Christ ! 
 (Luke v. 20.) the dead Lazarus was raised through 
 the application of his sisters to Jesus ; (John xi.) and 
 these things may well encourage sponsors, in faith in 
 God's promises to children, to undertake for them to 
 walk according to those promises, in full faith in the 
 love and righteousness of our heavenly parent. 
 
THE REASON AND USE OF SPONSORS. 143 
 
 In what way, then, may this appointment of the 
 church be really revived and restored to efficiency ? 
 
 The difficulties throughout are very great. Diffi- 
 culties in the minister's requiring communicants as 
 sponsors; difficulties in getting sponsors at all beside 
 the parents ; difficulties in gaining really godly spon- 
 sors ; difficulties then in the sponsors fulfilling their 
 duties. All discipline is so relaxed, every thing is so 
 out of joint, that were it not that prayer is omnipotent, 
 and all things are possible to him that believet/i, we 
 might despair of remedy. We want some Shechaniah 
 to strengthen the hands of the ministry, as he did 
 those of Ezra, saying, We have trespassed against our 
 God. . . Yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this 
 
 thing Let it be done according to the law. Arise, 
 
 for this matter belongeth unto thee : we will also be with 
 thee : be of good courage and do it. Ezra x. 2 — 4. 
 
 It must be admitted that a return to the principles 
 and rules laid down by the church, after a long dis- 
 use, may be precipitate and hasty, from being too 
 sudden, and thus may be injurious. Yet much may 
 be done by ministers, both in the public ministry of 
 the word and sacrament, and in more private and 
 personal intercourse, to recover the good regulations 
 and original practice of the church, if the object be 
 really aimed at, and earnestly and affectionately re- 
 commended. 
 
 We have here, however, chiefly to regard theDUTiEs 
 of sponsors; those of parents will come under the 
 chapter relating to them. 
 
 And let sponsors, if they have never seriously 
 weighed the duty, pause before they undertake it 
 rashly. It is an office of true Christian love, and a 
 plain duty; and when undertaken in a just sense of 
 
144 TREATISE ON BAPTISM I 
 
 its spiritual character, it is full of social and spiritual 
 blessings. But to undertake a solemn duty thought- 
 lessly and carelessly, brings guilt upon us : to make 
 it a matter of mere compliment, in order to oblige 
 another, is to trifle with this sacred duty. 
 
 What then, is the duty of sponsors ? not to make 
 the child godly, not to give him renunciation of the 
 world, the flesh, and the devil, or faith, or obedience ; 
 these are God's gifts, and cannot be given by any 
 human being to another : neither is he that planteth 
 any thing , neither he that water eth, but God that giveth 
 the increase. No sponsor undertakes for the child's 
 future holiness ; but he does acknowledge for the 
 child that its real interest and highest welfare is 
 bound up in its future conduct, and he does by im- 
 plication pledge himself to seek that welfare by pro- 
 moting in the child, by all suitable means, the spirit 
 of holiness. 
 
 Among these means are, remembrance of the child 
 in intercessory prayer, personal consistency of Chris- 
 tian character and conduct, reproof of what is con- 
 trary to the gospel, encouraging of all that is agree- 
 able to the gospel, attention to the religious instruc- 
 tion of the child, should it be neglected by those who 
 have the charge of it, and seeing the child at length 
 brought to confirmation and an attendance on the 
 Lord's Supper. 
 
 It is our duty to promote the spiritual welfare of 
 all around ; but there are many difficulties in doing 
 it, which the office of sponsor takes out of the way, 
 giving us a plea, and motive, and open door for 
 directly addressing those for whom we have answered 
 at the baptismal font. 
 
BAPTISM CONNECTED WITH REGENERATION. 145 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 THE CONNECTION OF BAPTISM WITH SPIRITUAL 
 REGENERATION. 
 
 Great is the wisdom and goodness of God in esta- 
 blishing by his own ordinance a connection between 
 outward means and inward grace ; a connection so 
 intimate that the manna is called spiritual meat, and 
 the water from the rock spiritual drink, and baptism 
 with water the laver of regeneration : and yet, alas! 
 through our unbelief and love of sin, these things are 
 so separable that men may partake outwardly of the 
 means, and God not be pleased with them, and 
 their partaking may be preparatory only to their 
 final overthrow. 1 Cor. x. 5. 
 
 As man consists both of body and spirit, and the 
 body is the means by which truth is introduced to the 
 spirit, so has God provided outward means for en- 
 gaging our attention, and conveying truth and grace 
 within. The attention is excited by what is visible; 
 inquiry is called forth, faith is required, watchfulness 
 is awakened, the mind is instructed in things invisi- 
 ble, prayer for the spiritual blessings thus signified is 
 stirred up, and hope is enlivened. If the soul rejects 
 such suitable and gracious means, it is left self-con- 
 
 L 
 
146 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 demned, and without excuse ; and if the soul re- 
 ceives the instruction and benefit designed by them, 
 it has all the needful help for growing and enlarging 
 in knowledge, and the enjoyment of God's grace and 
 loving-kindness. 
 
 Baptism is full of instruction respecting the com- 
 mencement of the most important change in man's 
 condition in this world ; and a change affecting his 
 everlasting condition through eternity. I mean his 
 regeneration or being born from above. 
 
 Regeneration, as a spiritual blessing obtained by 
 the individual Christian, is a being born again, a 
 new birth : as such it is in its highest sense, a birth 
 from above through divine grace, quickening us to a 
 new life, and raising us above our natural and carnal 
 affections to the heavenly and spiritual affections of a 
 holy life. It is called in the scriptures being spirit, 
 as born of the Spirit ; being a partaker of the divine 
 nature, through the power of the Holy Ghost. 
 
 It may be advantageous to clear our way to a full 
 view of this truth, by viewing the progress of the doc- 
 trine as revealed in the word of God. 
 
 In the earlier part of the Old Testament we find 
 but little of the real nature of this spiritual life un- 
 folded to us. It is rather the character of the Old 
 Testament to dwell on outward and visible manifes- 
 tations, than on hidden principles of conduct. Yet 
 no sooner had Adam fallen than there was set before 
 him in the threatening on the serpent, the hope of 
 this spiritual life, I will put enmity between thee and 
 the woman, and between thy seed and her seed ; it shall 
 bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. He had 
 incurred the penalty of death by yielding himself to 
 the service of Satan ; he is here promised a life of 
 
BAPTISM CONNECTED WITH REGENERATION. 14? 
 
 hatred to that master and service, and a final victory 
 over his dominion. 
 
 After that remarkable baptism of the deluge, and 
 resurrection from it to a new world, in the promises 
 then made to Noah, while man's spiritual death is 
 expressed by the imagination of his heart being evil 
 from his youth, the hope of a better life seems set be- 
 fore him in the covenant made with Noah, and the 
 recognition of the image in which God made man, as a 
 reason why he should not be slain. 
 
 The ordinance of circumcision given to Abraham 
 was designed more explicitly to shew the necessity 
 of this life, and by the excision of the flesh to point 
 out the entrance into a new life. Its inward meaning 
 is set forth in varied passages both of the Old and of 
 the New Testament. After the Lord had stated what 
 he required of Israel, to walk in all his ways, and to 
 love him and serve him with all their heart, and with 
 all their soul, and shewn the greatness of his love to 
 them, and their seed after them, he adds, circumcise 
 therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more 
 stiff-necked; and he afterwards promises to do this 
 for them with the express promise that thou mayst live- 
 Deut. xxx. 6. So the apostle tells the Philippians, 
 We are the circumcision, which worship God in the 
 spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence 
 in the flesh, 
 
 Besides circumcision, several of the rites of the 
 law of Moses seem to have had a reference to this. 
 We have already pointed out the baptism of the Old 
 Testament. The two birds to be taken at the cleansing 
 of the leper; onekilledandtheotherdippedinits blood, 
 and then set free, remarkably exhibit our death unto 
 sin and our new birth unto righteousness. Lev. xvi. 
 L 2 
 
148 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 The word live is so used in the Old Testament as 
 to have naturally led the Israelites to the idea of a 
 spiritual life. He fed thee with manna which thou 
 knewest not, neither did thy fathers know, that he might 
 make tliee know that man doth not live by bread only, 
 but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the 
 Lord doth man live. Here is a life beyond natural 
 life, proceeding from the word of the living God 
 clearly set before them. So I have set before thee this 
 day life and good, death and evil — where a course of 
 obedience is called life, and a course of disobedience 
 death. And in a similar truth, they are exhorted — Set 
 your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you 
 this day ; for it is not a vain thing for you, because it is 
 your life. No doubt temporal life and blessings were 
 included, but a spiritual life also seems manifestly 
 comprehended. 
 
 But when we come to the Psalms and the Pro- 
 phets, we have more opened to us, — the nature and 
 reality of this new birth and spiritual life. 
 
 When David had fallen into fearful offences, 
 and became awakened to the enormity of his sin, his 
 earnest prayers were for a new creation within, — 
 Create in me a clean heart, O God, renew a right spirit 
 within me ; cast me not away from thy presence, and 
 take not thy Holy Spirit from me. He brings before 
 us here, with almost New Testament clearness, the 
 new creation of the soul. The expression also of the 
 87th Psalm, The Lord shall count, when he writeth up 
 the people, this man iv as born there, after speaking in 
 the previous verses of the accession of the great hea- 
 then nations to the church, seems to contain a pro- 
 phetic intimation of that better and spiritual new 
 
BAPTISM CONNECTED WITH REGENERATION. 149 
 
 birth which is peculiar to real believers. See also 
 Isaiah xix. 25. 
 
 The prophets consoling Israel under their calami- 
 ties and dispersions, again, with vivid light, open to 
 them the new birth of the soul. How rich and full 
 are the promises of Ezekiel — From all your filthiness 
 and from all your idols will I cleanse you ; a new heart 
 also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within 
 you, and I ivill take away the stony heart out of your 
 flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh, and I will 
 put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my 
 statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments and do them. 
 We have here distinctly all the features of the natu- 
 ral state of man, as filthy, idolatrous, and hard- 
 hearted ; and all the features of the spiritual man, 
 as renewed, softened, having the indwelling of the 
 Holy Ghost, and made obedient to God. Similar 
 promises occur, Ezek. xi. 19. Jer. xxxi. 33 ; xxxii. 
 39, 40. The expression in Habakkuk, so often quoted 
 in the New Testament, is very forcible and emphatic 
 — Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in 
 him, but the just shall live by his faith. Hab. ii. 4. 
 There is then a life of faith distinct from the life of 
 sense; there is a spiritual life revealed in the Old 
 Testament, received through the word of God and 
 his new-creating power, and marked emphatically by- 
 faith. 
 
 This new heart, this regeneration, this spiritual 
 life is also explicitly promised : The Lord thy God 
 will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to 
 love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all 
 thy soul, that thou mayest live. Deut. xxx. 6. And I 
 will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear 
 me for ever, for the good of them and of their children 
 
150 TREATISE ON BAPTISM ! 
 
 after them. Jer. xxxii. 39. Circumsion in its high- 
 est sense is promised. The thing signified as well as 
 the sign, and the signified blessing with the use of 
 the sign. Thus the sacrament becomes the seal and 
 confirmation, the pledge and assurance of the promise 
 of spiritual regeneration. 
 
 We see also a relation of adoption and of son- 
 ship promised in the Old Testament as a thing pe- 
 culiar to the people of God. Thus saith the Lord — 
 Israel is my Son, even my first-born, and I say unto 
 thee (to Pharaoh) let my Son go that he may serve me. 
 Exodus iv. 22, 23. To Israel pertaineth the adoption. 
 Rom. ix. 4. Their title is — Ye are the children of the 
 Lord your God. Deut. xiv. 1. I am a Father to Israel, 
 and Ephraim is my first-born. Jer. xxxi. 9. When 
 Israel was a child, then I loved him and called my Son 
 out of Egypt. We see in these expressions a peculiar 
 relationship to God, and connection shewing special 
 holiness and consecration to his service. 
 
 We have also, as seen in the warrant for infant 
 baptism, the same blessings promised to the children 
 as to their parents. 
 
 Thus large was the preparation of the Old Testa- 
 ment for that full announcement of the new birth 
 which distinguishes the New Testament. 
 
 The fullest opening of this we have in our Lord's 
 discourse with Nicodemus on his coming to him as a 
 divine Teacher, and to be instructed by him in the 
 great truths of the gospel. Here is emphatically the 
 seat of the doctrine of the new birth — Jesus said unto 
 him Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born 
 again he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus 
 saitk unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? 
 Can he enter the second time into his mother s womb and 
 
BAPTISM CONNECTED WITH REGENERATION. 151 
 
 be born ? Jesus answered, Verily, verily I say unto thee 
 except a man be born of water and of the Spirit * he 
 cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is 
 born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the 
 Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye 
 must be bom again. The wind (irvevixa or Spirit) bloiveth 
 where it listeth, and thou hear est the sound thereof, but 
 canst not tell whence it cometh nor whither it goeth, so is 
 every one that is born of the Spirit, (irvevfxaj Nicodemus 
 answered and said unto him. How can these things be ? 
 Jesus answered, and said unto him, Art thou a master in 
 Israel, and knowest not these things. 
 
 By this last enquiry our Lord manifestly shews, 
 what the preceding statement has proved, that the 
 doctrine of the new birth is contained in the Old 
 Testament. The whole passage is full of weighty 
 instruction. To imagine that it is to be confined to 
 outward baptism, or mere outward reformation of 
 moral conduct, or bare belief of particular truths, or 
 
 * The general voice of the Church has so universally applied this 
 expression to baptism, that it ought justly to have great weight ; and 
 the similar mode of joining together (Titus iii. 5) the laver of regen- 
 eration, where the application to baptism is more clear, with the re- 
 newing of the Holy Ghost, shows that there is a real foundation for 
 the general consent of the Church, as to baptism being a sjgn and 
 means of regeneration. Yet the remarkable manner in which irvev/xa 
 is used, would almost lead us to think that in John iii. 5, our Lord 
 intended to refer primarily to water and wind as descriptive of those 
 great ideas which are comprehended in the gift of the Holy Ghost 
 and of spiritual regeneration — himself explaining to Nicodemus the 
 figure of wind as God's gracious and sovereign gift, the very means 
 of continued life, and though unseen, producing the mightiest effects. 
 In the following chapter he also equally explains the figure of water, 
 as given by himself, with all its blessings, and overflowing in all 
 those blessings of cleansing and refreshing which are connected with 
 water literally, and with the Holy Spirit spiritually. John iv. 14. We 
 may well hope that in the coming kingdom of Christ not only the 
 water and the air, the bread and the wine, but every thing earthly will 
 be redeemed from common use, and all be sacraments and means of 
 full communion with our God. Zech. xiv. 20, 21. 
 
152 TREATISE ON BAPTISM I 
 
 external privileges which leave the soul destitute of 
 salvation, is a most unworthy view of such solemn 
 instruction, introduced with such dignity and re- 
 peated affirmation of the truth. It manifestly de- 
 scribes a gift of a spiritual substance, if we may so 
 speak, imparted ; that whickis born of the Spirit is spirit. 
 It is a real, vital, spiritual, all-important and hea- 
 venly change within, of which an entire new birth is 
 the fittest emblem.'" Though there be a distinct al- 
 
 The illustration of the figure by Mr. Scott is so valuable that 1 
 here give it ; premising, however, that life exists before birth, and 
 this is material to remember, for the fulness of our Lord's figure. 
 " When a child is born into the world, though no new matter is 
 brought into existence, yet a new creature is produced, and all its 
 capacities, senses, and limbs are new [or at least brought into new 
 exercise and use] and suited to the new life on which it has entered. 
 Thus, when the grace of God changes the sinner's heart, the person 
 is indeed the same ; but he becomes a new man, possessed of new 
 capacities, perceptions, affections, and dispositions, and is prepared to 
 make a new use of all his organs, senses, and faculties ; he enters as 
 a new creature into the spiritual world, and becomes capable of em- 
 ployment, and satisfactions to which he was before an utter stranger. 
 Ephes. ii. 4 — 10. 2 Cor. v. 17. When an infant is born, it has all the 
 parts of a grown man, but they are in a feeble state, and need nou- 
 rishment, attention, and time before they are grown to their proper 
 size, and are fitted to perform their appropriate functions in a com- 
 plete manner. Thus the regenerated sinner has [or having had] the 
 substance of all right principles and holy dispositions communicated 
 to his soul, but they are in an infantile state, and must grow up gra- 
 dually, and with care and spiritual nourishment to maturity. This 
 nourishment is provided, and 'the new born babe,' in the spiritual as 
 well as in the natural world, desires, relishes and thrives upon it. 
 1 Peter ii. 1 — 3. No man can comprehend how the infant is formed 
 in the womb; nor can any man know how God effects the new creat- 
 ing change in the sinner's heart. He works by means and instru- 
 ments in both cases, and in each of them a real creation is effected by 
 his omnipotence. The birth of the infant precedes the exercise of its 
 senses, and is the necessary introduction to all the actions of future 
 life, so the new birth must precede all the actions of the spiritual life : 
 till that has taken place the man can neither see, hear, walk, or work 
 in a spiritual manner, liut, as when a living child is born it will cer- 
 tainly move and act, so when a sinner is born again he will repent, 
 believe, obey and worship." 
 Mr. Maurice, in his Treatise on the Kingdom of Christ, makes ttu 
 
BAPTISM CONNECTED WITH REGENERATION. 153 
 
 lusion to baptism, as its sign and means, yet the chief 
 stress is laid on the vital change itself. 
 
 In the wonderful providence of God the whole 
 creation abounds with spiritual instruction, and by 
 visible things daily taking place, we may have the 
 deepest and richest lessons of those invisible and 
 spiritual truths which most nearly concern our ever- 
 lasting salvation. The birth of every child, its 
 helpless and dependant state, the life which it has 
 previously had, the new world into which it is in- 
 troduced, its new existence there, its growth and the 
 means of that growth, all furnish lively information 
 respecting the regeneration of the soul. 
 
 Regeneration may be considered in the seed of 
 life implanted, and in its manifestation in a life to 
 be nourished and carried forward, as all life is, by 
 suitable means and provision. In this respect it 
 differs from conversion, which is the exertion of life 
 existing, by the turning of the soul to the true and 
 only Author and Giver of life. 
 
 Another parallel figure used in the scripture is the 
 raising to life of those that are dead : You hath he 
 quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins ; wherein 
 in times past ye walked according to the course of this 
 
 following just remarks on the new birth; "That the body passes from 
 the dark night of the womb into the light of ordinary day was the 
 simplest view of physical birth ; that the spirit comes out of the womb 
 of nature into the light of the Sun of Righteousness was the corres- 
 ponding view of the new birth." 
 
 "The idea of a change of heart, where heart is taken for affections 
 and desires, and when change is taken to be the turning of these de- 
 sires from a wrong object to which they have been conformed to a 
 right object to which they are meant to be conformed is surely a legi- 
 timate idea and one not at all at variance with the idea of baptism as 
 a covenant, but the fulfilment of its intent and the fruit of its pro- 
 mises : change of nature, in any other sense than this, no evangelical 
 person who understands himself supposes to take place at conversion 
 or any other period." 
 
1.54 TREATISE ON BAPTTSM : 
 
 world, according to the prince of the power of the air, 
 the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobe- 
 dience, among whom also we all had our conversation in 
 times past, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the 
 mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as 
 others. But God who is rich in mercy, for his great 
 love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in 
 our sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by 
 grace ye are saved, and hath raised us up together and 
 made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus : 
 for we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto 
 good works. 
 
 We have here the same remarkable change in its 
 highest sense fully brought before us. The sinful, 
 deadly, and evil state in which we by nature live, the 
 sole source of the change, the grace and new-creat- 
 ing power of God, the reality and magnitude of the 
 change, a real quickening like that of life from death, 
 and the end of it good works. There is no allusion 
 to baptism here. 
 
 The frequent and solemn repetition of this truth in 
 connection with the absolute necessity of this vital 
 change ought deeply to impress every heart with its 
 unspeakable weight and importance. Thus on an- 
 other occasion our Lord says — Verily I say unto you, 
 except ye be converted and become as little children, ye 
 cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven. Matt, xviii. 3. 
 And so St. Paul speaks— If any man be in Christ he 
 is a new creature, (jiaivn ktktis, a new creation.) 2 
 Cor. v. 17. 
 
 The great source of this change, in its highest sense, 
 is in the scriptures ascribed, not ordinarily to bap- 
 tism, but first and mainly to the sovereign mercy, 
 will and love of God, irrespective of any creature 
 
BAPTISM CONNECTED WITH REGENERATION. 155 
 
 whatsoever — As many as received him (Christ) to them 
 gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them 
 that believe on his name, which were born, not of blood, 
 nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but 
 of God. 
 
 A chief instrument used of the Lord in this new 
 birth, speaking still of its main substance, is the 
 word of God. Ye have -purified your souls in obey- 
 ing the truth through the Sjiirit — being born again, 
 not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the 
 word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. 1 
 Peter i. 22, 23. So the apostle tells the Corinthians, 
 (whom, let us remember, he had purposely abstained 
 from baptizing) claiming a peculiar spiritual re- 
 lation on this account. 1 Cor. i. 14. In Christ Jesus 
 I have begotten you through the gospel. 1 Cor. iv. 15. 
 St. James joins together the sovereignty of God as 
 the cause, and the word of God as the instrument. 
 Of his own will begat he us by the word of truth (James 
 i. 18.), that we should be a kind of first-fruits of his 
 creatures* 
 
 The effects of this new birth, as an inward prin- 
 ciple of spiritual life, are not merely outward privi- 
 leges and admission into church-fellowship and 
 prayers and ordinances, but spiritual and transform- 
 ing grace; and triumph over our great enemies the 
 
 * It is a grievous perversion to apply Heb. xi. 40. only to baptism, 
 and to speak of baptism as the only means of regeneration ; and of 
 Noab, as well as the other patriarchs, being unregenerate ; or to 
 state that Noah, Abraham, Daniel, and Job " were the faithful ser- 
 vants, but not as yet [under the Old Testament] the sons of God-" 
 The scripture positively declares, To Israel pertained the adoption ; 
 (Rom. ix. 4.) and of them he says, Ye are the children of the Lord 
 your God. Deut. xiv. l . Let none of us then be vainly puffed up in 
 our fleshly mind, with a fancied exaltation in privilege, so as to de- 
 preciate the privileges of early believers. 
 
156 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 world, the flesh, and the Devil. The Epistle of St. 
 John is full of testimonies to this. Ye know that 
 every one that doeth righteousness is born of him. 1 John 
 11. 29. We know that ive have passed from death to life* 
 because tee love the brethren. 1 John iii. 14. Every one 
 that loveth is born of God. 1 John iv. 7. Whosoever 
 believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. 1 John 
 v. 1. Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world. 
 1 John v. 4. And still more full is the concluding 
 expression, We know that whosoever is born of God 
 sinneth not, but he that is begotten of God keepeth him- 
 self, and that wicked onetoucheth him not. 1 John v. 18- 
 
 These are not the effects, unhappily and through 
 man's unbelief, that we see invariably or generally 
 in the baptized ; but these scriptures shew that they 
 are the effecls of the new birth in its fullest sense. 
 
 May we then be most anxious to make that new 
 birth sure to our souls — giving all diligence so to 
 use all means, and especially faith in the grace set 
 before us in baptism, and there assured to us, that 
 we may attain it, if we have not yet attained it. 
 The lessons St. James draws from God's sovereignty 
 in this matter, are the duty of being swift to hear — to 
 lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, 
 and receive with meekness the engrafted word which is 
 able to save your souls. 
 
 It is no fancy, no deluded imagination, no mere 
 outward reformation, when one, who has been bap- 
 tized in the name of Jesus, and lived only to the 
 flesh, first receives the word of God, not as the word of 
 men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which effec- 
 tually worketh in them that believe. It produces no 
 mere temporary fictitious change, receiving one set 
 of sentiments instead of another, but an entire moral 
 
BAPTISM CONNECTED WITH REGENERATION. 157 
 
 revolution in the inward man ; it turns the whole 
 bent of his will, and the whole course of his affec- 
 tions, from earthly things to heavenly, from outward 
 things only to spiritual also ; it changes the whole 
 character from selfishness to love, from high-minded- 
 ness to humility, from self-righteousness to contri- 
 tion, from pleasure-loving to self-sacrifice, from gro- 
 velling on earth to setting the affections on things 
 above, from looking at things seen to looking at 
 things unseen. It fills the mind with peace, the 
 heart with joy, the lips with useful and holy and 
 edifying words, and makes the whole life one course 
 of blessedness to all around us, bringing glory in all 
 to our Father which is in heaven. 
 
 The world is never left without remarkable in- 
 stances of such mighty changes, to illustrate the 
 sovereignty and riches of divine grace. The same 
 blessed result indeed, more gradually but in innu- 
 merable cases, follows a right improvement of Chris- 
 tian baptism, through the faith, prayers, and careful 
 discipline of Christian parents in a consistent educa- 
 tion ; but without such a real change from nature to 
 grace, manifested in a really Christian and holy life, 
 baptism, however rightly administerd, leaves the 
 baptized only under heavier guilt. 
 
 We have hitherto chiefly spoken of regeneration 
 in its highest sense as a spiritual blessing. But on a 
 careful review of the Scriptures, it will be seen there 
 is a fuller view of spiritual regeneration, which may 
 be said to comprehend three things. 
 
 (1.) That on which we have hitherto spoken, which 
 is its substance ; a new inward principle of spi- 
 ritual life, which our Lord describes when he 
 says, that which is born of the Spirit is spirit ; he that 
 
158 TREATISE ON BAPTISM '. 
 
 eateth me, even he shall live by me; which St. Peter 
 describes when he says, that by God's promises we 
 are partakers of the divine nature ; and which St. John 
 describes as being born not of blood, nor of the will of 
 the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God: and his 
 seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin. In this view 
 regeneration is a secret, invisible work, and can be 
 known only to God, except by its effects and visible 
 fruits. 
 
 (2.) There is also a state of spiritual privilege 
 in covenant grace with admission to church privi- 
 leges, and this as a sign and pledge of the inward 
 principle of spiritual life : the washing of regeneration 
 before the renewing of the Holy Ghost ; (Titus iii. 5.) 
 the being born of water before the being born of the 
 Spirit, John iii. 5. The scripture speaks of this in 
 calling men to baptism. The promise is to you and to 
 your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many 
 as the Lord our God shall call. Acts ii. 39. The scrip- 
 tures speak thus of all the baptized as saved, raised 
 with Christ, putting on Christ, delivered from the power 
 of darkness, and translated into the kingdom of God's 
 dear Son. (Col- i. 13.) God in this meets us with 
 manifestations of his readiness to communicate his 
 highest blessings to us, and earnestly as it were 
 calls for our faith in his promises. In this view the 
 church of Christ admits and recognizes the regene- 
 ration of the baptized. : 
 
 * "We are not to consider," Bishop Jewell says, "the grace of God 
 so tied to the ministration of the sacraments, that if any be prevented 
 by death, so that he cannot be received into the fellowship thereof, he 
 should therefore be thought to be damned. For many have suffered 
 death for God's cause, for their faith in Christ, who never were bap- 
 tized, yet are they reckoned and are indeed blessed martyrs." Bishop 
 Jewell gives extracts here from Ambrose, Augustine, and Theodori t, 
 proving this. Augustine justly says, "He is not deprived from tin. 
 
BAPTISM CONNECTED WITH REGENERATION. 159 
 
 (3.) There is farther a state of manifested re- 
 generation before men ; the fruit of the Spirit, love, 
 joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 
 meekness, temperance, so the fruit of the Spirit is in 
 all goodness, and righteousness, and truth ; and the 
 Ephesians are told to put on the new man, which after 
 God is created in righteousness and true holiness ; and 
 the Romans are exhorted to be transformed by the re- 
 newing of their minds. In this view regeneration is 
 known and read of all men. 
 
 Has not much of the controversy and obscurity 
 arisen from confounding these separate parts of re- 
 generation ? All these have an intimate connection in 
 the holy scripture : nor can we conceive of real spi- 
 ritual life, without divine grace freely bestowed in un- 
 merited privilege first originating it, and holy fruits 
 following and manifesting it. Regeneration, as an 
 entrance into church privileges, always accompanies 
 baptism ; whatever be the future course of the bap- 
 tized, it is the manner of God's speaking in the New 
 Testament, (compareGal.iii. 26; v. 4. Heb.iii.14. Col. 
 i. 21 — 23.), as it was in the Old Testament, to consider 
 and address all outwardly in the church of God as be- 
 longing to God, and to plead with them onthisground, 
 even when by their inconsistencies they have proved 
 that they have forfeited the blessing, and that it does 
 not really belong to them, (Isaiah 1. 1 ; Jer. iii. 1, 4, 8.) 
 and we have here a scriptural justification of our 
 
 partaking and benefit of the sacrament, so long as he finds in himself 
 that thing that the sacrament signifies." Bishop Jewell adds, " I>y 
 these few it may appear that the sacrament makes not a Christian, 
 but is a seal and assurance unto all that receive it of the grace of 
 God, unless they make themselves unworthy thereof, and that no 
 man may despise this holy ordinance, and keep back his infants from 
 baptism." 
 
160 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 church catechism, and our baptismal service. Ke- 
 generation, as a new inward principle of spiritual 
 life, is to the faith of the adult assured by baptism, 
 and to the faith of the Christian parent in God's pro- 
 mises to his seed, assured for the child : it may be 
 viewed as having gone before baptism in the pre- 
 vious faith and penitence of the adult, and in the 
 covenant of God with the believer as to his offspring ; 
 and it may be viewed as accompanying baptism by 
 God's own seal applied to the baptized, according to 
 his own word ; and also it may be viewed as follow- 
 ing baptism in open manifestation before men, by 
 the holy life of the adult, and the personal repent- 
 ance and faith of the child when it comes of age.* 
 
 The great truth witnessed in infant baptism is, 
 that our spiritual life wholly originates in the grace 
 of God, first going before, and without works, or de- 
 serving, on the part of man, bestowing the new birth. 
 
 The great truth witnessed in adult baptism on 
 the other hand, is man's responsibility connected 
 with that grace. We still see God abundant in 
 grace, willing to bestow it, but we see also the actual 
 reception of grace and unfolding of regeneration in 
 the glad welcome of a willing heart before baptism. 
 
 It is only where both the state of spiritual privi- 
 lege and manifested fruit of the spirit exist, that we 
 have full scriptural warrant for viewing persons as 
 regenerate in its complete sense. Where there is a 
 state of Christian privilege that is an actual admis- 
 
 * There is a long and laboured work by an old writer, C. Barges, 
 on the Baptismal Regeneration of Elect Infants, endeavouring to 
 shew, that to the elect there is always the regeneration in baptism 
 which issues in final salvation ; but it is far from satisfactory to the 
 author. It does not seem to recognize the largeness of God's love set 
 before us in the scriptures. 
 
BAPTISM CONNECTED WITH REGENERATION. 161 
 
 sion-by the appointed ordinance into the church, in 
 a subject at present incapable of moral acts or spi- 
 ritual graces, there is a ground both from God's pro- 
 mises to children, and from their right to the ordi- 
 nance, for using the language of their being regene- 
 rate, and there is a presumption of faith and charity 
 in favour of inward regeneration. 
 
 But regeneration, having the sense of spiritual pri- 
 vilege as well asspiritual life;* not solely meaning 
 a state of spiritual life, but including also astateof ad- 
 mission to church privileges; anditbeingour Lord's in- 
 tention thus to connect the outward rite and the inward 
 grace in completed regeneration, we have no full 
 warrant for using the term regenerate in its largest 
 sense without baptism and its inward grace also : 
 where there is spiritual life only, it may rightly be 
 used, but the scriptural or ecclesiastical warrant is in- 
 direct and not express. Jewell remarks, "Baptism 
 is the badge and cognizance of every Christian. 
 If any be not baptized, but lacks the mark of God's 
 fold, we cannot discern him to be one of the flock. 
 If any man take not the seal of regeneration, we 
 cannot say he is born the child of God." Where 
 there are marks of living faith without baptism, the 
 visible seal of the covenant, there is the most satis- 
 factory reason for administering the sacrament ; but 
 without it there is not, in the complete sense of 
 scripture, the whole of regeneration. Indeed, as the 
 man born of God must keep all the commands of God, 
 and baptism is among those commands, he has not, till 
 he is baptized, this evidence of regeneration. Yet, on 
 the other hand, theauthor cannot enter into the state- 
 ment, "that it is nowhere implied that any Christian 
 
 * See the Author's Divine Warning j p. 60—65. 307—315. 
 M 
 
162 TREATISE ON BAPTISM '. 
 
 had not been regenerated, or could hereafter be so; " 
 meaning by Christian, I suppose, one baptized, and 
 in the outward church. The apostle Peter explicitly 
 says, after the baptism of Simon Magus, Thou hast 
 neither part nor lot in this matter, for thy heart is not 
 right with God. Acts viii. 21 — 23. The apostle John 
 says of others, They went out from us, but they were 
 not of us ; for if they had been of us, they would no 
 doubt have continued with us ; but they went out that 
 they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. 
 1 John ii. 19. The apostle Paul supposed that a 
 baptized woman may be living in pleasure, and so dead 
 while she lives. 1 Tim. v. 6. The general invitation 
 of scripture to careless men in the external church 
 is, Hear, and your soul shall live. Isaiah Iv. 3. Awake, 
 thou that steepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ 
 shall give thee light. Ephes. v. 14. Thus careful are 
 the scriptures not to identify spiritual life with cir- 
 cumcision or baptism merely. 
 
 It is not to be denied that in the early ages of the 
 church, baptism and regeneration were very fre- 
 quently viewed as synonymous, and there must have 
 been a reason for this. Thus Justin the Martyr, 
 speaking of the way in which persons were made 
 Christians, after mentioning their instruction and 
 willingness to live according to the gospel, says, 
 " they are bronght to a place of water, and there re- 
 generated after the same manner with ourselves." 
 Similar language is common among the fathers, and 
 it is clear that they applied the term regeneration 
 baptism, as the scriptures do. 
 
 We shall gain a key to this language, by duly re- 
 membering two great and leading truths of the 
 gospel ; the reality of divine grace as an object of 
 
BAPTISM CONNECTED WITH REGENERATION. 163 
 
 faith, and the accountableness of man under the ex- 
 hibition of that grace. These truths are contrast 
 truths, but perfectly harmonious ; they shew salva- 
 tion wholly of grace, and perdition wholly of our- 
 selves, and yet man employed, in the exercise of 
 all his faculties, under the heavenly leading of grace. 
 
 The first truth is the reality of divine grace 
 as an object of faith. This is exhibited dis- 
 tinctly in the ordinance of baptism, which points out 
 all those benefits that we have already noticed as 
 God's free gifts to man. The fuller and the greater 
 our faith in this grace, the fuller and greater the 
 blessings which we shall receive : according to your 
 faith, be it unto you. Matt. ix. 29. 
 
 The second truth to be here noticed is our ac- 
 countableness for God's GIFT TO us. The mani- 
 festation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit 
 withal. 1 Cor. xii. 7. We are to be good stewards of 
 the manifold grace of God, 1 Peter iv. 10. And here 
 comes in all the danger of neglecting so great sal- 
 vation : the liability of the sacraments to abuse, the 
 inefficacy of ordinances without faith, and the pre- 
 sumption of faith resting on the ordinance, and not 
 rising to the ordainer, but making an idol of the sa- 
 crament. 
 
 It will be evident to a careful student of the word 
 of God, that to meet the imperfections of man, and 
 the infancy and growth of the church, God imparts 
 truth by degrees, and successively, according as it 
 is needed. 
 
 Thus the grace of God, connected with a visible 
 rite, is a prior truth to the danger of the abuse of 
 that rite, and to the need of its right reception. 
 This then is the truth vividly impressed on the 
 
164 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 earlier church. Circumcision was ordained as a 
 pledge of God's covenant love to Abraham (Gen. 
 xvii. 10) ; its spiritual character, and the duty of cir- 
 cumcising the heart, were unfolded only after the 
 many rebellions of Israel on their way to Canaan. 
 Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart. Deut. 
 x. 16. In this spirit the apostle calls the judaizing 
 teachers the concision, and adds, We are the cir- 
 cumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in 
 Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Phil, 
 iii. 2, 3. The name of Israel was identified by the 
 Jews with a literal descent from Jacob. It was only 
 in the latter time of the Jewish dispensation, when 
 men rested in the outward form, that the wicked were 
 told they were riders of Sodom and people of Go- 
 morrah. Isaiah i. 10. Thy father was an Amorite, 
 and thy mother an Hittite (Ezekiel xvi. 3) ; and 
 were fully and distinctly instructed in the nature of 
 the spiritual seed of Abraham. If ye were Abrahams 
 children, ye would do the works of Abraham — ye are of 
 your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye 
 will do. John viii. 39—44. They are not all Israel 
 which are of Israel — the children of the promise are 
 counted for the seed. Rom. ix. 6 — 8. And thus it was 
 with baptism and the regenerate. The connection of 
 the grace of God with the visible rite was vividly 
 impressed on the earlier church. Few were baptized 
 in those stormy days of trial and persecution, who 
 were not genuine Christians. Regeneration was with 
 their baptism, as circumcision of the spirit was with 
 outward circumcision : the baptized were the regen- 
 erate, as the literal Israel were supposed to be the 
 true Israel. It was only when the abuse of the or- 
 dinance reached its height, that the inefiicacy of 
 
BAPTISM CONNECTED WITH REGENERATION. 165 
 
 the outward rite, without the actual reception of the 
 grace set forth in it, was unfolded. 
 
 Each part of the truth is needful for the spiritual 
 welfare of the church ; and it seems to have been in 
 the wisdom of God that each part was exhibited 
 alone. Thus they were more distinctly laid before 
 men, and could be more clearly discerned. The 
 reality and freeness of grace were seen in baptismal 
 regeneration ; the accountableness of man was seen 
 in the actual limitation of regeneration to real re- 
 ceivers, exercising faith in the grace of the sacra- 
 ment. Both parts of these divine truths being 
 needful, we see the goodness of God to us, and the 
 increased safety of the church against the dangers of 
 abuse in both parts being maintained. We need the 
 vivid faith of the early church in the grace of the 
 ordinance. We need the jealousy of the Protestant 
 and Reformed churches against superstitious de- 
 pendance on the outward rite. The early church 
 had a real corrective from the far larger proportion 
 of baptisms being among adults, and from the jealous 
 care and watchfulness with which they prepared 
 them for this ordinance. Justin observes, "As many 
 as are persuaded and believe that the things taught 
 and said by us are true, and moreover take upon 
 them to live accordingly, are taught to pray, and ask 
 of God with fastings, forgiveness of their former sins; 
 we praying together, and fasting for and with them ; 
 and then, and not till then, they are brought to a place 
 of water." 
 
 When once the abuse of infant baptism became so 
 wide-spread, and almost universal, faith disregarded, 
 and the outward ordinance only trusted in ; and, the 
 profession of Christianity having become general, there 
 
166 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 was no corrective in frequent adult baptism, the provi- 
 dence of God suffered a body to arise in the church, 
 who denied all efficacy of baptism whatever, but on 
 profession of faith, and thus virtually set aside the 
 reality of divine grace in that ordinance, as an object 
 of faith. Just as when the church sunk into idolatry, 
 it pleased God to suffer an impostor to arise holding 
 one great truth ; and Mahomet was the rod of Chris- 
 tians, charging them justly with infidelity, because 
 they were idolatrous : so Baptists rebuked the opus 
 operatum of Popery and formality, by teaching the 
 responsibility of man in regard to baptism. 
 
 And again, as another corrective, the Providence 
 of God suffered another body to arise in a later pe- 
 riod — the Society of Friends, who set aside outward 
 rites in Baptism and the Lord's Supper, and confined 
 themselves simply to the spiritual blessings, and yet 
 have by no means gained with special advantage 
 spitituality and inward godliness; thus furnishing 
 his church with another warning of the danger of 
 over-valuing the outward ordinance, in its tendencj r 
 of leading us to lose the ordinance or means of grace 
 itself. 
 
 We may thus see two great mistakes, to which dif- 
 ferent classes in the church of Christ tend. One to 
 mistake the sign, means, and pledge, for the end 
 itself, and so lose the end. And another, so to re- 
 gard the end only, as to slight the sign, means, and 
 pledge ; and thus as effectually lose the end too. If 
 Satan can prevail, in either of these ways, to the 
 abuse or neglect of God's own ordinance, the object 
 of that malignant foe is attained. 
 
 There is then an important connection between 
 the ordinance of baptism and spiritual regen- 
 
BAPTISM CONNECTED WITH REGENERATION. 167 
 
 eration. We have seen that our Lord at the time, 
 at the very time, when his disciples were baptizing, 
 told Nicodemus, Except a man be born of water and of 
 the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven ; 
 thus in the general sentiment of the early church, 
 connecting the birth of water and of the Spirit. St 
 Paul, in the expression, According to his mercy he saved 
 us by the washing of regeneration, also distinctly al- 
 ludes to baptism. We have seen that the expres- 
 sions in the epistles respecting baptism correspond 
 to this. St. Paul tells the Romans, Know ye not that 
 so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were 
 baptized into his death ? Therefore we are buried with 
 him by baptism into death. He also assures the Co- 
 lossians, In Christ also ye are circumcised with the cir- 
 cumcision made without hands, in putting off the body 
 of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ. 
 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen 
 with him, through the faith of the operation of God. 
 
 These passages of scripture are conclusive, in 
 proof of such a special connection between baptism 
 and regeneration ; and this as being, in some re- 
 spects, more marked in this ordinance than in the 
 other means of grace ; and shewing us that there is 
 in every baptism a privilege conferred, leading on to 
 full regeneration, when followed out in a consistent 
 life. They furnish a ground for special faith, with 
 reference to the grace of regeneration, as the bless- 
 ing which God designs should be signified, mani- 
 fested, and confirmed in baptism : and so objectively 
 set before and given to the child, as not only to ad- 
 mit him to church privileges, but to be the ground 
 of future faith. Regeneration is indeed the sove- 
 reign act of God's grace. His children are born not 
 
168 TREATISE ON BAPTISM I 
 
 of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of 
 man, but of God ; and his word of promise is the 
 great instrument of their new birth. Yet have we, 
 from these promises and testimonies, the general 
 warrant to expect this blessing to be manifested and 
 confirmed in the use of baptism as his means. It is 
 an ordinance specially appropriated in his word, as 
 "a means whereby we receive the same, and a 
 pledge to assure us thereof." The sovereignty of God, 
 always equitable and righteous, is seen in withhold- 
 ing this confirming grace, where there is no faith in 
 his promise, and no real prayer for his blessing ; and 
 the same sovereignty, always rich in mercy, is seen 
 in bestowing increase of faith and prayer, and mani- 
 fested regeneration, to make his ordinance effectual, 
 to all who really trust in his word and truly call on 
 his name. 
 
 It is, however, perfectly clear from the scriptures, 
 that baptism is not universally attended with the 
 spiritual change of regeneration. Where there is no 
 real faith in exercise, it is righteous in God to with- 
 hold his grace. By the parallel rite of circumcision, 
 the apostle Paul has illustrated this truth. He is not 
 a Jew which is one outwardly, neither is that circum- 
 cision which is outiuard in the flesh ; but he is a Jew 
 which is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the 
 hearty in the spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is 
 not of men but of God. We have only to change the 
 terms circumcision and Jew into baptism and Chris- 
 tian, to see how there may be this rite outwardly 
 without any real change. 
 
 As to the baptismal regeneration of infants ; let us 
 remember the only limitation in administering ordi- 
 nances which seal blessings to those who receive 
 
BAPTISM CONNECTED WITH REGENERATION. 160 
 
 them, is moral unfitness ; but in the case of infants 
 there is no such unfitness. The only thing here is to 
 guard against what may take place hereafter; and 
 the answer of the church as to the reason of their 
 baptism, while it furnishes a limitation to the ex- 
 pression of their regeneration, shews also the ground 
 on which they are admitted to baptism. Infants are 
 baptized because they promise both repentance and 
 faith by their sureties, which promise themselves are 
 bound to perform. It is clear here that regeneration 
 is left to be perfected by the subsequent repentance 
 and faith of the baptized. 
 
 In fact, in the case of infants, baptism says vi- 
 sibly, by an outward sign, in the language of the 
 church copying the Redeemer, and speaking in his 
 name what he said when on earth, Suffer the little 
 children to come unto me and forbid them not, for of 
 such is the kingdom of Heaven : if the kingdom of 
 heaven belongs to such (twi> yapTotowwv eanv r) /3affi\eia 
 ruv ovpavuv), well may the seal of confirmation be 
 applied in baptism to them. The baptism of infants 
 who have not personal preparation for baptism, the 
 pronouncing those to be regenerate who have not the 
 evidences of regeneration, accords with the gracious 
 character of the gospel, which anticipates by grace 
 our qualifications, and of which infant baptism is, 
 as we have seen, a glowing manifestation. There 
 all is grace throughout : grace objectively in God's 
 promises, and love to the seed of the godly, before it 
 is seen subjectively in its fruits in man. Our Lord 
 says, Of such is the kingdom of heaven ; and admits 
 them, as we have seen, as suitable subjects for bap- 
 tism, according to the fulness of his grace, before 
 they have any visible manifestation of meetness. Not 
 
170 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 that they are not afterwards to attain that meet- 
 ness, but that their faith may be helped by this ma- 
 nifestation of his first love to them, in gaining that 
 spiritual regeneration, which baptism signifies and 
 on God's part seals to them. Inseparable baptismal 
 and spiritual regeneration is the opus operatum of 
 Popery. Antipaedo-baptism is the very opposite 
 error, tending to self-righteous bondage. The no- 
 water-baptism of the Friend is really casting away 
 God's appointed means of grace ; and, as we have 
 seen, by no means secures that body from formality 
 and worldliness. Regeneration by promise, sealed 
 in the baptism of infants, and wrought out in faith 
 in their subsequent lives, is the doctrine of God's 
 word, and fully loaded with all the rich blessings of 
 the gospel of Christ to every real believer. 
 
 And in the case of adults, who before baptism tes- 
 tify repentance and faith, it is an appointed ordi- 
 nance for strengthening those graces, and assuring 
 to them their regeneration. The minister of God, 
 acting on the authority of the divine commission in 
 baptizing, his ministerial act is to the right receiver 
 a token on the part of God of his bestowing cove- 
 nant blessings, and a pledge of the regeneration of 
 the person baptized. Thus circumcision in the flesh 
 was a seal or token of covenant-blessings (Rom. iv. 
 11.), and an emblem of the circumcision of the heart, 
 Deut. x. 10; xxx. 6. 
 
 The lengthened controversies on this subject have 
 frequently been attended with opposite errors ; one 
 identifying baptism and regeneration, and the other 
 making baptism a bare sign. Our Reformers kept 
 equally clear of both. It is a wide-wasting mischief to 
 make baptism and regeneration the same thing; this 
 
BAPTISM CONNECTED WITH REGENERATION. 171 
 
 is substantially to ascribe, to the minister who bap- 
 tizes, that power which the scriptures exclusively ap- 
 propriate to God (John i. 12.); and it is directly to 
 contradict the article of the church of England 
 which calls baptism a sign of regeneration, convey- 
 ing grace and spiritual blessings: a sign and the 
 thing signified cannot be the same thing. And yet is 
 there in the promise of God sufficient warrant both 
 for the prayer of faith, and after that prayer for the 
 thanksgiving of faith. For, on the other hand, God's 
 ordinances are never bare signs. If faith be absent, 
 they greatly increase guilt in the partakers of them ; 
 as the guilt of Simon Magus was increased by his 
 baptism, which left him in the gall of bitterness. 
 But if faith be present, a blessing is in the ordi- 
 nance. The faith of parents may bring inestimable 
 blessings on their children (Mark ix. 23, 24; x. 16.) ; 
 and we are justly called on in the exercise of this 
 faith to thank God for the blessing, as Jehoshaphat, 
 after prayer and God's promise, no longer hesitates, 
 before the victory over his enemies, to offer the song 
 of praise and thanksgiving in the full triumph of faith. 
 See 2 Chron. xx. 21. Many of the Psalms glow in 
 the close of them with the same exercise of faith. 
 
 But if regeneration be thus connected with bap- 
 tism, how is it that we see so many baptized children 
 so manifestly unregenerate ? He that is horn of God 
 overcometh the world, worlieth righteousness, loves the 
 children of God, and has his affections set on things 
 above ; and we see, alas ! innumerable multitudes 
 that are baptized, to whom none of these characters 
 belong. The real root of this grievous failure of 
 God's ordinance is man's unbelief, as it was in the 
 Israelites' not entering Canaan. Heb. iii. 19. The 
 
172 TREATISE ON BAPTISM '. 
 
 sacrament is made void through unbelief. To save 
 and to bless, there must be more than the sign. There 
 must be in the adult the answer of a good conscience 
 towards God, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ; 
 and in the case of the infant, the child must be 
 brought by the parent or sponsor in the faith of God's 
 promises to children, and trained up in faith for his 
 service, and by personal faith and penitence mani- 
 fest completed regeneration, or baptism saves not. 
 These things will at once account, — when we look at 
 the way in which baptism is too often administered 
 and received, — for the wide failure in obtaining its 
 benefits, and enforce the great practical lesson, Let 
 us, therefore, fear, lest a promise being left us of enter- 
 ing into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of 
 it. Heb. iv. 1. 
 
 Having thus gone through the more thorny paths 
 of controversy, let us in the close more practically 
 view the subject, addressing different characters. 
 
 1. Those who have been baptized, but manifest 
 
 NO SIGNS OF SPIRITUAL REGENERATION. They know 
 
 not the rich grace of God exhibited to them in that 
 ordinance ; they prize not salvation by the death of 
 Jesus ; they love the world and the things of the 
 world ; all their religion is taught by the precepts of 
 men, and springs not from the fear of God. At pre- 
 sent they are dead in trespasses, as if they had never 
 been baptized. We say to them, as Ezekiel said to 
 the circumcised Jews living without the circumcision 
 of the Spirit, justifying the evangelical churches of 
 Christ which have ever adopted this language, Re- 
 pent and turn yourselves from all your transgressions ; 
 so iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you 
 all your transgressions whereby ye have transgressed, 
 
BAPTISM CONNECTED WITH REGENERATION. 173 
 
 and make you a new heart and a new spirit ; for why 
 will ye die, O house of Israel? Baptism unimproved 
 is wholly unavailing, except indeed to the increase of 
 guilt and of condemnation for abused mercies. But 
 on the other hand, think not that the season of mercy 
 is past for you. There are most solemn warnings of 
 the danger of apostacy, (Heb. vi. 4—6; x. 26—29.), 
 and it is a most fearful guilt thus to tread under foot, 
 as you have done, the Son of God, and count the blood 
 of the covenant , wherewith you have been sanctified, anun- 
 holy thing, and to do despite to the Spirit of grace. Beware 
 of an approach to this, and at once cast away all unbe- 
 lief, and flee from the wrath to come. Now is the ac- 
 cepted time ; now is the day of salvation. Simon 
 Magus had, after his baptism, sinned in a most ag- 
 gravated degree ; and yet even in his extreme case 
 he is not left in despair ; but he is exhorted, Repent 
 therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God if per- 
 haps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. 
 Acts viii. 22.* Jesus is still a Saviour for you. He 
 
 * The doctrine of sin after baptism being unpardonable, is most 
 unscriptural. The sons of the parent of the Prodigal we must sup- 
 pose to have been circumcised, and what could be more vile than the 
 conduct of the Prodigal, and yet what could be more gracious than 
 his immediate reception on his real return, and the full assurance in- 
 stantly of favour ? It is true that every increase of privilege involves 
 an increase of responsibility and of danger, if rejected, in proportion 
 to the light we have given to us with that privilege. And it is most 
 painfully true, that there may be such a fulness of intellectual light 
 so continually received without any fruit of grace brought forth, that 
 the conscience may be seared, the heart hardened, and it becomes 
 impossible for such to renew them again to repentance. But to con- 
 fine this to the baptized, and suppose that being enlightened means only 
 baptism, whether faith be exercised or not, and to apply it to all the 
 baptized, is to set aside all spirituality of the law, all sensibility of 
 sin under which the highest saints are groaning, all the riches and 
 fulness of gospel forgiveness of all manner of sin, and either to bring 
 us back to the bondage from which Christ has delivered us, or to set 
 men at liberty to sin without remorse. 
 
174 TREATISE ON BAPTISM I 
 
 still stands and says, Whosoever will, let him take the 
 water of life freely . Begin to do, without delay, what 
 you should have begun from infancy, and be assured 
 of the realizing to you the promise, They that seek me 
 early shall find me. Be swift to hear God's word ; it 
 is the grand instrument for your conversion ; the law 
 of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul ; faith comet h 
 bg hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Be dili- 
 gent, then, to redeem the time. See the freedom of 
 grace in God's first meeting you in baptism; see your 
 own abuse of that grace in your sad neglect of it, 
 and let his goodness at length lead you to repentance. 
 Even adulterers and adulteresses in spiritual guilt are 
 invited, Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to 
 you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners, and purify your 
 hearts, ye double-minded. James iv. 8. Your baptism 
 may yet be to you the completed blessing of regene- 
 ration, if you now join to it that new heart and new 
 spirit which God has promised to give to them that 
 ask; (Ezek. xxxvi.) if you now apply to the Saviour 
 for that baptism of the Holy Ghost which it is his 
 peculiar prerogative to bestow. Mark i. 8. 
 
 Our subject also addresses those whose spiritual 
 state manifests that they are regenerate : they are 
 raised to heavenly things ; they have received Christ ; 
 they love the brethren and all men ; they overcome 
 the world ; they are kept from sin. To such the 
 apostle speaks, As new-born babes, desire the sincere 
 milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby ; if so be 
 that ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. 1 Peter ii. 
 2, 3. Regeneration, like our first birth, not only 
 admits of growth, but implies and requires growth. 
 The Corinthians could not be addressed as spiritual, 
 but as carnal, even as babes in Christ, who required 
 
BAPTISM CONNECTED WITH REGENERATION. 175 
 
 milk and not meat. 1 Cor. iii. 1, 2. The Hebrews ought 
 to have grown up to be teachers, but required teaching 
 again the first principles of the oracles of God, and 
 were become such as had need of milk and not of string 
 meat. Heb. v. 12. May we then seek to grow in the 
 divine life, in faith, hope, and love : in devotion, 
 humility, and heavenly-mindedness ; in knowledge 
 of the mysteries of the gospel, and corresponding 
 lowliness, meekness, and loving-kindness to all men. 
 May we be so skilful in the word of righteousness as to 
 profit by the strong meat that belong eth to them that are 
 of full age, even those who by reason of use have their 
 senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Heb. v. 
 13, 14. 
 
 Let us not rest also in the mere discernment of the 
 nature and means and value of regeneration ; but go 
 on to discern and enjoy the rich privileges and glo- 
 rious hopes of the regenerate, as belonging to the 
 church and household of God, having all his precious 
 promises assured to them, the gifts and graces of his 
 Spirit, the adoption into his family, the heavenly in- 
 heritance, the assurance of his favour and love, and 
 the lively expectation of his coming kingdom and 
 glory. Let us discern also, and practise, the holy 
 precepts, which are the very paths of happiness in 
 which God calls them to live ; the walk with God on 
 earth which He enables them to lead ; and the being 
 raised up together and made to sit together in hea- 
 venly places, which is their common blessedness now 
 while on their way to those mansions in our Father's 
 house, where Christ is even now preparing a place 
 for us. It is but a little thing to know the beginning 
 of regeneration well, and not to walk in all its free- 
 dom and heavenly-mindedness now, and in the full 
 light and joy of its approaching everlasting reward. 
 
176 TREATISE ON BAPTISM I 
 
 Supposing then, through the unbelief of the pa- 
 rents and the church, and the subsequent impeni- 
 tence and unbelief of the baptized child, it becomes 
 manifest, by a course of open sin, that at baptism 
 they have not received spiritual life, are they then to 
 be called regenerate, and is it a departure from the 
 faith of God's word of promise in baptism, to tell 
 them, Ye must be born again ? This is neither the 
 view of the scriptures nor of the church of England. 
 In the Old Testament, the circumcised Jew was told, 
 Make you a new heart and a new spirit ; for why will ye 
 die, O house of Israel? Ezek. xviii. 31. In the New 
 Testament, St. John explicitly states of such, They 
 went out from us, but they were not of us (1 John ii. 10) : 
 and the apostle tells us of another birth requisite for 
 such, besides that laver of regeneration, in which 
 they had already put on Christ, Gal. iii. 27. My little 
 children, of whom I travail in birth again, till Christ be 
 formed in you ; I desire to be present with you now, and 
 to change my voice, for I stand in doubt of you. Gal. iv. 
 19, 20. So, in the Homily on Whitsunday, our 
 church shews at length the nature of inward regen- 
 eration in real sanctification and holiness, and, with- 
 out alluding to baptism, adds, " Such is the power of 
 the Holy Ghost to regenerate men, and as it were to 
 bring them forth anew, so that they shall be nothing 
 like the men they were before. Neither doth he 
 think it sufficient inwardly to work the spiritual birth 
 of man, unless he do also dwell and abide in them."* 
 
 * There is a beautiful history of St. John preserved to us by Euse- 
 bius, as originally given by Clemens Alexandrinus. St. John coming 
 to a city, said to have been Smyrna, and seeing a youth with whom 
 he was interested, he committed him to the Bishop of that city, who 
 educated, and at length baptized him, and then took less care of 
 him. The youth, after this got into bad company, and increasing 
 in wickedness, at last became a commander-in-chief of a troop of 
 thieves. John, after this, coming again to Smyrna, inquired of the 
 
BAPTISM CONNECTED WITH REGENERATION. 177 
 
 Let us not then lose the substance in the sign and 
 means; but make, by God's blessing, the sign, and 
 means and pledge, the great help to our gaining the 
 full blessing which our God had in store for us, in 
 grace now and glory hereafter. 
 
 And should we have been baptized, without re- 
 ceiving the full spiritual blessing, let us not suppose 
 God's grace to be so limited as to be confined to that 
 means only of regeneration. Very far is this from 
 the case. Simon Magus, baptized, and found in the 
 gall of bitterness, is called to repent. Those Galatians, 
 of whom the apostle stood in doubt, he labours anew 
 for their spiritual birth. The door is yet abundantly 
 open, only enter without delay. Believe in the name 
 of Jesus, and you will be truly born agaiu of the will 
 of God. John i. 12, Ephes. ii. 4 — 13. Welcome his 
 preached gospel into your heart, and you will be 
 born again really and effectually. 1 Peter i. 22 — 25. 
 James i. 17, 18. God is your loving Father, and with 
 outstretched neck, as it were, is looking out for your 
 return. Luke xv. 20. You have sinned greatly in- 
 deed, in not believing his grace, as set forth in bap- 
 tism, but there are still stores of grace in Christ Jesus 
 for you. O hasten to Christ without hesitation, lest the 
 day of grace pass without your receiving his salvation. 
 
 Bishop about the charge deposited with him, and hearing his history, 
 he immediately got a guide to the mountain where the robbers re- 
 sorted, found the young man, brought him back, and with many 
 prayers, and much comfort of God's word, he was again restored to 
 the Church of Christ. The whole story is full of touching interest, 
 and may be seen at length in the history of Eusebius, lib. iii. chap. 23. 
 But the close of it shews how fully the primitive church held that a man 
 might be baptized, and yet regenerate at a future time ; for the ac- 
 count is thus closed: — " He departed not, as they say, until he had 
 restored him to the Church, having thereby shewn a great example of 
 true repentance, an illustrious instance of true regeneration, and a 
 trophy of a conspicuous resurrection." Clemens Alexandrinus flou- 
 rished at the close of the second century. 
 N 
 
178 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 MEDITATIONS AND PRAYERS BEFORE BAPTISM. 
 
 Christians have universally found the importance 
 and benefit of preparation for the second sacrament 
 of Christ, the Lord's supper, and equally important 
 and beneficial is it, not to rush hastily, and without 
 preparation, to the first sacrament of our Lord, bap- 
 tism. The Jews were baptized of John in Jordan, 
 confessing their sins. Matt. iii. G. The first baptized 
 in the Christian church were pricked in their hearts, 
 and cried out, What must we do to be saved, and then 
 they that gladly received the word were baptized. Acts 
 ii. 37 — 41. 
 
 Previous humiliation, self-reflection, self-examina- 
 tion, and holy resolution, become those to be baptized 
 or bringing children to baptism. Our Lord bids his 
 people to count all the cost of following him, before 
 they take up the profession of the faith. Luke xiv. 
 25 — 33. The church of England takes much care on 
 this subject in the baptism of adults, requiring that 
 they be sufficiently instructed in the principles of the 
 Christian religion, and that they be duly exhorted to 
 prepare themselves with prayers and fastings for the 
 receiving of this holy sacrament. Baptism, if duly 
 
MEDITATIONS AND PRAYERS. 179 
 
 improved, would never be administered or received 
 without a manifest revival and refreshing to the whole 
 congregation. 
 
 To assist the reader in this, the following medita- 
 tions and prayers have been prepared : — 
 
 MEDITATIONS PREVIOUS TO ADULT BAPTISM. 
 
 Acts viii. 86.— What doth hinder me to be baptized? 
 
 Many are the hindrances which my own evil heart 
 and an evil world would raise against my fulfilling 
 this important duty. The chief, however, may be 
 resolved into an unbelieving view of the depth of 
 God's wisdom, in providinga visibleordinance forcom- 
 municating his invisible grace ; and a want of entire 
 submission to his word; — into the inward love of sin, 
 and the preference of this world to Christ. Let me 
 see, then, my blindness, and how destitute I am of 
 any right views of my darkness, dependance, and sin- 
 fulness by nature ; and let me joyfully surrender my 
 own fancied wisdom to the wisdom which is from 
 above. Let me see in its true length and breadth, 
 height and depth, that loving-kindness whichhas been 
 manifested to one created by God the Father, redeemed 
 by God the Son, and having the promise of the indwel- 
 ling of God the Holy Ghost ! What though my com- 
 panions and the world around me mock ; what though 
 it seem strange to them to make so marked and public 
 a confession of the Lord Jesus Christ ; well may I go 
 forward under the divine assurance, /, even I, am he 
 that comforteth you : who art thou that thou shouldest be 
 afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man, 
 which shall be made as grass ; and forgettest the Lord 
 
 N 2 
 
180 TREATISE ON BAPTISM I 
 
 thy maher, that hath stretched forth the heavens and laid 
 the foundations of the earth ; and hast feared continually 
 every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he 
 were ready to destroy, and where is the fury of the op- 
 pressor ? And as to supposed advantages by continu- 
 ance in sin, what is the Just of the flesh, the lust of 
 the eye, and the pride of life, but darkness, vexation, 
 sorrow, misery, and everlasting ruin under the de- 
 ceitful mask of outward and present beauty, glory, 
 and happiness? How can I be happy in violating 
 the will of my best friend and benefactor, who has 
 all power in heaven and earth ? Can He who died for 
 me design anything in his laws to me but my best 
 good? Impossible. I will yield myself, then, to his 
 will unreservedly and wholly. 
 
 And O ! what a glorious truth have I to believe, in 
 believing with all my heart that Jesus Christ is the 
 Son of God ! In that truth I see a love in God, not 
 only wholly unparalleled and unequalled, but incon- 
 ceivably vast and glorious. Through eternity shall 
 I contemplate with admiration the amazing mystery 
 of love, that the Most High, in the person of his Son, 
 should stoop from heaven to earth, and be a child 
 and be in poverty ; and be a man of sorrows, and 
 not have where to lay his head ; and be mocked and 
 spit upon, and be crucified and die, and lie in the 
 grave ! Unutterable, boundless pity, grace, and love 
 to sinners ! and also how fearful must be the evil, 
 destructiveness, and vileness of sin ! Believing 
 Hi is in the heart, well may I set my face like a flint 
 against the world, the flesh, and the devil ; and re- 
 joice in a public and open occasion of testifying to 
 all that I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son 
 of God ; and desire to be his in life and his in death. 
 
MEDITATIONS AND PRAYERS. TBI 
 
 Acts xvi. 33. — And was baptized, he and all his, 
 straightway. 
 
 I admire the promptitude of the jailor. Immedi- 
 ately, the very same night ; he would make no delay. 
 While the terrors of the earthquake gave energy to 
 his resolution ; while the presence of the apostle 
 afforded him the opportunity; without consulting 
 flesh and blood, he fixed himself at once in the ser- 
 vice of his heavenly master. And the apostle, seeing 
 all the difficulties through which he had broken, and 
 the firmness and decision which marked his faith, 
 admitted him at once into the Christian church, and 
 thus the infant church at Philippi grew and was 
 strengthened. 
 
 Thus, too, would I fix myself for time and for eter- 
 nity without delay, and with every possible prompti- 
 tude, in the full conviction that this is the best, this 
 is the happiest choice that I could make, and that I 
 can never be grateful enough to my Father in heaven 
 for opening this door of admission into his kingdom, 
 and giving me the desire and the power to enter in 
 by faith. O, give me only that true repentance for all 
 my sin, and that real and lively faith, which are the 
 characteristics of all thy people ! 
 
 MEDITATIONS SUITED TO A SPONSOR BEFORE 
 BAPTISM. 
 
 Psalm Ixxvi. 11. — Vow and pay unto the Lord your 
 God. Let all that be round about Him, bring presents 
 to Him that ought to be feared. 
 
 In this spirit would I undertake that spiritual office 
 
182 TREATISE ON BAPTISM: 
 
 to which I have been called. O help me not to 
 regard it as a mere matter of form, nor as an act only 
 of family friendship and kindness, and still less as 
 a matter of unconcern and indifference ; but give me 
 grace to view it as comprehending, on the part of this 
 child, a solemn vow and promise to the Lord of all, 
 connected with incalculable blessings: and to see 
 that respecting this vow and promise I have a serious 
 and most important part to take. It becomes my duty, 
 by prayer, by advice, by watchful attention, to care 
 for the soul's health of this child, so that it may not 
 Jose, but have assured to it all the benefits which God 
 has promised to his people. 
 
 In the law, God gave this serious warning — When 
 thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord, thou shalt not slack 
 to pay it, for the Lord thy God will surely require it of 
 thee, and it would be sin in thee. But if thou shalt for- 
 bear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee. Deut. xxiii. 2 1, 22. 
 May I attend to this warning, and not hastily under- 
 take what I have no design to perform. 
 
 And yet, on the other hand, if I am to give to him 
 that asketh ; to do good to all men, and specially to the 
 household of faith ; if the wisdom that is from above 
 is easy to be entreated, full of mercy, and of good fruits, 
 then should I joyfully deny myself for the good of 
 others, and share a parent's cares, and burdens, and 
 willingly consent to be the sponsor for their child. 
 
 Lord, then I would at this time bring to thee, who 
 ought to be feared, a self-sacrificing, willing, and de- 
 voted heart, treading in the steps of that divine Re- 
 deemer who was our surety, and bore our burdens on 
 the tree. 
 
MEDITATIONS AND PRAYERS. 183 
 
 MEDITATIONS SUITED TO PARENTS PREVIOUS TO 
 INFANT BAPTISM. 
 
 Matt, xxviii. 18, 19. — All power is given unto me in 
 heaven and in earth : Go ye therefore and teach all na- 
 tions, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and 
 of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. 
 
 Here is the original institution of baptism ; and 
 blessed be God, it affords rich consolation and great 
 encouragement for the baptism of my children. 
 
 First, my Saviour has all power in heaven and 
 earth. He made my children, he preserves them, he 
 gives them to me. He who died for them on the tree, 
 in the fulness of his love, has now all power to save 
 and to bless them. 
 
 Next He commands his ministers to go into all the 
 world ; he begins, he commissions the work of grace 
 and goodness, and there are no limits to his love: 
 the good tidings of great joy are for all people. 
 
 Then the word nations (ja eOuTj, the nations, or Gen- 
 tiles) is so large as to include children (a most im- 
 portant part of every nation). Like the word in the 
 parallel place, every creature, it clearly shews to the 
 eye of faith that my Saviour would not have them 
 excluded. 
 
 Again, the word teach (or make disciples of) is 
 appropriate to the situation of children, (see Matt. x. 
 42; xviii. 1— 10,) as well as of grown-up persons; 
 and admits of their being brought into the school of 
 Christ by baptism, as the first step of their disciple- 
 ship ; and though it be in the lowest form, happy is 
 each scholar in this school. 
 
184 TREATISE ON BAPTISM: 
 
 And, lastly, in the one full and comprehensive 
 name of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, I have my 
 child brought into relationship with all the rich bless- 
 ings which God, my God, under these titles, so full 
 of love, grace, and communion, has provided for us 
 sinful creatures. Thanks be unto God for his un- 
 speakable gift ! It is equally my solemn duty and 
 my high privilege to bring my children to be thus 
 admitted into the church of Christ. 
 
 Gen. xvii. 7, 8. — Twill establish my covenant between 
 me and thee., and thy seed after thee in their genera- 
 tions, for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee 
 and to thy seed after thee. 
 
 Thanks more than I can utter be unto God for this 
 gracious covenant, now nearly 4000 years old, but as 
 sure and fresh and full of blessings, as if I heard it 
 anew from the Lord of all himself. Blessed be God, 
 the law given by Moses so many years afterwards, 
 could not weaken its gracious provisions. The cove- 
 nant which was confirmed before of God in Christ, the 
 law which was 430 years after cannot disannul, that it 
 should make the promise of none effect. The death of 
 Christ on the tree was for this end — That the blessing 
 of Abraham might come on the Gentiles, that we might 
 receive the promise through faith. And what more as 
 a Christian parent, can I wish for, than God's cove- 
 nant engagement to be my God, and not only my 
 God, but when I look on my dear children, he allows 
 me to add he has covenanted with me, the moment 
 I believe his promises, to be their God also. Lord, I 
 believe, help my unbelief. Increase my faith. Think, 
 O my soul, of God as our God, and all his perfections 
 
MEDITATIONS AND PRAYERS. 185 
 
 our blessedness for ever; his wisdom guiding, his 
 power protecting, his righteousness assuring, his 
 riches to be enjoyed, his grace pardoning, his love 
 providing, his presence never leaving, his glory our 
 eternal home : a God to thee, my own God, — what a 
 portion, what an inheritance is here ! All resurrec- 
 tion-glory is assured by this ! I am the God of Abra- 
 ham. Luke xx. 37. All spiritual life and blessings 
 are given in this (John xiv. 19. Psalm Ixxxiv. 11.) 
 Because I live, ye shall live also. All help in difficulty 
 is pledged by this (Heb, xiii. 5, 6.)— The Lord is my 
 helper. How important my personal faith and de- 
 votedness that this covenant may stand fast with my 
 children too ! God give me grace greatly to prize 
 and diligently to use these promises of grace to my 
 offspring, both by simple faith, fervent prayer, lively 
 hope, and consistently training them up as heirs of 
 God and joint-heirs with Christ. In the strength of 
 this promise may it be the joy of my heart to see 
 God's own seal in baptism applied to my child at this 
 time. 
 
 Acts ii. 38. — Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, 
 in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, 
 and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For 
 the promise is unto you and to your children, and to 
 all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our 
 God shall call. 
 
 To secure the promise of the Divine Spirit to my 
 children — how precious, how important ! Most plain 
 is that promise — J will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, 
 and my blessing upon thine offspring ; and very gra- 
 cious is the connection here implied between repen- 
 
18G TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 tance, baptism, remission of sins, the promise of the 
 Spirit, and the interest of my children in these things. 
 Lord, accompany then thine ordinance with thine 
 own effectual grace to my child. Blessed be thy 
 name that I was in my early years thus brought into 
 thy church, and numbered with thy people. And, O 
 thou who didst make the faith of a parent requisite 
 (Mark ix. 23.) before thou didst heal the sick child 
 of that parent, give me faith in thy promises, lest, 
 through my unbelief, my child suffer loss. Give me 
 also true repentance for my own inconsistencies and 
 for all my sins, however committed and whenever 
 committed. Help me to see thy love in every thing, 
 and that thou hast provided in Jesus, thine own Son, 
 for the full remission of all sins, and grace to overcome 
 sin ; thus there is no excuse for our sinning against 
 thee, nor for one hard or rebellious thought against 
 our God ; and sin against commandments so good and 
 love so abounding has become exceeding sinful, al- 
 together baseness and abomination, as well as misery 
 and ruin. 
 
 Thus myself a partaker of thy grace, I plead with 
 thee, that the promise is also to my children, as well 
 as to all afar off. O my God, the love which prompted 
 thee to make the promise, will also, when that pro- 
 mise is pleaded in faith and prayer, lead thee to 
 the performance of all good to them. I bring ray 
 child then to baptism, seeing the largeness of thy 
 love and the riches of thy grace, not only to thy peo- 
 ple, but also to their offspring, and earnestly desiring 
 for mine, above every thing else, spiritual, heavenly 
 and eternal blessings. 
 
MEDITATIONS AND PRAYERS. 187 
 
 Mark x. 14. — Suffer the little children to come unto 
 me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom 
 of God. 
 
 Most kind and compassionate to every Christian 
 parent is this declaration of the mind of Christ! 
 What can be more important in the eyes of the 
 Christian, full of tender love to his children, and 
 deeply sensible that the one grand blessing for them 
 is, that they belong to the kingdom of God, than this 
 gracious invitation and this blessed assurance. Con- 
 necting this also with the circumcision of infants 
 under the Jewish dispensation, and the parallel rite 
 of baptism (Col. ii. 11, 12.) under the Christian, I 
 do with joyful confidence of heart in the grace 
 and love of God bring my child to baptism. De- 
 lightful is the privilege of bringing my little ones 
 into the outward visible kingdom, in the blessed 
 hope of their being found ultimately numbered in 
 the inward kingdom here and the heavenly kingdom 
 hereafter, and of their fully now sharing in all the 
 fellowship of prayer of thy churches through the 
 world. What grace and loveliness has my Saviour, 
 by this kind reception of little children, manifested ! 
 How should it fill my heart with the sense of his 
 overflowing goodness. 
 
 Of such is the kingdom of God; then my own dear 
 child, brought to Jesus, belongs to this kingdom. 
 And I have this unspeakable treasure, to train up as 
 a member of Christ, a child of God and an inheritor 
 of the kingdom of heaven, for the everlasting king- 
 dom yet to come. O may I guard the invaluable 
 treasure with jealous care, lest by my earthliness 
 
188 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 and worldliness, by my sinfulness and misconduct, 
 my child suffer damage, and lose that kingdom to 
 which it already belongs, in the loving heart of that 
 gracious Redeemer, and to which it is openly to be 
 admitted by his own divine institution. 
 
 Acts xvi. 15. — And she was baptized and her household. 
 
 This was the first baptism, by the apostle, of the 
 Gentiles in Europe ; the first after he had seen that 
 remarkable vision — -Come over into Macedonia and 
 help us. How interesting to us Europeans, and how 
 doubly so to us European parents it is, that by this 
 first baptism of the divinely-inspired apostle, the 
 household, as well as the head of the family was 
 introduced to the Christian church ! God gave here 
 a gracious earnest of that fulness of blessing then in 
 store for Europe, when its kingdoms shoul d become 
 nationally Christian, and a blessed encouragement 
 to all Christian families, to have every member of the 
 family, (all his, Acts xvi. 33.J all his house, (the house- 
 hold of Stephanas, 1 Cor. i. 16.) brought to baptism. 
 In that emblem and figure of the whole family of God, 
 a private family, the Christian parent would not have 
 one out of the covenant of God's love, and the token 
 of that covenant which is baptism. How accordant 
 then with the very character and large grace of the 
 gospel is infant baptism! Only grant, heavenly 
 Father, the true baptism of thine own Spirit, that 
 from its earliest years dedicated to thee, my child 
 may be claimed by thy Spirit for thine own. 
 
MEDITATIONS AND PRAYERS. 189 
 
 PRAYER FOR AN ADULT BEFORE BAPTISM. 
 
 I thank thee, O Lord, my heavenly Father, that 
 thou hast called me to the knowledge of thy Son 
 Jesus Christ, and salvation through his blood. I 
 bless thy holy name that the joyful sound of the glo- 
 rious gospel of the ever-blessed God, making known 
 to me Jesus the Saviour of sinners, ever reached my 
 ears, and by thy grace was received into my heart. 
 Give me herein clearer and fuller views of my own 
 sinfulness, in rebelling against thee, the God of love, 
 and more confiding and enlarged views of thy grace 
 and goodness, in the sufferings of thine own Son, for 
 my salvation. Grant me also such a lively faith in 
 the Son of God, that I may be strengthened to a com- 
 plete victory over the world, and all its many tempta- 
 tions. 
 
 O Lord, my God and my salvation, I do indeed 
 intreat of thee effectual help to renounce all thine 
 enemies and mine, the lust of the flesh, the lust of 
 the eye, and the pride of life ; I do intreat of thee 
 strength and power to overcome the world, and the 
 flesh, and the devil. I do intreat of thee such grace 
 in my baptism that it may be blessed of thee, to lead 
 me on, hereafter, to far more decision of character, 
 far more self-sacrifice. O give me those grateful, 
 enlarged, and joyful exertions to do thy will, benefit 
 my fellow-creatures, and glorify in all things thy 
 great name, which flow from the sweet assurance 
 of thy love and the joy of thy salvation. May I be, 
 and live, only for thee, my God, now and ever. 
 
 Help me also to look beyond the mere outward ad- 
 ministration of this ordinance, and the baptism by 
 
190 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 thine appointed minister, to that baptism which is 
 the work, not of the minister, but only of the hea- 
 venly Master. O Lord Jesus, it is thine alone to 
 baptize with the Holy Ghost, thus baptize me in this 
 sacrament; yea, baptize me each day afresh into the 
 name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy 
 Ghost. Thus may I continually be growing in the 
 joyful heartfelt knowledge of the true God, conti- 
 nually be partaking more of his character and bless- 
 edness, in all the relations in which he stands to me, 
 and daily may I manifest more and more of his Spirit, 
 and be more and more conformed to his image. 
 
 O hear and answer me, for my Redeemer's sake. 
 Amen. 
 
 PRAYER FOR SPONSORS BEFORE BAPTISM. 
 
 Almighty Father, whose name is love, and who 
 delightest that we should shew forth thy love to 
 others, help me joyfully to undertake this office of 
 love to which I am now called, even to be a sponsor 
 for the spiritual welfare of the child of another. And 
 first let me afresh give myself to Thee, from whom 
 comes every good I have, and then, feeling that I 
 am thine, may I see that it is thy grace I have to 
 manifest towards all others, promising in a good 
 conscience for this infant, because I feel and rejoice 
 in the blessings which thy gospel has brought to my- 
 self. And, O put it into my heart by watchfulness, 
 prayer, and readiness to use opportunities, *o do 
 always what lies in me for the furtherance of the 
 spiritual and everlasting life of this child. Hear me, 
 for Christ's sake. 
 
MEDITATIONS AND PRAYERS. 191 
 
 PRAYER FOR PARENTS BEFORE BAPTISM. 
 
 Father of all fathers, Lord of heaven and earth, 
 thou hast given us a dear child, with a never-dying 
 soul, to bring up for thee ; and with this precious gift, 
 O how many are the gifts of thy love ; thou sparedst 
 not thine only Son, but he died for us, and has re- 
 deemed us and our children from our sins, by his 
 own blood ; thou givest thy Holy Spirit to them that 
 ask, and hast promised that Spirit to our offspring ; 
 we come to thee with grateful and believing hearts, 
 that we, and all those belonging to us may, by a true 
 faith, be living and happy partakers of all thy grace. 
 Especially we pray for this child, whom we desire to 
 bring to thy holy baptism, that thou thyself wilt 
 sanctify it to thyself from this time forth for ever- 
 more, that our dear child may be wholly thine, pro- 
 tected by thy power, guided by thy wisdom, guarded 
 by thy providence, kept by thy grace, upheld 
 by thy strength, and blessed by thy love for ever, 
 through Jesus our Redeemer. Amen. 
 
192 TREATISE ON BAPTISM 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 ON THE BAPTISMAL SERVICES OF THE CHURCH OF 
 ENGLAND, AND THE INSTRUCTION GIVEN IN ITS 
 CATECHISM. 
 
 In considering the church services, we will begin by 
 explaining the catechetical instruction given on bap- 
 tism, as mistakes here are very common, and have 
 given occasion to much unfounded reproach against 
 the established church. 
 
 The catechism commences with the following state- 
 ment: " My godfathers and godmothers gave me my 
 Christian name in my baptism, wherein I was made 
 a member of Christ, the child of God, and an inhe- 
 ritor of the kingdom of heaven." 
 
 There are two leading mistakes made on this as- 
 sertion of our catechism; one, that these terms de- 
 scribe only a mere relative change, without any 
 spiritual blessedness; and the other, that they de- 
 scribe the whole of what scripture intends by rege- 
 neration, a passing from death unto life, and com- 
 pleted spiritual life. Neither of these appear to 
 have been the real meaning of our Reformers, nor 
 of the inspired writers, who use similar expres- 
 sions, as we have seen, respecting the baptized, of 
 whom they afterwards speak as standing in doubt. 
 Compare Gal. iii. 20— 21), and iv. 13, 19,20. They 
 
THE BAPTISMAL SERVICES. 193 
 
 did not mean a mere relative change ; the terms are 
 too distinct and strong for this; but a federal or 
 covenant standing before God and the church, im- 
 parting great spiritual privileges, and involving cor- 
 responding duties : or, as it is expressed afterwards, 
 a call to a state of salvation, to continue in which to 
 our life's end, grace is needful. It may, or it may 
 not be, that the whole of what we call spiritual re- 
 generation is imparted at Baptism. There is much 
 ground, from many delightful scripture statements, 
 connecting baptism and regeneration, (John iii. 5 ; 
 Rom. vi. 3, 4; 1 Cor. vi. 11 ; Col. ii. 10—13 ; Titus 
 iii. 4—7.) for faith and prayer and hope as to the 
 largest blessing ; but, seeing experience abundantly 
 proves, what the scriptures in the case of Simon 
 Magus had indeed made clear, that many are bap- 
 tized who have not the main scriptural marks of 
 completed regeneration, the language of our church, 
 like the language of scripture, is to be viewed as 
 expressing that baptism conveys federal or covenant 
 privileges and engagements, and not of itself regene- 
 ration in its inward power and complete blessedness. 
 The shell is to be distinguished from the kernel, 
 though so needful for its formation and growth. 
 
 The use of such language in the scripture runs 
 through the Bible. In the Old Testament the 
 parallel ordinance of circumcision was administered 
 as a rite with similar grace to baptism (Col. ii. 10 — 
 13); and yet we perpetually find the Israelites, after 
 the outward rite, charged as being spiritually, and 
 therefore really, uncircumcised. Lev. xxvi. 41, 42. 
 Deut. x. 16 ; xxx. 6. Jer. iv. 4 ; vi. 10 ; ix. 25. Acts 
 vii. 51. There may be a literal circumcision and 
 federal privilege thence derived, without the true 
 © 
 
194 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 circumcision (Rom. ii. 28, 29; ix. 4); and a person 
 may become, by a federal covenant, a member of 
 Christ, a child of God, and an inheritor of the kingdom 
 of heaven, without attaining the spiritual blessedness 
 designed by this covenant. * 
 
 See how the Israelites were called an holy people 
 unto the Lord (Deut. vii. 6; xiv. 2, 21), and the chil- 
 dren of the Lord their God (Deut. xiv. 1); and yet 
 are described elsewhere as a seed of evil doers, and 
 children that are corrupters (Isaiah i. 2 — 6.), who have 
 not known God, and are sottish children (Jer. iv. 22), 
 and backsliding children. Jer. iii. 14, 22. We read 
 again in the New Testament, that the children of the 
 kingdom shall be cast into outer darkness. Matt. viii. 12. 
 The branches may be in the vine, members of Christ, 
 and yet bear no fruit, and be taken away. John xv.2. 
 Esau wascircumcised and had the birthright; yetbeing 
 a profane person, he sold the birth-right of his inhe- 
 ritance and forfeited the blessing. Heb. xii. 16, 17. 
 How vividly the apostle Paul brings in contrast his 
 deep grief in the Jews rejecting salvation, with the 
 most lively sense of their spiritual privileges. Rom. ix. 
 1 — 5. Such language shews with what justice and 
 scriptural warrant our church applies the words of our 
 catechism to all the baptized. They arc, in an im- 
 portant sense, as brought into covenant with God 
 openly in the sight of his church, members of Christ, 
 children of God, and inheritors of the kingdom of 
 heaven ; and in the assurance of these blessings 
 sealed to them in baptism, are pledged to repentance 
 and faith, to which, and to the increase of which, 
 God's previous grace then assured to them is a mighty 
 
 * The Author has explained this distinction more at length in his 
 •' Divine Warning;," Appendix II. p. 315—321. 
 
THE BAPTISMAL SERVICES. 195 
 
 help. Let them truly repent and believe, and then 
 the blessings are truly and fully realized. 
 
 Through the overflowing goodness of God, which 
 has connected his grace with the outward means, to 
 multiply the opportunities of its being received by 
 us, both baptism and regeneration are now complex 
 terms, embracing more than the bare letter intimates. 
 Baptism now means more than washing with water. 
 By God's appointment, as a solemn ordinance of his 
 church, it is not merely washing, but thelaver of re- 
 generation, embracing two things — public washing 
 with water, and a promise of God, the very means of 
 spiritual regeneration ; as is shewn in the close of 
 the Catechism, and is already explained. 
 
 Regeneration itself also is a complex term, includ- 
 ing a state of federal privileges, and a new and 
 spiritual life and blessedness in the sight of God; 
 and also the state of final glory in the world to come. 
 God has in mercy so joined these things together, 
 that one duly improved is a step towards another; 
 and the rejection of the privilege awfully manifests 
 more and more his righteousness in punishing such 
 aggravated guilt. How often does our Lord insist 
 on that great principle of his gospel — Whosoever hath, 
 to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance ; 
 but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away 
 even that he hath. Matt. xiii. 12 ; xxv. 29. Mark iv. 
 25. Luke viii. 18; xii. 48. Now is that precious ac- 
 cepted time and day of salvation, in which we have 
 a blessed season of grace for rising through living 
 faith out of our fallen state to the full enjoyment of 
 that blessedness which our outward privileges sig- 
 nify, and which God, by them, when rightly received, 
 will communicate. The church without faith may 
 o 2 
 
196 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 clothe itself in fancied possessions, and all the while 
 be naked, and wretched, and miserable. The church, 
 with faith in God's grace and love, rises from earth 
 to heaven, is adopted into the family of God, joins 
 the company of his sons, and will finally share the 
 glories of the only-begotten. 
 
 It has been supposed by many that the expressions 
 in the catechism and baptismal service might be so 
 changed as to leave it doubtful whether the spiritual 
 blessings were really obtained. The author, for 
 his own part, cannot but think that were the ex- 
 pressions to be neutralized so as to be left more 
 doubtful and uncertain, it would tend to keep out of 
 sight the true ground of infant baptism, and to 
 weaken living faith in God's promises, and keep 
 our federal promises hidden from us. Our service 
 would no longer be a spiritual worship in faith and 
 hope ; just in proportion as you lowered the expres- 
 sions of spiritual blessings attained, you would lower 
 the faith of the church, in the free promises of God's 
 grace in Christ Jesus to the children of believers. 
 Doubt and wavering is strongly condemned in the 
 scriptures, and our services now, in their right use, 
 are far removed from that wavering faith which gains 
 nothing. Let not that man t kink that he shall receive 
 any tiling of the Lord. James i. 6, 7. 
 
 The true remedy for the incongruity between the 
 sound catechism of our church and its beautiful bap- 
 tismal service, and the actual state of the baptized 
 and of those who join in that service, is not lowering 
 the expressions of our formularies to meet the low- 
 ered tone of our congregations and their weak belief 
 in the promises. The scriptural remedy is of another 
 kind, the faithful and full preaching of the doctrines 
 
THE BAPTISMAL SERVICES. 197 
 
 of the gospel, and the unspeakable blessings and 
 privileges God has in his covenants of promise as- 
 sured to the believer and his children. 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 that faith in God's 
 words, not to flinch from the full statement and exhi- 
 bition of the riches of his grace. 
 
 There are three forms of service provided by our 
 church for baptism. One for public baptism of infants 
 to be used in the church, another for private baptism 
 of children in houses, and a third for public baptism 
 of such as are of riper years. In considering first, the 
 form for the public baptism of infants, most of what is 
 material to be observed on these forms may be noticed. 
 A few remarks will then be made on the other forms. 
 
 Some rubrical directions express the desire of the 
 church for the administration of baptism, " on Sun- 
 days and other holy days when the most number of 
 people come together : as well for that the congrega- 
 tion there present may testify the receiving of them 
 that be newly baptized into the number of Christ's 
 church, as also because, in the baptism of infants 
 every man present may be put in remembrance of his 
 own profession made to God in his baptism." 
 
 It is greatly to be desired that this rubric were 
 generally observed. The author has had an op- 
 portunity in his ministry for many years, both in 
 London and in the country, of seeing the truly bene- 
 ficial effects of public baptism in the midst of divine 
 service. It has been the entire revival of a sacra- 
 ment. So far from being wearisome to the congrega- 
 
198 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 tion on Sundays on which it is administered, public 
 baptism has occasioned a manifest increase in the 
 number of attendants. It has excited lively interest 
 in the great truths set before us in baptism. It has 
 furnished many a motive for Christian practice, and 
 many a ground of earnest appeal in the public minis- 
 try, which would otherwise either not have been 
 brought forward or felt. The objections of its length- 
 ening the service, and becoming formal, apply not 
 where the congregation as here is interested in what 
 is going on. We feel not that to be long in which our 
 mind is really engaged, and our affections are excited. 
 
 A chief benefit of this, however, is the increase of 
 prayer for the baptized. Little do the rich who have 
 their children baptized in state in a drawing-room, or 
 the poor who wish to have a baptism in their cottage, 
 without the trouble of a public service, consider the 
 loss their dear babe sustains. As old as the third 
 century, Tertullian remarked, " We can with greater 
 profit beg the divine grace upon the baptized person, 
 when there is a number present in the public con- 
 gregation.'' It is one of the better canons of the Con- 
 stantinopolitan Council, in the time of Justinian, 
 " Let not baptism be celebrated in any oratory within 
 a private house, but they that would partake of an 
 undefiled baptism, let them goto the public churches, 
 and there let them enjoy this gift." 
 
 This baptismal service of the church of England is 
 almost wholly taken from old liturgies, some of which 
 may be traced to very early ages of Christianity. Mr. 
 Palmer, in his valuable Antiquities of the English 
 Ritual, has shewn that " the greater portion of our 
 prayers have been continually retained and used by 
 the church of England for more than 1200 years* 
 
THE BAPTISMAL SERVICES. 199 
 
 Surely this may lead us to prize and adhere to a trea- 
 sure thus endeared to us. The compilation of our 
 Liturgy was referred to learned and pious men, who 
 had before them all the Liturgies then in use, as well 
 as the most ancient Liturgies. They selected what- 
 ever appeared most valuable, omitting many things 
 unauthorized by the word of God, and retaining only 
 what appeared to them desirable for edification. The 
 Liturgy thus prepared was submitted to Convocation, 
 and then, on their approval, to the Parliament, by 
 whom it was sanctioned in these terms, " They gave 
 unto the king most hearty and lowly thanks for it, 
 and for his most godly travail in collecting and 
 gathering together the said archbishop, bishops, 
 and learned men, and for the godly prayers, orders, 
 rites and ceremonies in the said book, and considered 
 the honour of God and the great quietness which by 
 the grace of God would ensue upon it; and finally 
 concluded the book was such that it would give occa- 
 sion to every honest man most willingly to em- 
 brace it." * 
 
 (1.) THE MINISTRATION OF THE PUBLIC BAPTISM OF 
 INFANTS. 
 
 In considering the Baptismal Service, we will give 
 the service as it is in the Book of Common Prayer, 
 and add such remarks as may seem useful. 
 It opens with the following enquiry- 
 Hath this Child been already baptized, or no ? 
 This inquiry is founded on the one baptism of scrip- 
 
 * See Strype's Memorials, vol. i. p. 135. It was first printed in 
 June, 1548. 
 
200 TREATISE ON BAPTISM: 
 
 ture (Ephes. iv. 5) ; like the initiatory rite of circum- 
 cision : baptism being but once administered. 
 
 U If they answer, No : Then sliall the Priest proceed as folloiveth. 
 Dearly beloved, forasmuch as all men are conceived and born in 
 sin : and that our Saviour Christ saith, None can enter into the 
 kingdom of God, except he be regenerate and born anew of Water 
 and of the Holy Ghost ; I beseech you to call upon God the 
 Father, through our Lord Jesus Christ, that of his bounteous 
 mercy he will grant to this Child that thing which by nature lie 
 cannot have ; that he may be baptized with Water and the Holy 
 Ghost, and received into Christ's holy Church, and be made a 
 lively member of the same. 
 
 The clear statement of our fallen nature (Psalm li. 
 5; Ephes. ii. 3), most properly precedes that ordi- 
 nance which is one of the first steps of our deliver- 
 ance from it. The connection of baptism and regen- 
 eration (John iii. 5. Titus iii. 5) has already been 
 shewn. The earnest calls made on the congregation, 
 to pray for the child, shew the advantage of public 
 baptism ; and the blessings to be asked for are suit- 
 able to the occasion. 
 
 U Then shall the Priest say, 
 Let us pray. 
 Almighty and everlasting God, who of thy great mercy didst 
 save Noah and his family in the ark from perishing by water; and 
 also didst safely lead the children of Israel thy people through the 
 Red Sea, figuring thereby thy holy Baptism ; and by the Baptism 
 of thy well-beloved Son Jesus Christ, in the river Jordan, didst 
 sanctify Water to the mystical washing away of sin ; We beseech 
 thee, for thine infinite mercies, that thou wilt mercifully look 
 upon this Child ; wash him and sanctify him with the holy Ghost ; 
 that he, being delivered from thy wrath, may be received into the 
 ark of Christ's Church ; and being stedfast in faith, joyful through 
 hope, and rooted in charity, may so pass the waves of this trouble- 
 
THE BAPTISMAL SERVICES. 201 
 
 some world, that finally he may come to the land of everlasting 
 life, there to reign with thee, world without end ; through Jesus 
 Christ our Lord. Amen. 
 
 The scriptural fulness and beautiful simplicity and 
 comprehensiveness of this prayer are very manifest. 
 It is partly founded on a prayer in the Gothic Missal. 
 Happy is that minister and that congregation where 
 such prayers are truly and spiritually, by the whole 
 assembled church, offered up to God. The passages 
 of scripture on which this prayer is founded are, 
 1 Peter iii. 20, 21. 1 Cor. x. 1, 2. Matt. iii. 13—15. 
 1 Peter v. 9. 1 Cor. xiii. 13. Hebrews xi. 16. Rev. 
 xxii. 5. 
 
 Almighty and immortal God, the aid of all that need, the helper 
 of all that flee to thee for succour, the life of them that believe, 
 and the resurrection of the dead ; We call upon thee for this 
 Infant, that he coming to thy holy Baptism, may receive remis- 
 sion of his sins by spiritual regeneration. Receive him, O Lord, 
 as thou hast promised by thy well-beloved Son, saying, Ask, and 
 ye shall have ; seek, and ye shall find ; knock, and it shall be 
 opened unto you : So give now unto us that ask : let us that seek 
 find ; open the gate unto us that knock ; that this Infant may 
 enjoy the everlasting benediction of thy heavenly washing, and 
 may come to the eternal kingdom which thou hast promised by 
 Christ our Lord. Amen. 
 
 This prayer was used in the Liturgies of Salisbury 
 and York, before the Reformation, and its use can be 
 traced during upwards of 900 years. The fervent 
 petitions of this prayer well precede the triumphant 
 language of faith in the subsequent prayers. The 
 scriptural warrants for the prayer are Psalm lxxii. 
 12;ix. 9. John xi. 25,26. Acts ii. 38. Matt, vii.7. 
 Gal. iii. 27—29. 
 
202 TREATISE ON BAPTISM f 
 
 ^1 Then shall the people stand up, and the Priest shall say, 
 Hear the words of the Gospel, written by St. Mark, in the tenth 
 Chapter, at the thirteenth Verse. 
 They brought young children to Christ, that he should touch 
 them ; and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But 
 when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, 
 Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not ; 
 for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily, I say unto you, Who- 
 soever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he 
 shall not enter therein. And he took them up in his arms, put 
 his hands upon them, and blessed them. 
 
 IT After the Gospel is read, the Minister shall make this brief Ex- 
 hortation upon the words of the Gospel. 
 Beloved, ye hear in this Gospel the words of our Saviour Christ, 
 that he commanded the children to be brought unto him ; how he 
 blamed those that would have kept them from him ; how he ex- 
 horteth all men to follow their innocency. Ye perceive how by 
 his outward gesture and deed he declared his good will toward 
 them ; for he embraced them in his arms, he laid his hands upon 
 them, and blessed them. Doubt ye not, therefore, but earnestly 
 believe, that he will likewise favourably receive this present In- 
 fant ; that he will embrace him with the arms of his mercy ; that 
 he will give unto him the blessing of eternal life, and make him 
 partaker of his everlasting kingdom. Wherefore we being thus 
 persuaded of the good will of our heavenly Father towards this 
 Infant, declared by his Son Jesus Christ ; and nothing doubting 
 but that he favourably alloweth this charitable work of our's in 
 bringing this Infant to his holy Baptism ; let us faithfully and de- 
 voutly give thanks unto him, and say, 
 
 The language of our Saviour here recorded was also 
 used for a similar occasion in the ancient liturgies 
 last mentioned. The exhortation is remarkably 
 adapted to the occasion, and excellently applies our 
 Lord's conduct to the baptism of infants, which it is 
 so well calculated to confirm and illustrate. It is 
 
THE BAPTISMAL SERVICES. 203 
 
 also well suited for the comfort and edification of all 
 attending the service. 
 
 Almighty and everlasting God, heavenly Father, we give thee 
 humble thanks, for that thou hast vouchsafed to call us to the 
 knowledge of thy grace, and faith in thee : increase this know- 
 ledge, and confirm this faith in us evermore. Give thy holy 
 Spirit to this Infant, that he may be born again, and be made an 
 heir of everlasting salvation ; through our Lord Jesus Christ, who 
 liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, now and for 
 ever. Amen. 
 
 This thanksgiving for ourselves, and prayer for the 
 baptized, is founded on several directions and state- 
 ments of scripture, 1 Peter ii. 9. 2 Tim. i. 9. 1 Cor. 
 i. 21. 2 Peter iii. 18. 2 Thess. i. 3—5. Titus iii, 
 5—7. 
 
 !T Tlven shall the Priest speak unto the Godfathers and Godmothers 
 on this wise. 
 Dearly beloved, ye have brought this Child here to be baptized, 
 ye have pra3*ed that our Lord Jesus Christ would vouchsafe to 
 receive him, to release him of his sins, to sanctify him with the 
 Holy Ghost, to give him the kingdom of heaven, and everlasting 
 life. Ye have heard also that our Lord Jesus Christ hath pro- 
 mised in his Gospel to grant all these things that ye have prayed 
 for : which promise he, for his part, will most surely keep and 
 perform. 
 
 The church here reviews the course already gone 
 through to strengthen the faith of the worshippers, 
 and to lead us to anticipate by faith his grace. " While 
 they are yet speaking, I will hear." Isaiah Ixv. 24. 
 Let us then call to mind the special promises made to 
 prayer. "Whatsoever things ye desire, when ye 
 pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have 
 them." Mark xi. 24. And then it calls upon us to 
 
204 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 add to our faith virtue and every oilier grace, as 
 2 Peter i. 5—7. 
 
 Wherefore, after this promise made by Christ, this Infant must 
 also faithfully, for his part, promise by you that are his sureties, 
 (until he come of age to take it upon himself,) that he will re- 
 nounce the devil and all his works, and constantly believe God's 
 holy Word, and obediently keep his commandments. 
 I demand therefore, 
 
 Dost thou, in the name of this Child, renounce the Devil and 
 all his works, the vain pomp and glory of the world, with all 
 covetous desires of the same, and the carnal desires of the flesh, 
 so that thou wilt not follow, nor be led by them ? 
 
 Answer. I renounce them all. 
 
 Minister. 
 
 Dost thou believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of 
 heaven and earth? 
 
 And in Jesus Christ his only-begotten Son our Lord ? And 
 that he was conceived by the Holy Ghost ; born of the Virgin 
 Mary ; that he suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, 
 and buried ; that he went down into hell, and also did rise again 
 the third day ; that he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the 
 right hand of God the Father Almighty ; and from thence shall 
 come again at the end of the world, to judge the quick and the 
 dead? 
 
 And dost thou believe in the Holy Ghost ; the holy Catholick 
 Church ; the Communion of Saints ; the Remission of sins ; the 
 Resurrection of the flesh ; and everlasting life after death ? 
 
 Answer. All this I steadfastly believe. 
 Minister. 
 
 Wilt thou be baptized in this faith ? 
 
 Answer. That is my desire. 
 
 Minister. 
 
 Wilt thou then obediently keep God's holy will and command- 
 ments, and walk in the same all the days of thy life? 
 
 Answer. I will. 
 
 We have here the renunciation of the world, the 
 flesh and the devil ; and the profession of faith, de- 
 
THE BAPTISMAL SERVICES. 205 
 
 sire of baptism, and purpose of obedience on the part 
 of the child. The things themselves renounced, are 
 renounced according to plain directions of God's 
 word, 1 John iii. 8, 9 ; ii. 15, 16 ; v. 19. Rom. viii. 
 12—14. Titus ii. 12-14. 1 Cor. vii. 31. Acts viii. 37. 
 Matt. xix. 17. Rom. vi. 2—14. It appears (see Bishop 
 Hall on Isaiah viii. 2.) that Isaiah called witnesses to 
 the name given to his son at his circumcision. 
 
 The grounds on which sponsors are appointed, and 
 act for the infant, have been considered. The re- 
 nunciation and profession are taken from the most 
 ancient Liturgies in existence, and have been prac- 
 tised probably from the very commencement of Chris- 
 tianity. Acts ii. 41 ; viii. 37. How instructive it 
 really is to have these plain, great, and all-important 
 truths, thus prominently, distinctly, and repeatedly, 
 on so impressive an occasion, brought forward, must 
 be obvious ! Many a humble, plain, simple Chris- 
 tian has been savingly taught eternal truths by these 
 practical and weighty appeals and answers. 
 
 H Then shall the Priest say, 
 
 O merciful God, grant that the old Adam in this Child may be 
 so buried, that the new man may be raised up in him. Amen. 
 
 Grant that all carnal affections may die in him, and that all 
 things belonging to the Spirit may live and grow in him. Amen. 
 
 Grant that he may have power and strength to have victory, 
 and to triumph, against the devil, the world, and the flesh. Amen. 
 
 Grant that whosoever is here dedicated to thee by our office and 
 ministry, may also be endued with heavenly virtues, and everlast- 
 ingly rewarded, through thy mercy, blessed Lord God, who 
 dost live, and govern all things, world without end. Amen. 
 
 These passages are taken from the Gallican Missal. 
 As to substance, they are found in the most ancient 
 monuments of the Eastern and Western churches. 
 
206 TREATISE ON BAPTISM '. 
 
 They are truly scriptural. Ephes. iv. 20 — 24. Rom. 
 viii. 6. Ephes. vi. 10—13. 1 John v. 4. 1 Cor. iii.5,6. 
 2 Cor. iv. 7. Mark xvi. 16. Psalm ciii. 19. 
 
 Almighty, everliving God, whose most dearly beloved Son 
 Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of our sins, did shed out of his 
 most precious side both water and blood, and gave commandment 
 to his disciples, that they should go teach all nations, and baptize 
 them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost ; 
 Regard, we beseech thee, the supplications of this congregation ; 
 sanctify this Water to the mystical washing away of sin : and 
 grant that this Chitd now to be baptized therein may receive the 
 fulness of thy grace, and ever remain in the number of thy faith- 
 ful and elect children, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 
 
 The Church has adopted here the Salisbury Man- 
 ual, with an addition from the Alexandrian : leaving 
 out the additions of oil and other things, which the 
 Roman church makes. The scriptural foundations of 
 the prayer are, John xix. 34. Matt, xxviii. 19. 1 John 
 v. 14. Matt, xviii. 20. Acts xxii. 16. John i. 16. 
 
 TJ Then shall the Priest take the child into his hand and shall say 
 to the Godfathers, and Godmothers, Name this child ; and then 
 naming it after them (if they shall certify him that the child may 
 well endure it) he shall dip it in the water discreetly and warily, 
 saying, 
 
 N. I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and 
 
 of the Holy Ghost. Amen. 
 
 But if tliey certify that the child is weak, it shall suffice to pom- 
 water upon it, saying the aforesaid words, 
 N. I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and 
 of the Holy Ghost. Amen. 
 
 The substance of the words is found in all the 
 Christian rituals. They plainly follow our Lord's 
 express directions, Matt, xxviii. 19. And, Oh how 
 
THE BAPTISMAL SERVICES. 207 
 
 rich is the blessing of thus putting the divine name 
 and blessing on our children, by our Saviour's own 
 direction. Num. vi. 27. 
 
 If Then the Priest shall say, 
 We receive this Child into the congregation of Christ's flock, 
 [Here the Priest shall make a cross upon the child's forehead] and 
 do sign him with the sign of the cross, in token that hereafter he 
 shall not be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucified, and 
 manfully to fight under his "banner, against sin, the world, and the 
 devil ; and to continue Christ's faithful soldier and servant unto 
 his life's end. Amen. 
 
 The Bobiensan Missal, known to be above 1100 
 years old, has these similar words : " Receive the 
 sign of the cross both in the forehead and in the 
 heart. Always be faithful. Enter the temple of 
 God. Worship God the Father Almighty and Jesus 
 Christ his Son, who is coming to judge the quick and 
 the dead and the world by fire, with the Holy Spirit, 
 for ever and ever. Amen." 
 
 Well did the church retain so ancient, so simple 
 and yet so significant a sign of our Christian state 
 and warfare, under the divine direction to her, let 
 all things be done decently and in order. For suit- 
 able scriptures, see 1 Cor. i. 23, 24 ; xii. 13. Gal. vi. 
 14. Ephes. vi. 10—13. 1 John v. 4. Rom. viii. 12—14. 
 2 Tim. ii. 3. Many other rites used in ancient 
 churches, such as washing, giving a taste of milk and 
 honey, and clothing with white robes, have been dis- 
 continued as inexpedient and cumbersome. 
 
 Tf Then shall the Priest say, 
 Seeing now, dearly beloved brethren, that this child is by baptism 
 regenerate, and grafted into the body of Christ's church, let us 
 give thanks unto Almighty God for these benefits ; and with one 
 
208 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 accord make our prayers unto him, that he may lead the rest of his 
 life according to this beginning. 
 
 The last-mentioned ancient missal, 1100 years old, 
 has the following similar exhortation : " Let us give 
 praise and thanksgiving to God, dearly beloved bre- 
 thren, that he has vouchsafed to increase the congre- 
 gation of his church by our dear brethren now bap- 
 tized. Therefore let us ask mercy of God, that they 
 may bring that holy baptism which they have re- 
 ceived, undefined, uncorrupted, and unspotted before 
 the judgment-seat of Christ." 
 
 The term regenerate is founded on the expression, 
 born of water, used by our Lord, and laver of regene- 
 ration, used by the apostle in reference to baptism. 
 The expressions are not stronger than the Scriptures. 
 1 Cor. xii. 13. Gal. iii. 27. 
 
 ^1 Then shall be said tJie Lord's Prayer, all kneeling, 
 Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy 
 kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, As it is in heaven. 
 Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, 
 As we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not 
 into temptation ; But deliver us from evil. Amen. 
 
 This most comprehensive prayer is well introduced 
 after fresh members have thus been brought into the 
 Saviour's family. 
 
 ^[ TJten shall tlie Priest say, 
 We yield thee most hearty thanks, most merciful Father, that 
 it hath pleased thee to regenerate this Infant with thy holy Spirit, 
 to receive him for thine own Child by adoption, and to incorporate 
 him into thy holy Church. And humbly we beseech thee to 
 grant, that he being dead unto sin, and living unto righteousness, 
 and being buried with Christ in his death, may crucify the old 
 man, and utterly abolish the whole body of sin ; and that, as he is 
 made parta/cer of the death of thy Son, he may also be partaker of 
 
THE BAPTISMAL SERVICES. 209 
 
 his resurrection ; so that finally, with the residue of thy holy 
 Church, ne may be an inheritor of thine everlasting kingdom, 
 through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 
 
 The same ancient missal Jast mentioned has this 
 prayer after baptism : — " Lord God Almighty, pre- 
 serve in thy servants whom thou hast commanded to 
 be born again of water and of the Holy Spirit, that 
 holy baptism which they have received, and vouch- 
 safe to complete it to the glory of thy name ; that thy 
 grace may always advance in them, and the grace 
 which they have first received from thy gift, they 
 may keep in the uprightness of their lives." 
 
 The objections made to the prayer of our church ap- 
 pear to me to be founded on a partial view of scrip- 
 ture. The scriptures speak in the very same general 
 terms: — "By one spirit are we ALL baptized into 
 one body, and have been all made to drink into one 
 spirit." 1 Cor. xii. 13, 27. And yet among these 
 Corinthians were those guilty of schism, divisions, 
 drunkenness at the Lord's table, and other fearful sins. 
 Yet in general he calls them, sanctified in Christ Jesus, 
 called to be saints, coming behind in no gift (1 Cor. i. 2, 
 5, 7) ; the Spirit of God dwelling in them as the temple 
 of the living God (2 Cor. vi. 16) ; washed, sanctified, 
 and justified (1 Cor. vi. 11) ; the Lord's freemen, and 
 the Lord's servants. So it is said even of those 
 Israelites, with many of whom God was not well 
 pleased, They were all baptized unto Moses in the 
 cloud ; they did ALL eat the saine spiritual meat. So the 
 apostle tells the Galatians, of some of whom he stood 
 in doubt, As many of you as have been baptized into 
 Christ have put on Christ. Gal. iii. 27. The objection 
 to the baptismal service is in truth an objection to 
 St. Paul. 
 
 p 
 
210 TREATISE ON BAFTISM '. 
 
 If spiritual birth be so frequently, through our un- 
 belief and wickedness, like the untimely birth of a 
 woman that they may not see the sun, (Psalm lviii. 8), 
 let not the church of God on that account lower the 
 scale of its faith, and of its hope and prayer and praise 
 also ; but rather seek to raise the dying graces of 
 the church, that there may be strength to bring forth 
 spiritual children to the Lord. Let our hopes rise to 
 the scriptures. Rom. vi. 6, 6. Heb. xii. 22, 23. We 
 see in the case of Jehoshaphat, that thanksgiving 
 should be joined with faith for a blessing, and that 
 even before the full evidence of the blessing. 2 Cliron. 
 xx. 20 — 22. Jehoshaphat's praise to the Lord justifies 
 our praise. Had we equal faith, we should have 
 similar praise, and similar success in our praise. 
 Let us not blame the language of the church, but 
 the real unbelief of our own hearts, and seek to gain 
 that triumphant spirit of faith which realizes God's 
 own promises, I will be a God to thee and to thy seed 
 after thee. Then does faith beautifully manifest its 
 genuine character, when it realizes the unseen, gives 
 substance to mere promises, and enjoys the blessing 
 by anticipation and thanksgiving. The same faith 
 we have to exercise to obtain all the sweetest and 
 fullest joys of the gospel. All things are yours. 
 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or 
 life, or death, or things present, or things to come, all 
 are yours, and ye are Christ's, and Christ is Cod's. 
 J Cor. iii. 21—23. 
 
 ^f Then, ull standing up, the Minister shall make this exhortation to 
 the Grodfath rs and Godmothers* 
 
 Forasmuch as this child hath promised by you his sureties to re- 
 nounce the devil and all his works, to believe in God, and to serve 
 him; ye must remember, that it is your parts and duties to see 
 
THE BAPTISMAL SERVICES. 211 
 
 that this Infant be taught, so soon as he shall be able to learn, 
 ■what a solemn vow, promise and profession, he hath made by you. 
 And that he may know these things the better, ye shall call upon 
 Mm to hear Sermons ; and chiefly ye shall provide, that he may 
 learn the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Commandments, 
 in the vulgar tongue, and all other things which a Christian ought 
 to know and believe to his soul's health ; and that this Clrild may 
 be virtuously brought up to lead a godly and a Christian life ; re- 
 membering alway, that Baptism doth represent unto us our 
 profession : which is, to follow the example of our Saviour 
 Christ, and to be made like unto him : that, as he died, and rose 
 again for us, so should we, who are baptized, die from sin, and rise 
 again unto righteousness : continually mortifying all our evil and 
 corrupt affections, and daily proceeding in all virtue and godliness 
 of living. 
 
 In this very striking address we have, as Mr. Bucid 
 lias justly observed, "the system of Christian educa- 
 tion expressed by our church in a few short hints, 
 which do indeed contain the pith and essence of all 
 just education, conducted on Christian principles. 
 -The total and unsparing- renunciation of all sin, and 
 the persevering cultivation of all holiness as a de- 
 lightful privilege, as well as a necessary duty — this 
 is the animating system of our church, which stamps 
 it with a truly gospel character, which gives energy 
 to faith, animation to hope, perseverance to love, 
 and joy to duty. The chief and main provision for 
 the child's instruction contains the creed, or leading 
 Articles of faith which he is to believe. The Ten 
 Commandments, or the will of God, which is to form 
 his practice, and the Lord's Prayer, which asks for 
 every temporal and spiritual blessing, and the gift of 
 that grace, without which he can neither effectually 
 believe the gospel, nor acceptably practise the gos- 
 pel." See Rom. vi. 3—14. 
 
212 TREATISE ON BAPTISM *. 
 
 II Then shall he add and say, 
 Ye are to take care that this child be brought to the Bishop to 
 be confirmed by him, so soon as he can say the Creed, the Lord's 
 Prayer, and the Ten Commandments, in the vulgar tongue, and 
 be further instructed in the Church Catechism set forth for that 
 purpose. 
 
 The importance of the religious instruction of the 
 young is frequently pressed in the scriptures. Deut. 
 iv. 10 ; vi. 6, 7- Prov. xxii. 6. Ephes. vi. 4. 1 Cor. 
 iii. 2. The duty of keeping the vows here made is 
 plain. Eccles. v. 4. The advantage of hearing God's 
 truth is great. Rom. x. 14. 
 
 That the rite of confirmation is one of great prac- 
 tical benefit, every clergyman's experience has 
 proved, wherever it has been duly observed. Inti- 
 mations of it are given in the scriptures (Acts viii. 
 17, 18, 19. Heb. vi. 2.) on occasions where the ex- 
 traordinary gifts of the Spirit were bestowed, and it 
 was practised by all the churches of Christ, from 
 the earliest ages. 
 
 It is certain by God's word, that children which are baptized, 
 dying before they commit actual sin, are undoubtedly saved. 
 
 To take away all scruple concerning the use of the sign of the 
 Cross in Baptism : the true explication thereof, and the just rea- 
 sons for the retaining of it, may be seen in the xxxth Canon, first 
 published in the YearMDCIV. 
 
 The certainty of the salvation of baptized infants 
 is founded on the express promises connected with 
 baptism (John iii. 2 — 5. Acts ii. 38 ; xxii. 1G. Gal. iii. 
 •17. 1 Cor. xii. 13. Rom. vi. 3. Col. ii. 12. 1 Peter iii. 
 21) ; and also on our Lord's words, Matt. xix. 14. 
 
 The reasons on which the 30th canon founds the 
 use of the cross, are its practice from the earliest age, 
 and its adoption by the church of England, not as a 
 part of the sacrament, which is wholly complete 
 
THE BAPTISMAL SERVICES. 213 
 
 without it; all idea of power in the sign of the cross 
 being renounced, but as a mere outward ceremony 
 and honourable badge of our profession. The canon 
 closes with calling to our consideration, that " things 
 of themselves indifferent do in some sort alter their 
 natures, when they are either commanded or for- 
 bidden by a lawful magistrate, and may not be 
 omitted at every man's pleasure contrary to the law, 
 when they be commanded; nor used when they be 
 prohibited." It would be well if this great principle, 
 so clearly laid out in the holy scriptures (Rom. xiii. 
 1 — 6), were more seen and felt by all Christians. 
 
 (2.) THE MINISTRATION OF BAPTISM TO SUCH AS ARE 
 OF RIPER YEARS. 
 
 While, in the baptism of infants the fulness and 
 freedom of God's grace in first coming to us with 
 blessings is largely displayed, in the baptism of 
 adults the responsibility of man in connection with 
 the same grace is unfolded to us. In their baptism 
 we have man concurring with God's grace, no doubt 
 first from the preventing grace of God making him 
 willing, and working with him when he has the will, 
 — butstill man, an accountable being, working outhis 
 own salvation with fear and trembling. The service 
 for baptism of adults corresponds with this change of 
 aspect in divine truth. Instead of parents and spon- 
 sors, we have the baptized coming himself and answer- 
 ing for himself in the presence of chosen witnesses. 
 
 The exhortation and prayers before the reading 
 of the scripture are the same as in infant baptism. The 
 portion of scripture taken for adult baptism (instead 
 of Mark x. 13— 1G.) is John iii. 1—8. 
 
2J4 TREATISE ON BAPTISM: 
 
 The exhortation founded on this scripture, is as 
 follows : 
 
 Beloved, ye hear in this gospel the express words of our Saviour 
 Christ, that except a man he horn of water and of the Spirit, he 
 cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Whereby ye may perceive 
 the great necessity of this Sacrament, where it may be had. Like- 
 wise, immediately before his ascension into heaven, (as we read 
 in the last chapter of Saint Mark's Gospel,) he gave command to 
 his disciples, saying, Go ye into all the world, and preach the 
 Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall 
 be saved ; but he that believeth not shall be damned. Which also 
 sheweth unto us the great benefit we reap thereby. For which 
 cause Saint Peter the Apostle, when upon his first preaching of 
 the Gospel many were pricked at the heart, and said to him and 
 the rest of the Apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do ? 
 replied and said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of 
 you for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the 
 Holy Ghost. For the promise is to you and your children, and to 
 all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. 
 And with many other words exhorted he them, saying, save your- 
 selves from this untoward generation. For as the same Apostle 
 testifieth in another place, even baptism doth also now save us (not 
 the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good 
 conscience towards God) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 
 Doubt ye not, therefore, but earnestly believe that he will favour- 
 ably receive these present persons truly repenting and coming unto 
 him by faith ; that he will grant them remission of their sins, and 
 bestow upon them the Holy Ghost; that he will give them the 
 blessing of eternal life, and make them partakers of his everlasting 
 kingdom. 
 
 Wherefore we being thus persuaded of the good will of our hea- 
 yenly Father towards these persons, declared by his Son Jesus 
 Christ; let us faithfully and devoutly give thanks to him, and 
 
 Almighty and everlasting God, heavenly Father, wre s give thee 
 humble thanks, for that thou hast vouchsafed to call us to the 
 knowledge of thy grace, and tail h in thee : Increase this know 
 ledge, and confirm this faith in us evermore. Give thy holj 
 
THE BAPTISMAL SERVICES. 235 
 
 to these persons, that tliey may be born again, and be made heirs of 
 everlasting salvation ; through our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth 
 and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever. 
 Amen. 
 
 The prayer that the adult may be born again, not 
 only shews that the church has yet no evidence be- 
 fore it of this regeneration, but that it considers, as 
 our Lord does, being born of water and the washing of 
 regeneration as requisite to the completed act of re- 
 generation before the church. The address to the 
 persons to be baptized corresponds to this view. 
 
 T Tlien the Priest shall speak to the persons to be baptized on this 
 icise ; 
 
 W ell-beloved, who are come hither desiring to receive holy 
 baptism, ye have heard how the congregation hath prayed, that 
 our Lord Jesus Christ would vouchsafe to receive you and bless 
 you, to release you of your sins, to give j'ou the kingdom of hea- 
 ven, and everlasting life. Ye have heard also, that our Lord Jesus 
 Christ hath promised in his holy word to grant all those things 
 that we have prayed for ; which promise he, for his part, will most 
 surely keep and perform. 
 
 Wherefore, after this promise made by Christ, ye must also 
 faithfully, for your part, promise in the presence of these your wit- 
 nesses, and this whole congregation, that ye will renounce the 
 devil and all his works, and constantly believe God's holy word, 
 and obediently keep his commandments. 
 
 The same questions are then put to the baptized as 
 were put to the sponsors in infant baptism ; the same 
 prayers are poured out previously, and the same 
 forms of baptism, reception, and subsequent devo- 
 tions are gone through. 
 
 The exhortations, to the witnesses, are to lead 
 them to put the baptized in mind of their vow; and, 
 to the baptized, to walk answerably to their Christian 
 calling-. 
 
210 treatise on baptism : 
 
 (2) Ministration of private baptism of children 
 in houses. 
 
 There is a public certificate or statement respect- 
 ing children that have been baptized in the ministra- 
 tion of private baptism, that shews further the views 
 of our church on baptism. 
 
 The church discourages such private baptism with- 
 out great cause and necessity. It requires also that 
 such privately baptized child should be brought into 
 the church, that the congregation may be certified of 
 the true form of baptism; where the minister himself 
 baptized, in these words — 
 
 I certify you, that according to the due and prescribed Order of 
 the Church, at such a time, and at such a place, before divers wit- 
 nesses I baptized this Child. 
 
 Where any other lawful minister than the minister 
 of the parish where the child was born or christened, 
 lias baptized the child, the following questions are to 
 be asked, 
 
 By whom was this Child baptized ? 
 
 Who was present when this Child was baptized ? 
 
 Because some things essential to this Sacrament may happen to 
 be omitted through fear or haste, in such cases of extremity ; 
 therefore I demand further of you, 
 
 With what matter was this Child baptized ? 
 
 With what words was this Child baptized? 
 
 If the minister see that all things were done as they 
 ought to be, he is to receive the child as one of the 
 flock of true Christian people, saying, 
 
 I certify you, that in this case all is well done, and according 
 unto due order, concerning the baptizing of this Child ; who being 
 born in original sin, and in the wrath of God, is now, by the 
 
THE BAPTISMAL SERVICES. 217 
 
 laver of Regeneration in Baptism, received into the number of 
 the children of God, and heirs of everlasting life ; for our Lord 
 Jesus Christ doth not deny his grace and mercy unto such Infants, 
 but most lovingly doth call them unto him, as the holy Gospel 
 doth witness to our comfort on this wise ; Mark x. 13 — 16. 
 
 AH these minute directions not only shew the value 
 which the reformers attached to baptism, but their 
 care that the baptized should be recognized in the 
 church as truly admitted into that sacred body, and 
 that the whole congregation should sympathize with 
 each other, and feel that they are a holy society and 
 have fellowship together as being in one fold and of 
 one kingdom. 
 
 The part which the congregation should take in 
 baptism is far more important than is generally sup- 
 posed. The Remarks of Archbishop Usher on the 
 uses of public baptism to the church are so instruc- 
 tive that I here add them. 
 
 " Baptism is a visible admittance of thy child, if 
 thou beest a parent, into the congregation of Christ's 
 flock, signifying its interest in the heavenly Jerusa- 
 lem which is above. Is this a business to be mum- 
 bled over in a corner ? Christ came from Galilee to 
 Jordan to be baptized. Is the receiving of thy child 
 into the bosom of the church in a full congregation 
 no comfort to thee? is it not mercy to see the blood 
 of Christ ministerially sealed up unto thy infant, to 
 purge it from that pollution which it has brought into 
 the world with it ; which also thou makest confession 
 of by presenting it to this mystical washing? Is it 
 not joy to thy heart, to hear the whole congregation 
 of God's saints pray for thy child ; and that God has 
 honoured thee so much as to count thy very child 
 holy and within his covenant? Think on these 
 
218 TREATISE ON BAPTISM I 
 
 things. Every one that is present at baptism should 
 consider that that being a public action of the con- 
 gregation, every particular person ought reverently 
 to join in it. Shall the whole Trinity be present at 
 baptism, (Matt, iii.) and we be gone? Join ought 
 every one in prayer to God for the infant; join in 
 praises to God for his mercy that we and our children 
 are brought forth, and brought up within the pale of 
 his church, (whereas the rest of the world are like a 
 wilderness) and thank God for adding at the present 
 a member to his church. Join every one ought in 
 meditation of the pollution of nature, of the blessed 
 means of redemption by Christ, of the happy benefits 
 that God seals up unto us in our baptism, even before 
 we knew them ; of the vows and promises which we 
 in our childhood made by those who were under- 
 takers for us ; and finding our failings every time we 
 are present at baptism, we should renew our covenant 
 with God, and labour to get new strength to close 
 with his promises, which in our baptism be made 
 unto us. Thus, if we were wise to make a right use 
 of it, we might learn as much at a baptism as at a 
 sermon. 
 
 " Parents should always bear in mind the promises 
 which their children have made to God by them, and 
 they for their children ; labouring to bring them up 
 accordingly in the instruction and information of the 
 Lord, — teaching them (so soon as they understand) 
 the meaning of that sacrament, unfolding to them 
 God's precious promises, and their strict engage- 
 ments. The negligence of parents herein is a cause 
 of monstrous profaneness in many ; they bring chil- 
 dren to receive Christ's badge, but bring them up to 
 the service of the devil ; and God hath not so much 
 
THE BAPTISMAL SERVICES. 219 
 
 dishonour by heathens and pagans, as by those who 
 have taken upon them the name of Christians. 
 
 "Lastly, baptism should be of continual use 
 through a Christian's whole life; it is administered 
 but once, but it is always lasting in the virtue and 
 efficacy of it. Baptism loseth not its strength by 
 time. In a!I thy fears and doubts look back to thy 
 baptism, and the promises of God sealed up unto thee 
 there, lay hold on them by faith, and thou shalt have 
 the actual comfort of thy baptism, and feel the effect 
 of it though thou never saw it. In thy failings, slips, 
 and revolts, to recover thyself have recourse to thy 
 baptism ; new baptism thou shalt not need ; the 
 covenant and seal of God stands firm, he changeth 
 not ; only renew thy repentance — renew thy faith in 
 those blessed promises of grace which were sealed up 
 unto thee in thy baptism." 
 
 The grand impediment to the full blessings of 
 Christian baptism is the exceeding formality, world- 
 liness, negligence, and levity with which the whole 
 service has been vieued ; either as a matter of mere 
 registration of a name, or an external admission into 
 the church, or at the best as a season of more solemn 
 prayer and devotion of the child to God, without that 
 full scriptural view which our Catechism and Church 
 Service so distinctly give of its connection with the 
 spiritual life and blessedness of the child, as to fur- 
 nish us with lively hopes, earnest pleadings with 
 God, and powerful motives to holiness in the subse- 
 quent life of the baptized. Were infant baptism 
 more believingly and devoutly received and im- 
 proved, the benefits of it would be such as to prove 
 more manifestly its divine origin, and the full wisdom 
 and loving-kindness of this gracious ordinance. 
 
220 TREATISE ON BAPTISM 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 MEDITATIONS AND DEVOTIONS AFTER BAPTISM. 
 
 We will pursue here the course taken before baptism, 
 in endeavouriug to lead the reader to those practical 
 and devotional thoughts which may tend to his edi- 
 fication. 
 
 MEDITATIONS FOR PARENTS. 
 
 Gen. xviii. 19. — I ft now Abraham that he will command 
 his children and his household after him, and they shall 
 keep the way of the Lord, to do judgment and justice ; 
 that the Lord may bring on Abraham that which he 
 hath spoken of him. 
 
 We may see here how observant the Lord is of the 
 conduct of pnrents towards their children ! He marks 
 all that they do, and discerns whether their aim be to 
 gratify themselves and the present desires and plea- 
 sures of their children. He sees also whether re- 
 nouncing their own wisdom, and will, and ease, and 
 having entire confidence in God's wisdom and love, 
 they have determined that the way of the Lord is the 
 only way of true happiness, both for themselves and 
 
MEDITATIONS AND DEVOTIONS. 221 
 
 their children, and will use all the authority which 
 he has entrusted to them for his wise, and loving, and 
 most gracious ends. 
 
 How happy was Abraham who did this ! What a 
 blessing thus was Abraham to his family ! How re- 
 mote and how diffusive the blessings which, through 
 ages of ages and generations of generations, have 
 thus come upon men. Look at the descendants of 
 Abraham ; patriarchs, lawgivers, judges, prophets, 
 priests, kings, apostles, evangelists, and our Lord 
 himself! and see what great things the Lord brought 
 on Abraham, and all this was connected with his train- 
 ing up his children in the way that they should go. 
 
 O Lord, my God, help me as a true follower of Abra- 
 ham, and one of those whom in Christ thou account- 
 est to be his seed, to tread in his steps, and denying 
 myself all those mere self-indulgent and vain present 
 gratifications, which a carnal nature prompts me to 
 follow, may I seek the true and everlasting welfare of 
 my child, by training it up in thy way, and not in my 
 way, and in all the paths of righteousness which thou 
 hast marked out in thy holy word. 
 
 Deut. vi. G. — These wards which I command thee this 
 day shall be in thine heart, and thou shalt teach them 
 diligently unto thy children, and talk of them when 
 thou sitlest in thine house, and when thou walkest by 
 the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou 
 risest up. 
 
 Very gracious and very plain is this direction. 
 First, that God's precious word should be in my own 
 heart, and then, that, from the full enjoyment of it in 
 my own soul, I should make my dear children par- 
 
222 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 takers with me of its riches, sweetness, fulness, and 
 blessedness. And how just and right is this com- 
 mand of ray heavenly Father! I am his creature ; 
 right it is then that I should seek to know and do his 
 will. He must love me, for all my blessings come 
 from him. He must love me in my worst trials, for 
 he gave his Son to die for me. I am therefore cer- 
 tain his word is the word of infinite power, wisdom, 
 and love, marking to me the best path forme to walk 
 in. How full of loving-kindness, too, is the largeness 
 and comprehensiveness, the clearness and sureness 
 of the scripture, and the solemn command that I 
 should thus have it in my heart, and thus bring it 
 before my children ! O my God ! give me wisdom and 
 grace for obedience to this plain command. Daily let 
 me read thy word in private. Constantly let me me- 
 ditate upon it; continually let me connect and com- 
 pare thy truths with all that passes around me; and 
 so out of the fulness of my own heart, I shall be con- 
 strained to be ever speaking of the testimonies of 
 thy truth to those dear children thou hast given 
 me. How unspeakably important to me and to them 
 that they should be thoroughly imbued in every prin- 
 ciple, and motive, and affection with divine truth, the 
 <;nly true light for their feet, the only sure lamp for 
 their path. Let me lead them to these living foun- 
 tains of salvation. Let me lodge in their memories 
 these saving truths. While the word of Christ dwells 
 in me richly, may I seek also the same blessing for 
 them. This is the divinely-appointed method for its 
 being well with me and mine, and our having both 
 earthly and heavenly blessings. 
 
MEDITATIONS AND DEVOTIONS. 223 
 
 Matt, xxviii. 20. — Teaching them to observe all things 
 whatsoever I have commanded you ; atidlo, I am with 
 you always, to the end of the world. 
 
 This is the direction that immediately follows the 
 command to baptize all nations, and it not only 
 teaches ministers, but also parents, how to improve 
 aright the ordinance of baptism. I must take that 
 but as a step and help to farther instruction in the 
 commandments and doctrines of the Lord. Baptism 
 operates not as a charm ; but as a help to faith, a 
 divinely-appointed means of grace, and an encou- 
 ragement to duty. As such may I ever view it. 
 
 And as it is my duty always with all diligence to 
 be teaching the word of Christ to my children, so 
 especially let some part of the Sunday be invariably 
 appropriated to this sacred employment ; hearing 
 them read the scriptures, seeing that they are well 
 acquainted with the church and other catechisms, and 
 get off by heart Psalms or Hymns and Collects that 
 may be a constant comfort and instruction to them in 
 their subsequent days. 
 
 And how cheering is the promise of my Saviour's 
 presence in all these efforts ! I work not alone. If I 
 only worked alone, what hope could I have? My 
 children have inherited from me a fallen nature, ever 
 tending to sin and evil, and had I not the sure pro- 
 mise of my Redeemer's presence and help, I could 
 not expect to see their hearts renewed, and them- 
 selves made meet for the heavenly inheritance. O, 
 gracious Saviour, manifest thy presence by impart- 
 ing those rich blessings which thou hast in store for 
 all that put their trust in thee, 
 
224 TREATISE ON BAPTISM I 
 
 MEDITATIONS FOR SPONSORS, 
 
 Gen. xliv. 32. — Thy servant became surety for the lad 
 unto my father, saying, If I briny him not unto thee, 
 then 1 shall bear the blame unto my father for ever. 
 
 I may see in the noble conduct of Judah offering 
 himself a bondman for his younger brother Benjamin, 
 and that when he had done this all the troubles of 
 his brethren were ended, how much the Lord ap- 
 proves of our undertaking, at personal cost and sa- 
 crifice, to become surety for those with whom we are 
 connected. And if Judah was willing to be a bond- 
 man for Benjamin, may I be willing to take some 
 little pains, by enlarging my prayers and speaking a 
 word to the King of kings for my godchild. May I 
 have grace to think of this child especially, and, as I 
 have opportunity, to remind this child of the great 
 promises which God, our God, has given to it through 
 his minister in baptism, and of the sacred duties 
 which I in its name, promised to perform, and which 
 as its own mind opens, become equally its happiness 
 and its obligation to perform. O my God, strengthen 
 me to do my part, and assist this child from the be- 
 ginning with the Holy Spirit, that it may repent, be- 
 lieve, and obey, according to thy holy will. 
 
 Psalm cxix. 122. — Be surety for thy servant for yood. 
 
 O thou divine Jesus, who wast made the surety of a 
 better covenant, I praise and bless thy holy name, who 
 at so fearful a cost didst stand in my place as a sinner, 
 bearing my sins in thine own body on the tree, and 
 
KEDITJlTI 226" 
 
 didst pay the full ransom price for all my trans- 
 sions,and thus hast given me Innumerable bleffingf. 
 
 And If thou hast done 10 much for me, well may f 
 be willing to follow thy steps in even bearing trouble 
 and goffering for the good of others, (iive me, then, 
 grace to fulfil that charge which I have undertaken, 
 in making promises for this child — a charge full of 
 interest and full of love. O do thou make mo faith- 
 ful to my ofliee, in prayer, in watchfulness, in advice 
 and admonition ; even till, through thy abounding 
 mercy, I see the fruit of thy grace manifest in the 
 life and conversation of this child, for whom I huv 
 pledged myself in thy presence. 
 
 And, heavenly Falher, preserve me from the 
 i inconsistency of a worldly, covetous, plea 
 loving or ambitious course of life myself; left aftei 
 having undertaken a suretyship, for the good ol 
 others, I make shipwreck of my own faith, and their J 
 also. Let me he willing to part with every thing 
 rather than neglect thy great salvation ; let me above 
 all things follow that knowledge of Christ which 1 1 
 the one thing needful both for myself and for otbi 
 
 ok rHB CHILD IH auv 
 
 j Sarn. ii. 11. — The child did minister unto the Lord, 
 
 before Eli, the priest* 
 J Sam. ii. VS.— But Samuel ministered before the Lord 
 
 being a child. 
 \ Sam. ii. 21*— And the child. Samuel grew before tin 
 Lord. 
 m. iii. 1 . — And (he child Samuel ministered unto the 
 
 Lord before EH, 
 
 \.-> if to compel my attention, the divine Spirit has 
 Q 
 
226 TREATISE ON BAPTISM T 
 
 thus led the sacred writer to repeat four times the 
 blessed fact of Samuel's childhood being consecrated 
 to the Lord, and hereby to point out to me the vast 
 importance of early piety. The Lord has made me too 
 the child of parents who, in my earliest infancy, 
 devoted me to the Lord, as Samuel's parents devoted 
 him even from his birth. Blessed be God, the Father 
 of mercies, for this proof of his love and their love. 
 O that I, like Samuel, may grow before the Lord, and 
 may offer my earliest years to bis service. This is 
 the happiest service, for he is the Blessed one; this 
 is the highest service, for he is the King of all kings ; 
 this is the most holy service, for he is the holiest of 
 all; from whom all other holiness, greatness, and 
 happiness comes, as from a fountain-head. I am 
 very ignorant ; Lord, teach me : I am young ; Lord, 
 watch over me: I am very weak ; Lord, strengthen 
 me : I am easily misled ; Lord, be thou my Guide. 
 Put good thoughts into my mind, and enable me to 
 bring them to good effect. Let me take good heed 
 to what my parents and teachers, and my ministers 
 say, so that I may daily grow in knowledge. And, 
 above all, may I take heed to thy word, which can 
 alone make me wise unto salvation. 
 
 Luke ii. 40.- — And the child Jesus grew and waxed 
 strong in spirit, Jilled with tvisdom, and the grace of 
 God was upon him. 
 
 Luke ii. 61, 52. — And he went down with them (Joseph 
 and his mother) and came to Nazareth, and was sub- 
 ject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in 
 her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, 
 and in favour with God and man. 
 
 Be this my model to copy day by day. O that I 
 
MEDITATIONS AND DEVOTIONS. 227 
 
 may grow strong in that Spirit of God which, without 
 measure, was given to Jesus ; O that I too may par- 
 take of that wisdom with which he was filled, and 
 enjoy that grace of God which was so largely upon 
 him. O that I may honour my parents as he did, 
 and be wholly subject to them as he was, and may 
 my dear parents keep the sayings of Jesus in their 
 hearts. 
 
 What can be more delightful for me in my youth 
 than the sweet assurance that Jesus was once young, 
 and knows all the stages and steps of growth from 
 infancy. He was once of my age, of my stature of 
 my weakness, and chose to grow up and Jearn obe- 
 dience by the things which he sulTcred even as I do, 
 What a precious Saviour is this for me ! the Lord 
 of all heaven and earth was once a youth like myself, 
 and knows all my sorrows, and is touched with the 
 feeling of all my infirmities. 
 
 How important again, that in these words I have 
 nearly the sum of all that is known of the early lie 
 of this Saviour ! He passed through nearly thirty 
 years in our world, that I might, by his example, 
 learn the great lesson of employing my early years 
 to increase in wisdom as well as in stature, to wax 
 strong in spirit, and by a consistent fulfilment of 
 duties to those over me, to tread in his steps, and 
 grow in favour with God and man. 
 
 Exod. xx. 28. — I am the Lord thy God, which brought 
 thee out of the land of Egypt and out of the house 
 of bondage. 
 
 "Thou wouldest that I should know and believe 
 that by thy dearly-beloved Son thou hast brought me 
 a 2 
 
228 TREATISE OX BAPTISM '. 
 
 from the tyranny and captivity of Satan and this 
 sinful world, (whereof the captivity of Egypt under 
 Pharaoh was a figure) and in his blood shed upon 
 the cross, thou hast made a covenant with me which 
 thou wilt never forget, that thou art, and wilt be my 
 Lord and my God ; that is, that thou wilt forgive me 
 my sins and be wholly mine, with all thy power, 
 wisdom, righteousness, truth, glory, and mercy. 
 Wherefore, I might confirm my faith by the innu- 
 merable mercies hitherto poured upon me most abun- 
 dantly, as thy children of Israel might have done 
 and did confirm their faith, by the manifold benefits 
 poured upon them in the desert. Yet especially the 
 seal of thy covenant, I mean thy holy sacrament of 
 baptism, wherein thy holy name was not in vain 
 called upon me (O dear Father, sweet son and Sa- 
 viour, Jesus Christ, and most gracious good Holy 
 Spirit) should most assuredly confirm, and even on 
 all sides seal up my faith of this covenant, that thou 
 art my Lord and my God. Even as Abraham and 
 thy people of Israel did by the sacrament of circum- 
 cision, which, as the apostle calls the seal or signal 
 of righteousness, so dost thou call it, being but the 
 sign of thy covenant in deed, yet thy very covenant 
 because as thy word is most true and cannot lie, ns 
 thy covenant is a covenant of peace infallible and 
 everlasting ; even so the sacrament and seal of the 
 same is a most true testimonial and witness thereof. 
 
 " Oh ! what am I, that thou wouldesthavc me to put 
 my trust in thee ! This thou doest that I might never 
 be confounded, but might be most happy. O what 
 am I that thou wouldest have me to obey thee, not 
 only that I never perish with the disobedient, but 
 that thou mightcst give me thy Holy Spirit ami re- 
 
MEDITATIONS AND DEVOTIONS. 229 
 
 wards innumerable ! O what am I that thou wouldest 
 I should love thee? the which thing thou doest to 
 this end that I might fully and wholly enjoy and 
 possess thee, according to the nature of love ; and 
 therefore dost thou require that I might dwell in thee 
 and thou in me." — Bradford. 
 
 John xiii. 8. — If I wash thee not, thou hast no part 
 with me. 
 
 Even the reverence, zeal, devotion, and apparent 
 humility of Peter refusing to be washed by the Loid, 
 would not avail, if he refused obedience to the di- 
 vinely-appointed method of his being cleansed ; but 
 when his feet were washed by Jesus, he was clean 
 every whit. O Lord, give unto me that cleansing 
 which is peculiarly thine own work, and without 
 which I cannot have part with thee. I desire above 
 all things to be united to thee now and evermore. 
 Cleanse me then in thy most precious blood from all 
 the stains and defilements of my sins, and cleanse the 
 thoughts of my heart by the inspiration of thy Holy 
 Spirit, that I may perfectly love God and worthily 
 magnify his holy name. May I have part with thee 
 here in thy sufferings, sorrows, and temptations ; in 
 thy holy character and heavenly graces ; in thy vic- 
 tories over sin, Satan, and the world ; and so have . 
 part with thee in thy everlasting kingdom and glory. 
 May a part and share with thee in these things be 
 infinitely more desirable to me than all the glories 
 and riches and enjoyments of this vain world. And 
 that I may have this part, enable me to look to thee 
 for cleansing in all the means of thine own appoint- 
 ment, and especially in the enlarged gifts of thine 
 own blessed Spirit. 
 
2.80 TREATISE ON BAPTISM 
 
 PRAYER FOR PARENTS AFTER THE BAPTISM OF THEIR 
 CHILD. 
 
 O thou Giver of all good, who bast graciously de- 
 clared that the children of thy servants shall continue, 
 and their seed shall be established before thee, and 
 who hast promised that thou wilt pour thy blessing 
 upon our offspring, we come unto thee in the name 
 of Jesus Christ, beseeching thee to fulfil these gra- 
 cious promises to our child, whom we have now 
 dedicated to thee by baptism, to be entirely thine. 
 Thou hast taught us, O Lord, that our child is thus 
 holy in thy sight. 1 Cor. vii. 14. Lord, strengthen 
 and increase our faith more and more; and fulfil 
 thou in our child every thing comprehended in that 
 holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. 
 And as Jesus was from his infancy holy (Luke i. 35.) 
 may our child, baptized in his name, from infancy 
 be regarded by us as devoted to the Lord, and be 
 regarded by thee, our God, as thine own child. May 
 we have grace from thee ever to bring up this child 
 [and all the children which thou hast graciously 
 given to thy servants] in the nurture and admonition 
 of the Lord : thou thyself working in us, and working 
 in our child, to will and to do of thy good pleasure. 
 Hear us for the sake of him who for us sinners and 
 our salvation grew up as a child and increased in 
 wisdom and stature, that in all things, sin only ex- 
 cepted, he might be touched with a feeling of our 
 infirmities. 
 
MEDITATIONS AND DEVOTIONS. 23 i 
 
 PRAYER FOR SPONSORS FOR GRACE TO FULFIL THEIR 
 OFFICE. 
 
 O our God, the fountain of all grace, goodness, 
 and loving-kindness, who in thy compassionate care 
 hast ordained baptism for admission into thy church 
 on earth, and hast also shewn thy grace to the chil- 
 dren of thy people by promising thy Spirit to them, 
 and telling us that of such is the kingdom of God, I 
 entreat of thee growing faith in thy promises, and 
 joyful obedience to all thy word. O largely give 
 thine own Spirit to that child in whose place I have 
 stood, making solemn engagements for it in thy pre- 
 sence. Knowing the rich blessings connected with 
 thy covenant, give, I entreat thee, from its earliest 
 years, to this child such a heart as may lead to faith- 
 ful performance of these engagements, and secure its 
 full participation of all thy blessings. Give me grace 
 more and more to feel myself the truth and blessed- 
 ness of every promise and engagement. Oh may 
 this dear child ever have a share in my prayers, and 
 thoughts, and labours, till by thy mighty grace there 
 be wrought in its heart also true repentance for sin, 
 true faith in thy word, and true love to thee our 
 Heavenly Father, through Jesus our Redeemer. 
 
 PRAYER FOR THE BAPTIZED. 
 
 Gracious art thou, O Lord, and full of compassion 
 to me. Born in sin, and a child of wrath, I might 
 have perished in mine iniquities, but thy goodness 
 
232 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 regarded me with pity, and thou gavest me admis- 
 sion into thy church by baptism, that Tmightbecome 
 thy child, and the heir of thy glory. All praise and 
 thanksgivings be unto thee. O Lord, truly I am thy 
 servant, and the son of thine handmaid ; thou hast 
 loosed my bonds. I will offer to thee the sacrifice of 
 thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the 
 Lord. I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the 
 presence of all his people. 
 
 O Lord, keep this ever in the purpose of my heart 
 to live to thee. Strengthen me with all might by thy 
 Spirit in the inner man. May I continually exercise 
 myself to have a conscience void of offence towards 
 God and man. May I meditate on thy word con- 
 tinually. OJet the word of Christ dwell in me and 
 mine richly in all wisdom, furnishing our souls with 
 holy and devout feelings, so that we may teach and 
 admonish one another in Psalms and Hymns, and 
 spiritual songs, singing with grace in our hearts to 
 the Lord. Let us be thine in life, thine in death, ac- 
 knowledged thine in judgment, and dwell in thy 
 glory through eternity. Hear us for Jesus Christ's 
 sake. Amen. 
 
ON THE CHRISTIAN NAME. 238 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 ON THE CHRISTIAN NAME GIVEN IN BAPTISM. 
 
 It has pleased God to record in his word that the 
 disciples were called Christians first at Antioch ; and 
 this like every other part of that word, contains im- 
 portant instruction for our use. 
 
 The place where the name was given was one of 
 the principal cities of the heathen world, and one 
 that was noted for its wickedness. It was a city 
 named after Antiochus Epiphanes, who has been 
 considered to be a type of Antichrist. At this place 
 of abounding wickedness, it pleased God that the 
 disciples of Jesus should first, probably from their 
 open confession of Christ, be called Christians, and 
 raise thus a standard for his truth among the Gen- 
 tiles. 
 
 Many are the names given to the followers of 
 Christ, such as believers, saints, brethren ; but that of 
 Christian (Acts xxvi. 28. 1 Peter iv. 16), most iden- 
 tifies them and proclaims their oneness with Christ. 
 Tertullian, in his Apology, says, " We take our 
 name Christian because we own no other Founder or 
 Master in our Religion but Jesus Christ." Nero, in 
 an edict, made it death for any one to confess him- 
 
234 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 self to be a Christian, and the very confession 
 ' Christianus " or " Christiana sum," seems to have 
 sustained the spirit of many a martyr in pagan per- 
 secutions. 
 
 We profess to prize the name ; and yet how many 
 who do this, hate and oppose the reality — that is, the 
 being like Christ ! It is, however, the glory of a 
 Christian to bear this title not in name only, but in 
 spirit and conversation, in his v hole life and con- 
 duct. May we so walk in his ways, that the promise 
 may be fulfilled to us, All the people of the earth shall 
 see that thou art called by the name of the Lord. Deut. 
 xxviii. 10. And may this name of Christian be dearer 
 to us than all other names, and unite us with the 
 whole family of Christ, however otherwise named in 
 all the earth. 
 
 In Christian lands every one bears at least two 
 names, the surname derived from his natural parents, 
 and the Christiau name given at his baptism. This, 
 as every thing else occurring in God's providence, 
 may furnish us with spiritual instruction and edifi- 
 cation. 
 
 Our surname may teach us our fallen nature, as 
 derived from our first father Adam. That which is 
 born of the flesh is flesh. It may also, as children of 
 believing parents, teach us the rich covenant of grace 
 which has provided this promise for the offspring of 
 believers, Then are your children holy. I will establish 
 my covenant between me, and thy seed after thee in their 
 generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be a God 
 unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. Thus out of na- 
 ture, in its fall and ruin, God takes occasion to 
 manifest the riches of his grace, abounding over all 
 our sinfulness. 
 
ON THE CHRISTIAN NAME. 235 
 
 Our Christian name is a delightful pledge of all 
 the blessings of grace, to be carried about with us 
 wherever we go, and to be recalled to our minds 
 whenever we are named. It has pleased God often 
 to change the names of his servants on great occa- 
 sions. Thus Abram, a high father, was called Abra- 
 ham, the father of a great multitude. Thus Sarai 
 my princess, was called Sarah, the princess of a mul- 
 titude : Jacob, the supplanter, was called Israel, a 
 prince with God ; and all this by divine direction. 
 
 It is also to be observed, that God has promised, 
 that when his purposes of love are accomplished for 
 Israel : Thou shall be called by a new name, which the 
 mouth of the Lord shall name, and that name seems to 
 be twofold, Hephzibah, my delight is in her, and 
 Bculah, married. Thus names are in the scriptures 
 full of the significance of realities. The proper names 
 in the scriptures have each a meaning, and to know 
 that meaning is often a real help to the just under- 
 standing of the word of God. 
 
 It is again predicted as one of the blessed effects 
 of the pouring-out of the Spirit in the last days, 
 compared to pouring water on the thirsty, and floods 
 on the dry ground, — One shall say, I am the Lord's, 
 and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob ; 
 and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord, 
 and surname himself by the name of Israel. God has 
 himself, on various occasions, pointed out the name 
 by which he would have his servants called, Luke i. 
 13 ; Gen. xvii. 19. The name also of his own Son 
 was predetermined by him. Matt. i. 21 ; Isa, vii. 14. 
 
 Well, then, has the church, from very early ages, 
 joined with baptism the giving a name to the bap- 
 tized, and particularly to infants at the time of their 
 
236 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 baptism. This appears to have been the practice of 
 the Jews at circumcision. Isaiah viii. 3. Luke i. 59; 
 ii. 21. 
 
 There is a general and a particular use of this 
 name. The general use is to shew distinctly the new 
 nature and character of the regenerate soul; that the 
 child is not to be sensual, but spiritual; not earthly, 
 but heavenly ; not a child of wrath, but a child of 
 Jove ; not a child of the flesh, but of the spirit; not 
 to be of the world that now is and perishes, but of 
 the world to come, which is everlasting. O that all 
 Christians did but ever bear in mind what their 
 Christian name calls them to, what high privileges 
 and what holy duties are connected with that name! 
 
 This should make us Christians more careful in the 
 names which we give to our children than we com- 
 monly are. In this, indeed, as in everything excel- 
 lent, there may be an excess of superstition, and 
 much manifestation of folly. The infidel historian, 
 Hume, takes occasion, from very foolish names, as- 
 serted to have been given in the time of the common- 
 wealth, to throw great contempt and ridicule on the 
 puritans of those days, and that mockery by an 
 infidel almost reconciles a Christian even to this 
 abuse of what was good ; for the trial of cruel mock- 
 ings is the mark of those of whom the world is not 
 worthy, and is infinitely better than a praise of this 
 world, which is abomination before God. Yet a 
 wise, and most Christian and profitable use may be 
 made of that naming of a child, which in the general 
 practice of Christians is now most unmeaning and 
 insignificant.* 
 
 * Dr. Adam Clarke notices, on Philemon i. 2, that there is a pecu- 
 
ON THE CHRISTIAN NAME. 237 
 
 There are some excellent remarks of Bishop Jewell 
 on this subject. He says, "Some are herein over- 
 seen. They refuse to call their children by the 
 names of holy men and women, because they think 
 it to savour somewhat too much of religion, and 
 therefore either they name them at adventure, having 
 no regard at all how they be named, or else they give 
 them the names of heathen men, and call them Julius 
 Caesar, Hercules, Lucretia, Scipio, and such like. 
 These, though they were notable in wisdom, learn- 
 ing, chastity, boldness, and in conquests, yet were 
 they heathen men, and knew not God. The name is 
 nothing. It commendeth us not to God: yet may a 
 Christian father be ashamed to call his child by the 
 name of such, who were enemies to the cross of 
 Christ. 
 
 " Chrysostom, a godly father, saith, " In this thing, 
 that is in the naming of their children, both the god- 
 liness of the parents, and also their great care for 
 their children, is declared. And how have they 
 forthwith, and from the beginning, taught the chil- 
 dren which were born unto them, giving them warn- 
 ing, by the names wherewith they call them, that 
 they should practise virtue. They did not give 
 names at adventure, and without reason, as is used 
 now a days, for now men say, Let the child be called 
 
 liarity in the use of proper names in this epistle, which is not found 
 in any other part of St. Paul's writings. 
 
 Philemon, our dearly beloved, affectionate, from <pi\7]i.ia, a kiss. 
 
 Apphia, our beloved, from the diminutive of a brother or sister, 
 used to express kindness. 
 
 Archippus, our fellow- soldier, meaning the ruler or master of a 
 horse used in war. 
 
 Onesimus, ver. 10, 11, profitable, from ourjjxi, to help. 
 
 The apostle takes occasion, from the meaning of the names, to sug- 
 gest practical and useful thoughts. 
 
238 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 after the name of his grandfather, or great-grand- 
 father. But our old fathers did not so. They took 
 all heed to call their children by such names which 
 should not only provoke them to virtue, which car- 
 ried the names, but should teach all others much 
 wisdom, whosoever should remain many years after 
 them." 
 
 Again he saith, "See how great understanding 
 they of old time had, that even the women named 
 not their children rashly or by chance, but called 
 them by names that foreshewed such things as might 
 happen after." And of Leah, Jacob's wife, he 
 makes a special commendation : "See how she names 
 not her children simply, nor at adventure she called 
 him Simeon, because (says she) the Lord hath 
 heard." Therefore Chrysostom says, " Let us not 
 therefore give names unto our children that are com- 
 mon names, or because they were the names of our 
 grandfathers or great-grandfathers, or of such who 
 have been famous for their parentage, but rather let 
 us call them by the names of such as have excelled 
 in virtue, and have been most faithful towards God." 
 
 " Let them carry the names of the apostles, of the 
 prophets, of the martyrs, of such who have been 
 constant in the faith and have su fie red death for 
 Christ's sake : that so they may be taught by their 
 name to remember whose name they bear, and that 
 they neither speak, nor do anything unworthy of 
 their name. As if any be called John, that he pray 
 for grace, and desire to be filled with grace; that he 
 give witness of Christ that he is the Lamb of God 
 which taketh away the sins of the Lord; that be re- 
 buke vice boldly, as John did in Herod, though he 
 were a mighty prince. Or if he be called Paul, 
 
OK Tin. CHRISTIAN NAME. 
 
 239 
 
 that he so become a follower of Paul as Paul was of 
 Christ, and say with Paul, that I might live unto God 
 1 am crucified with Christ. Thus I live, yet not I now, 
 but Christ livcth in me; and hear Christ speaking 
 unto him as did Paul, and fall down and say, Lord, 
 what wilt thou that I do ? So let him that is called 
 THOMAS touch the bosom of Christ, and handle his 
 wounds, and make a good confession, as Thomas 
 did, and say, My Lord and my God. Let Matthew 
 forsake his customs, even the deceitful gains of the 
 world, and follow Christ. Let Daniel remember 
 Daniel, — though he should be thrown into the den 
 of lions, or be burnt in the fire, or suffer any cruel 
 torments, yet let him not therefore forsake God, but 
 put his whole trust in him. Thus should our names 
 teach us, that whether we write them or utter them, 
 or hear them spoken, they may put us in mind of 
 Christian duty and godliness." 
 
 It may help to assist some of my readers, both to 
 profit by their own names, and also facilitate their 
 choice of a name for a child, to give a list of the most 
 common names, and their meaning. 
 
 SCRIPTURE NAMES, WITH TIIKIR MEANING. 
 
 Names of Men. 
 Abel, mourning. 
 Abraham, father of a multitude. 
 Adam, earthy. 
 ALEXANDER, assisting men. 
 Andrew, a Btrong man. 
 AssiiKR, happiness. 
 Augustus, majestic 
 Barnabas, son of consolation. 
 Benjamin, the son of the right 
 hand. 
 
 Caleb, as the heart. 
 
 Clement, mild. 
 
 Cornelius, horn of the sun. 
 
 Dan, he that judges. 
 
 Daniel, judgment of (Jod. 
 
 David, beloved. 
 
 Ellas or Elijah, God tin- Lord. 
 
 Klisiia, the salvation of God. 
 
 ENOCH, dedicated. 
 
 Ezekiel, God is my strength. 
 
 Ezra, a helper. 
 
240 
 
 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 Felix, happy. 
 
 Gabriel, God is my strength. 
 
 Hezekiah, strong in the Lord. 
 
 Jabez, sorrow. 
 
 Jacob, supplanter. 
 
 James, the same. 
 
 Jedidiah, beloved of the Lord. 
 
 J e r em lv h, grandeur of the Lord. 
 
 Job, he that weeps. 
 
 John, grace of the Lord. 
 
 Jonathan, given of God. 
 
 Joseph, increase. 
 
 Joshua, the Lord the Saviour. 
 
 Josiah, the fire of the Lord. 
 
 Isaac, laughter. 
 
 Judah, Jude, the praise of the 
 
 Lord. 
 Luke, luminous. 
 Mark, shewing. 
 Matthew, a reward. 
 Matthias, the gift of the Lord. 
 Michael, who is like to God. 
 Moses, taken out of the water. 
 Nathan, given. 
 Nathaniel, the gift of God. 
 Nehemiah, consolation of the 
 
 Lord. 
 Nicolas, victory of the people. 
 Noah, rest. 
 
 Obadiah, servant of the Lord. 
 Onesimus, profitable. 
 Paul, little, or rest. 
 Peter, a rock or stone. 
 Philemon, affectionate. 
 Philip, warlike, or lover of 
 
 horses. 
 Reuben, vision of the Son. 
 Samson, his sun. 
 Samuel, asked of God. 
 
 Shem, name or renown. 
 Simeon, hears or obeys. 
 Solomon, peaceable. 
 Stephen, a crown. 
 Theophilus, a lover of God. 
 Thomas, double. 
 Timothy, honour of God. 
 Titus, honourable. 
 Zechariah, memory of the 
 Lord. 
 
 Names of Women. 
 Abigail, the joy of the Father. 
 Anna, gracious. 
 Chloe, green herb. 
 Elizabeth, the oath of God. 
 Deborah, a word. 
 Esther, secret or hidden. 
 Eve, living. 
 Ha gar, a stranger. 
 Hannah, gracious. 
 Jemima, handsome as the day. 
 Joanna, the grace of God. 
 Leah, grieved or weary. 
 Lydia, birth. 
 Martha, bitter. 
 Mary, lifted up, or exalted. 
 Miriam, the same. 
 Myra, flowing. 
 Phebe, pure. 
 Priscilla, ancient. 
 Rachel, a sheep. 
 Rebecca, fat or full. 
 Rhoda, a rose. 
 Ruth, filled. 
 
 Sarah, princess of the multi- 
 tude. 
 Susanna, a lily, or joy* 
 Tabitha, clear-sighted. 
 
 COMMON NAMES, WITU THEIR MEANING. 
 
 A'amcs of Mc?i. 
 Albert, all bright. 
 Alfred, all pi 
 Ambrose, immortal. 
 Anthony, a flower. 
 Charles, stout. 
 
 Christopher, a bearer of Christ 
 Edgar, happy honour. 
 Edmund, blessed peace. 
 Edward, blessed nature. 
 Edwin, a happy conqueror, 
 Eugene, well-born. 
 
ON THE CHRISTIAN NAME. 
 
 241 
 
 Eustace, steady. 
 Francis, frank* free. 
 Frederic, rich, peace. 
 George, a husbandman. 
 Giles, goat's skin. 
 Henry, honour, or rich at home. 
 Herbert, expert soldier. 
 Hugh, high, or to cleave. 
 Humphrey, makes peace at 
 
 home. 
 Lancelot, a lance or spear. 
 Miles, millet, or a soldier. 
 Patrick, a senator. 
 Ralph, help in council. 
 Richard, liberal-hearted. 
 Roger, desiring rest. 
 Theobald, early, virtuous. 
 Theodore, the gift of God. 
 Theodosius, the same. 
 Vincent, a conqueror. 
 Walter, master of wood. 
 William, the shield of many. 
 
 Names of Women. 
 
 Alice, descended of a noble 
 
 family. 
 Amelia, to make better. 
 Ann, gracious. 
 Arabella, a fair altar. 
 Barbara, foreign. 
 Caroline, singing. 
 Catharine, pure. 
 Cicely, the herb so called. 
 Dorothy, the gift of God. 
 Flora, flourishing. 
 Frances, frank, free. 
 Isabella, handsome. 
 Jane, the grace of God. 
 Lucy, light, or luminous. 
 Margaret, a pearl. 
 Rose, the flower so called. 
 Theodosia, the gift of God. 
 Victoria, victory. 
 
212 TREATISE ON BAPTISM 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 THE DUTY OF PARENTS TO THEIR BAPTIZED 
 CHILDREN. 
 
 Taking his infant to baptism is the expression of the 
 parent's faith that the promises of God to their chil- 
 dren are true, and that they gladly and gratefully 
 accept, in full confidence of heart, this love of God, 
 owning it by this means of his appointment. Their 
 baptism is designed to be a great help to Christian 
 parents, in the right education of their children. St. 
 Peter, in exhorting the Jews to repent and be bap- 
 tized, for the remission of sins and with the promise 
 of the Holy Ghost, says, For the promise is unto you 
 and your children, and to all that are afar off, even as 
 many as the Lord shall call. Acts ix. 39. The full in- 
 struction which, as we have seen, baptism conveys 
 on all the most important truths of religion, is de- 
 signed for their edilication. The great privileges 
 which it sets forth and assures, is for the manifesta- 
 tion, exercise, and increase of their faith. 
 
 But though the Church of England, in its Cate- 
 chism, and in its address to the sponsors, has done 
 much to make this clear, yet, from various circum- 
 
THE DUTY OF PARENTS. 243 
 
 stances, the power and energy of this ordinance, as a 
 help in education, has been greatly lost. Baptism 
 has been too much cast out of the public congrega- 
 tion, and made a private service ; it has been con- 
 nected with the mere name and register of a child's 
 birth : it has been a mere family festival ; and so its 
 religious character has been greatly lost sight of; 
 and yet farther it has been abused as circumcision 
 was, in being made a substitute for regeneration. 
 Hence, it has but little been used as an ordinance of 
 divine grace, full of blessing. 
 
 May the remarks now to be made assist parents 
 and all who have the charge of children, in their re- 
 sponsible office. 
 
 The first requisite in a right education is to have a 
 clear view of the main thing to be attended to, in the 
 children whom God has committed to our trust. If 
 the eye be single, the whole body shall be full of light. 
 The Church of England places this distinctly before 
 us in these emphatic words, the soul's health. 
 Our Lord commands us, Seek first the kingdom of God 
 and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added 
 to you. Matt. vi. 33. And in a similar view, he tells 
 Martha, One thing is needful, and Mary (who sat at 
 Jesus' feet and heard his word, while Martha was 
 cumbered about much serving) — Mary hath chosen that 
 good part which shall not be taken from her. The 
 soul's health is then the main thing, the one thing 
 needful to be constantly in the eye of the Christian 
 parent. 
 
 And rightly to attend to this, the soul's disease 
 
 must be discerned and ever borne in mind. One of 
 
 the earliest truths brought before us in scripture is, 
 
 that Adam begat a son in his own likeness, after his 
 
 R 2 
 
244 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 image (Gen. v. 8) ; and that the imagination of mans 
 heart is evil from his youth. Gen. viii. 21. All expe- 
 rience confirms this. The great wisdom of a Chris- 
 tian education is to cure this first and great disease 
 of the soul, by that full remedy which God has pro- 
 vided in the glorious gospel of his grace. They that 
 be whole have no need of a physician, but they that are 
 sick. Matt. ix. 12. But we being sick all over, as the 
 nation of Israel was ; of whom it is said, the ivhole 
 head is sick, and the whole heart faint, from the sole 
 of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in 
 it ; we being thus diseased with sin, infinitely need 
 the Divine Physician, and his heavenly medicine, 
 for our souls. And if the question be raised, Is there 
 no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there ? The 
 answer in the Bible is clear, — there is both medicine, 
 and a Physician. 
 
 Our Lord Jesus Christ is our able and skilful 
 Physician, fully competent to heal the worst spir- 
 itual diseases of the soul. It is his title, lam the 
 Lord that healeth thee. Exod. xv. 26. It is his gra- 
 cious promise, / will restore health unto thee, and I 
 will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord (Jer. xxx. 
 ]7) ; and it should be our fervent prayer to him, 
 Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed', save me, and I 
 shall be saved ; for thou art my praise. Jer. xvii. 14. 
 Ail the healing of bodily diseases which he wrought 
 on earth, was illustrative of the yet more important 
 healing of the soul, which he only can effect. Let us 
 know the only Physician of souls for ourselves and 
 our children, and go to him first of all. 
 
 Some remarks, in a work with many valuable 
 thoughts, entitled, "An Affectionate Address to 
 Christian Parents," are so full of this precious truth, 
 
THE DUTY OF PARENTS. 245 
 
 that though the extract is long, I am persuaded that 
 the Reader will be glad to see them. 
 
 u We must begin their education for eternity as 
 early as that for time. Oh that every little one was 
 taught, before it could speak, to lisp the name of 
 Jesus, as its dearest friend ; to learn to receive, as 
 from a Father's hand, the mercies that it can com- 
 prehend — its food, its bed, its cheerfulness in play. 
 Its anxiety for stories, gratified by tales of Him who 
 was once an obedient child, and what a cold hard 
 bed he had, and then was nailed to a tree, and suf- 
 fered more pain than any little chiid can understand, 
 that they wiio love him might be happy for ever. 
 Tales of the little children who were glad to see the 
 Lord, and cried Hosannah ! though grown-up men 
 rebuked them ; and of the Lord who blessed the little 
 children, though grown-up men sent them away. 
 Tales of the house, of the way-side, and of the boat 
 upon the sea, and how he could make all calm, when 
 they were sore afraid ; and yet he had not where to 
 lay his head, because the world was wicked, and is 
 wicked still ; and how he laid the little ones upon 
 his bosom, where none ever laid their head beside, 
 except the disciple whom he loved; and how he 
 loved the child's parents before they loved him, and 
 loves his lambs because the child's parents leave 
 them to him ; that Jesus is grieved when they do 
 wrong, and yet the naughty things they say and do 
 are all forgiven for his sake. This would be like the 
 dew of heaven dropping into their ears, and bringing 
 every affection into contact with Jesus ; taking the 
 core of their little hearts, and wrapping round them 
 the name that gladdens heaven, and yet can seek a 
 home in the bosom of a little child. Teaching them 
 
246 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 to clasp their little hands, and say, " Father;" and 
 telling them why they may call God their Father, 
 because he made Jesus the brother of his people. 
 Though he made the world, he became the brother of 
 man. Presenting every duty as a debt of gratitude 
 to Jesus, and every display of their own self-will 
 as a trespass against him who wept over the sins 
 of the city he loved. And then when childhood 
 takes the place of infancy, continuing still to teach 
 obedience, meekness, gentleness, kindness, and re- 
 straint of their own selfishness, not as so many ab- 
 stract duties, mere matters of right and wrong, but 
 in connection with grace, mercy, and peace. Turning 
 their every thought to Jesus as a Saviour who can 
 sympathize with the trials of childhood ; one who 
 affords an ever-var)ing theme for the table, the fire- 
 side, and the nursery. Your own fondness and care 
 represented as but a feeble imitation of the tender- 
 ness of Him who gave you to them, and them to you, 
 and all to Jesus. Thus not letting the love of your 
 little ones stop short in yourselves, but sending it 
 on till it finds rest in the bosom of God. Every 
 principle acted on toward them, and which they are 
 taught to act upon toward one another, borrowed 
 from the ways of him who is thus early made the 
 centre of their thoughts and affections. When chas- 
 tisement is inflicted, let reference be made to the 
 dealings of the Father with our own souls, thatchas- 
 tising is good for us all betimes. When aught is 
 forgiven, let that forgiveness be accompanied with 
 especial reference to the grace of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ. Watchfulness as to whom they associate 
 with, whether servants, relatives or play-fellows; 
 for Satan at least is aware of the power of education, 
 
THE DUTY OF PARENTS. 247 
 
 and has many school-masters. All diligence that 
 they may see the constant remembrance of the Lord 
 that bought us, not in word only but in deed, in every 
 family arrangement, in the management of all in- 
 ternal and external concerns ; so as to let a whole- 
 hearted reality in the Master's service meet their eye 
 wherever they turn it. Treating them as little pil- 
 grims, already marching through the wilderness along 
 with us ; and then expecting them to act upon Chris- 
 tian principle. " Children, obey in the Lord, for this 
 is well-pleasing unto the Lord." And above all, 
 care, morning by morning, and evening by evening, 
 to join in prayer to our Father and theirs, that, like 
 young Samuel, they may grow in the favour of the 
 Lord : He himself their Teacher, and their parents 
 only fellow-helpers together with him. Until child- 
 hood shall have passed away, leaving their hearts 
 pre-occupied against the chilling influence of a selfish 
 world ; and then parents and children may rejoice 
 together, a happy believing family, exhibiting a 
 lovely miuiature of the household of faith, sharers 
 of the same hope, partakers of the same joy, one 
 in Christ, and that for ever. This is Christian 
 education; this, and nothing short of this, is nour- 
 ishing up in the nurture and admonition of the 
 Lord." 
 
 The remedies which Jesus has provided are of 
 various kinds, outward and inward. His whole sys- 
 tem of providential dealings with us is designed, in 
 wisdom, mercy, and love, for our healing. Even his 
 sharpest trials are the skilful efforts of our most wise 
 physician. Come, and let us return unto the Lord, for 
 he hath torn, and he will heal us ; he hath smitten, and 
 he will bind us up. It is he who places us in our 
 
248 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 various circumstances, knowing our spiritual diseases 
 and designing our good. 
 
 But the grand remedy which he has provided is 
 full of wonders of grace and love; an unheard-of, 
 and by man inconceivable and wholly unimagined 
 means of cure : even nothing less than the Physician 
 himself taking our sicknesses : Himself took our in- 
 firmities and bare our sicknesses. Matt. viii. 17. Let 
 the glorious truth be as distinctly apprehended as it 
 is plainly revealed. He ivas wounded for our trans- 
 gressions ; he teas bruised for our iniquities; the chas- 
 tisement of our peace was upon him ; and with his stripes 
 we are healed. All we (notice the word all), like sheep 
 have gone astray ; we have turned every one to his own 
 way ; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all 
 (and here also notice the corresponding all). The 
 blood of Jesus applied to the heart by the Holy 
 Spirit, this is the sovereign remedy for all our dis- 
 eases. This is that cleansing and washing from our 
 sins in his own blood, which the ordinance of baptism, 
 as we have seen, unfolds to our view. 
 
 The means by which we take this remedy is faith. 
 This he requires, this he gives to them that ask. 
 When the afflicted father laid his son's desperate dis- 
 ease before the Saviour, (in doing which he was a 
 true guide, and furnished an important lesson for all 
 earthly parents,) he said, //' thou canst do anything, 
 have compassion on us, and help us. Jesus said unto 
 hint, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him 
 that believeth. On this appeal to him as to his faith, 
 we have a most striking exhibition of the struggling 
 nature of grace, pouring out its difficulties, weak- 
 ness, and necessities, into the bosom of the Saviour. 
 And straightway lite father of the child cried out, and 
 
THE DUTY OF PARENTS. 249 
 
 said with tears, Lord! I believe, help thou mine unbelief ! 
 an irresistible application to the compassionate heart 
 of Christ, which at once gained the desired blessing. 
 
 Baptism and its benefits and privileges are de- 
 signed as the great help of our faith, setting before 
 us this remedy, and leading us to apply it to our 
 daily necessities. 
 
 As soon as God has given to parents this precious 
 gift that comet h from the Lord, it should be the 
 parents' desire that it should, like Jeremiah, be sanc- 
 tified ; (Jer. i. 5.) like John the Baptist, be filled with 
 the Holy Ghost even from his mother s womb, Luke i. 
 15. What a trust indeed has God given to us in the 
 charge of an immortal being! This child will live 
 forever! What a truth! It will live forever in 
 hell or in heaven ! Oh what a thought! its condi- 
 tion is deeply affected by my present conduct to it? 
 What a responsibility ! But it may live, and become 
 like Noah the parent of millions yet to be born : it 
 may, like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, become the 
 head of a holy nation; or, like Esau, the head of a 
 wicked nation ! Remote generations yet unborn may 
 be affected by its character! One grows giddy and 
 is overwhelmed at the amazing issues dependant on 
 its becoming a child of God ! And at this fearful 
 head and spring of all that is yet to come, oh with 
 what a relief Christian baptism comes in, and speaks 
 of God's love to us and our offspring, and his wil- 
 lingness to admit such into the kingdom of heaven. 
 
 The importance of an early beginning in Chris- 
 tian education is very great. It is brought before us 
 in the history of Hannah and of Eli, and her son 
 and his sons, with a distinctness that cannot be mis- 
 taken. Eli's sons made themselves vile, and he re- 
 
2.50 TREATISE ON BAPTISM I 
 
 .strained them not ; they were sons of Belial : he seems 
 to have indulged them, and neglected their instruc- 
 tion, till, though his admonition then was serious 
 and earnest, it was too late. Hannah, on the other 
 hand, gave her's to the Lord from the very begin- 
 ning, and as soon as ever he was weaned, presented 
 him in the temple, and lent him to the Lord, saying, 
 as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord ; and 
 this early devotion of her child to God was the be- 
 ginning of the full blessedness of Samuel in his sub- 
 sequent life. 
 
 To Christian parents we need hardly first insist 
 upon the great need of lively faith in all those 
 precious promises, which we have shewn, in the 
 chapter on the warrant of infant baptism, belong to 
 them and their children. Meditate on those pro- 
 mises, consider them well. Be fully persuaded that 
 what God has promised he is able also to perform. He 
 means what he says. Have full confidence in his truth. 
 Dread rather dishonouring him by unbelief, than sup- 
 pose that faith is presumption where he has expressly 
 promised. Fear to manifest a doubting spirit, which 
 charges God with falsehood, rather than think it 
 humility to imagine the promises are too great or too 
 good for such as you. Nothing is too great or too 
 good for us to hope from our gracious and most mer- 
 ciful Father, after his not having spared his own Son 
 for us. 
 
 Duly to set forth these promises to our children, is 
 a very important part of education, moderating and 
 sweetening all the strictness of discipline, and shew- 
 ing the love in which it is founded. It is a solemn 
 direction to fathers : Ye fathers, provoke not your chil- 
 dren unto wrath, but briny them up in the nurture 
 
THE DUTY OF PARENTS. 251 
 
 (eKTpe<£eTe axrra ev iraiSaa) and admonition of the Lord. 
 Ephes. vi. 4. The words point out the affectionate 
 cherishing as well as correction of a parent. The 
 parallel command is, Fathers, provoke not your chil- 
 dren to anger, lest they be discouraged. Col. iii. 21. 
 There is danger not only of spoiling a child by over- 
 indulgence, against which we are warned in the 
 Old Testament, (Prov. xiii. 24; xix. 18; xxiii. 13; 
 xxix. 15, 17.) but danger also of provoking and dis- 
 couraging a child by withholding the rich promises 
 and overflowing grace of the gospel, and bringing 
 only law and power and authority, and so of enkind- 
 ling only unholy and depressing feelings in the minds 
 of children. Whereas, let the grace of the gospel, 
 in the reception of children to all its blessings, be 
 set before a child, and teaching these promises, the 
 parents may well call their children in their strength 
 to holiness of life. 
 
 But the promises are the food not only of faith, 
 but of prayer. Use them all as so many pleas for 
 fervent prayer. Lodge in the treasury of heaven 
 a rich store of prayers for your dear children. The 
 prayers of parents for children seem to have a special 
 power. Thus Abraham prayed for Tshmael and was 
 heard. Gen. xvii. 18 — 20. Job prayed for his sons. 
 Job i. 5. 
 
 The next important step is the obtaining of 
 sponsors for your children : and here let the grand 
 principle of seeking first the kingdom of God regu- 
 late your desires and conduct. There are many 
 temptations to act otherwise, and the Lord knows 
 what may be right to us in cases where man might 
 judge hardly of our conduct. But as a main prin- 
 ciple, to be steadily kept in view, regard the piety 
 
252 TREATISE ON BAPTISM: 
 
 of a godfather and godmother rather than their rank 
 or property or influence, or the nearness of their re- 
 lationship, or their past friendship to you, or any 
 other mere worldly consideration. You must honour 
 God more than man in this as in everything else. 
 One prayer from the heart of a pious godfather or 
 godmother is worth more than all that a worldly god- 
 father or godmother can do for our children. 
 
 A farther duty is that of public baptism in the 
 congregation where it can be had. Our church re- 
 quires us to admonish our people on this head : and 
 there is much reason in our day for the admonition 
 being given. Rich persons may like to have the self- 
 indulgent ease of a drawing-room baptism, in the 
 midst of the pomps and vanities of this world ; it 
 distinguishes them from the poor ; it gives them no 
 trouble ; it can be made an occasion of display and 
 form. I deny not that there are cases of illness and 
 weakness, and providential circumstances of other 
 kinds, which justify a private baptism; but oh, let 
 us guard against bringing carnal motives into the 
 ordinances of God. A poor man may find it, on the 
 other hand, inconvenient to get his friends together 
 at particular times or seasons for public baptism. 
 But all such minor motives ought to be merged in 
 the great importance of securing the prayers of a 
 whole congregation, and imparting a fuller blessing 
 to the church of Christ. Let parents strive to have 
 the privilege of a public baptism, and ministers will 
 soon rejoice in the general administration in the con- 
 gregation of this holy sacrament. 
 
 The baptismal services of the church have already 
 been considered. The previous preparation for 
 the baptism of our children materially affects the 
 
THE DUTY OF PARENTS. 253 
 
 profit to be derived from it. A pious minister of the 
 gospel in New England, Mr. John Baily, thus re- 
 corded in his private journal his feelings previous to 
 the baptism of one of his children : — "I spent some 
 time in offering up myself and my child to the Lord, 
 and in taking hold of the covenant for myself and for 
 him. It is actually to be done to-morrow in baptism. 
 I prayed hard this day, that I might be able, in much 
 faith and love, and new-covenant obedience, to do it 
 to-morrow. It is not easy, though common, to offer 
 a child unto God in baptism. O that is a sweet 
 word, / will be a God to thee and to thy seed after thee. 
 No marvel Abraham fell on his face at the hearing 
 of it."* 
 
 The sacrament of baptism is indeed a most solemn 
 service, and if men should prepare for the Lord's 
 Supper, which occurs frequently, surely that which 
 occurs but once in the life of a Christian, and affects 
 the whole of his life, calls for much serious prepa- 
 ration. 
 
 The subsequent improvement of baptism by 
 parents is a. point of great moment. 
 
 Parents may first assist the sponsors in ful- 
 filling their office. We have got into such a 
 formal courseof complimentary sponsorship, thatchil- 
 dren forget who are their godfathers, and godfathers 
 forget for whom they have stood. This ought not to 
 be. Why should sponsors never think of their 
 office, and never speak earnestly, seriously, and im- 
 pressively to their godchildren, question themon their 
 religious state, and seek to help them on in their 
 Christian course, both by their advice and their 
 
 * See the quotation in the valuable work, " Bowden's Religious 
 Education Enforced." 
 
254 TREATISE ON BAPTISM J 
 
 prayers ? Let parents seek to stir up those who have 
 undertaken this kind and Christian office, thus really 
 to seek to fulfil it. 
 
 But, after all, the most important part must 
 rest on the Christian parent. The subject of Chris- 
 tian education is both far too large and too weighty 
 to be here fully considered. But baptism furnishes 
 instruction in its true nature: to commence from the 
 earliest years, and begin, where God begins, with the 
 riches of his grace to those born in sin, and the chil- 
 dren of wrath. Let the principles declared in bap- 
 tism be the principles of the family, if you would 
 have the blessings of baptism assured to your chil- 
 dren. But if, while they hear at church the devil 
 and all his works renounced, they hear at home only 
 laughter at the name of the devil, as if he were an 
 imaginary being, instead of our bitter, malignant, 
 subtle, and ever-active foe, what resistance can you 
 expect to be made against his devices ? If while they 
 hear at church the pomp and glory of this world and 
 all covetous desires of the same condemned, they see 
 at home those pomps displayed as most attractive, 
 and those desires eagerly expressed and followed, 
 how can the children think of fighting with the world 
 as a real enemy that must be conquered? If while 
 the carnal desires of the flesh are reprobated in the 
 house of God, the indulgence of the same is the sub- 
 ject of daily conversation and pursuit at home, how 
 can the child really be aware of their deadly nature? 
 If they are left to the care of ungodly servants, the 
 society of ungodly companions ; if God be represented 
 rather as a taskmaster than a father ; if their own self- 
 will be gratified and God's will disregarded, what 
 good can issue ! Let there be a consistency between 
 
THE DUTY OF PARENTS. 255 
 
 our profession in this holy ordinance and our daily 
 conduct in our families, hy renouncing these things 
 in practice, as well as profession, which at our bap- 
 tism we have all promised to renounce. 
 
 So the faith expressed in baptism, in all the great 
 realities of Christianity, as summed up in God giving 
 his Son to die for our sins, should govern all our 
 plans, leading us not to live to ourselves, but to him who 
 died for us, if we would have our children possessors 
 of their faith. 
 
 And God's holy will and commandments, as sum- 
 med up in loving God with all our heart, and with all 
 our soul, and with all our mind, and with all our 
 strength, and in loving our neighbour as ourselves, 
 must be really regarded by us: if we would help them 
 to regard it, this Jove must be shed abroad in our 
 hearts by the Holy Ghost given to us : we must be 
 taught of God to love one another, and bring these 
 things out into»our lives, if we wish our children thus 
 to love. They are creatures of imitation ; they follow 
 us as much as they can in what they see us do. And 
 especially they are most of all attentive to the con- 
 versation that passes in the family, and most of all 
 influenced by the sentiments which they hear from 
 their father'sguests, and at their father's table. How 
 important, as it regards them, for us not to know a 
 wicked person, and to be a companion of them that 
 fear God ! 
 
 The mother of a family which had been much 
 blessed of God, was asked how she came to be so 
 happy in her children. She replied, that she owed 
 it under God to the rule with which she had set 
 out, and which she had been enabled to carry 
 through, that "there should be but one will in her 
 
250 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 family, and that that will should be the will of 
 God." 
 
 What a scene of missionary usefulness, Christians, 
 thus does your own family present. O be not con- 
 tent with supporting liberally many a blessed insti- 
 tution to send the gospel far and wide, at home and 
 abroad, while your own proper field is neglected. 
 Here, while you neglect no other means of doing 
 good that God opens to you, you may do far more ex- 
 tensive good than you can do in any other way. You 
 and your children, through the power of the gospel 
 seen in your lives, may be the largest of blessings to 
 your fellow-creatures. 
 
 We are told of Philip Henry, in his life, that " in 
 dealing with his children about their spiritual state, 
 he took hold of them very much by the handle of 
 their infant baptism ; and frequently inculcated upon 
 them that they were born in God's house, and were 
 betimes dedicated and given up to him, and therefore 
 were obliged to be his servants." The seed of Philip 
 Henry's piety brought forth fruit, that subsists to 
 this day. His descendants yet love and serve the 
 Saviour. 
 
 The continual and natural intermixture of religious 
 conversation with our ordinary conversation is both 
 plainly commanded in thescripture, and in experience 
 found to be most practically beneficial. Nothing can 
 be more positive than the directions. These words 
 which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart ; 
 and thou shah teach them diligently to thy children, and 
 talk of them when thou sit test in thine house, and when 
 thou wafhest by the way, and when thou liest down, and 
 when thou risest up. Deut. vi. (>, 7. The fathers to the 
 children shall mahe knoivn thy truth. Isaiah xxxviii. 10. 
 
THE DUTY OF PARENTS. 257 
 
 He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law 
 in Israel, which he commanded our fathers that they 
 should mahe them known to their children. Psalm 
 Ixxviii. 5 — 7. 
 
 Discipline and correction are other parts of 
 parental duty as it concerns baptized children. Bring 
 them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Eph 
 vi. 4. Many are the charges to parents in the book 
 of Proverbs on this point. The rod and reproof give 
 wisdom, but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to 
 shame. Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest ; yea, 
 he shall give delight to thy soul. Piov. xxix. 15 — 17. 
 O what a blessing is early discipline and restraint, 
 mildly but firmly maintained, in all the subsequent 
 course of our children ! The world is full of misery 
 through the neglect of it, and the most blessed instru- 
 ments of good, now as well as in former days, are 
 those whom their parents have brought up in godly 
 restraint when young. 
 
 Once more, an explanation of the meaning of 
 this ordinance, as they arecapable of understanding 
 it, should be given. Thus the Israelites were directed 
 to do with regard to the Passover — When your children 
 ask, What mean you by this service, then ye shall say, It is 
 the sacrifice of the Lord's passover, who passed over the 
 houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote 
 the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. Exod. xii. 
 26, 27. And so they were called to do with regard to 
 all God's testimonies. Deut. vi. 20—25. Thus should 
 we also explain to our children this sacred rite, and 
 seek to interest their young hearts in all those pri- 
 vileges and blessings which God has provided for 
 them. 
 
 To these views and in this spirit, Christian parents, 
 s 
 
258 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 may we have grace to train up our children. With 
 all this also, warning and admonishing them of the 
 fearful danger, which we shall afterwards consider, 
 of the baptized drawing back to perdition. 2 Peter 
 ii. 20, 21. Heb. vi. 4—8 ; x. 26—89. 
 
 These are the varied duties which parents have to 
 fulfil to their baptized children, but there is yet a 
 more direct baptismal instruction, and a deeper lesson 
 of divine truth, to which the scriptures and our church 
 specially call our attention. The last part of the 
 address to the sponsors bids them to rememberalways 
 " that baptism doth represent unto us our profession, 
 which is to follow the example of our Saviour Christ, 
 and to be made like unto him ; that as he died and 
 rose again for us, so should we who are baptized, die 
 from sin and rise again unto righteousness, conti- 
 nually mortifying all our evil and corrupt affections, 
 and daily proceeding in all virtue and godliness of 
 living." 
 
 This shews us that suffering was the way our great 
 Master went to his glory, and by that he has already 
 procured for us the full title to all spiritual blessings ; 
 so that they are actually ours by faith, and in the 
 strength of this confidence it points to us the way in 
 which we must follow him. It shews us that the 
 gospel confers on us unspeakable blessings ; and 
 then that those blessings are realized in the way of 
 self-sacrifice. That the blessing of baptism is not 
 carnal security, in the indulgence of our lusts: but 
 first the free forgiveness of all our sins in Christ, and 
 then the death of those lusts and the life of godli- 
 ness. Oh let us understand what regeneration really 
 is, and the self-righteous will shrink from claiming it 
 n baptism, and the spiritually-minded will regard 
 
THE DUTY OF PARENTS. 259 
 
 baptism as a real help to holiness, humility and 
 love. 
 
 The importance of the duties which lie on Chris- 
 tian parents may be seen from the evil consequences 
 of neglecting those duties. Look at Eli, a truly de- 
 voted servant of God ; yet neglecting duly torestraiu 
 and bring up his children for God, how bitter were 
 the fruits to Eli and his house, to the children them- 
 selves and to their whole country : and that we might 
 never lose sight of it, observe throughout the con- 
 trast in Hannah's child Samuel. 1 Sam. ii. 25 — 35. 
 We see in the case of David's children, the evil of 
 indulging and spoiling children ; what distress Am- 
 nion and Absalom and Adonijah occasioned him. 
 Respecting Adonijah it is said, His father had not 
 displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou 
 done so ? 1 Kings i. 6. 
 
 And, on the other hand, what blessings follow 
 their pious education— / know Abraham, that he will 
 command his children and his household after him, and 
 they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and 
 judgment, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that 
 which he hath spoken of him. Gen. xviii. 19. The 
 happy result of this was, Abraham's children were 
 blessed and a blessing to all nations, and will be so 
 for ever. David's care in the instruction of Solomon 
 was blessed in his becoming the wisest of kings. 
 Prov. iv. 3, 4. Through the care of his mother Lois, 
 and his grandmother Eunice, Timothy attained that 
 early piety which made him such a blessing to the 
 church. 2 Tim. i. 5; iii. 15. 
 
 Thus, parents, has God given us the fullest en- 
 couragement, patiently and steadily, with daily self- 
 denial, to attend to our very important work of 
 
260 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 training up our children in the way they should go. 
 May we firmly set about it in the divine strength, con- 
 stantly attend to it, and receive the full reward ! 
 
 I cannot close this chapter without directing the 
 Christian reader's attention to the unspeakable bless- 
 edness of a Christian family walking in the 
 ways of the Lord. Behold, how good and how pleasant 
 it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. Psalm 
 cxxxiii. 1. This unity can only be attained by 
 grace imparted to all from one Saviour, like the 
 holy oil first poured on the head of the High Priest, 
 and then descending from him in one combined 
 fragrance and unity of good. It is, however, de- 
 lightful to see, both through the Old and New 
 Testament, how much God's blessing has de- 
 scended on households and flowed in families, and 
 blessed those sweet domestic circles which thus be- 
 come figures, or rather little resemblances of the 
 whole family in heaven and earth. Noah and his 
 family were saved from the deluge ; Lot and his 
 family delivered from Sodom ; Rahab and hers from 
 Jericho; Abraham and his seed were blessed. The 
 households were to feast distinctly on the Paschal 
 Lamb. Exod. xii. 3, 4. Joy in God was to be the 
 common blessing of the whole family of an Israelite, 
 Ye and your household. Deut. xii. 7. Ye and your 
 sons, and your daughters, and your men-servants, and 
 your maid- servants, and the Levite that is within your 
 gates, v. 12. 18. Let any one look at the word house 
 and household, as used in the New Testament, and 
 see how it is connected with spiritual blessings, and 
 learn how God delights to give his grace to a whole 
 family. How many of the first-fruits were house- 
 holds ! The nobleman among the Jews was one of 
 
THE DUTY OF PARENTS. 261 
 
 our Lord's earliest converts, and he believed with all 
 his house. John iv. 53. Cornelius, the first Gentile, 
 with all his house believed and was baptized. Acts 
 x. 2, 48; xi. 14. How careful our merciful Father 
 has been to have these things recorded for our en- 
 couragement! When a messenger of Christ enters 
 a house, the first salutation which he has to give is, 
 Peace be to this house ! Luke x. 5. The salvation of 
 Zaccheus is, Salvation come to this house. Luke xix. 9. 
 Thus from Christ, in the fulness of his love, blessings 
 overflow to a believer's household. 
 
 These things may give us the full assurance of 
 hope as to the salvation of our households. Oh, let 
 us, Christian reader, rise to this delightful hope. 
 Provided onJy we believe God's promises, and act 
 them out in our conduct, our children's salvation is 
 as sure as our own. The same word of promise is 
 the security of both. 
 
 And how great is the comfort of love, and the fellow- 
 ship of the Spirit which the grace of Christ sheds 
 forth in a Christian family! Beautiful it is to ob- 
 serve the course of that grace in the gradual subjec- 
 tion of all that is evil in each member, and the 
 continual growth of all that is amiable and lovely. 
 We see a daily flow of kind thoughts and words and 
 works, a tender consideration of each other's desires 
 and wants, a constant check upon natural selfishness, 
 the subduing of unholy tempers, and the bearing of 
 each other's burdens. A full stream of peace and 
 harmony, love and sympathy, joy and gladness, 
 godly mirth and cheerfulness, mutual help and com- 
 fort, refreshes and gladdens each heart every day. 
 May every reader possess in happy experience this 
 truly Christian family blessedness! Oh may he 
 
262 TREATISE ON BAPTISM .* 
 
 know the constantly recurring joy of the endear- 
 ments of a domestic circle, where from those wells of 
 salvation which our God has given us, and which 
 are opened afresh each day in family instruction and 
 in family prayer, in Christian conversation and com- 
 mon studies, true joys are continually received, and 
 then diffused in kindly acts of self-denying love to 
 each member of the family ; and then in enlarging 
 blessedness to relatives and friends, neighbours and 
 parishioners, the church in this land and in foreign 
 lands, to Jews and Gentiles, and to the whole earth ; 
 hastening the happy time when Christ and his grace 
 shall fill the world with blessedness. May these 
 living springs of water (John iv. 14.) be continually 
 multiplying in our desert world, till not a spot is left 
 unrefreshed and unfructified ! 
 
THE DUTY OF THE BAPTIZED. 263 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 THE DUTY OF THE BAPTIZED. 
 
 The duty ofthe baptized comprehendsthewholeof the 
 Christian life. It is an enlistment under the banners 
 of the Captain of our salvation ; and ever after, we 
 have to fight the good fight of faith, that we may lag 
 hold on eternal life. It is an entrance into the church 
 of Christ ; his name is put upon us, and his honour 
 entrusted to us, and ever after we are to seek his 
 glory and dominion. It is our being called to be the 
 children of God, and we have henceforth always to 
 be followers (/xijutjtcu imitators) of God as dear chil- 
 dren. To walk worthy of our high calling ; to adorn in 
 all things the doctrine of God our Saviour ; to glorify 
 God in our body and in our spirits which are his. This 
 is our duty, this our privilege, this our glory. 
 
 In order to this we need a very distinct perception, 
 a full and realizing view of the blessings of the gos- 
 pel ; of the good tidings of great joy which it an- 
 nounces ; of the freeness and fulness of its salvation 
 —that the gift of eternal life in Christ Jesus from a 
 Father's love is its record and substance ; that all 
 sins are completely pardoned and blotted out in the 
 blood of Jesus; that there is a sufficiency of grace 
 
204 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 for all our infirmities, and ample strength for all our 
 weakness. Oh unsearchable riches of divine grace! 
 My God shall supply all your need out of his riches in 
 glory by Christ Jesus. He has provided armour, the 
 whole armour of God, to meet every part exposed to 
 danger, or needing defence, and has given unto us 
 an effectual weapon, the sword of the Spirit, which is 
 the word of God, to vanquish all our foes. 
 
 The church of England places in the foreground 
 of all its instruction our great Christian privileges, 
 teaching the child first this lesson, "In my baptism 
 I was made a member of Christ, a child of God, and 
 an inheritor of the kingdom." It follows in this the 
 plain steps marked out by the inspired writer. Far 
 ye are all THE CHILDREN of God by faith in Christ 
 Jesus. For as many of you as have been BAPTIZED 
 into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew 
 nor Gentile, there is neither bond nor free, there is nei- 
 ther male nor female ; for ye are all ONE in Christ 
 JESUS, and if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's 
 seed, and HEIRS ACCORDING TO THE promise. Gal. 
 iii. 26—29. In this strength we are called to all 
 Christian joys and privileges, and to abound in all 
 the fruits of the Spirit, sowing continually to the 
 Spirit, and never being weary in well doing. Privi- 
 lege and blessing the strength to duty. Our church 
 follows the pathway of scripture. Both require the 
 answer of a good conscience towards God, as well as 
 the putting away of the filth of the flesh, by the wash- 
 ing of water. The Church Catechism expressly 
 states that repentance and faith are required in bap- 
 tism, and infants are bound when they come to age 
 to perform both those things which were promised 
 for them, when infants, by their sureties. The bap- 
 
THE DUTY OF THE BAPTIZED. 265 
 
 dsm of water secures outward privileges, and the 
 baptism of the Spirit, received by faith, is needful to 
 completed baptism, and gives the reality of all bles- 
 sings. 
 
 The great and all-important truth, however, taught 
 by these things, has been too much lost sight of. It 
 is the precious doctrine of salvation by grace ; it 
 is the all-important truth that God first begins to 
 shew mercy to us, and will have all men to be saved 
 and to come to the knowledge of the truth. It is that 
 we are to begin with the love of God to us, and in 
 every thing to realize that grace and love. 
 
 Think then of the glorious privileges God would 
 by baptism, convey and assure to you. 
 
 First you are called a member of Christ. Christ 
 has a glorious and mystical body, of which all true 
 believers are real members. This is very often mem- 
 tioned in the word of God. See how St. Paul dwells 
 at large upon it in that passage beginning thus — For 
 as the body is one and hath many members, and all the 
 members of that one body, being many, are one body, so 
 also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized 
 into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether 
 we be bond or free, and have been all made to drink into 
 one Spirit. 1 Cor. xii. 12 — 31. See also Rom. xii. 
 4 — 8. The benefits of this are unspeakably great. 
 Christ is the head of the body — the church ; (Col. i. 18.) 
 and God hath put all things under his feet, and gave 
 him to be the head over all things to his church, which is 
 his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. Ephes. 
 i. 22, 23. We are to grow up into him in all things, 
 (Ephes. iv. 15.) to the mutual edifying of the whole 
 body in love, verse 16. The Lord himself nourisheth 
 and cherisheth us, for we are members of his body, of 
 
266 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 Ms flesh and of his bones. Ephes. v. 29, 30. What a 
 state of privilege and blessedness this is ! There is 
 no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. Rom. 
 viii. I. While there is one body, there is also one 
 Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling ; 
 one Lord, one faith, one baptism. The member united 
 to the body is under the guidance of the head, and 
 by innumerable bands and ligaments, bones and 
 muscles, nerves, veins and arteries, receives nourish- 
 ment, strength, beauty and usefulness. Faith rea- 
 lizes the grace made over to us in baptism. You 
 have then to regard continually this great privilege, 
 (which God shews his willingness to confer on you 
 in baptism) as a mainspring of holiness, and by faith 
 receive all this love of God. 
 
 Next you are counted children of God. Being 
 united to Christ in the ordinance of his appointment 
 and in the faith of his gift : the baptized are imme- 
 diately viewed in the scripture as the children of 
 God — For ye are all the children of God by faith in 
 Christ Jesus. Unbelief only makes this promise void. 
 Rom. iv. 11—16. Heb. iii. 19. But by faith in Jesus 
 we have the privilege of becoming the sons of God. 
 John i. 12. We are adopted into God's family ; 
 (Rom. viii. 14 — 16.) we partake of his Spirit; because 
 ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son 
 into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Gal. iv. 6. Thus 
 with this comes all the feelings of adoption, and all 
 the delight of the soul in a Father's love ; Behold, 
 what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, 
 that we should be called the sons of God; therefore the 
 world knoweth us not y because it knew him not. Be- 
 loved, now are we the sons of God. 1 John iii. 1, 2. And 
 God himself manifests more and more his lOve to 
 
THE DUTY OF THE BAPTIZED. 267 
 
 those believing and confiding in that love. Like as a 
 Father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that 
 fear him. You have to set this blessing then before 
 your eyes, as the high and heavenly hope of your 
 calling, looking forward and hasting to, that blessed 
 hope of the world, the manifestation of the sons of God 
 at the return of our great Redeemer. Rom. viii. 19. 
 Titus ii. 13. Really credit God's love, and enter into 
 its enjoyment, and thus receive the Spirit; so you 
 will find that the Spirit itself beareth witness with our 
 spirit that we are the children of God* 
 
 And as a consequence of this adoption into God's 
 family, you are inheritors of the kingdom of 
 heaven ; as the apostle tells the Galatians, Where- 
 fore thou art no more a servant, but a son, and if a son, 
 then an heir of God through Christ ; (Gal. iv. 7.) or as 
 he tells the Romans — If children then heirs, heirs of 
 God and joint heirs with Christ, if so be that we suffer 
 with him, that ice may be also glorified together. Rom. 
 viii. 17. There is a heavenly kingdom now speedily 
 to be manifested and inherited by the people of God. 
 Matt. xxv. 34. To enter into that, is the consumma- 
 tion of bliss and glory. In baptism God meets us in 
 tender love, and says, I wish you to share this glory, 
 I give it to you ; only now receive it by faith, that 
 you may be made meet for it. God hath given to us 
 eternal life, and this life is in his Son; he that hath the 
 Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son hath not 
 life. 1 John v. 11, 12. Do not then disbelieve this re- 
 cord of God's love, for he that believeth not God hath 
 made him a liar 7 because he believeth not the record that 
 God gave of his Son. ver. 10. This glorious inhe- 
 ritance, then, as freely given to you in Christ, and 
 sealed to you in baptism, is another of those rich pro- 
 
268 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 mises which you have to set before your minds, and 
 cordially to embrace even as they of old, having seen 
 these promises — They were persuaded of them and em- 
 braced them, and confessed that they were strangers and 
 pilgrims, for they that say such things declare plainly 
 that they seek a country, Heb. xi. 13, 15. 
 
 And in the strength of these promises, in the ful- 
 ness of these privileges, you are called to the fulfil- 
 ment of the vows and promises made on your behalf 
 and in your name. 
 
 These are threefold, the renunciation of our spiri- 
 tual enemies, the belief of all Christian truth, and 
 practical obedience to God all our days. 
 
 1. The RENUNCIATION OF OUR SPIRITUAL ENEMIES. 
 
 The baptized makes this solemn promise — " I re- 
 nounce the devil and all his works, the vain pomp 
 and glory of the world, with all covetous desires of 
 the same, and the carnal desires of the flesh, so that 
 I will not follow nor be led by them." The early 
 fathers of the Christian church shew that this was 
 the practice in their day. Tertullian says, speaking 
 of baptism, We renounce the devil, and his pomps, 
 and angels. Origen says, The baptized renounces 
 the evil spirit, and all his damnable pomps. Similar 
 expressions occur in other early writers. But indeed 
 the scriptures are decisive — Resist the devil, crucify 
 the flesh, with its affections and lusts ; make no provision 
 for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof ' ; overcome the 
 world ; if any man love the world, the love of the Father 
 is not in him. 
 
 The ground on which we are called to this warfare 
 is, that all these things are destructive to the life of 
 the soul ; they are perfectly opposed to those real 
 privileges and blessings to which God has called 
 
THE DUTY OF THE BAPTIZED. 269 
 
 you. The friendship of the world is enmity tvilh God: 
 She that livelh in pleasure is dead while she liveth : What 
 concord hath Christ with Belial. Thus, under the pro- 
 mises of our adoption into God's family (2 Cor. vi. 
 18.) we are called to cleanse ourselves from all filthi- 
 ness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the 
 fear of God. 2 Cor. vii. 1. 
 
 But, O how little does the faith of the church now 
 realize either its actual enemies and dangers, or its 
 true sufficiency and strength ! With vast multitudes, 
 Satan and evil spirits are mere superstitious terrors ; 
 the world and its pomps and vanities are an object of 
 attraction and not aversion ; and the indulgence of 
 the lusts of the flesh the fancied happy end of their 
 plans and labours. Ofsuch, the apostle has accurately 
 defined the character, when he speaks of them with 
 weeping, saying that They are the enemies of the cross 
 of Christ ; whose end is destruction, whose God is their 
 belly, whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly 
 things. Phil. iii. 18, 19. 
 
 May we, as Christian believers, seek to raise our 
 minds to a holier and happier state, by bringing be- 
 fore them the excellency of the knowledge of Christ 
 Jesus, the power of his resurrection, and the fellow- 
 ship of his sufferings. 
 
 2. The belief of Christian truth is the second 
 promise of baptism. All truth is centred in Jesus 
 Christ, the Son of God, dying for our sins. When 
 this is confessed, baptism is administered, (Acts ii. 
 41 ; viii. 12,) and submission to baptism is an engage- 
 ment to receive aud observe farther instruction from 
 the scriptures in whatsoever things Jesus has com- 
 manded. Matt, xxviii. 19. A summary of this is con 
 tained in the apostles' creed ; or in the still briefer 
 
270 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 but most comprehensive three chief lessons gathered 
 from it by the Catechism—" First, I learn to believe 
 in God the Father, who made me and all the world. 
 Secondly, in God the Son, who redeemed me and all 
 mankind. Thirdly, in God the Holy Ghost, who 
 sanctifieth me and all the elect people of God." How 
 thankful ought we to be to God that every article of 
 faith is a lesson of God's love, and designed to be a 
 light to our feet in the way to our heavenly home. 
 Ourengagements are all for our advantage ; especially 
 this promise of faith, which is in truth saying, " I will 
 walk in light, and not in darkness. I will follow 
 Christ the light of life. The service of Christ is in- 
 deed perfect freedom." Let us, then, pray much for 
 the increase of faith, to which we are thus solemnly 
 engaged. And while we know that God deals to every 
 man the measure of faith, (Rom. xii. 3,) may we ear- 
 nestly seek of him, for ourselves and our children, to 
 be strong in faith, giving glory to God. 
 
 This faith is its own evidence, by the peace, and 
 joy, and love, and happiness which it produces. If 
 I believe the love of God the Father, the Son, and 
 the Holy Ghost to my soul, as revealed in the faithful 
 word of God, I am filled with joy and peace in believing^ 
 my heart is purified, my spirit is reconciled to God, 
 and my soul delights in him. He that believeth hutft 
 the witness in himself. 
 
 Let us, then, seek for ourselves this full privilege 
 and blessing, and make use of baptism to strengthen 
 our confidence in God's loving-kindness to us. 
 
 3. Practical obedience to God is the third and 
 last thing promised, and to be taught to the children 
 of the baptized. " I will obediently keep God's holy 
 will and commandments, and walk in the same 
 
THE DUTY OF THE BAPTIZED. 271 
 
 all the days of my life." What a solemn promise ! 
 and yet it is an engagement essential to our happi- 
 ness; for God's holy will and commandments is in 
 one word " our life." Dent, xxxii. 47. Lev. xviii. 5. 
 Prov. iv. 22. God's holy law is nothing less than the 
 infinite wisdom and boundless love of God marking 
 out the path of safety and happiness for those un- 
 speakably dear to him. It is summed up in love, 
 supreme love to God, and hearty and unfeigned love 
 toman. It is our blindness and corruption that 
 makes us consider that law as hard and severe. The 
 gospel does not, cannot set it aside ; it would not be 
 really gospel or good news if it did ; it establishes it 
 by providing both fresh motives and fresh strength 
 for obedience. I will write my laws in their hearts, is 
 the great promise of the new covenant. This is the 
 will of God, even your sanctijication, is the heart-cheer- 
 ing encouragement given to the soul hungering and 
 thirsting for righteousness. 
 
 Such are the general duties of the baptized. But, 
 in the present state of the church of Christ, in long- 
 established Christian countries, children are generally 
 baptised in their infancy. It may be desirable, 
 therefore, to point out more specifically the duty 
 of children from their early years, till they take 
 upon themselves their baptismal vows at confirma- 
 tion. 
 
 And here I would notice but a few things of pri- 
 mary importance : — 
 
 1st. Reading the scriptures. This is a great 
 duty for the young. Timothy was a lovely and blessed 
 character, full of affection, usefulness, sympathy, and 
 devotedness. He was educated in the early know- 
 ledge of the scriptures. St. Paul could say to him, 
 
272 TREATISE ON BAPTISM I 
 
 From a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which 
 are able to make thee wise unto salvation, through faith 
 which is in Christ Jesus. David, too, bad found the 
 benefit of early acquaintance with the scriptures. He 
 says, Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way ? 
 By taking heed thereto according to thy word. Psalm 
 cxix. 9. The benefits which it gave him over his 
 enemies, and even his teachers and the ancients, are 
 expressly stated by him in the same Psalm, ver. 
 98—100. This is a part of that learning to do all 
 things whatsoever I have commanded, which the Saviour 
 connects with baptism. And let me recommend to 
 the young, from seeing the value of it, learning off by 
 heart a little portion of God's word every day. 
 
 2. Daily prayer in secret at least twice each 
 day, (Psalm v. 3 ; Ixv. 8 ; cxli. 2.) and why not thrice ? 
 (Psalm Iv. 17.) This is the real secret of the spiritual 
 strength of all the children of God. Isa. xl. 28, 31. 
 And there are special promises to the young thus 
 serving and calling upon God. I love them that love 
 me, and they that seek me early shall find me. Pro v. 
 viii. 17. And why should not children have the pri- 
 vilege of going to their Heavenly Father ? His ears 
 are open to their cry. He delights to meet children 
 in prayer. It is twice noticed, as if to be specially 
 observed, that Samuel, when a child, ministered to 
 the Lord, (1 Sam. ii. 11 ; iii. 1,) and the Lord revealed 
 himself to Samuel, (ver. 21.) The promise of not 
 seeking the Lord in vain is addressed to the seed of 
 Jacob, as if specially belonging to the young. Isaiah 
 xlv. 19. The baptism of a child gives also a special 
 encouragement ; you were baptized in the name of 
 the Father, and this may teach you that he is as a 
 father waiting to be gracious unto you. Isa. xxx. 18. 
 
THE DUTY OF THE BAPTIZED. 273 
 
 You were baptized in the name of the Son, and {his 
 may teach you he is your mediator, advocate, and 
 intercessor. You were baptized in the name of the 
 Holy Ghost : pray, then, in the Holy Ghost, and he 
 will help your infirmities, and make intercession for 
 you. 
 
 Honouring parents and teachers is a duty much 
 impressed on the young in the scriptures, (see Exod. 
 xx. 12. Lev. xix. 3. Prov. i. 8, 9. Deut. v. 16. Matt. 
 xv. 4. Ephes. vi. 1 — 3,) and one that lies at the very 
 root of subsequent usefulness and blessedness ; as the 
 opposite conduct lies at the root of all evil. See in 
 the history of the sons of Noah to what a remote pos- 
 terity, and to what an amazing extent one act of dis- 
 honouring a parent, and one act of reverencing a 
 parent, may reach. Gen. ix. 22—27. Isaac revered 
 his mother, (Gen. xxiv. 67,) Jacob obeyed his father 
 and his mother. (Gen. xxviii. 7,) Joseph nourished 
 his father, (Gen. xlvii. 12,) and corresponding bless- 
 ings followed them. Jonadab, the son of Rechab, 
 obeying his father, brought down perpetual blessings 
 on his posterity. (Jer. xxxv. 19,) and the Lord of 
 Glory gave us the example of dwelling with his mo- 
 ther and reputed father, and being subject to them. 
 Luke ii. 51. It pleases God by confidence in an 
 earthly parent and love to him, and honouring him, 
 and subjection to him, to prepare the young mind for 
 the transfer in due time of all these feelings and dis- 
 positions to the Heavenly Parent, and for the full 
 joy of heart in the infinite wisdom and power, righ- 
 teousness and truth, riches and love, dominion and 
 glory of Him who is our own God. 
 
 Increasing knowledge and grace. This was 
 the character of our Redeemer. When young he was 
 
 T 
 
274 TREATISE ON BAPTISM I 
 
 presented to the Lord. Luke ii. 22. And after this 
 we read — The child grew and waxed strong in spirit ; 
 filled with wisdom ; and the grace of God was upon him. 
 
 Then, at twelve years old, he went up to Jerusalem 
 again ; and after this we read — Jesus increased in wis- 
 dom and stature, and in favour with God and man. Luke 
 ii. 52. So should our presentation to the Lord at bap- 
 tism be an era from which, not only growth of body, 
 but growing strong in spirit, and increasing in wis- 
 dom and grace, should commence, and be carried 
 forward. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy 
 youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw 
 nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them. 
 For this end pay diligent attention to the varied 
 means of instruction which are afforded either in your 
 father's house, or at the school where you are edu- 
 cated, or by public worship and the ministry of the 
 word, or in catechisms and other pious books, which 
 now are so abundant. No young person who wishes 
 to gain religious knowledge and increase of grace, 
 need be destitute in this happy country of ample 
 means to assist him. The Bible is itself an exhaust- 
 less treasury of wisdom for the young, when read with 
 patient prayer and thoughtfulness. 
 
 Thus the young have their special duties, in the 
 fulfilment of which they are prepared for confirma- 
 tion, and for the table of the Lord. 
 
 Thosedutieswhichmoreparticularly belongto them 
 of riper years, when baptized, are plainly stated in 
 the address to them at baptism. Being made chil- 
 dren of God and of light by faith in Christ Jesus, they 
 arc exhorted to walk answerably to their Christian 
 calling, and as becomes the children of light. The 
 church here alludes to the Apostle's directions to the 
 
THE DUTY OF THE BAPTIZED. 275 
 
 Thessalonians, Ye are all the children of light and the 
 children of the day ; we are not of the night, nor of dark- 
 ness. Therefore let us not sleep as do others, but let us 
 watch and be sober. For they that sleep, sleep in the 
 night, and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. 
 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the 
 breastplate of faith and love* and for an helmet the hope 
 of salvation, for God hath not appointed us to wrath, 
 but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. 
 1 Thess. v, 5—9. 
 
 Christians are here called children of light. 
 Their eyes have been opened to see the reality of 
 things around them. Light is knowledge, (John iii. 
 19,) holiness, (Ephes. v. 8.) and happiness, (Psalm 
 xcvii. 11.) How penetrating, how pure, how joyful 
 is light ! So is the gospel to the soul! And God 
 shews by baptism that he would bring us to the full 
 enjoyment of this light. The eyes of the understand- 
 ing enlightened, the heart purified from the gloom and 
 filthiness of sin, the soul at liberty to run in the paths 
 of obedience, and the blessed prospect of fulness of 
 light and glory in the heavenly kingdom of glory — 
 these are the privileges of those whom God has deli- 
 vered from the power of darkness, and translated into the 
 kingdom of his dear Son. Col. i. 13. 
 
 Christians are also entitled children of the day. 
 
 * The apostle, in the account of the Christian armour, (Ephes. vi. 
 14,) calls righteousness our breast-plate ; and many have questioned 
 whether he meant the righteousness of imputation or the righteous- 
 ness of sanctification. They are, in fact, both included ; one objec- 
 tively, and the other subjectively, and both divine gifts. First, seeing 
 ourselves righteous in Christ through faith ; and then made inwardly- 
 holy, as the consequence, by his Spirit; being filled with love to God 
 and man. Thus the breast-plate of righteousness, and that of faith 
 and love, are in truth but different names for the same thing, and mu- 
 tually illustrate and explain each other. 
 T 2 
 
276 TREATISE ON BAPTISM *. 
 
 There seems intended in this expression a growth of 
 light; light admits of various degrees; that of twi- 
 light is different from that of full day. When the 
 eyes of the blind man were opened, he first only saw 
 men as trees walking, but when he was perfectly re- 
 stored he saw every man clearly. Mark viii. 25. We 
 owe this fuller light to the glorious gospel (Luke x. 
 23, 24; Rom. xvi. 25, 26) ; and there is a growing 
 light of day in the Christian church (Matt. xi. 11 ; 
 2 Cor. iii. 18), as well as in each Christian, Prov. iv. 
 18. Baptism fully understood sheds a glorious light, 
 the light of day, over our paths ; and this light calls 
 us to eminent purity and holiness. Ephes. iv. 37 — 
 24 ; v. 8, 9. Rom. xiii. 12. Our day is not yet indeed 
 fully come, but it is at hand (1 John ii. 8. Rom. xiii. 
 12); we are preparing for it, arousing, awaking, aris- 
 ing, and putting on the garments of salvation. Isaiah 
 Iii. 1; Ixi. 10.) 
 
 As partakers of such privileges, they are called to 
 a corresponding course of conduct. And the first is 
 watchfulness, in opposition to sleep. Let us not 
 sleep as do others, hut let us watch. 1 Thess. v. G. Our 
 baptism enlists us into the army of Christ, and one 
 great duty of a soldier is watchfulness, that he may 
 discern tiie enemy, that he may be preserved from 
 his devices, that he may be ready for the command 
 of the Captain of his salvation. A Christian is in 
 an enemy's country (1 Peter v. 8) : he has within a 
 great tendency to drowsiness and sloth, to indiffer- 
 ence and self-indulgence, and therefore he is so 
 often called by his Lord to watchfulness and prayer, 
 and especially in reference to the return of our Lord. 
 The passage in Thessalonians, as very many others, 
 has a direct reference to that great and blessed hope 
 
THE DUTY OF THE BAPTIZED. 277 
 
 Matt. xxiv. 42 ; xxv. 13. Mark xiii. 33. Luke xii. 35 
 —40 ; xiv. 36. 1 Peter iv. 7. Be on the watch-tower. 
 Hab. ii. 1 — i. Cast not away your confidence— for yet 
 a little while and lie that shall come will come, and wil[ 
 not tarry. Heb. x. 35 — 37. 
 
 As partakers of such privileges and hopes, they 
 are also called to be sober, not merely as it regards 
 temperance in eating and drinking, though this be a 
 part not to be neglected, but, as Jerome observes, 
 " drunkenness is manifested not only in drinking 
 wine, but in all things in which the mind is drunk 
 and fluctuates, and cannot maintain its calmness, 
 whether in contracts or business of the day, or losses 
 or gains, or love or hatred." See Jerome on Ezekiel 
 xliv. 21. We are called here then to moderation of 
 mind and heart about all earthly things. Sobriety of 
 mind arises from heavenly affections, and having our 
 hopes fixed on things above. Thus the apostle Paul 
 says, Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say re- 
 joice. Let your moderation be known unto all. men. 
 The Lord is at hand. Phil. iv. 4, 5. And the apostle 
 Peter gives a similar lesson : Be sober, and hope to 
 the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at 
 the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter i. 13. And this 
 is a lesson especially for the young: Young men like- 
 wise exhort to be sober-minded. Titus ii. 6. Well may 
 we have a holy superiority to earthly things in the 
 prospect of the coming kingdom and glory of the 
 Redeemer, and in the full assurance that everything 
 here below shall be shaken and removed, and that 
 his kingdom only is that which cannot be moved. 
 Heb. xii. 26—28. 
 
 There are three further graces ever considered in 
 the scripture of primary importance, named in this 
 
278 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 passage, to which our church refers the baptized 
 adult, putting on the breast-plate of faith and love, and 
 for an helmet the hope of salvation. 
 
 1. Faith. This grace, to which the scriptures 
 everywhere attach so much weight, is first to be 
 regarded and put on by the newly-baptized. There 
 are various degrees of faith. On the profession of 
 faith the baptized are admitted into the church by 
 baptism. It is the design of that ordinance to help 
 the weak in faith. Him that is weak in faith, receive 
 ye. Rom. xiv. 1. This is the mind of him of whom it 
 is said, a bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking 
 
 flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto 
 victory. Matt. xii. 20. Child-like and entire confi- 
 dence in all that God has said is the noblest attain- 
 ment of the Christian, and the very root of his 
 highest excellences, as we may see at length in the 
 11 th of Hebrews. Faith has its seat in the heart 
 (Rom. x. 10); the understanding is filled with the 
 knowledge of his will (Col. i. 9) ; and the whole soul 
 concurs in God's grace and love, as revealed in the 
 gospel. Rom. i. 9. Its objects are the entire compass 
 of divine truth, the full revelation of God's will, 
 while it is mainly fixed on Christ and all he has 
 done, is doing, and will yet do for us. The objects 
 of faith being thus vast, it must increase with in- 
 creasing knowledge of those objects. May every 
 baptized person then, like the apostles, pray, Lord, 
 increase our faith (Luke xvii. 5), and, like Abraham, 
 be strong in faith, giving glory to God. Rom. iv. 20. 
 
 2. Hope is one of the daughters of faith. We must 
 first believe what God has revealed of good things 
 to come, before we can hope for a share in them. 
 But baptism is specially designed to enliven our 
 
THE DUTY OF THE BAPTIZED. 279 
 
 hopes. We are buried with him by baptism into death ; 
 and if ice haw been planted in the likeness of his death, 
 we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection. Rom. 
 vi. 4, 5. In this view the apostle Peter calls Chris- 
 tians to liveliest thanksgivings. Rlessed be the God 
 and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according 
 to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a 
 lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the 
 dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, undefled, and that 
 fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you. 1 Peter L 
 3, 4. Think then of the glorious hope set before you 
 at the speedy return of our Lord Jesus Christ, and 
 the resurrection or change of the body, and its being 
 made glorious like his body; think of meeting the 
 Lord in the air thus glori^ed, and being accepted by 
 him -, of having a part in his heavenly kingdom ; 
 think of the beatific company there gathered to- 
 gether, and of sharing their joys through eternity. 
 And let this glorious hope be both a helmet of salva- 
 tion and an anchor of the soul. 
 
 3. Love is another daughter of faith and the greatest 
 of the graces, being most like God and most full of 
 blessedness. Faith worketh by love. Gal. v. 6. It 
 was love that led the faithful adult to baptism ; love 
 to Jesus and love to his people ; and that love may 
 receive their ample increase and confirmation from 
 the manifested and sealed love of Christ and his 
 people. And love admits of largest growth, so that 
 the charity of every one of you all towards each other 
 aboundeth. 2 Thess. ii. 3. In nothing is a mature 
 Christian more distinctly marked than by the growth 
 of love. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, 
 and his love is perfected in us. 1 John iv. 12. Let us 
 seek then to breathe love in all our thoughts, words, 
 
280 TREATISE ON BAPTISM I 
 
 and works ; let it be painful to us to hear any evil of 
 another ; let us make from the heart every allowance 
 of that love which eovereth (areyzi) all things, believeth 
 all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things, and 
 never fail 'eth (1 Cor. xiii. 7) ; that thus we may be the 
 children of our heavenly Father, and be prepared for 
 that kingdom where all is purity and all is love, 
 and that for ever. Now abideth faith, hope, and 
 chnritg, these three ; but the greatest of these is charity. 
 May we earnestly seek these gifts from our heavenly 
 Father. May we follow after them and attain them, 
 and so be made meet for the inheritance of the saints 
 in light. The Christian is called to walk in love, 
 that his soul may be moulded to the very image of 
 his Saviour, and he may be fully prepared for the 
 heavenly kingdom and his future offices there, as 
 King and Priest. He must already, therefore, tread 
 in the steps of Christ, and learn the blessedness of 
 self-sacrifice and ministering to the necessities and 
 infirmities and sorrows of others, in patient love 
 learning obedience by the things he suflers, and 
 getting his senses exercised to discern good and evil. 
 And to what a blessed confidence and joyful as- 
 surance this holy and heavenly course raises us, is 
 clear in the closing expressions of the apostle ; For 
 God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salva- 
 tion by our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thess. v. 9. There is 
 heavy wrath hanging over an apostate world, a full- 
 charged woe, increasing through its ungodliness; 
 the third, and last, and greatest, and final woe; a 
 woe in its consummation so complete as for ever to 
 en(\ the wickedness of man on earth. The watchful, 
 sober Christian, having faith, hope, and love, iscounted 
 worthy to escape all those things that shall come to pass, 
 
THE DUTY OF THE BAPTIZED. 281 
 
 and to stand before the Son of man. Luke xxi. 30. 
 Jesus appears not for his condemnation, hut for his 
 justification ; not for his destruction, but for his sal- 
 vation. And the glories of that salvation are so in- 
 conceivably great, that all that the greatest sufferer 
 for Christ can go through, is not worthy to be compared 
 with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 
 
 Come, then, beloved disciples of the Lord, and 
 enter on this course so full of peace and safety, holi- 
 ness and blessedness, here and for ever, with your 
 whole heart. Let an elder brother assure you, by his 
 own happy experience, that the ways of Christ are 
 ways of pleasantness, and all his paths are peace ; and 
 entreat you now to give your hearts and your whole 
 service resolutely and steadily, patiently, and persev- 
 eringly, to the blessed Saviour. He is worthy of 
 all that all his redeemed can render to him. Confess 
 him now, and he will confess you in the clay of his 
 appearing ; follow him now, and where he is you shall 
 shortly be, and that for ever. 
 
282 TREATISE ON BAPTISM 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 CONFIRMATION, AND JOINING THE HOLY COMMUNION. 
 
 These privileges of the church of Christ belong to 
 the baptized as they arrive at years of discretion. 
 It is not intended to speak largely of them, but to 
 consider them in connection with baptism. 
 
 Confirmation is the completing in public acknow- 
 ledgment before the church that requirement which 
 infants are unable to fulfil. Our church teaches, 
 that as infants cannot, by reason of their tender age, 
 perform the things required of persons to be bap- 
 tized, — that is repentance and faith,— they promise 
 them both by their sureties, which promise, when they 
 come to age, themselves are bound to perform. 
 
 Let us first notice the authority on which this 
 rite is founded. 
 
 God has graciously led his church to this most 
 solemn and impressive rite. The way was prepared 
 for it by the mode in which it pleased God to com- 
 municate the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit, not 
 through the lower order of ministers, the deacon 
 Philip (Acts vi. 5 fviii. 5), but by the laying on of 
 the hands of the apostles Peter and John (Acts viii. 
 14 — 17), and not merely by baptism, but by laying 
 
CONFIRMATION. 283 
 
 on of hands after baptism. Acts viii. 16, 17; xix. 
 5, 6. The joining of laying on of hands with bap- 
 tism among the principles of Christianity (Heb. vi. 
 2), had led Christian writers in all ages to think that 
 the apostle, in speaking of it to the Hebrews, re- 
 ferred to a rite similar to our confirmation, as a prac- 
 tice in the apostolic age, and one adapted to the com- 
 mencing stages of the Christian life. 
 
 The writings of the early Fathers (Origen, Tertul- 
 lian, Cyprian, Jerome, &c.) shew how generally and 
 how early confirmation after baptism was practised 
 in the Christian church. It soon, indeed, became 
 mingled with sad corruptions. Infants even were 
 confirmed immediately after baptism, and the great 
 reason and use of the rite were thus nearly lost. The 
 Reformers, through divine mercy, restored this rite 
 to its truly benefical use, purging away those un- 
 scriptural additions which the Romanists still retain. 
 They produced even a reform so far in the church of 
 Rome, that the Romanists have, without renouncing 
 infant confirmation, specifically directed, in the Cate- 
 chism of the Council of Trent, that children shall not 
 be confirmed before seven years of age ; and they 
 accompany it with a declaration, that it is still more 
 fitting to delay it till the twelfth year, or years of 
 discretion. Melancthon, Beza, Illyricus, Chemni- 
 tius, Calvin, and generally the Reformers of the Lu- 
 theran church approved of confirmation, as retained 
 by the English church, as Bishop Hall has shewn in 
 quotations from their writings. 
 
 It is remarkable that the apostle, in summing up 
 six principles of religion, numbers amongst them the 
 laying on of hands. Repentance from dead works, 
 and faith towards God, where the greatprinciples of the 
 
284 TREATISE ON BAPTISM '. 
 
 patriarchal religion, baptism and laying on of hands 
 were specially connected with theMosaic dispensation 
 (Heb. ix. 10. Lev. iii. 2 ; viii. 13 ; iv. 4; xv. 29 ; xxix. 
 33 ; xvi. 21. Numb. viii. 18) ; and the resurrection of 
 the dead and eternal judgment were specially unfolded 
 by the prophets (Dan. xii. 2, 3. Hosea xiii. 14. Ezek. 
 xxxvii. Isaiah xxvi.), and all were indeed brought 
 to full light by the gospel) 2 Tim. i. 10. Acts xvii. 
 31, 32.) The apostle views these as elementary 
 principles leading to the full light of Christianity. 
 The doctrine of the baptisms of the Old Testament 
 had, as we have seen, their completion in Christian 
 baptism ; and are elementary instructions, preparing 
 us for the fuller knowledge the gospel imparts. The 
 laying on of hands, which, under the Old Testament, 
 referred to the personal transfer of the sins of the 
 guilty, by his laying his hands on the appointed 
 victim, under the New Testament, seems justly to 
 apply to that full reception of all the blessings of the 
 atonement which the completed sacrifice of Christ 
 has procured for us, and which his appointed min- 
 isters now manifest by the laying on of their hands 
 on the pardoned and accepted believers ; and God 
 testified to this himself, at the beginning, by com- 
 municating the miraculous gifts of his Spirit to them. 
 Acts viii. 14, 17 ; xix. 5, 0. 
 
 Augustine, as quoted by Bishop Hall, gives (he 
 following remarks on the continuance of the rite, 
 notwithstanding the cessation of the extraordinary 
 gifts. " Tt is not now as it was, that, by the testimony 
 of temporal and sensible miracles, the Holy Ghost is 
 by the imposition of hands given ; as formerly it was 
 for the commendation and better setting forth of the 
 then new-moulded faith, and for the enlargement of 
 
CONFIRMATION. Z»0 
 
 the new-begun church. For who does now expect 
 that those upon whom hands are imposed for the re- 
 ceiving of the Holy Ghost, should suddenly begin to 
 speak with tongues? But invisibly and secretly, by 
 the bond of peace, is the love of God conceived to be 
 thus inspired into their hearts." 
 
 It has been said, Why continue the laying on of 
 hands, which was accompanied with miraculous 
 gifts, for confirmation now, and yet not continue the 
 anointing of the sick with oil, (James v. 14), which 
 we have now discontinued, the gifts having ceased, 
 as no longer suitable or useful? But it cannot be 
 proved that the miraculous gifts of the Spirit were 
 the only or chief gifts connected with the laying on 
 of hands; the gifts received thus were for spiritual 
 ends, and of eternal use and benefit, and seem to be 
 noticed by the apostle as among the permanent prin- 
 ciples of Christianity, never to be laid aside, though 
 by them we go on to perfection. 
 
 If there were any reasonable doubt, whether the 
 expressions on which the rite of confirmation usually 
 is grounded (Acts viii. 14 — 17 ; xix. 6, 6. Heb. vi. 2), 
 could be considered as designed by the Spirit to 
 sanction this rite, there are yet other reasons which 
 may well weigh with us to observe it. When our 
 Lord commands his ministers, after discipling and 
 baptizing all nations, to teach them " to observe all 
 things whatsoever I have commanded gou," with a pro- 
 mise of his presence to the end of the world, we have 
 a scriptural authority for that farther instruction 
 which it is one great object of confirmation, in fol- 
 lowing up baptism, to communicate. So when Israel 
 and their little ones stood before God, to enter into 
 covenant with him, and into his oath (Deut. xxix. 
 
236 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 10 — 13), we have a scriptural instance of the young 
 thus entering into solemn covenant with God. The 
 institutions also of those in authority, where not 
 against the word of God, will have decisive weight 
 with all those who would avoid schism. Heb. xiii. 
 7, 1—7. Rom. xiii. 17. 1 Cor. xiv. 33, 40. 
 
 The author is persuaded that he speaks the uni- 
 versal voice of all his brethren in the ministry who 
 have earnestly and patiently sought to improve this 
 rite in our church, that in no part of their ministry 
 have they had more delightful tokens of the divine 
 blessing on their labours for the spiritual good of 
 those committed to their charge, than in confirmation. 
 O how many thousands will for ever thank God for 
 leading them thus to decision of character and entire 
 devotedness to the Lord ! 
 
 But that the benefits may be obtained, there must 
 be a corresponding diligence in preparation for 
 this rite. The minister will have to meet the youth pre- 
 paring for it, frequently for weeks before, to instruct, 
 to catechise, to examine, to exhort, and to encourage 
 them, and they will have to give much time, serious 
 thought, hearty interest, and fervent prayer. Con- 
 firmation is the open and personal, ingenuous and 
 decided confession of the baptismal vow, on the part 
 of the confirmed, as his true privilege, glory, and 
 happiness ; and the open reception of the intelli- 
 gent Christian, by the highest officers of Christ, into 
 churchmanship, with prayers for a full blessing from 
 Christ the great Head of the church. 
 
 There are so many useful tracts on this subject, that 
 it is needless here to add much advice to those about 
 to be confirmed. The baptismal vows have already 
 been sufficiently explained; the great thing to be 
 
CONFIRMATION. 2&7 
 
 attained is this, to have through divine grace, your 
 heart right with God, to be really honest in his sight 
 in what you are doing; not to go through a hypocri- 
 tical outside service, because it is expected from you, 
 or to gratify your friends, but really to mean from 
 the heart all that the sacred service requires. God 
 must give you this uprightness, and he will do it, 
 you sincerely seek his grace. ' : 
 
 A few words on the duty of the baptized (having 
 
 * It would be invidious, among the many valuable works on confir- 
 mation to particularize any. My friend, Mr. Bridges, has one both 
 before and after confirmation, remarkably scriptural and practical, 
 and I select from it his classification of those scriptures which formed 
 the system of his public and pastoral ministry to his own flock, in 
 preparation for the ordinance of confirmation, and in subsequent in- 
 struction : — 
 
 I. — General Subject of Dedication to God. Isaiah xliv. 3 — 5. 
 
 Jer. i. 4, 5. Rom. vi. 13 ; xii. 1. 
 II. — Baptismal Vow. 
 
 1. Renunciation of the devil, Isaiah xxvi. 13. Eph. ii. 2. 1 John 
 
 jii. 8.— of the world, John xvii. 14, 15, Rom. xii. 2. 2 Cor. vi. 17, 
 
 18. James iv. 4. I John ii. 15, 16; v. 4, 5.— of the flesh, Gal, 
 v. 17—24. 
 
 2 Faith— in God the Father, Heb. xi, 6.— in Christ, John vi. 29 ; 
 xiv. I.— in the Holy Ghost, John xiv. 15—18; xvi. 7 — 16.— in the 
 Gospel, Mark xvi. 15, 16. Rom. x. 10. 
 
 3.— Obedience— Matt. xxii. 27—32. John xiv. 15. 1 John v. 3. 
 III.— Encouragements. From the character of Christ, Isaiah xl. 
 11. From his work, Rev. i. 5, 6.- From a sense of his love, I Cor. vi. 
 
 19, 20. 2 Cor. v. 14, 15.— From the promises of his grace, Prov. viii. 
 )7, 32 — 36. Matt. xi. 28. — From the easiness of his service, Matt. xi. 
 29, 30. — From the engagements of the covenant of God, Jcr. xxxi. 33, 
 34. Ezek. xxxvi. 27. — From the privileges of his people, Deut. xxvi. 
 16—19- 
 
 IV. — Warnings. The responsibility of the vow, Deut. xxiii. 21—23. 
 Eccles. v. 4, 5. — The cost of the service, Luke xiv. 26 — 33 — The dan- 
 ger of drawing back, Mark viii. 38. Luke ix. 62. 2 Tim. iv. 10. Heb. 
 x. 38. 2 Peter ii. 20— 22. Rev. xxi. 8. 
 
 V.— Prayers a\d Resolutions. Gen. xxviii. 20 — 22. Joshua xxiv. 
 15—27. Ruth i. 15— 18. Psalm xxvii. 8; li. 12, 13; cxvi. 12—19; 
 cxix. 116, 11" ; exxxix. 23, 21. Jer. xxxi. 18. Acts ix. 6. 
 
 VI.— Suitable Portions of Scripture to consider. — Psalm xxv. 
 li. Isaiah liii. Iv. Luke xv. John iii. Rom. iii. Eph. vi. 
 
288 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 come to years of discretion, and having been con- 
 firmed) TO GO TO THE TABLE OF THE LORD, are 
 
 added at the close of this chapter. It is the only 
 due, and right, and consistent course for them. In- 
 variably to keep away from that table, is to renounce 
 their baptismal vows ; to disobey a most plain and 
 touching command of their Redeemer, and to relin- 
 quish their Christian profession and privileges, and 
 become real apostates before God. And all this is 
 generally done under the plea of their increasing 
 their responsibility and guilt, by taking up a Chris- 
 tian profession, when they have already, in baptism 
 and confirmation, taken up that profession, and are 
 under the most solemn obligations to live tothe glory 
 of. God. Oh, let not Satan persuade any thus to 
 neglect the great means of strengthening and re- 
 freshing their souls. You are under the same re- 
 sponsibility before God, having been born in a Chris- 
 tian country, baptized in the name of Jesus, and 
 sealed thus by confirmation, even as if you were a 
 communicant, while you are losing all the grace you 
 might gain by obedience which you have already 
 promised, but thus constantly refuse to perform. 
 
 There is an important interval between confirma- 
 tion and going to tiie Lord's table, which may advan- 
 tageously he shortened or lengthened, according to 
 the age, knowledge, and character of those confirmed. 
 But I believe increasing experience has led us to the 
 conviction that it is desirable the confirmed should 
 communicate as early as circumstances will allow 
 after conlirmalion ; and many ministers have found 
 the advantage of having a special communion on so 
 interesting an occasion, very shortly after the confir- 
 mation. If there be much delay in going to the 
 
 
CONFIRMATION. 289 
 
 Lord's table, religious impressions made at confirma- 
 tion become fainter, and the habit of neglecting the 
 Lord's Supper is contracted. The minister thus loses 
 sight of too many whom he would be glad to have 
 within reach of his spiritual attention. 
 
 O that our young who have been confirmed, did 
 indeed see that all the ordinances of the Lord's house 
 are full of wisdom, mercy, and goodness, and that 
 they are forfeiting and parting with their real privi- 
 leges and blessings in neglecting them ! 
 
290 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 THE ABUSES OF BAPTISM. 
 
 Through the corruption of man, all the means and 
 helps which God has given for his salvation have 
 been perverted and abused, and given occasion, alas I 
 to a more aggravated sin and more heinous transgres- 
 sion. This might weary and exhaust the patience of 
 any created being, but the everlasting God, the Lord, 
 the Creator of the ends of the earth, faint eth not, neither 
 is weary ; there is no searching of h.s understanding . 
 Isa. xl. 8. Yet that abuse brings down the divine 
 displeasure, and his fearful wrath on those who thus 
 trifle with his goodness, (Rom. ii. 1—6,) and it is un- 
 speakably important for us to be warned of this dan- 
 ger, and deterred by its consequences from so evil 
 and destructive a course. 
 
 Thus St. Paul uses the conduct of Israel as a lesson 
 to Christians, Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye 
 should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under 
 the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and were all 
 baptized unto Moses in the cloud, and in the sea. And 
 did all eat the same spiritual meat, for they drank of that 
 spiritual rock that followed than, and that rock was 
 Christ. But with many of them God was not well 
 
THE ABUSES OF BAPTISM. 291 
 
 pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. 
 Now these things were our examples, to the intent that we 
 should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. The 
 apostle than specially mentions these five — lusting 
 after evil things, idolatry, fornication, tempting Christ, 
 and murmuring. And then he adds, Now all these 
 things happened unto them for ensamples, and they are 
 written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the 
 world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he 
 standeth, take heed lest he fall. 1 Cor. x. 1—12. 
 
 We see here that the ordinances may be spiritual 
 and heavenly ; and yet through earthly and carnal 
 lusts and affections, the benefit of them may be so 
 wholly lost, that God maybe displeased with us for 
 the abuse of them, rather than pleased with us for 
 being partakers of them. And if we think that we 
 have not incurred this danger, there is still a special 
 caution addressed to us to take heed lest we fall. 
 
 Now it is deeply to be feared that the baptism of 
 the Christian church has been abused quite as much 
 by Christians as the great privileges bestowed upon 
 the Jewish nation were by the Jews. Let us, then 
 consider the painful subject of the abuse of baptism ; 
 and consider it with great sorrow of heart, for our 
 humiliation and repentance. What are the common 
 abuses of baptism ? 
 
 1st. Worldliness. This is the more ordinary 
 abuse of it. A Christian State justly wishing to in- 
 dent religion into every thing, connected baptism with 
 the registry of our names in the records of our coun- 
 try. The effect of this should have been to bring 
 religion, as a living principle, to every inhabitant of 
 the country ; butthrough oursin and unbelief, ithas 
 in innumerable cases turned baptism into a mere act 
 u 2 
 
292 TREATISE ON BAPTISM ! 
 
 of political wisdom and expediency. The promises 
 of God have failed to us through our unbelief. They 
 have not by faith been welcomed and applied to our 
 souls. Baptism has with many become a mere com- 
 pliance with custom for the sake of secular advan- 
 tages. Hence they only think of it as a sort of family 
 festivity ; a matter in which they must avoid singu- 
 larity, and compliment their more particular friends 
 by asking them to be sponsors for their children. 
 The service itself has been disregarded, and not un- 
 derstood at all by them. Spiritual blessings have 
 never been thought of. Nor are the children duly re- 
 minded of their standing in God's church, their pri- 
 vileges through faith, and their responsibility. 
 And what can be the issue of such baptisms, but a 
 mockery of God, and his increased displeasure for 
 their irreverence and camal-mindedness. In vain 
 do such worship him. God give us grace to see the 
 wickedness of our hypocritical acts of religion, and 
 repent ere it be too late. 
 
 2. Formality : a mere bare formal act of religion. 
 Many in these last days have the form of godliness, 
 but deny the power thereof It is respectable to keep 
 up outside religion. It is expected by our neigh- 
 bours. It gives credit to our character. Their Chris- 
 tianity is the established religion of the land, and the 
 ground of their faith rests solely on that which should 
 commend it to their reverence and full attention. 
 The church to which they profess to belong has ap- 
 pointed it, and it would be thought very singular not 
 to have their children baptized. Besides, there must 
 be, they think, some goodness in doing it ; it is taking 
 some trouble for religion, and God will reward them 
 fortius goodness. And all the while their minds arc 
 
THE ABUSES OF BAPTISM. 293 
 
 fuli of covetousness and pride, and their ways evil 
 and oppressive. Oh, with what power God speaks 
 of his abhorrence of such inconsistency. Isaiah i. 
 10 — 15. The strongest and severest things that the 
 tender and compassionate Saviour ever uttered were 
 against such formalists among the Scribes and Pha- 
 risees. (See Matt, xxiii. throughout.) Do we say to 
 such, then, do not bring your children to baptism? 
 No. But we say, Repent of your own broken baptis- 
 mal vows. See that you yourselves are now in the 
 broad way that leads to destruction. Be converted 
 yourselves, and then you will bring your child in 
 spirit and in truth to baptism. 
 
 Another mode of depeudance on form is magnify- 
 ing the outward service, so as to make it to be no 
 baptism where there is not adult baptism and immer- 
 sion. This, in truth, is a refined self-righteousness, 
 and a magnifying unduly of the outward service, in 
 a religion which, though it retains outward forms, is 
 especially spiritual and heavenly. 
 
 3. Superstition is a third abuse of baptism. We 
 have seen the connection of baptism with regenera- 
 tion, as a sign, and seal, and means of grace. This 
 has been turned into a mere superstitious confidence 
 in the bare act of baptism, as if baptism and regene- 
 ration were the same thing. Notwithstanding the 
 solemn and repeated testimonies of the scriptures how 
 unavailable the outward act is without the inward 
 change, (Rom. ii. 28, 29; ix. 1—5. 1 Cor. vii. 19. 
 Gal. v. 6 ; vi. 15.) notwithstanding the express testi- 
 mony of the church of England, that " it is a sign of 
 regeneration or new birth, whereby, as by an instru- 
 ment, they that receive baptism rightly are grafted 
 into the church," such persons view baptism almost 
 
294 TREATISE ON BAPTISM T 
 
 wholly as the thing signified, and dwell little on its 
 right reception. Thus baptism becomes a cover for 
 delusion, a rest in an outside service, a charm to in- 
 sure our salvation, and a putting off anxiety about 
 the new heart, instead of an encouragement to seek 
 and attain it. Thus men are supposed to be made 
 Christians by baptism, instead of by being raised to a 
 Christ-like, holy, and heavenly spirit. They rest in 
 the shell of the ordinance, instead of gaining the in- 
 ward blessing which the ordinance contains for every 
 true believer. We see this in its full power in Po- 
 pery, and it has led there to all sorts of follies,— bap- 
 tism of bells, and horses, and asses, and everything 
 calculated to degrade baptism, and make it absurd 
 and ridiculous. There has also been in the Protes- 
 tant church much of superstition in holding baptis- 
 mal regeneration. It is the revulsion of an opposite 
 error — want of faith in God's own appointed means, 
 But it is a serious evil, very dangerous and very de- 
 lusive; puffing up the mind with a delusion, as if the 
 whole blessing of regeneration were gained ; when 
 only the sureness of the Lord's promises, and his wil- 
 lingness to bestow it, and a pledge to assure it to us 
 on our repentance and faith, are really gained; and 
 thus the believer is turned from his proper work, of 
 diligently following after the completed blessing 
 which has been set before him and assured to him. 
 
 4. Leaning on man is another abuse of baptism. 
 There are some who have so expressed themselves, as 
 if the right to administer the sacraments were solely 
 confined to the class of ministers episcopally ordained 
 in regular succession from the apostles, and that 
 sacraments by all others were invalid and worthless. 
 Apostolical succession, with right doctrine and holy 
 
THE ABUSES OF BAPTISM. 295 
 
 practice, is, indeed, truly precious, butourchurch holds 
 not the exclusiveness of such a ministry. (See Art. 23.) 
 Our reformers speak distinctly here. Bradford says, 
 " We shall not find in all the scriptures this your 
 essential part of succession of bishops. In Christ's 
 church Antichrist shall sit." Bishop Jewell, speak- 
 ing in the name of the church of England, in his 
 Apology, observes, that " St. Paul says that Antichrist 
 should once set up his own tabernacle and stately 
 seat in the temple of God." While we have to be 
 thankful for God's preserving to us the threefold order 
 of bishops, priests, and deacons, of which we find 
 scriptural evidence ; and for an orderly succession 
 from the beginning ; and a national establishment 
 holding the truth ; yet these are valuable mainly for 
 the truth which is thus confirmed while it is held 
 forth ; let even a church thus orderly in its external 
 ministry, openly profess and maintain papal error, 
 and we are to separate from it, at the peril of endur- 
 ing otherwise the divine judgments. Rev. xviii. 18. 
 As for those who separate from a pure and reformed 
 church, established in the country where they live, 
 God alone can truly judge of all the circumstances 
 which led to the separation, and of the sin on both 
 sides which may have occasioned it. Our office is not 
 so much tojudge them, as, when we conscientiously 
 approve of an establishment, not to follow them. 
 Those holding the head, Christ Jesus, have manifestly 
 been largely blessed in the conversion of sinners, and 
 the propagation of the gospel ; and let us from the 
 heart say, Grace be with all them that love the Lord Jesus 
 in sincerity, even though they follow not us, and we 
 cannot conscientiously follow them. 
 
 It is remarkable that, in the Divine wisdom, the 
 
296 TREATISE ON BAPTISM l 
 
 chief apostles, Paul and Peter, seem to have pur- 
 posely abstained from personally administering the 
 sacrament of baptism. God having foreseen that men 
 in the following ages of the church would overvalue 
 the sacraments, and set them above the ministry of 
 the word, seems to have guided these leading apos- 
 tles to consign the administration of the ordinance to 
 others. Thus with regard to Cornelius and his 
 friends, Peter commanded them to be baptized in the 
 name of the Lord. Acts x. 48. St. Paul says with 
 regard to the Corinthians, I thank God I baptized none 
 of you but Crispus and Gaius, lest any should say that 
 I baptized in mine own name. 1 Cor. i. 14, 15. And in 
 another case, where there was undoubted authority 
 to baptize, Philip seems to have baptized Simon 
 Magus, and yet his baptism left him in the gall of 
 bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity. Acts viii. 14 — 24. 
 5. Another and last abuse of the sacrament which 
 we will notice, is want of faith in the grace of the 
 sacrament. It is the opposite error to a supersti- 
 tious dependance upon it, and arose from that over- 
 magnifying of sacraments which distinguished Po- 
 pery. The Reformers had to contend against this 
 error. The Scotch Reformers observe, " We utterly 
 condemn the vanity of those who affirm sacraments to 
 be nothing but bare and naked signs." Luther was 
 very strenuous in this part of truth. He testified that 
 it was necessary that all partaking of the sacrament 
 should believe; and in a letter dated Nov. 29, 1518, 
 re-asserts it, stating that it was needful that he who 
 went to the sacrament should believe that he should 
 obtain the grace of the sacrament; counting that he 
 should deny Christ if he denied this opinion respect- 
 ing faith. It is the losing sight of this important 
 
THE ABUSES OF BAPTISM. 297 
 
 truth that has been one great source of the objections 
 to the church of England service, which is wholly 
 founded on the reality of faith in those bringing their 
 children to baptism. The union of the grace and the 
 outward sign is a reality ; and the form is found to 
 convey real participation of spiritual blessings to be- 
 lievers : unbelief only makes it fruitless and empty. 
 
 How needful, then, earnestly to seek divine grace, 
 that in none of these ways baptism be abused and its 
 fruit lost! All our approaches to God require watch- 
 fulness, humility, reverence, and true faith in his 
 word. His sacraments, as the more mysterious parts 
 of his serviee and worship, need more especially our 
 caution against unbelief and prayer for faith, that we 
 may receive the promised blessing. 
 
 Archbishop Usher noticed the following sins often 
 attending baptism in his day : — " The main care and 
 preparation is about matters of outward pomp and 
 state ; everything is fitted and prepared for the pur- 
 pose, but only that which should chiefly be, viz. the 
 hearts and minds of those that go about, a business 
 of that nature. While the sacrament is in perform- 
 ing, the demeanor of many shew that they have a 
 slight opinion of that service; some turning their 
 backs upon it, and going out of the church, so soon 
 as the sermon is done, as if the word was worth the 
 minding, but not the sacrament; others prating and 
 talking all the while, as if there were nothing for 
 them to learn by, no duty for them to perform in 
 that action. Lastly, infants are brought to the sacra- 
 ment of baptism in their infancy, but are never by 
 their parents taught the doctrine of baptism when 
 they come to years of understandings Baptism is 
 not made use of as it ought in the whole course of 
 
298 TREATISE ON BAPTISM ? 
 
 mens' lives. These things shew that men commonly 
 have a mean conceit of this ordinance." 
 
 It may be well, before we proceed to the remedy 
 of these abuses, to point out the danger of a form 
 
 OF GODLINESS WITHOUT THE POWER. 
 
 It is very possible to profess all the truths of the 
 Bible, and not to be saved by those truths. There is 
 a way that seemeih right unto a man, but the end thereof 
 are the ways of death. How needful then is it to be 
 preserved from so dangerous an error! 
 
 Let us mark some of the characters of this error. 
 The doctrines of the gospel of Christ are now gene- 
 rally admitted. There was a time when a confession 
 of election unto holiness, of justification by faith, and 
 the new birth of the Spirit, exposed any one to great 
 reproach and contempt, and few witnessed such a con- 
 fession but sincere Christians. But now a high pro- 
 fession is rather reputable than otherwise, and hold- 
 ing right doctrines on these points, has ceased to be a 
 distinguishing mark of believing Christians. And so 
 has joining religious societies, hearing evangelical 
 truth, and abstaining from the vain and frivolous 
 amusements of the world. A man may do all this, 
 and have only the form of godliness. Equally so may 
 a person hold doctrines of apostolical succession, 
 church authority, the power of the sacraments, 
 be reviled for these things, and yet be proud, and 
 saying to others, Come not near to me, for I am holier 
 than thou. Isaiah lxv. 5. 
 
 The outward attendance on all religious ordinances 
 is of itself insufficient also to carry a man's hopes 
 above the form of godliness. This people drawcth 
 nigh unto me with their mouth, and honour eth me with 
 their lips, but their heart is far from me ; in vain do 
 
THE ABUSES OF BAPTISM. 299 
 
 they worship me. Going to the Lord's table is no 
 surer test of true godliness. The wicked will say at 
 the last, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and 
 thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say unto 
 you, I know you not whence ye are ; depart from me, all 
 ye workers of iniquity. 
 
 Nor does calling Christ, Lord, nor even doing 
 mighty works in his name, raise us beyond the mere 
 form of godliness. Not every one that saith unto me, 
 Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but 
 he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 
 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we 
 not prophecied in thy name, and in thy name cast out 
 devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works ? 
 And then will L proj ess unto them, I never knew you, 
 depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 
 
 Nor again does a confession of the doctrine of 
 Christ's speedy coming again, though it be offensive 
 to many in the church of God, — and a profession that 
 he is our Lord, and a going out to meet him, — mark 
 more distinctly the power of godliness. The ten 
 virgins did this, but ov\\y five out of them were wise, had 
 oil in their vessels, and went in with the heavenly 
 Bridegroom to the marriage-supper. 
 
 Nor does the belonging to a particular sect every- 
 where spoken against, and holding the grand truths 
 of Christianity, prove that we are Christian. All the 
 Israelites went out of Egypt, yet they are not all 
 Israel ivhich are of Israel. 
 
 These things are painful and awakening. What 
 is the great failing in these cases? All this may be 
 a religion of man's making, and not of God's ; the 
 power of nature and not the power of grace. It is 
 all consistent with an unconverted heart, with a 
 
300 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 supreme love of self and the world, and may be 
 without any real love to God and devotedness to his 
 will. It may be the life of sense and sight, and not 
 of faith and hope and love. 
 
 Let us cry, dear Christian reader, mightily to God 
 for that which he alone can bestow, the new heart 
 and the new spirit, and for grace to do, as well as to 
 know, God's holy will. 
 
 Mark in the Lord's prayer the three leading desires 
 of him who has the power of godliness: Hallowed be 
 thy name ; Thy kingdom come, Thy ivill be done on earth 
 as it is in heaven. When these are our main and 
 governing aims and principles and desires, then 
 have we the power of godliness, the work of the 
 Spirit in our hearts; when these are dearer to us 
 than our own glory, and interests, and will, then may 
 we know that we have the Spirit of Christ, and shall 
 not be ashamed before him at his coming. 
 
 The grand cause of the abuses of baptism, as it 
 was with the Jews respecting circumcision, is un- 
 belief. After the apostle had stated the unavail- 
 ableness of outward circumcision to the Jew (Rom. 
 ii. 28, 29), he asks, What advantage then hath the Jew, 
 or what profit is there of circumcision ? Much every 
 way, chiefly because that unto them were committed the 
 oracles of God. For what if some did not believe ? 
 Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect ? 
 God forbid. The unbelief of some lost them the 
 blessing ; but believers really gained it. 
 
 The remedy OF THE abuses corresponds to 
 their cause. We must return to faith in God's 
 promises, and there must be the answer of a good 
 conscience. Thus St. Peter states it ; Baptism doth 
 also now save us, (not the pulling away of the filth of 
 
THE ABUSES OF BAPTISM. 301 
 
 the flesh, but the answer of a good conscie?ice towards 
 God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. I Peter iii. 
 21. Faith looks at the risen Saviour (Rom. iv. 24, 
 25), and that complete deliverance from guilt and 
 sin obtained for fallen man through his death and 
 subsequent acceptance by the Father, as our Head, 
 Mediator, and Advocate. Faith sees our sins washed 
 away in his blood, and our souls to be renewed by 
 his Spirit, and beholds in the ordinance of baptism 
 God's testimony and seal to these precious truths. 
 And thus our own conscience is purified ; the blood of 
 Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself 
 without spot to God, purges the conscience from dead 
 works to serve the living God. Heb. ix. 11 — 14. Under 
 the gracious teaching of the Divine Spirit, who takes 
 of Christ's things and shews them to us, I see God, 
 my loving and reconciled Father, who no longer im- 
 putes sin to me. I freely confess all my guilt, and 
 have no subterfuge or self-justification under which 
 the truth is masked ; my conscience is cleared from 
 fraud and deception, and I acknowledge both my 
 sinfulness and my Saviour. And this concurs with 
 God's gracious design : If we confess our sins, he is just 
 and faithful to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us 
 from all unrighteousness. I can now love God and 
 delight in him and his ways. Every bar between 
 him and my soul is by his own grace wholly removed, 
 and I have liberty of access to him with the confi- 
 dence of a child. 
 
 Let all who come to baptism thus see and know 
 their true standing as Christians before God, and all 
 the replies in baptism will be the answer of a good 
 conscience towards God: we shall hate and renounce 
 sin, for that brought Jesus to the cross ; we shall be- 
 
302 TREATISE ON BAPTISM: 
 
 lieve the great truths of the gospel, for they are our 
 only hope; we shall delight in God's will and ways, 
 for the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the 
 Holy Ghost given tons ; and baptism, no longer abused, 
 will be improved as God designed it, as a choice and 
 precious help in the whole Christian life. 
 
 A PRAYER TO BE DELIVERED FROM THE MERE FORM 
 OF GODLINESS WITHOUT THE POWER. 
 
 Lord, thou hast said that in the last days perilous 
 times shall come, and men shall be lovers of their 
 own selves, and, while full of many and great sins, 
 shall have still a form of godliness, but deny the 
 power thereof; and I am afraid, when I look at my 
 own heart and life, lest this should be my state. 
 
 1 do indeed confess before thee, not only that I 
 greatly offend by transgressing in many things thy 
 holy law, but also that those holy truths which I 
 hold and profess, fail, through my unbelief and cor- 
 ruption, of producing corresponding feelings in my 
 heart, and practical obedience in my life. All those 
 holy services also, in which I outwardly engage, are 
 continually wanting in that truth and spirituality 
 which thou seekest in them that worship thee. 
 Though my profession may be such as to give me 
 the form of godliness, yet am I compelled to acknow- 
 ledge how little I feel of the power to give life and 
 energy within. 
 
 O Lord, have mercy upon me, have mercy upon 
 me. Impart thy saving grace to my soul. Hear me 
 speedily, O Lord, for my spirit sinks within me. I 
 am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst 
 
THE ABUSES OF BAPTISM. 303 
 
 of a people of unclean lips. O visit me with thy 
 salvation. Satisfy me early with thy mercy. On 
 thee only do I wait. My expectation is from thee. 
 Teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God. Thy 
 Spirit is good, lead me into the land of uprightness. 
 Quicken me, O Lord, for thy name's sake. Give me 
 not merely a name to live, but quicken me together 
 with Christ; give me the hidden life with Christ in 
 God. Grant me power, through the Spirit, to mortify 
 the deeds of the body, and to set my affections on 
 things above, that when Christ, who is my life, shall 
 appear, I may appear with him in glory. Hear me 
 for his name's sake. 
 
304 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 APOSTASY AFTER BAPTISM. 
 
 The holy scriptures have plainly revealed a falling 
 away or apostasy in the Christian church; an apos- 
 tasy partaking of the character and guilt of unfaith- 
 fulness in marriage to the solemn vows which bind 
 husband and wife together. Thus St. Paul shews, 
 that before our Lord Jesus Christ was to return, there 
 would come the falling away (77 airoaraaia) first, and the 
 man of sin would be revealed, the son of perdition. 
 2 Thess. ii. 3. afterwards described by St. John as 
 the great whore that sitteth vpon many waters; and 
 upon her forehead ivas a name written, Mystery, Baby- 
 lon the great, the mother of harlots and abominations of 
 the earth. Rev. xvii. 1 — 5. The importance of this 
 is strongly stated by St. Paul : Now the Spirit speaheth 
 expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart 
 (ano(TTr}(TouTai, apostatize) from the faith, giving heed to 
 seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. 1 Tim. iv. 1. 
 And he exhorts all Christians, on account of the 
 danger of coming short of the heavenly rest, pro- 
 mised to the faithful, through their personal unbelief, 
 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil 
 
APOSTACY AFTER BAPTISM. 305 
 
 heart of unbelief in departing ( air oar rivcti ) from the living 
 God. Heb. iii. 12. 
 
 The fearful extent to which this apostacy has taken 
 place in the churches of Christ, is but too apparent 
 on the face of the earth. Where are the churches of 
 Turkey, Asia Minor, Arabia, Persia, Egypt, and 
 North Africa? They have apostatized either to open 
 Mahomedanism, or to a most superstitious and 
 worthless form of Christianity. Where are the 
 churches, in their primitive beauty, of the great 
 European kingdoms of the Roman empire? They 
 have in the main apostatized to Popery. Where again 
 is the original purity, zeal, and love of the Re- 
 formed churches? They have sunk, in large masses, 
 into a name to live, and still lower into a covert or 
 even open infidelity. Truly the falling away has 
 already taken place. And it is the plain duty, where 
 apostacy becomes the marked character of a church 
 and community, from such withdraw thyself. 1 Tim. 
 vi. 5. If they separate from God we are to separate 
 from them. 
 
 When we consider the solemn promises made at 
 baptism, and the public confession of Christ there 
 made, which, if it were what it ought to have been, 
 was the answer of a good conscience towards God, it 
 becomes important to consider in what light we are 
 to view the subsequent sins of a Christian, and how 
 they affect his standing before God. It is a painful 
 and humbling, but it may with God's blessing be a 
 very profitable, subject of enquiry. 
 
 And it must be confessed that all sin committed 
 by Christians has in it the nature of apostacy, or a 
 falling away from our profession of Christ. All un- 
 righteousness is sin, and yet there is a sin not unto death, 
 x 
 
.300 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 1 John v. 17. There is in every believer the flesh 
 and the spirit; the old man and the new man; 
 the carnal nature and the divine nature. For the 
 flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against 
 the flesh, and these are contrary the one to the other, so 
 that ye cannot do the things that ye would. Gal. v. 17. 
 Under this weakness of fallen nature, while the 
 Christian excuses not himself, but in every thing 
 blames and condemns himself, his heavenly Father 
 regards him with tender pity, forgives all his ini- 
 quities, and heals all his diseases. The great ques- 
 tion here is the state of the mind, and affections, and 
 will. Is there a real hatred of sin, and of ourselves 
 for it? Can we say with holy Job, J abhor myself, 
 andrepcnt in dust and ashes. Job xlii. 0. Is the real 
 bent of our mind and will against sin? Is the spirit 
 willing, though the flesh is weak. Matt. xxvi. 4L As 
 in the case of the gifts of love, so in the case of ail 
 our doings, if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted 
 according to that a man hath, and not according to that 
 he hath not. 2 Cor. viii. 12. 
 
 Yet let us remember here, that all careless walking 1 , 
 unbelief, unwatchfulness, indolence, selfishness, in- 
 dulged pride, covetousness, and worldly-mindedness, 
 are seriously prejudicial to our soul now, and 
 tend materially to affect our final standing and re- 
 ward ; for God's saints also shall be judged and re- 
 warded according to their works. Let us covet ear- 
 nestly the best gilts, the highest graces, and the most 
 devoted life. Look to yourselves, that we lose not those 
 things we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. 
 
 2 John 8. 
 
 There is another stage of sin which is more serious 
 and fearful; a state of habitual worldliness, 
 
APOSTACY AFTER BAPTISM. 807 
 
 which manifests that the soul has not yet been truly 
 converted to God, and so is now in the way of death. 
 If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not 
 in him. 1 John ij, 15. Know ye not that the friendship 
 of the world is enmity against God ? James iv. 4. Ye 
 cannot serve God and mammon. Matt. vi. 24. This is 
 the state in which the vast mass of baptized Chris- 
 tians are now living, and it is unspeakably important 
 that they should see their danger ere it be too late, 
 and not imagine that a Christian name and calling 
 will avail to any thing but their increased guilt and 
 condemnation, if they are really unfaithful to Christ. 
 
 Let such consider, that God our Saviour really re- 
 quires of all his disciples separation from the world ; 
 that he absolutely commands all his followers, living in 
 the midst of an evil world, Come out from among them, 
 and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the 
 unclean thing, 2 Cor. vi. 17. Worldliness of spirit is 
 then in itself disobedience to a plain command, and 
 implies a state of alienation from God, and death in 
 sins. But in one who has been baptized, and made 
 promises of renouncing the world, it is not merely a 
 state of disobedience, but a state of apostacy and de- 
 parture from the faith of Christ ; not indeed avowed, 
 or perhaps felt, but still in reality such. 
 
 Consider, then, your true state. How can you 
 bear the thought of in spirit denying Christ, who died 
 fur you, and renouncing his religion, the only hope 
 of a sinner ! You profess to believe Christianity to 
 be true, the only true religion, in the world. You 
 would shrink from an open denial of Christ, and yet, 
 like Sardis, it must be said to you, Thou hast a name 
 that thou livest and art dead. Rev. iii. 1. 
 
 This apostacy may be seen in a departure from 
 x 2 
 
308 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 the doctrines of the gospel. The direction to 
 Timothy was, Holdfast the form of sound words which 
 thou hast heard of me, in faith and love , which is in 
 Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed 
 unto thee, keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us. 
 2 Tim. i. 13, 14. How soon thus the churches of 
 Ephesus (Acts xx), Galatia, and Corinth, turned 
 away from the simplicity of the faith ! And how of- 
 fensive, in our days, to multitudes of Christians, are 
 the scriptural doctrines of our fallen state, salvation 
 by grace, regeneration by the Spirit, separation from 
 the world, the power and temptations of Satan and 
 evil spirits, the return of Christ, and the eternal 
 misery of the wicked ; while the experimental doc- 
 trine of having access through one Mediator by one 
 Spirit to the Father, is counted wildness and enthu- 
 siasm. Real ignorance of the scriptures, pride, and 
 the lusts of this world, are the cause of this de- 
 parture. 
 
 The same apostacy may be seen in a departure 
 
 FROM THE HOLINESS OF THE GOSPEL. This is 
 
 clearly predicted as the special character of the last 
 days, and all the minute particulars apply with 
 frightful accuracy to the character of professed Chris- 
 tians at this time. This know also, that in the last 
 days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers 
 of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blas- 
 phemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 
 without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, 
 incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 
 traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more 
 than lovers of God. Having a form of godliness, but 
 denying the power thereof ; from such turn away. 
 2 Tim. iii. 1—5. What an awful picture we have 
 
APOSTACY AFTER BAPTISM. 309 
 
 here of baptized Christians in the last days! Well 
 may it lead us to much self-examination, asking, as 
 the apostles did, Lord, is it I? and also to follow 
 St. Peter's advice, and pass the time of our sojourn- 
 ing here in fear. Perfectly vain is it to trust in out- 
 ward privileges, and to cry. The temple of the Lord, 
 the temple of the Lord are these (Jer. vii. 4), if there be 
 such black marks of practical apostacy in our lives. 
 The workers of iniquity, whatever their name or pro- 
 fession, will fail of the kingdom of God. Matt. vii. 
 22, 23. O how much is holiness even scorned in the 
 Christian world! All close walking with God, strict- 
 ness of holy living and conversation, and purity of 
 evangelical godliness, is intolerable among multi- 
 tudes baptized to all this. And what is this but 
 apostacy? Let us watch against the beginnings of 
 this. Let us keep under the body, and bring it into 
 subjection, as the apostle did, lest, after preaching to 
 others, he should become a castaway. 1 Cor. ix. 27. 
 Above all, let us more constantly, and closely, and 
 fervently apply to the Lord Jesus Christ, believing 
 in his grace, and looking for the strength of his Spirit, 
 that we may attain that holiness without which no man 
 shall see the Lord. 
 
 Once more, this apostacy may be seen in a depar- 
 ture FROM THE WORSHIP AND ORDINANCES OF GOD. 
 
 It is perfectly appalling to know what vast multi- 
 tudes in a professedly Christian country, and among 
 baptized men and women, and those calling them- 
 selves Protestants, as protesting against the errors 
 of corrupt churches, wholly neglect Christian wor- 
 ship on the Lord's day. By far the largest part 
 of the population in the metropolis of this country 
 do not attend public worship at all. It is fearful 
 
310 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 to consider in what various ways the Sabbath is 
 broken; by trading, by travelling, by pleasure-tak- 
 ing, by Sunday newspapers, by visits of dissipation, 
 by mail-coaches and letters, and a thousand other 
 forms of turning the day from God, to whom it be- 
 longs, to the world which men thus prefer before 
 Him. The neglect of the Lord's Supper is of itself 
 an apostacy from our Christian profession, and is 
 there anything like a tenth of the population of a 
 Christian land, all baptized in the name of Jesus, 
 and pledged thus to obey his commands, who ob- 
 serve his last and dying precept. This do in remem- 
 brance of me ? 
 
 We may well speak of these things with weeping 
 and mourning, sighing over the abominations of our 
 professedly Christian country, and solemnly warning 
 all men of the wrath of God hanging over us, for 
 these abominations. Let us remember the solemn 
 and more than once repeated warning of Christ, ap- 
 plicable both to individuals and nations : Salt is 
 good, but if the salt have lost its savour/ wherewith shall 
 it be seasoned ? It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for 
 the dunghill, but men cast it out. He that hath ears to 
 hear, let him hear. Luke xiv. 34, 35. 
 
 But supposing all this brought home to the con- 
 science; the sinner awakened, and led to see that 
 his baptism to him has been no spiritual regenera- 
 tion, and avails him nothing, while without the real 
 vital and inward change, — what must be his course? 
 His way is perfectly plain. The day of grace con- 
 tinues ; the throne of grace is open; the grace of 
 God, which bringeth salvation to all men, hath appeared. 
 The love of God is still the same to him, as when he 
 was received into the church by baptism. The Sa- 
 
APOSTACY AFTER BAPTISM. 311 
 
 viour stands as it were with open arras inviting him : 
 Come unto me: Hear, and your soul shall live. There 
 is full pardon ready; there is free salvation pro- 
 vided ; the prodigal child who has wasted his father's 
 goods will not be rejected, but, on his real return, 
 welcomed with joy, and embraced with ardent affec- 
 tion. Seek ye the Lord, while he may be. found: call ye 
 upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his 
 way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him 
 return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, 
 and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. What 
 can be more gracious, more righteous, or more full of 
 mercy than the ways of our God ! Oh, that we felt 
 this as we ought, and loved him as we ought ! 
 
 It is contrary to the whole spirit of the Bible to 
 place the difficulties in the way of the repentance of 
 Christians, who have fallen into sin, which some have 
 done. If, under the law, transgressors were freely in- 
 vited to return to God, much more under the gospel are 
 the worst characters freely invited to forsake all their 
 sins, and receive the freest pardon and welcome. In 
 this spirit our church speaks to the very worst, to 
 blasphemers of God, hinderers or slanderers of his 
 word, adulterers, the envious and malicious, or those 
 living in any other crime, to repent of their sins and 
 come to the table of the Lord. 
 
 The view sought to be established cannot, as those 
 who present it to us imagine, be healthful. It tends 
 to lower the standard of holiness on one side, and to 
 produce despair on the other. It is not a scriptural 
 guard, but a self-righteous perversion of God's ordi- 
 nance, bringing the soul into the spirit of bondage, 
 and destructive of the spirit of grace and adoption. 
 To all classes of sinners under the gospel, with the 
 
312 TREATISE ON BAPTISM I 
 
 exception of those who sin against the Holy Ghost, 
 there is no impediment to returning at once to God, 
 and enjoying the full consolations of his gracious ac- 
 ceptance and forgiving love. God forbid that any 
 ambassador of Christ, instead of proclaiming the 
 word of reconciliation, and beseeching sinners to be 
 reconciled to God, should place barriers in the way 
 of their return that God has never placed ; instead of 
 setting forth the infinite mercies of the Father who 
 saw afar off and ran to meet the prodigal son on his 
 returning, should, like the Scribes and Pharisees, 
 murmur objections against the reception of sinners. 
 O how different from the view given in innumerable 
 passages of God's holy word ! Therefore will the 
 Lord icait, that he may be gracious unto you, and there- 
 fore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon 
 you ; for the Lord is a God of judgment, and blessed are 
 all they that wait for him. Isaiah xxx. 18. 
 
 But we must proceed yet farther to the last stage 
 
 Of Sin, OPEN AND WILFUL APOSTACY FROM THE 
 
 truth. Many and solemn are the cautions in the 
 word of God against this: and though it may be 
 difficult for us to gain the full meaning of them, yet 
 there is much most awakening, and solemn, and sea- 
 sonable instruction for us. The warnings in the 
 epistle to the Hebrews are especially quickening: 
 It is impossible, says the apostle, for those who were 
 once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, 
 and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have 
 tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world 
 to come, if they shall fall array, to renew them again to 
 repentance, seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of 
 God afresh and put him to an open shame. Heb. vi. 
 4 — (5. The passage is manifestly intended as a 
 
APOSTACY AFTER BAPTISM. 313 
 
 solemn warning to all professors of the gospel, against 
 the danger of apostacy from a credible profession 
 founded on participation of many of the benefits of 
 the gospel. It is not merely sin after baptism ; the 
 scripture no where justifies us in identifying enlight- 
 ening with baptism, whatever may be the views which 
 some of the Nicene fathers, in the decay of the gospel, 
 had on this point. But it shews, at least, the ex- 
 treme difficulty, if not the positive impossibility, of a 
 renewal unto repentance, in the case of one who has 
 had light, and knowledge, and has felt the power, in 
 some degree, of the gospel, yet has apostatized. The 
 nature of this sin is more fully set before us after- 
 wards—// we sin wilfully, after that we have received 
 the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more 
 sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of 
 judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour 
 the adversaries. He that despised Moses 1 law died 
 without mercy under two or three witnesses. Of how 
 much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought 
 worthy, who hath trodden underfoot the Son of God, and 
 hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was 
 sanctified an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto 
 the spirit of grace ! Heb. x. 26 — 29. How watchful 
 should this make us against any wilful sin, which 
 may go on and issue in this final apostacy and irre- 
 mediable ruin ! The treating with contempt the 
 Spirit of grace, seems to be the same sin which our 
 Lord calls blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, which 
 shall not he forgiven, neither in this world neither in the 
 world to come. Matt. xii. 31, 32. And with that sin 
 mentioned by St. John, respecting those committing 
 which he gives no encouragement to pray — There is 
 
314 TREATISE ON BAPTISM I 
 
 a gin unto death ; I do not say that he shall pray fur it. 
 1 John v. 16. * 
 
 Truly awful and alarming are these solemn warn- 
 ings of the New Testament. All sin is not indeed 
 of this character, and the most holy cannot say he has 
 no sin ; for if we say we have no sin, we deceive our- 
 selves, and the truth is not in us ; and every sinner con- 
 fessing and forsaking sin will find mercy. Yet such 
 warnings shew us that when we have really known 
 the truth and yet allowed a wilful indulgence in sin, 
 it may go on to that conscience seared as with a hot 
 iron, which makes a man whollycallous and hardened. 
 In such a case, nothing can touch his heart or awaken 
 him, and he remains impenitent, unbelieving and 
 prayerless, till he perishes. Those in this state will wil- 
 fully speak evil, knowing what they say is false, of 
 the ways of Christ, reviling and blaspheming against 
 the things of the Spirit of God, and this after having 
 once been enlightened to see their reality and excel- 
 lence. We have seen such daring and infidel men, bla- 
 zoning their shame in our land, and the number seems 
 unhappily increasing, as well as the blasphemy be- 
 coming more conspicuous and glaring. 
 
 Beloved Christian readers, let us be warned in 
 time ; let him that thinheth he siandelh take heed lest he 
 
 * The different conduct of St. Paul towards Alexander, the copper- 
 smith, for whom he prayed not, but on whom he pronounced a solemn 
 curse, and his conduct towards those who forsook him, but for whom 
 he prayed that it might not be laid to their charge (2 Tim. iv. 14— 16.) 
 illustrates the distinction of St. John. In one case we see hardened 
 malignant enmity, in a professor; (see 1 Tim. i. 19, 20.) and in the 
 other case only the fear of man overcoming their faith : for the malig- 
 nant apostate he prays not ; for the timid disciple he prays. Our own 
 Reformation, in such cases as Gardiner and Bonner, hardened in apos- 
 tacy, compared with Cranmer, and many others who at first failed, 
 and then stood firm for Christ our Lord, may illustrate also the same 
 awful truth. 
 
APOSTACY AFTER BAPTISM. 315 
 
 fall. Let us watch against the beginnings of evil ; 
 let us keep in view our baptismal privileges, as the 
 motive to baptismal holiness ; let us remember always 
 that we are members of Christ, children of God, and 
 inheritors of the kingdom of heaven, that we may 
 continue in the faith, grounded and settled, and not 
 moved away from the hope of the gospel; and let us 
 firmly retain that hope which will be an anchor of 
 the soul, keeping us steady amidst the storms of this 
 evil world. It will be a helmet of salvation, cover- 
 ing- our head in the day of battle; yes, he that has 
 this hope in Jesus will be found purifying himself 
 even as Christ is pure. 
 
 I cannot conclude this subject without adverting 
 to a deeply interesting and affecting consideration — 
 the danger of national apostacy in our country. 
 The general tendency of public measures, for a con- 
 siderable period, has been to throw open the govern- 
 ment of the country to persons not holding the great 
 and essential doctrines of the gospel. At the settle- 
 ment of our English constitution in 1688, Papists 
 and persons denying the doctrine of the blessed Tri- 
 nity were expressly excepted from favour. The pure 
 form of Christianity maintained by our church was 
 generally viewed as most accordant with the word of 
 God, and therefore most calculated to promote social 
 happiness ; and thus the church of England, which 
 holds all the great truths of the gospel of Christ, was 
 sanctioned, established, and every wherethrough the 
 land nationally maintained. Dissenters, from con- 
 scientious scruples, but holding the main truths of 
 the gospel, were not merely tolerated, but encou- 
 raged in all the good they sought to effect, as a really 
 valuable auxiliary to a church establishment. Luke 
 
316 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 ix. 49, 50. Papists, and idolators, and Socinians as 
 not holding the head, and Jews as rejecting Christ, 
 were discouraged. Thus our constitution was truly 
 scriptural. God the Father, God the Son, and God 
 the Holy Ghost, were nationally acknowledged and 
 honoured. His blessing has been signified in our 
 national elevation, peace, preservation and prospe- 
 rity. 
 
 But our national profession of these things has be- 
 come, in the lapse of time, exceedingly formal. Step 
 after step has been taken to weaken it. The Protes- 
 tant character of our government has been cast off by 
 Socinians and Papists having been admitted to share 
 in that power which Christ has entrusted to us (Matt, 
 xxviii. 18. John xix. 11.) as a protestant nation, for 
 his kingdom and glory. Step after step is taken in 
 marriages, in baptism, in education, to dissever the 
 church of England from the nation. Attempts have 
 been made to admit the Jews into our government, 
 and so wholly throw oft" its Christian character. Step 
 after step is taken, in the maintenance of Papal 
 priests and Papal schools, at home and in our colo- 
 nies, to break down our national testimony to God's 
 truth as set forth in our national religious testi- 
 monies. 
 
 This, however, is but one part, though a very 
 awakening symptom indeed, of our tendencies to 
 apostacy. The whole character of our legislation, in 
 its prevailing features, is of this cast. The measures 
 of Parliament, constituted as Parliament now is, are 
 national measures. The sin is the sin of the country. 
 Andwhatisit prominently marks the character of the 
 country, notwithstanding all the struggles of the church 
 of Christ, in the midst of it, but an intense money- 
 
APOSTACY AFTER BAPTISM. 317 
 
 getting spirit, regardless of all the sufferings of 
 others, if property may be enlarged ; and a conse- 
 quent fearful oppression by the wealthy, of the lower 
 orders ; and a re-acting hatred of the upper classes in 
 the lower? This is eminently seen, as the author 
 has observed on another occasion, in the state of the 
 agricultural poor and the factory-children. Let us 
 remember how full the scripture is of strong testi- 
 monies against oppression and grinding the faces of 
 the poor; what stern reproofs are given against op- 
 pressors, ESPECIALLY WHERE PROFESSING RELIGION ; 
 
 and how constantly the ruin of nations is ascribed 
 to this cause ; — and we may indeed have just fears that 
 heavy judgments hang over our country. An unholy 
 thirst for gain, without reference to God's will and 
 glory, or the good of man, shoots very deep into 
 the heart of our land, and spreads very wide over it. 
 The greater part of the misery that now oppresses 
 our country is from making haste to be rich, and this, 
 connected with widely-spread and largely-received 
 false and infidel political principles of the wealth of 
 nations being their prosperity, without reference to 
 moral character. Hence men eagerly pursue the 
 accumulation of property, whatever distress or ruin 
 it may bring on others ; justifying themselves by that 
 which should be their guard, — the general practice. 
 Exod. xxiii. 2. Matt. vii. 13. But instead of attain- 
 ing security and happiness by this selfishness, they 
 are labouring utterly in vain. Hab. ii. 13. The word 
 of God speaks repeatedly and most strongly against 
 this really self-destructive course, and shews the great 
 personal danger of pursuing riches to the oppression 
 of the poor. Prov. xx ix. 20, 21. Tsaiah v. 8—10. Jer. 
 vi. 23; viii. 9, 10 ; xxii. 13—17. Micah ii. 1—3. 
 
.318 TREATISE ON BAPTISM \ 
 
 Hab. ii. 9 — 11, and James v. 1 — 4. May the eyes 
 of those making a credible profession of godli- 
 ness, be opened to see, and their resolutions strength- 
 ened to renounce, this great evil. Whatever present 
 losses their singularity may occasion them, their real 
 gain will be unspeakably great. The vanity and 
 emptiness of all excuses founded on the misconduct 
 of the poor, for neglecting their real misery, will be 
 apparent to a Christian. 
 
 The real character of this idolatry of wealth is an 
 apostacy. When we have ceased to trust in the 
 Lord, we trust in idols; (1 Tim. 6. 17.) when we 
 have ceased to delight in the Lord, we delight in 
 idols. Nothing is more clear than that covetousness 
 is idolatry ; (Ephes. v. G. Col. iii. 5.) nothing is more 
 clear than that idolatry is apostacy, (Deut. vii. 4; 
 x ijj. i — io.) and that apostacy of a nation is con- 
 nected with national judgments. 2 Kings xvii. 2. 
 Chron. xxxvi.* 
 
 Many other signs of a growth of apostacy might be 
 mentioned, which are set before us in the scriptures, 
 (2 Peter ii. 30—22, and Jude 10 — 10.) and too appa- 
 
 * The great exertions of so many professors of religion, chiefly 
 among Dissenters, to set aside all national establishments of religion, 
 which they openly avow is, in their view, the root of all evil in the 
 church of Christ ; and the vast strength of the current of Papal arid 
 infidel men who join in this effort, and their influence upon those in 
 power at this day, is another fearful indication of approach to national 
 apostacy. The heavenly hostrej liced (Rev. xii. 10, II,) in that national 
 triumph of Christianity which such mistaken men would, in their 
 self-wisdom and ignorance of God's word, overthrow. Let not any 
 he deceived by piety of expressions and intermingling of prayers and 
 praises, or peaceful professions or pretences of conscience ; as wc 
 nation; a i. iv bonour Qod and maintain his truth, he will nationally 
 honour us. Let us remember the sure word ol prophecy, and how wo 
 are guarded against the Koran Bpirit of this age, (Numbers xvi. Jude 
 xi.i and may vre, before it be too la! ■, like Nebuchadnezzar, be brought 
 to give the glory of our kingdom to God. i)an. iv. 31— J". 
 
APOSTACY AFTER BAPTISM. 319 
 
 rent in Christendom. It is joyfully acknowledged 
 also there is a revival of good to a most encouraging 
 extent, and that God, by his omnipotent grace, is 
 more and more preparing the way for the full triumph 
 of his own purposes of love to man. May these 
 things lead Christians to see the great necessity of 
 intercession for our country, of heartily promoting 
 the reviving good, of bearing witness against growing 
 evils, and of a humble, and broken, and contrite 
 spirit, instead of that proud high-mindedness which 
 so much characterizes us as a people, wherever we go, 
 though the Lord has said, Pride goes before destruction 
 and a haughty spirit before a fall. May they especially 
 lead us to that state of mind to which the prophet 
 Joel called Israel — Therefore also now, saith the Lord, 
 Turn ye even to me, with all your heart, and with fast- 
 ing and with weeping, and with mourning ; and rend 
 your heart and not your garments, and turn unto the 
 Lord your God ;for he is gracious and merciful, slow to 
 anger, and of great kindness, and repenleth him of the 
 evil. 
 
 Let our baptismal privileges and vows be recog- 
 nized, acknowledged and acted upon, then shall we 
 return from our too extended national apostacy to 
 our heavenly Father, and use the words — Father, I 
 have sinned against heaven and before thee, and am jig 
 more worthy to be called thy Son. 
 
320 TREATISE ON BAPTISM 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 BAPTISM WITH THE HOLY GHOST AND WITH FIRE. 
 
 The ordinance of baptism, though simple and ele- 
 mentary in its first meaning, is full of deep truth. 
 While by its visible form and public administration it 
 impresses all men outwardly, and calls for attention 
 and observation from all who witness it — leading 
 them to say one to another, What meaneth this ? it has 
 an extent of instruction that well repays all their in- 
 quiries. 
 
 Joined to Christian baptism is the baptism with the 
 Holy Ghost and with fire. Thus John the baptist 
 prepares the way for the baptism of Christ ; I indeed 
 baptize you with water unto repentance ; but he that 
 cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am 
 not worthy to bear ; he shall baptize you ivith the Holy 
 Ghost and with fire: whose fan is in his hand, and he 
 will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into 
 the garner, but he will burn up the chaff with unquench- 
 able fire. Matt. iii. 11. It is in substance repeated in 
 all the gospels, Mark i. 8. Luke iii. 17. John i. 26— 
 .33. though apparently on different occasions. 
 
 It is this baptism which we would now consider 
 more fully. The spirit of John humbling himself, 
 
BAPTISM WITH THE HOLY GHOST. 321 
 
 that his and our Lord might be justly exalted, should 
 be noticed. He seems to delight in saying, He must 
 increase, but I must decrease — he is mightier than I — / 
 baptize with water, and he with the Holy Ghost. May 
 this spirit ever animate our minds ! 
 
 A leading truth here set before us is the difference 
 and distinction between man's administration and 
 the Lord's administration: that we may see that neither 
 is he that plant eth any thing, neither he that water eth, but 
 God that giveth the increase, that our eyes may be di- 
 rected not to the minister, but to the minister's Lord 
 and Master, and expect all the blessing from him 
 alone; he refers all men from himself to Christ. 
 May all we who are ministers copy so instructive a 
 pattern ! Yes, may every follower of Jesus seek only 
 the exaltation of his Saviour! 
 
 The baptism with the Holy Ghost seems to be a 
 degree of privilege and blessing beyond that of re- 
 generation and conversion. The apostles were truly 
 converted to God, when the Lord said to them, Be- 
 hold, I send the promise of my Father upon you ; but 
 tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with 
 power from on high (Luke xxiv. 49) ; and again, Wait 
 for the promise of the Father which ye have heard of me. 
 For John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be bap- 
 tized with the Holy Ghost, not many days hence. Acts 
 i. 4. Accordingly they received from our Lord a 
 fuller blessing at the appointed time : When the day 
 of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one ac- 
 cord in one place, and suddenly there came a sound from 
 heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the 
 house where they were siting. And there appeared unto 
 them cloven tongues, like as of fire, and it sal upon each 
 of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, 
 Y 
 
322 TREATISE OK B LPTISM : 
 
 and began to apeak with other tongues as the Spirit gave 
 them utterance* Acts ii. ] — 4. We have here the 
 plain record of Ihc fulfilment of the promise, and it 
 is manifestly an enlargement of gift and privilege be- 
 yond ordinary conversion. 
 
 The same gifts were bestowed on Cornelius and 
 bis friends, when Peter preached, Acts x. 44 — 47; 
 and wc see the same enlarged blessing in the bap- 
 tism of John's disoiplei at Hphcsus. Paul then 
 finding certain disei/des, lie said unto them. Have ye 
 
 reed red the Holy Ghoit since ye believed? and they .said 
 unto him, Wc have not so much as heard whether there 
 he any Holy Ghost. They had only been baptized 
 into John's baptism of repentance. On farther in- 
 struction they acre baptized in, the name of the Lord 
 Jesus. And alien Paul 'had laid his hands upon them, 
 the Holy Ohoii rami- on them, and they spake with 
 tongues and prophesied, Acts xix. 1—7- 
 
 In these instances the gift of tongues was con- 
 nected with the baptism of the Holy Ghost. The 
 apostles had before received power to work miracles 
 of healing (Luke ix. 2), as had the seventy disciples. 
 Luke x. !). Before the day of Pentecost they went 
 through the tonus preaching the gospel, and healing 
 everywhere (Luke ix. 6); and could say, Lord, even 
 
 the devils are subject to us through thy name (Luke X. 
 17); but the promised baptism ol the Holy Gboit 
 gave a deeper and fuller privilege; the healing of 
 diseases is connected with the body and more with- 
 out ; the speaking with tongues is connected with 
 toe mind, and addresses the understanding. 
 
 Yet the Odtward miracles are not so much the es- 
 sential element of the privilege; and blessing, as the 
 outward drapery manifesting the inward teaching 
 
BAPTISM WITH THE HOLY GHOST. 323 
 
 and instruction. The outward miracles soon ceased ; 
 the inward energy and power yet remains. It may 
 be seen, in the 13th and 14th of Corinthians, what is 
 the real place of the outward gift, as contrasted with 
 the inward grace of love ; and the gift of tongues 
 even is put far below the real edification of our 
 neighbour. The apostle says, In the church I had 
 rather speak five words with my understanding, that I 
 might teach others also, than ten thousand words in a?i 
 unknown tongue. 1 Cor. xiv. 22. And he explicitly 
 declares, Tongues are for a sign, not to them that be- 
 lieve, but to them that believe not. 
 
 What then is the designed blessing intended for 
 all the church in this baptism of the Holy Ghost and 
 of fire ; which is a degree of grace beyond the bap- 
 tism of water unto repentance ? It seems to be this, — 
 those who duly improve the ordinance of the first 
 baptism shall have larger communications of grace, 
 fitting them for more extensive usefulness, for the 
 fuller fellowship of Christ's sufferings here, and the 
 fuller glory hereafter ; and they shall be safe and 
 blessed in that real and purifying fire which is so 
 clearly predicted as yet to come. 
 
 The remarks of the Christian fathers on this, will 
 prepare the way for farther explanation of it. Chry- 
 sostom speaking of St. John's baptism says, "John 
 the Baptist proceeds most wisely: for at his own 
 baptism he speaks only of things full of fear and 
 terror, as of being cut down and cast out as a gener- 
 ation of vipers ; but when he speaks of Christ's bap- 
 tism, he announces good things which might refresh 
 their minds. For he neither brings among them the 
 axe nor the cut down tree, nor the burning and casting 
 into the fire, nor the wrath to come, but the forgiveness 
 
 Y 2 
 
324 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 of sins, the pardon of guilt, righteousness, sanctifica- 
 tion, redemption, adoption, brotherhood, the comfort 
 of heirship, and the large gifts of the Holy Spirit. For 
 all these are pointed out when he says he will bap- 
 tize you with the Holy Ghost, the very figure declar- 
 ing the abundance of grace. For he does not say he 
 will give you the Holy Ghost, but he will baptize 
 you with the Holy Ghost, and by the addition of fire 
 shewing the energy and efficacy of grace. Weigh 
 then in what mind it is very likely the hearers then 
 were, thinking that they should soon become like the 
 prophets and great men : for he therefore mentions 
 fire that he may recal them to their memory. For 
 the greater part of those visions which they had 
 were by fire. So God spoke to Moses in the bush, 
 and so to all the people on Mount Sinai, and so to 
 Ezekiel in Cherubim."* 
 
 In another place Chrvsostom observes, *' Because 
 Christ is Judge, he baptizes with fire, that is, with 
 temptations, for hereby as with fire he burns the 
 ilesh, that it may not spring forth in evil concupis- 
 cence. For the fiesh does not fear spiritual punish- 
 ments, but carnal ; therefore he sends on his servants 
 temptations in the flesh, that the flesh fearing these 
 straits may not bring forth evil concupiscence. "f 
 
 Jerome thus elucidates this passage: " He speaks 
 of fire foretelling the fiery tongues, which came upon 
 the faithful, for the Holy Ghost is fire; or else he 
 baptizes with the Holy Ghost for the present, and 
 with fire hereafter, according to that of the apostle, 
 the fire shall try every man's work. "t 
 
 * Sec Chrysostom on Mai. iii. 11. 
 
 t Sec Quotations in Mayer's Commentary. 
 
 * See Jerome in loco. 
 
BAPTISM WITH THE HOLY GHOST. 325 
 
 Augustine remarks, " But what John said by fire, 
 although it may also be understood of the tribulation 
 which those who believe should suffer for the name 
 of Jesus ; yet it is not without cause that the same 
 Holy Spirit may also be signified by the name of 
 fire. Wherefore also, in his coming it is said there 
 appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it 
 sat upon each of them. Hence also the Lord himself 
 says, I came to send fi) 3 upon earth. Hence also the 
 apostle says, Fervent in spirit, because hence love is 
 fervent. For it is shed abroad in our hearts by the 
 Holy Ghost, which is given to us. To such fervour 
 what the Lord says is contrary, the love of many shall 
 wax cold. But perfect charity is the perfect gift of 
 the Holy Ghost. But that is prior which relates to 
 the forgiveness of sins, by which kindness we are 
 brought out of the power of darkness and the prince 
 of this world, who works in the children of unbelief 
 by no other force than society and obligation of sin, 
 is cast out by our faith. For in the Holy Ghost, by 
 whom the people of God are gathered together in 
 one, the unclean spirit who is divided against him- 
 self is ejected.' 7 * 
 
 These various truths seem all comprehended in the 
 baptism of the Holy Ghost and of fire. The baptism 
 with the Holy Ghost includes all these spiritual 
 blessings which Augustine and Chrysostom men- 
 tion. The visible descent of cloven tongues like as 
 of fire was a literal fulfilment of the promises as well 
 as an instructive emblem, shewing the character of 
 that baptism wherewith the apostles were really bap- 
 
 * Augustine's Sermon on Matthew xi. 28. vol. v. p. 275. Suicer, in 
 his Thesaurus, vol. i. under the head of baptism gives much informa- 
 tion respecting the sentiments of the fathers on this subject. 
 
326 TREATISE ON BAPTISM Z 
 
 tized, as the baptism of temptation and suffer- 
 ing, to which Chrysostom also alludes; and the 
 baptism with fire seems to have a final reference to 
 that last fire of which the scriptures speak so 
 much, and to 'which Jerome alludes. 
 
 Let us first consider baptism with the Holy Ghost 
 in its purifying nature, as including chiefly spiritual 
 blessings. The Holy Spirit is conveyed to men in 
 various measures, and with lower and higher degrees 
 of purifying influence. We have ffi/ts differing ac- 
 cording to the grace that is given to us. Rom. xii. 6. 
 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And 
 there are differences of administrations t but the same 
 Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is 
 the same God which worketh all in all. 1 Cor. xii. 4 — 6. 
 And as every man hath received the gift, even so minister 
 the same one to- another, as good stewards of the mani- 
 fold grace of God. 1 Peter, iv. 10. We have seen that, 
 a baptism of the Spirit is a larger blessing than an 
 ordinary gift of the Spirit; so being filled with the 
 Holy Ghost (Acts ii. 4; iv. 31 ; xiii. 52.) is a richer 
 benefit than being a partaker of the Holy Ghost. Heb. 
 vi. 4. The baptism with fire is a more purifying 
 baptism than that with water. Water cleanses the 
 outside ; fire refines from the inward dross. We 
 see this in our Lord himself; he was first baptized 
 with water, and at that baptism he saw the Spirit of 
 God descending like a dove, and lighting Upon him. 
 Matt. iii. 16. But this was not the whole of his 
 baptism ; he had a baptism of fire to pass through. 
 As his type the Paschal Lamb was to be roasted with 
 fire, so the Lord himself was to pass through that 
 fiery tribulation of his last Buffering. To this he 
 alludes, when he says — / am come to send fire on the 
 
BAPTISM WITH THE HOLY GHOST. 32? 
 
 earth, and what will I if it be already kindled. But I 
 have a baptism to be baptized icith, and how am I strai- 
 tened till it be accomplished. Luke x. 49, 50. And be 
 went through that fiery baptism, and so the Captain 
 of our salvation learned obedience by the things 
 that he suffered, and was made perfect through suffer- 
 ing. Heb. ii. 10 ; v. 8, 9. There is then a growing 
 communication of the Holy Ghost to be hoped for 
 and sought. We are to grow in grace and in the 
 knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and 
 to be more plentifully and abundantly enriched with 
 the fruit of the Spirit. O let us not be content with- 
 out a growing and full baptism unto holiness. 
 
 There is also a baptism of sufferings, which is 
 designed to be a real privilege and blessing. This 
 is opened very distinctly in the gospel when the two 
 sons of Zebedee wished to be nearest to our Lord on 
 his throne of glory, he asks them, Are ye able to be 
 baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with. 
 They say unto him, We are able. And he saith unto 
 them, Ye shall indeed drink of my cup, and be baptized 
 ivith the baptism that I am baptized with : but to sit on 
 my right hand and on my left is not mine to give, but it 
 shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my 
 Father. Matt. xx. 22, 23. Here is a baptism of suf- 
 ferings set before them as the way to glory. And 
 this harmonizes with many testimonies of God's 
 word. Every one shall be salted with fire, and every 
 sacrifice shall be salted with salt. Mark ix 49. We 
 must, through much tribulation, enter the kingdom of 
 heaven (Acts xiv. 22) ; heirs of God and joint heirs with 
 Christ, if so be that ice suffer with him, that we may 
 also be glorified together. Rom. viii. 17. If we be dead 
 with him, we shall also live with him ; if we suffer we 
 
328 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 shall also reign with Mm. 2 Tim. ii. 11, 12. In this 
 view our Lord was foretold, He is like a refiner s fire 
 and like fuller's soap. And he shall sit as a refiner and 
 -purifier of silver, and he shall purify the sons of Levi, 
 and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer 
 unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. 
 
 Nor is this suffering baptism without a full present 
 as well as future blessing. It is connected with in- 
 tense love, purity, and holiness; it is joined with 
 the richest consolation ; it is the way to the highest 
 stages of attainment in the school of Christ, Jesus 
 says, Every one shall be perfected as his Master. Luke 
 vi. 40, marginal reading. Higher degrees of Chris- 
 tian holiness are attained thus, and larger communi- 
 cations of the Holy Spirit are thus imparted. Hence 
 it is viewed by the sacred writers (and in conformity 
 with them by the early martyrs) as a privilege to be 
 desired, and not as an evil to be shunned. Thus our 
 Lord speaks of it as a blessing, and that the highest 
 and last which he mentions. Matt. v. 10, 11. Thus 
 St. Paul was privileged (Acts ix. 16), and desired the 
 fellowship of his sufferings, and to be made conformable 
 to his death ; and he comforts those to whom he thus 
 wrote by telling them, Unto you it is given in the be- 
 half of Christ, not only to believe on his name, but also 
 to suffer for his sake. Phil. i. 29; iii. 10. So the 
 apostle Peter calls Christians to joy, rather than 
 surprise, at their sufferings. Beloved, think it not 
 strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as 
 though some strange thing happened unto you ; but re- 
 joice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings, 
 that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also 
 with exceeding joy. 1 Peter iv. 12, 13. 
 
 The spiritual blessedness of this suffering, accom- 
 
BAPTISM WITH THE HOLY GHOST. 329 
 
 parried with the power of the Holy Ghost, is, that it 
 produces in the heart a more intense and burning 
 abhorrence of sin as the source of all evil ; a more 
 deep sympathy with the vindictive righteousness of 
 God, as being in reality holy love, and a more fer- 
 vent devotedness of spirit in all things to him, who 
 makes his ministers a flaming fire. 
 
 Fervent with this zeal, with a living fire; alive 
 coal from the altar of God laid upon his mouth. 
 Isaiah cries, in answer to the enquiry, Whom shall I 
 send? Here am I ; send me. Isaiah vi. 6, 7. Touched 
 with the same fire, Jeremiah, who had shrunk from 
 his office, when he had to meet the daring infidelity 
 of his people, receives the promise, Behold I will 
 make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, 
 and it shall devour them. Jer. v. 14. And the suffer- 
 ing witnesses, in the midst of the hurt designed to be 
 inflicted on them, rise superior to all their sufferings, 
 and fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devour eth 
 their enemies ; and if any man will hurt them, he must 
 in this manner be killed. Rev. xi. 5. Thus suffering is 
 connected with ability to give solemn warnings to 
 call men to repentance, and awaken their consciences 
 as with a burning fire to their true state. Few have 
 been largely blessed in the church of Christ who 
 have not been great sufferers. 
 
 The final baptism of our world with fire seems 
 as Jerome points out, to be included. There is a 
 spiritual fire going on now, through trials and afflic- 
 tions, under the eye of the great Refiner. Mai. iii. 
 2, 3. But there is a real and visible fire coming, of 
 which Malachi afterwards speaks : For behold the day 
 cometh that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea 
 and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble ; and the day 
 
•330 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, 
 that it shall leave them neither root nor branch ; but unto 
 you that fear my name shall the Sun of Righteousness 
 arise with healing in his wings. Mai. iv. 1,2. Thisis 
 contrasted (2 Peter iii.) with the deluge which once 
 destroyed the earth. It is a discriminating, purify- 
 ing, and destroying fire; the wheat gathered, the 
 chaff burned up; the wheat put in the garner, the 
 tares bounds in bundles and burned in the fire. 
 
 We have a remarkable account of this awful bap- 
 tism. 1 Cor. iii. The apostle is speaking of ministers 
 of the gospel as labourers together with God, and of 
 the church as God's building; of himself, as having 
 laid the only foundation, Christ Jesus, and of others, 
 builders thereon, and charges them, Let every man 
 take heed how he buildeth thereupon; and then he goes 
 on to set forth the coming trial of everything in the 
 approaching day of manifestation. Now if any vian 
 build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, 
 wood, hay, stubble, every mans work shall be made mani- 
 fest, for the day shall declare it ; because it shall be re- 
 vealed by fire, and the fire shall try every math work of 
 what sort it is. If any mans work abide which he hath 
 built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any mans 
 work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself 
 shall be saved ; yet so as by fire. 1 Cor. iii. 12 — 15. 
 He afterwards, alluding to the same truths, says, He 
 that judgeth me is the Lord, therefore judge nothing be- 
 fore the time, until the Lord come, who both will bri?ig 
 to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make 
 manifest the counsels of the hearts, and then shall every 
 man have praise of God. 1 Cor. iv. 4, 5. The man of 
 sin, thinking to change times and laws as he pleases, 
 for his own elevation aud profit, (Dan. vii. 25.) has 
 
BAPTISM WITH THE HOLY GHOST. 331 
 
 anticipated, by a fancied purgatory of his own, this 
 trial by fire, as he has anticipated the millennial 
 reign of the saints by his worship and honour paid 
 to them now ; but it is clear this passage refers not 
 to a hidden state, but to a day of open manifesta- 
 tion that will declare it before all men ; and his 
 perversion of God's truth must not keep us from that 
 truth. 
 
 The apostle seems first to refer to himself and other 
 teachers, and to set forth the need of great watchfulness 
 as to the truths which they declared, even when they 
 laid the right foundation : that all should be the gold, 
 silver, and precious stones of God's word, (Psalm 
 xix. 10; cxix. 72. Prov. viii. 10; xvi. 16. 1 Tim. 
 iv. 6. 2 Tim. ii. 10. Isaiah liv. 11 — 14) which alone 
 will stand the fire ; and not the wood, hay, and stub- 
 ble of man's inventions. (Prov. xxx. 6. • Jer. xxviii. 
 28. Matt. xv. 6—9. Acts xx. 30. Rom. xvi. 17. 
 2 Cor. ii. 17 ; iv. 2. Col. ii. 18—23. 1 Tim. iv. 1—3.) 
 There seems also to be under this first reference a 
 farther application to all Christians. For in the pas- 
 sage immediately following the one last quoted, 
 (1 Cor. iv. 5,) he adds, And these things, brethren, I 
 have in a figure transferred to myself and to A polios for 
 your sakes, that ye might learn in us not to think of men 
 above that which is written ; that no one of you be puffed 
 up for one against another. 1 Cor. iv. 6. We have, 
 then in the dealings of God with his ministers, sha- 
 dowed forth his dealings with all men according to 
 the law of works. Every one of you must give account 
 of himself to God. Rom. xiv. 12. That which is em- 
 phatically in contrast with the day of grace and sal- 
 vation, called in scripture the day of judgment, is a 
 season not only of the separation of the righteous 
 
332 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 from the wicked, but also a period in which all the 
 sins of the righteous will be for ever removed: when 
 he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him 
 as he is. In what manner this will take place, what 
 the revelation by fire may be, what the loss may be 
 which some will suffer, is yet in a great measure hid- 
 den from us. We may easily imagine how pure and 
 searching must be the divine holiness; our God even 
 is a consuming fire, and may well ask who shall stand 
 in his presence, when he is revealed from heaven with 
 his mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on 
 them that know not God. Our safety is in building on 
 the sure foundation, Christ Jesus, and receiving all 
 those truths of his word which form the gold, silver, 
 and precious stones, that we may be sanctified by 
 them, and so made meet for the inheritance of the saints 
 in light. But if the righteous through suffering reach 
 their glory ; if there be a tribulation, even the great one 
 yet to take place in this lower world, that the great 
 multitude which no man can number may come out of 
 it, having their robes washed and made white in the blood 
 of the Lamb, (Rev. vii. 14.) what will become of obsti- 
 nate and wiiful sinners ? For the time is come that 
 judgment must begin at the house of God, and if it first 
 begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not 
 the gospel of God? and if the righteous scarcely be saved, 
 where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 1 Peter 
 iv. 17, 18. 
 
 How awful are the scriptural accounts of this day 
 to them ! They shall be punished with everlasting de- 
 struction. 2 Th ess. i. 9. There remaineth no more 
 sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of 
 judgment, and fiery indignation, which shall devour the 
 adversaries. We know him that hath said, Vengeance is 
 
BAPTISM WITH THE HOLY GHOST. 833 
 
 mine, Twill recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The 
 Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall 
 into the hands of the living God. Heb. x. 26 — 31. 
 
 Corresponding to this, is Isaiah's description of the 
 judgments. For behold the Lord will come with /ire, 
 and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his 
 anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire, For 
 by fire and by his sword, will the Lord plead with all 
 flesh, and the slain of the Lord shall be many. Isaiah 
 Ixvi. 15, 16. 
 
 The practical lesson to Christians, which St. Peter 
 draws from this baptism of our world with fire, is 
 most important, and how can we obey it, if we are not 
 even looking for this fire? Wherefore, seeing that ye 
 look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of 
 him in peace, ivithout spot, and blameless. 
 
 But the most fearful and dreadful part of these 
 judgments is, that eternal fire which shall consume 
 the obstinately and perseveringly wicked ? It has 
 been the great art of Satan, both by infidels altoge- 
 ther, and, also by some who have turned aside from 
 the truth, to persuade men that this fire is not eternal. 
 Let any one look at the meaning of the Greek word 
 aiunos, (the term rendered everlasting in the New 
 Testament seventy times,) and see if we can possibly 
 be justified in giving it a lower sense than a real and 
 proper eternity.* O how dangerous it is to set our 
 short-sighted wisdoui against the infinite wisdom of 
 Jehovah ; our own reasoning powers against the 
 word of the living God ? When he has graciously, 
 
 * The noun aiuv has indeed an indefinite sense of a long period, 
 meaning generally perpetuity and eternity; but the adjective auavios 
 has every where in the New Testament the meaning of everlasting or 
 eternal. 
 
334 TREATISE ON BAPTISM *. 
 
 for our preservation revealed to us his eternal wrath 
 against sinners, it is a fearful wickedness to endea- 
 vour to lower and weaken the terrors of his everlast- 
 ing: fire. 
 
 But we are sure also in all that God does, God is 
 love. In proportion, indeed, to the revelation of his 
 love through the scriptures, is the corresponding re- 
 velation of his wrath against the unbelief and wick- 
 edness that rejects that love. It is not till after the 
 deluge, and the deliverance, and following wicked- 
 ness of the survivors, that Sodom and Gomorrah are 
 set forth as an example suffering the vengeance of 
 eternal fire. It is not till the rich exhibitors of divine 
 grace in the prophetical writings, and the awful apos- 
 tacy of the ten tribes that the question is put to them, 
 who among us shall dwell with devouring fire, who shall 
 dwell with everlasting burnings? Tsa. xxxiii. 14 ; Ixvi. 
 24. The Saviour, full of grace and truth, is the most 
 explicit and repeated asserter of this most solemn 
 and awakening truth. Mark ix. 42 — 48. Matt, xviii. 
 8 ; xxv. 4G. And the very close of the New Testa- 
 ment, after all the fulness of grace had been exhi- 
 bited, withholds not, but most clearly and fully an- 
 nounces the eternal torment of the finally wicked and 
 impenitent. Rev. xiv. 11 ; xix. 3; xx. 10. 
 
 What the nature of that fire may be ; how it may 
 eally operate, and what the effect of that torment 
 may be on the tormented, we know not; only we are 
 sure the Judge of all the earth will do right. And yet 
 there is manifestly an evil in sin, and a stubbornness 
 in that evil, as seen in the death of the Lord Jesus 
 Christ and the rejection of that death by the sinner 
 from love of sin, far beyond our present thoughts, and 
 requiring all that God has revealed and purposes to 
 
BAPTISM WITH THE HOLY GHOST. 335 
 
 do, for its effectual removal from the earth. Let the 
 terrors, then, of the Lord persuade us. Who hnoweth, 
 says the inspired writer, the power of thine anger ; 
 even according to thy fear so is thy wrath. In the full 
 belief of God's word may we flee from the wrath to 
 come. 
 
336 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 THE COMING REGENERATION OF THE EARTH. 
 
 The church of Christ, believing the word of God, is 
 universally expecting the destruction of the present 
 earth with all its works by fire, and the making of a 
 new heaven and a new earth. We, according to his 
 promise, look for a new heaven and a new earth wherein 
 dwelleth righteousness. 
 
 The scriptures call the great things connected with 
 this by various names, the planting of the heavens and 
 the laying the foundations of the earth. Isaiah li. [56. 
 Behold 1 create new heavens and a new earth, Isa. Ixv. 
 17. The regeneration. Matt. xix. 28. The times of the 
 restitution of all things. Acts iii. 21. The manifesta- 
 tion of the sons of God. Rom. viii. 19. The adoption, 
 to wit, the redemption of our body. Rom. viii. 23. The 
 resurrection of the dead. Phil. iii. 11. The coming of 
 our Lord, (1 Thess. iv. 5. 2 Peter i. 4.) and the day of 
 the Lord. 2 Peter iii. 10. The world to come. Heb. 
 ii. 5. 
 
 What we purpose here to dwell upon is the rege- 
 neration of the earth in connection with baptism. 
 It is exhibited in baptism as its shadow and earnest. 
 Fully to understand then the ordinance of baptism, 
 
THE REGENERATION OF THE EARTH. [337 
 
 it is requisite to have scriptural views of this most 
 important doctrine. May the Lord himself guide ns 
 into his truth concerning it, and guard us from all 
 error, that we may know and rejoice in the blessed 
 hope set before us in his gospel. 
 
 The term regeneration, ira\iyyzve<na, is used but 
 twice in the New Testament. In Titus iii. 5. it 
 is used in reference to the ordinance of baptism 
 and our new birth, though parallel terms are fre- 
 quently used, especially in the writings of St. John, 
 to describe God's imparting to us a new spiritual 
 life, as we have seen in the chapter on Regenera- 
 tion. 
 
 But our Lord has used the word iraXiyyeveo-ia, in a 
 larger sense, and thus leads us to connect spiritual 
 regeneration with its completion, in the regeneration 
 of the whole earth. He thus sets before his disciples 
 these high hopes, — Ye which have followed me, in the 
 regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne 
 of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging 
 the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one that hath for- 
 saken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, 
 or wife, or children, or lands, for my 7iame , s sake, shall re- 
 ceive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. 
 Matt. xix. 28, 29. 
 
 It is obvious that regeneration may here be joined 
 either with following Christ, or with his sitting on 
 the throne of glory. Like the expressions, the king- 
 dom of heaven, which may have a reference to the 
 spiritual kingdom now, or the kingdom of glory here- 
 after, so regeneration may have even a designed re- 
 ference to our spiritual birth now, and the fuller 
 regeneration of which that spiritual birth is the com- 
 mencement. 
 
 z 
 
338 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 The opinions of the Christian fathers upon this 
 may illustrate it : Origen speaks at some length upon 
 it in his Homilies on Matthew. He says, " Those 
 therefore who have followed the Saviour shall sit on 
 twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel, 
 and they shall receive this power at the resurrection 
 of the dead. And this indeed is the regeneration, 
 being a kind of new birth, when the new heavens 
 and the new earth are built for them, and the new 
 covenant is delivered, and its cup to those who have 
 renewed themselves. But of this regeneration, that 
 is the introduction which by Paul is called the laver 
 of regeneration, and which laver of regeneration, in 
 this renewal, the Spirit follows with the washing of 
 renewal. There is probably in our earth none clean 
 from pollution, though his life be but of one day, be- 
 cause of the mystery of our birth, in respect of which 
 each one born may say, what was said by David in 
 the fifty-first Psalm, in these words — I ivas shapen in 
 iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. But in 
 the regeneration by the laver, every one that is born 
 from above of water and of the Spirit is clean from 
 pollution, clean, as I dare to say, in a glass and by 
 an enigma. But in that other regeneration when the 
 Son of man shall sit on the throne of his (/lory, whoso- 
 ever shall come to that regeneration in Christ, will 
 be most clean from all pollution— -face to face. And 
 he also shall obtain that regeneration through the 
 laver of regeneration. But if you would understand 
 that laver with the mind, see how John, baptizing 
 with water unto repentance, speaks of the Saviour: 
 He will baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire. 
 In regeneration therefore by the laver we are buried 
 with Christ; we are buried with him by baptism, ac- 
 
THE REGENERATION OF THE EARTH. 339 
 
 cordingto the apostle. But in the Iaver of regeneration 
 by fire and the Spirit, we are made conformable to 
 the glorious body of Christ, sitting on the seat of his 
 Majesty, we also sitting on twelve thrones, if only, 
 leaving all things, in every way and especially in 
 baptism, we have followed Christ." 
 
 Jerome applies also the term regeneration here to 
 the " dead rising incorrupt from corruption, and not 
 to spiritual regeneration." 
 
 Augustine, in his City of God, (lib. xx. c. 5.) 
 speaking of this passage says, " Whereas Christ says 
 in the regeneration, hereby assuredly he means to be 
 understood the resurrection of the dead, by the name 
 of regeneration ; for thus our flesh shall be regenerate 
 by incorruption, as our soul is regenerate by faith." 
 
 The regeneration yet to come applies however to a 
 larger extent than to the resurrection of the body ; as 
 is clear from thesolemn words of Him who sits upon the 
 throne : And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold I 
 make all things new. And he said unto me, Write, for 
 these words are faithful and true. Let us endeavour 
 to discern and unfold something of this redemption 
 of all things in its various parts, shewing in each how 
 baptism shadows it out and is the earnest of it. 
 
 We may observe redemption first with reference to 
 God's lower creatures. The psalms and the 
 prophetical writings are full of predictions relating 
 to their complete deliverance from that curse which 
 sin, at our fall, brought upon them. See especially 
 Psa. Ixxii. xcvi. xcviii. Isa. xi. xxxv. Iv.lxv. Ezek. 
 xxxiv. xxxvi.&c. Though doubtless such predictions 
 have a higher spiritual meaning ; yet is there no rea- 
 son to exclude the change in the natural world to 
 which they, in their first sense, relate. To the same 
 z 2 
 
340 TREATISE ON BAPTISM I 
 
 view the apostle leads us in that remarkable passage, 
 The earnest expectation of the creation (ktktis) waiteth 
 for the manifestation of the sons of God, for the crea- 
 tion (ktktis) was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but 
 by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope. 
 Because the creation (ktktis') itself also shall be delivered 
 from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty 
 of the children of God. For we know that the whole 
 creation (ktktis) groaneth and travaileth in pain together 
 until now. Rom. viii. 19 — 22. In the law of Moses in 
 the year of Jubilee every man was to return to his 
 possession ; there was to be a redemption for the 
 land. Lev. xxv. In the sacrament of baptism we 
 have a token of this redemption of the lower crea- 
 tion for the highest use of man. Water is redeemed 
 for a holy use. It is made the standing type of the 
 divine Spirit. John iii. 5; vii. 38. Washing with 
 water continually, is needful to cleanse us from all 
 contracted filthiness, and thus points out that higher 
 act of grace by which Jesus sanctifies and cleanses the 
 church by the washing of water through the word. 
 Hence, in the baptismal service, there is the prayer, 
 " Sanctify this water to the mystical washing away 
 of sin." Thus we are taught by one example to con- 
 nect all visible and earthly things with spiritual in- 
 struction, and to turn them to a high and heavenly 
 use, and are trained up for that time when every 
 thing shall be thus sanctified. 
 
 We may next observe the redemption of the 
 human body : its resurrection from the grave, or 
 transformation at the coming of the Lord. Life and 
 immortality are brought to light by the gospel, and this 
 in a way far beyond our highest thoughts. The body 
 mouldering in the dust shall not remain there for 
 
THE REGENERATION OF THE EARTH. 341 
 
 ever. The human frame, subject all our life long to 
 innumerable infirmities, shall not continue thus for 
 ever. In a quickly coming day, in a moment, in the 
 twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, for the trumpet 
 shall sound, the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and 
 we shall be changed. 1 Cor. xv. 52. 
 
 We are in that chapter told various particulars of 
 this glorious and wonderful change. So in another 
 place it is said, Our conversation is in heaven, from 
 whence also we look for the Saviour, who shall change 
 our vile body that it mag be fashioned like unto his glo- 
 rious body, Phil. iii. 20, 21. There is a manifest re- 
 generation or redemption of the human body from its 
 present feeble, infirm, and corrupt state to a condition 
 of inconceivable purity, glory, and blessedness. And 
 thus in baptism the outward washing of the body is 
 the earnest of its complete purification from sin and 
 evil. As the leper, when found free from leprosy, 
 was to wash his clothes and wash himself in water, 
 that he might be clean ; (Lev. xiv.) so the baptismal 
 washing is the token of our cleansing. When our 
 Lord washed his disciples' feet, and Peter would 
 have had him wash his whole body, he would not, 
 because the partial cleansing typified the whole. And 
 thus, as the consequence of our being brought to 
 Christ, our bodies become the temples of the Holy 
 Ghost, and we are sealed also to the day of redemp- 
 tion. 
 
 The redemption of the human soul, from its 
 present impure, enslaved, captive state; or at the 
 best so conflicting with evil that the flesh lusteth 
 against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh, and 
 these are contrary the one to the other, so that ye cannot 
 do the things that ye would ; (Gal. v. 17.) is another part 
 
342 TREATISE ON BAPTISM I 
 
 of our hope. The apostle prays for the Thessalo- 
 nians — The very God of peace sanctify you wholly, and I 
 pray God your whole spirit, and soul and body be preserved 
 blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus. Faith- 
 ful is he that calleth you, who also will do it. 1 Thess. 
 v. 23, 24. If when he shall appear we shall be like 
 him, for we shall see him as he is, (1 John iii.) what a 
 glorious change has yet to take place in our souls ; 
 when we join the spirits of the just madeperfect. Heb. 
 xii. Of all this glory, baptism is the figure and ear- 
 nest. Arise, says Ananias to Saul, and be baptized, 
 and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. 
 Acts xxii. It is, as we have seen, a seal of the grace 
 of the Spirit. Just as Naaman, the leper, was 
 cleansed from his leprosy by washing seven times in 
 Jordan in virtue of the divine appointment, so Jesus 
 has appointed baptism for cleansing our souls; he 
 washes us from our sins in his own blood ; (Rev. i. 
 5. 6.) we are sanctified by the Spirit of God. 1 Cor, 
 vi. 11. What a hope then is set before us at the ap- 
 pearance of our Lord, and having this hope how 
 purifying should it be to us. 1 John iii. 3. 
 
 The redemption of the kingly and priestly of- 
 fices is also promised, so that this shall be a part of 
 our glory in the world to come. When the Israelites 
 were separated for God, it was promised to them, if 
 ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then 
 ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people ; 
 for all the earth is mine : and ye shall be unto me a king- 
 dom of priests, and an holy nation. Exod. xix.5, 6. But 
 Israel was disobedient and unbelieving, and because 
 of unbelief they were broken off, and thus we Gen- 
 tiles were grafted into their olive-tree, that we, by 
 faith, might attain this glory. And now we Gentile 
 
THE REGENERATION OF THE EARTH. 343 
 
 Christians can sing the song, Thou wast slain, and 
 hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kin- 
 dred, and tongue, and people, and nation. And hast made 
 us unto our God kings and priests, and we shall reign on 
 the earth. Rev. v. 9, 10. The glories of this office are 
 inexpressibly vast and weighty, and it is a subject 
 on which the apostle shews it is a shame to be igno- 
 rant : Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the 
 world ; know ye not that ye shall judge angels ? 1 Cor. 
 \i. 2, 3. It is made most plain by explicit promises. 
 The saints of the Moit High shall take the kingdom, and 
 possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever. 
 Dan. vii. 18. They shall reign for ever and ever. Rev. 
 xxii. 5. Baptism is our consecration to this glorious 
 office. When the priests of the law of Moses were 
 set apart for their office, they were to be washed with 
 water at the door of the tabernacle of the congrega- 
 tion. Exod. xxix. 4. So the new-born children of 
 God are a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacri- 
 fices acceptable unto God by Jesus Christ. 1 Peter ii. 5. 
 They are now a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a 
 peculiar people, verse 9. They now can sing the song, 
 Unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in 
 his own blood, and hath made us to be kings and priests 
 unto God and his Father, to him be glory and dominion 
 for ever and ever. Amen. 
 
 The redemption of human society to perfect one- 
 ness is a farther blessing, designed by the glorious 
 gospel of Christ. When man was first created, the 
 Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be 
 alone, I will make him an help meet for him ; and mak- 
 ing the woman out of one of his ribs, God brought 
 her unto the man ; and Adam said, This is now bone of 
 my bones and flesh of my flesh. In this was contained 
 
344 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 the wonderful mystery of the marriage of Christ to 
 his church, and of the perfected oneness of that 
 church forever. For this our Lord prays, that they 
 all may be one, as thou Father art in me and I in thee, 
 that they also may be one in us. John xvii. 21. Already 
 Christians by faith are come to the Mount Zion, the 
 city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to 
 an innumerable company of angels ; to the general as- 
 sembly and church of the first-born which are written in 
 heaven. But who can tell all the fulness and glories 
 of the perfected union above, when the ten thousand 
 times ten thousand and thousands of thousands have but 
 one voice to praise and magnify the Lamb. Rev. v. 
 All the glorious company is but one bride, the 
 Lamb's wife (Rev. xix. 7) ; one city, the holy Jeru- 
 salem. Rev. xxi. 10. Baptism is our introduction t<> 
 this society. In the beautiful language of our Li- 
 turgy, we receive this child into the congregation of 
 Christ's flock : or, in the more emphatic words of 
 scripture, By one Spirit are we all baptized into one 
 body (1 Cor. xii. 13), ye are all the children of God by 
 faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been 
 baptized into Christ have also put on Christ. There is 
 neither Jew nor Greek ; there is neither bond nor free, 
 there is neither male nor female , for ye are all one in 
 Christ Jesus. Gal. iii. 26 — 28. Thus Christians have 
 all one Lord, one faith, one baptism. Eph. iv. 5. They 
 are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens 
 with the saints and of the household of God. Ephes. ii. 
 19. Oh that we did but more realize our present 
 union, and anticipate its glories and completion for 
 ever ! 
 
 The redemption of the kingdoms of this world 
 from their present debasement and alienation is also 
 
THE REGENERATION OF THE EARTH. 845 
 
 clearly predicted. At present Satan is the god of this 
 world; he works in the children of disobedience. 
 Christians have to wrestle not merely against flesh and 
 blood, but against principalities, against powers, against 
 the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual 
 wickedness in high places. Ephes. vi. 12. The king- 
 doms of this world are yet under that character of 
 beasts, developed in Daniel, chapter vii. But it will 
 not be so always ; a day is clearly predicted when 
 the Son of Man shall come with the clouds of heaven ; 
 and it is foretold, There w as given him dominion, and 
 glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and lan- 
 guages should serve him ; his dominion is an everlasting 
 dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom 
 that which shall not be destroyed. Dan. vii. 14. At the 
 sounding of the seventh trumpet, there were great 
 voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are 
 become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and 
 he shall reign for ever and ever. Rev. xi. 15. Then 
 the kings of the earth shall come to Christ without 
 exception, and bring their honour to him. Rev. xxi. 
 24. Yea, all kings shall fall down before him, allnations 
 shall serve him. Psalm lxxii. 11. Baptism is the anti- 
 cipation, earnest, and first-fruits of this glory. It is 
 joined with the solemn commission, Go ye and teach 
 all nations, baptizing them. That commission places 
 Christ at the head of all dominion : All power in hea- 
 ven and earth is given to me, and it calls all men to an 
 entire surrender of themselves to his will, teaching 
 them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded 
 you. The baptismal blessings are first-fruits of this 
 day of blessedness. We are baptized into his death, 
 and risen with him through faith to a heavenly life 
 on earth : we are married already in God's purpose to 
 
346 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring 
 forth fruit unto God. Rom. vii. 4. And as the Savi- 
 our's sufferings prepared the way for the promise to 
 him, so shall he sprinkle many nations: thus is our 
 baptism, in all its parts, preparing the way for 
 the regeneration of the kingdoms of the world to 
 Christ. 
 
 Once more, lastly and most of all important, there 
 is yet to come, the redemption of god's name from 
 all that dishonour that has been put upon it. By the 
 people called by his name, whether Jews or Chris- 
 tians, and by all the abominations of infidelity, law- 
 lessness, secularity, and superstition, as well as by 
 open idolatry, God's name has for 6000 years been 
 profaned in our world. It was the first petition 
 which our Lord taught us to offer up, Hallowed be 
 thy name. It is put as the great reason for returning 
 mercy to the Jews, most humbling indeed, but most 
 comforting to the contrite heart. When they entered 
 unto the heathen, whither they went, they •profaned my 
 holy name when they said to them, These are the people 
 of the Lord, and are gone forth out of his land. But 
 I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel 
 had profaned among the heathen whither they went. 
 Therefore say unto the house of Israel, thus saith the Lord 
 God ; / do not this for your sahes, O house of Israel, but 
 for mine holy name's sake, which ye have prof aned among 
 the heathen whither ye went ; and I will sanctify my 
 great name which teas profaned among the heathen, 
 which ye have profaned in the midst of them, and the 
 heathen shall know that I am the Lord, saith the Lord 
 God, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes. 
 Ezek. xxxvi. 20 — 24 ; see also xx. 9, 14. And as the 
 Jews will thus give God glory (Psalm xxii. 23), so 
 
THE REGENERATION OF THE EARTH. 347 
 
 all nations shall come and glorify his name. Psalm 
 lxxxvi. 9. In the descent of the holy Jerusalem out 
 of heaven from God, its first feature is having the 
 glory of God. Rev. xxi. 10, 11. The glory of God did 
 lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof, and then 
 we are told, the nations of them that are saved shall 
 walk in the light of it (Rev. xxi. 23, 24), and his ser- 
 vants shall see his face, and his name shall be in their 
 foreheads. Rev. xxii. 4. To have our heavenly Father 
 truly glorified by all creation, to have his perfect law 
 of love in every heart, and his will done on earth as 
 it is in heaven ; nothing less than this is included in 
 the regeneration and the making of all things new. 
 Rev. xxi. 1 — 5. And baptism is the shadow, earnest, 
 and foretaste of this. For this we are baptized in the 
 name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy 
 Ghost : that we may now, ourselves immersed in the 
 divine grace, love, and communion, bear the sacred 
 name of Christian before the world, and like our 
 Master, Christ, glorify God's name on earth. Thus, 
 Christians, while the true Sun of Righteousness is 
 unseen, let us, like the moon, the lesser light of the 
 heavens, shine with reflected beams in the midst of 
 the present darkness of a benighted world. O did 
 we walk worthy of our high calling, how much might 
 even now be done to redeem God's name from dis- 
 honour ; but he will effectually glorify his great name 
 in that speedily coming day, when the whole earth 
 shall be filled with his glory. 
 
 What remains then, Christian reader, but that hav- 
 ing these higher views of this sacred ordinance, you 
 should rise by it to brighter hopes than you have 
 ever yet had of its mysterious fulness of blessedness 
 and glory. See into what privileges you have been 
 
S48 TREATISE ON BAPTISM t 
 
 baptized. And oh let us seek to walk more worthy 
 of our high and heavenly calling. Observe the en- 
 larging of God's purposes of love to his people from 
 the beginning, and contemplate much that heavenly 
 kingdom in its full glories to which you have been 
 introduced. 
 
ADDRESS TO VARIOUS CLASSES. 349 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 ADDRESS TO VARIOUS CLASSES TO RECAL THEM TO 
 BAPTISMAL PRIVILEGES AND DUTIES. 
 
 You bear, my fellow Christians, two names; a sur- 
 name connected with your natural parents, and a 
 Christian name marking your connection with your 
 heavenly parent, and reminding you of the unspeak- 
 ably great privileges and blessings which he designs 
 for all who come to him. 
 
 Think then of the glories of this great name, your 
 Christian name. Whatever that name may be, its 
 value is unspeakably great, as a link of connection 
 with Christ. How much in this world is made of 
 the various distinctions in society. The titles of 
 earthly honours are precious in the eyes of those who 
 possess them. To be the owners of large estates, to 
 be members or peers of parliament, to have appended 
 to their names, knight or baronet, lord or duke, prince 
 or king, is enough to attract the honour and reverence 
 of men. These are figures and shadows of greater 
 and better things promised in the gospel; and if 
 those higher dignities be not sought and gained in this 
 day of grace, the shadows will for ever vanish away, 
 
350 TREATISE ON BAPTISM I 
 
 and leave nothing to their former possessors except 
 shame and everlasting contempt. 
 
 But connected with the Christian name to every 
 truly baptized believer, who has faith in God's pro- 
 mises and who has the Holy Ghost, the earnest of his 
 inheritance, there are not transient and fading, but 
 eternal and truly glorious tides and honours, which 
 should call forth constant faith, and then glad thanks- 
 givings. To be the son of the Most High, what a title 
 is this! Behold what manner of love the Father hath 
 thus bestowed upon us ! To be an heir of God, and a 
 joint-heir with Christ, of an inheritance incorruptible, 
 undejiled, and that fadeth not away, what riches are 
 here! To have the reality now in spirit of a royal 
 priesthood, and the assurance of Him who has thus 
 made us to our God kings and priests, that we shall 
 reign on the earth. Rev. v. 10. What glories are here ! 
 These are connected with the Christian name : where 
 that name is made a reality by faith in the Son of 
 God, our Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 It is unspeakably important for us to discern these 
 our rich privileges, both for our happiness and our 
 usefulness. Unless I see that I am raised together 
 with Christ, and am with him in spirit seated in hea- 
 venly places, I have no animating motives to seek 
 those things which are above, and to labour like 
 Christ for the good of all below. Discern then, Chris- 
 tian reader, most distinctly your heavenly blessings 
 in Christ Jesus, know they are yours by faith in him, 
 and if you believe it not, mightily cry out in prayer 
 to God, who is far more ready to give than you to 
 ask, till you obtain this precious faith. Be assured 
 God gives no commands to which he does not annex 
 blessings. When he called you to be baptized, he 
 
ADDRESS TO VARIOUS CLASSES. 351 
 
 did in effect, say, "I will baptize you with the Spirit: 
 Do your part in obedience, and all ray promises are 
 yours." Believe this his love. 
 
 Then you have indeed strength for being a blessing. 
 If you know that you are the elect of God, holy, and 
 beloved, you may, as your rich privilege and constant 
 duty, put on bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of 
 mind, meekness, long-suffering , forbearing one another, 
 and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel 
 against any; even as Christ forgave you, so also do 
 ye. God's end in blessing us is that we may be the 
 channel of blessing to others, and so receive continu- 
 ally larger and fuller -blessings. 
 
 Baptism is God's ordinance for assuring to us 
 these rich privileges, and though this be plainly and 
 repeatedly stated in the word of God (Rom. vi. 3 — 5. 
 Gal. iii. 26—29. Col. ii. 11—14), it has, through un- 
 belief on the one hand, and a resting in the outward 
 forms on the other, lost very much of its designed 
 end to help and strengthen our daily faith. 
 
 Let me then, in the close of this treatise, address 
 my various readers with affectionate earnestness on 
 this great subject. 
 
 We, my brethren and fellow-ministers in the 
 gospel, are most directly concerned in this. We 
 have the administration of baptism, and in the 
 Church of England we have many special advan- 
 tages in a scriptural form, that has now been in use 
 for nearly three hundred years, and indeed the larger 
 part for probably twelve hundred years; pro- 
 ceeding entirely on those great principles of faith in 
 God's promises, which are the very root of Christian 
 excellence and blessedness. I feel assured that deep 
 scriptural knowledge shews us that we want not an 
 
352 TREATISE ON BAPTISM i 
 
 alteration of our liturgy, but we do want the raising 
 of faith in ministers and worshippers, and the car- 
 rying out of the directions of our church by the con- 
 gregations which form our subsisting church. Much 
 may be done by us in this matter, in having public 
 baptisms, at stated seasons, in preaching on this 
 ordinance, as well as on that of the Lord's Supper ; 
 and by intercourse beforehand and afterwards with 
 those baptized. Let us, in the general strain of our 
 ministry, often shew our congregation both their bap- 
 tismal privileges and their baptismal responsibility 
 and consistency, as to a holy and heavenly life. 
 Baptism duly improved in the ministry is a powerful 
 instrument of spiritual good to our people. 
 
 Christian Parents, most deeply are you con- 
 cerned in this. There is a far fuller joy to be had 
 in your children, than any springing merely from the 
 social and domestic circle, from the quickness of 
 their understanding, their rapid progress in gaining 
 knowledge, the tenderness of their affections, their 
 delighting in you, and their mutual love to each 
 other; plenteous, and constant, and full of blessed- 
 ness, as are these streams of joy. The highest spring 
 of joy, and the fullest river of pleasure, is in their 
 spiritual blessedness. / have no greater joy, says an 
 inspired writer, I have no greater joy than to hear 
 that my children walk in truth. 3 John 4. Now one 
 great means of this is to realize God's promises to 
 your children ; of which the Bible is so full, and 
 which were sealed to you and to them in baptism ; 
 and to bring them up with a constant faith in those 
 promises, constantly reminding them of the goodness 
 and loving-kindness of God our Father, thus gracious 
 to us, and of the happiness of being like him par- 
 
ADDRESS TO VARIOUS CLASSES. 353 
 
 takers of his divine nature, and of his holy love to 
 others. Baptism thus used becomes the help of all 
 Christian instruction, and its continual recurrence in 
 public worship, furnishes many an opportunity of 
 leading your children onwards in the divine life. 
 
 Godfathers and Godmothers, remember how- 
 important the general duty upon all Christians is, to 
 exhort one another daily while it is called to-day, lest 
 any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin ; 
 and what advantages this early engagement has given 
 you for fulfilling this duty. It was a truly kind and 
 gracious office which you undertook in their behalf, 
 at the request of their dearest earthly friends, in the 
 most helpless period of their life. That kindness 
 should now be carried out, and not rest in the mere 
 outward public engagement. It should influence 
 you to think of and labour for them, in the prayers 
 of the closet, in the instructions of Christian wisdom, 
 in the faithful admonitions of Christian love, and 
 where you have the means, by such gifts of pious 
 books, or such letters of true faithfulness and expe- 
 rience, as may lead the minds of these your spirit- 
 ually adopted children, to know the great privileges 
 of the gospel, and, by living faith in Jesus, and 
 watchfulness against their many snares, to realize 
 them. 
 
 But there are those who neglect infant bap- 
 tism. While I rejoice in the thought that the 
 consistent piety and real devotedness to God our 
 Saviour, of many who reject Infant Baptism, entitle 
 them to brotherly esteem and cordial affection, their 
 unscriptural error on this point is connected with 
 many serious evils, and I would venture to address 
 them upon these evils. They think that they are 
 
 2 A 
 
354 TREATISE ON BAPTISM ! 
 
 giving a decided proof of deadness to the world and 
 devotedness to Christ, by the very act in which they 
 run counter to His gracious institution. Differing in 
 this from so large a proportion of their brethren, 
 their time, and thought, and strength are necessarily, 
 for self-defence, given to an outward ordinance, and, 
 in our view, given to what He has not required, in- 
 stead of being given to advance His kingdom and 
 glory ; and thus unprofitable disputes have occupied 
 and distracted the minds and talents of the true fol- 
 lowers of Christ. They reject those infants from the 
 church, whom Christ admits into his kingdom. They 
 shutout of the Christian church those who are ad- 
 mitted into the Jewish. They weaken the grand 
 help to faith in God's promises of grace to our chil- 
 dren which the covenant of his love has assured to 
 them. Children are deprived of God's appointed 
 seals to his covenant, and thus of many helps to their 
 faith. Were their principles universal, the national 
 profession of religion would soon be lost. Many are 
 by them baptized a second time, contrary to the 
 great character of this ordinance, and with a solemn 
 mockery of what we doubt not, before God, was his 
 own ordinance, in their first baptism. When we re- 
 member, too, the analogy of baptism and circumcision, 
 and God's solemn declaration respecting circumci- 
 sion, the vncircumcised man-cliild, ivhose flesh of his 
 foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from 
 his people ; lie hath broken my covenant (Gen. xvii. 14) ; 
 and the parallel declaration respecting baptism, 
 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of 
 water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the king- 
 dom of heaven (John iii. 5), we may see that there is 
 no slight danger in wilfully neglecting an appointed 
 
ADDRESS TO VARIOUS CLASSES. 355 
 
 ordinance of God, designed for a special end — ad- 
 mission into his church ; and which, observed in 
 faith and prayer, must obtain real blessings. Let me 
 entreat you to study well the word of God on this 
 subject. Do not readily yield to plausible objec- 
 tions, which have carried away, in their first powerful 
 impression, many a devoted servant of Christ, and so 
 fixed him in this devious path, that he could not 
 afterwards be recovered.* 
 
 * Mr. Scott's example on this point is worthy of attention :— "When 
 I published the Force of Truth, I had never attended to any contro- 
 versies concerning' church government, or any kindred subjects. I 
 found myself a minister of the establishment, and as I saw no suffi- 
 cient reason to relinquish my station, I was satisfied that it was my 
 duty to retain it. But soon after, the controversy concerning baptism, 
 whether it should be administered to infants, or only to adults pro- 
 fessing faith, fell in my way, and for some time I was almost ready 
 to conclude that the Antipsedo-Baptists were right. This gave me 
 great uneasiness j not because I was solicitous whether in the search 
 after truth I were led among them or elsewhere, but because I feared 
 being misled, and deprecated following my publication with a further 
 and needless change, which might bring discredit upon it. Many, 
 very many prayers, accompanied with tears, did I pour out upon this 
 subject. I read books on both sides of the question, but received no 
 satisfaction. I became afraid even of administering baptism or the 
 Lord's Supper. But I said to myself, He that believeth shall not make 
 haste. I must retain my station till I have taken time to examine the 
 subject fully : and I must in the mean time do what retaining that 
 station requires. . . .At length, I laid aside all controversial writings, 
 and determined to seek satisfaction on this question as I had on 
 others, by searching the scriptures and by prayer. I was no less time 
 than three quarters of a year engaged in this investigation, before I 
 came to a conclusion, but I was then so fully satisfied that the infant 
 children of believers, and of all who make a credible profession of 
 faith, are the proper subjects of baptism, that I have never since been 
 much troubled about it. 
 
 " This was my conclusion, especially from the identity of the cove- 
 nant made with Abraham, and that still made with, believers : and 
 from circumcision being the sacrament of regeneration under the 
 old dispensation, as baptism is under the new, and the seal of the 
 righteousness of faith. Abraham received this seal long after he be- 
 lieved; Isaac when an infant ; Ishmael when thirteen years of age. 
 The men of Abraham's household, and Esau, though uninterested in 
 the promises concerning Canaan, yet as a part of Abraham's family 
 2 A 2 
 
356 treatise on baptism : 
 
 Children and young persons baptized. You 
 are personally concerned in all that has been said. 
 For your everlasting welfare, God and his church 
 have had all these thoughts of love and promises of 
 grace, which are a solemn trust, in the faithful use 
 of which you will attain heavenly riches and glory. 
 As to the circumcised Israelites belonged the oracles 
 of God, the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, 
 and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and 
 the promises, so to baptized members of the church 
 belong all the privileges of the gospel. But they are 
 to be realized by your own faith, to be enjoyed by 
 your own love, to be anticipated, as far as they are 
 yet to come, by your own hope. You have then a 
 
 and of the visible church, were circumcised by the command of God 
 himself. The circumcision of infants was enjoined, with denuncia- 
 tions of wrath against those who neglected it. The apostles were 
 Israelites, accustomed to this system. Adult Gentiles were admitted 
 among the Jews by circumcision, and their male children were cir- 
 cumcised also. In Christ there is neither male nor female. Had only 
 adults been designed to be the subjects of Christian baptism, some 
 prohibition of admitting infants would have been requisite, and wc 
 should never have read, as we do, of households being baptized with- 
 out any limitation or exception of this kind being intimated. In 
 short, unless it can be proved that circumcision was not the sign or 
 sacrament of regeneration, even as baptism now is, I cannot see how 
 the argument can be auswered; and all the common objections 
 against infant baptism, as administered to subjects incapable of the 
 professions required, and the benefits intended, bear with equal force 
 against infant circumcision. 
 
 «' The conclusion thus drawn rests net on this ground alone ; colla- 
 teral proof was not and is not overlooked ; but my idea always was, 
 that not the privilege of the infant, but the duty of the parent, is the 
 grand thing to be ascertained, and this clears away much extraneous 
 matter from the argument. 
 
 " To the question of immersion, or sprinkling, or pouring, I Devex 
 attached any great importance. Immersion is doubtless baptism 
 and so is sprinkling or pouring, according to my unvaried Judgment. 
 If a few texts seem to allude to baptism by figures taken from Immer- 
 sion, how many speak of the baptism of the Holy Spirit under the 
 idea of pouring out upon us."— See Scott's Life, p. 164— 167. 
 
ADDRESS TO VARIOUS CLASSES. 357 
 
 great duty, as well as a great privilege, set before 
 you. And the privilege is the strength for the duty ; 
 the joy of the Lord is your strength. Arise then, and 
 be diligent. Search the scriptures. Pray always. 
 Watch ye. Standfast in the faith. Quit you like men. 
 Be strong. Let all be done with charity. These and 
 innumerable stirring and quickening directions, are 
 furnished you in that precious directory of your life, 
 God's holy word. O cleanse your way, by taking 
 heed to that word. Prize the scriptures, as the very 
 charter of your highest inheritance and glory ; and 
 walk in the way there marked out, for your attain- 
 ing and becoming meet for that inheritance and 
 glory. 
 
 Those without the assurance of salvation 
 are a large class, and the diligent improvement of the 
 means of grace may help to dispel their doubts, and 
 give them all the joy, holiness, and strength of the 
 full assurance of hope. 
 
 The immense importance of making sure our 
 calling to life everlasting, should be deeply 
 impressed on all our hearts. Our personal assur- 
 ance of salvation depends on our diligence in 
 the use of means. How the apostle Paul felt it! 
 (1 Cor. ix. 27.) How the apostle Peter urges it ! 
 (2 Peter i. 10.) God does all on his part (Isaiah v. 
 4.) with us as he did with the Jews. He places us 
 in his church, he gives us the name of his children 
 and his elect; he sets before us his richest privi- 
 leges ; we have in baptism the sign, and means, aod 
 pledge of them ; and yet we may, through unbelief 
 and love of sin, trample upon all, and despise all. 
 As Israel was a chosen nation, and yet they were 
 not all Israel that were of Israel, (Rom. ix. 5, 6), so 
 
358 TREATISE ON BAPTISM I 
 
 is there an election to salvation (2 Thess. ii. 13, 14.) 
 within an election to outward privileges ; an election 
 beloved for the fathers' sake, yet enemies concerning 
 the gospel. Rom. xi. 28. The remnant according to 
 the election of grace obtain the blessing (Rom. xi. 
 7), while the election that was beloved merely for the 
 fathers' sake (ver. 28), were blinded ; though even of 
 them, such is the fulness of God's love, ultimately 
 shall spring a seed, that the promise may be realized, 
 All Israel shall be saved.'"' 
 
 We cannot comprehend the mystery, yet we are 
 sure, that if we perish, the fault is wholly in ourselves, 
 and that if we will come to Christ he will receive and 
 welcome us. Yes, and if we ask him, he will give 
 us the will, of his good pleasure, working in us to will 
 and to do, that we may work out our own salvation with 
 fear and trembling. Let us lay hold then of eternal life, 
 let us attain those things that accompany salvation, that 
 we may obtain the sweet assurance that we are not 
 only chosen to outward privileges, but chosen in Christ 
 before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, 
 aiid without blame before him in love. See God's first 
 love to you in your baptism, and the ground of that 
 love laid so firmly in the gift untodeath of his own Son 
 for your salvation, and be not content with anything 
 less than knowing that you are passed from death to 
 life ; and the Spirit's bearing witness with your spirit 
 of your adoption into God's family. 
 
 Worldly professors and non-communicants. 
 O how great also is thenumber of the baptized whom 
 such a description now includes. The christenings 
 
 * See Romans xi. throughout. Mr. Scott has abundantly met the 
 objections to the doctrine of personal election to salvation, in his 
 answer to Bishop Tomline's professed Refutation of Calvinism. 
 
ADDRESS TO VARIOUS CLASSES. 359 
 
 in London and its neighbourhood are above 26,000 
 each year ; but is the average increase of fresh com- 
 municants in all the churches put together a tenth 
 part of that number? Is there any proportion 
 in country parishes between the baptisms and the 
 new communicants? or do a seventh part of the bap- 
 tized attend the Lord's table ? Indeed in our great 
 towns by far the larger proportion, it is to be feared, 
 do not attend public worship at all; and of those who 
 do attend, what vast crowds turn aside from the com- 
 munion-table. But where can be the consistency 
 of going to one sacrament, and calling yourselves 
 Christians, and never going to the other sacrament? 
 Where is the wisdom of thus halting between two 
 opinions? If you do not intend to renounce Chris- 
 tianity altogether, and avow infidelity, why do you 
 not go on to keep your baptismal vows, and walk in 
 all the commandments of the Lord ? Think you that 
 if there is a solemn engagement to live to the Lord 
 at the sacramental table, there is not also at the 
 sacramental font? One is equally a privilege, and a 
 responsibility, and an engagement with the other. 
 The violation of the vows of one shuts you as much 
 out of Christian blessings as the violation of the vows 
 of the other. Do not deceive yourselves. No human 
 being can screen himself by subterfuges from the Al- 
 mighty, nor by human policy escape bis infinite wis- 
 dom and searching eye. There is, there can be, no 
 safety for a moment ; no real happiness at all but in 
 the light of God's favour, and grace, and love, con- 
 nected with an entire surrender of ourselves to him. 
 But in that is peace and love, joy and holiness ; bless- 
 edness here and blessedness for ever. Why, why will 
 you die ? Worldliness is disease and death ; aliena- 
 
360 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 tion from God is disease and death. Think of the 
 provisions of his love for you ! What more could he 
 have done in your behalf, than to give evenhisown Son 
 to die for you; his own Spirit to teach you; his own 
 word to be a light to you ; his own divinely-appointed 
 baptism in your early years to bring you into his 
 church ? And shall all this be in vain, because you 
 are so besotted with the love of sin, your real and 
 worst enemy, that you will credit any thing, any 
 foolish imagination of your vain heart, rather than 
 believe God's real love to you, and walk in the ways 
 that his infinite wisdom has marked out ? 
 
 The unbelief of the church in God's promises to 
 the baptized, has been carried out in a corresponding 
 and increasing unbelief in their education; just as 
 it is the property of one sin to beget many similar 
 sins, and the consequent inconsistency of the baptized 
 has reacted in evil, weakening the faith of the church 
 in baptismal blessings, till we are brought to that 
 awful state of mere nominal Christianity, which now 
 palsies the whole professing church, and makes our 
 beautiful baptismal service almost a dead letter, and 
 the grand stumbling-block of the whole body of Dis- 
 senters. Oh, were faith but in exercise in ministers 
 and people, in parents, and sponsors, and worship- 
 pers, what a spiritual energy would accompany our 
 baptismal services, till we attained the blessed pros- 
 pect held forth by my beloved friend, Mr. Budd, of 
 infant baptism being the means of national reforma- 
 tion. For this let us labour and pray, and the Lord 
 at his coming will own our work of love, and fully 
 accomplish our highest hopes in a regenerated world. 
 I call, then, on all the baptized of every class, testi- 
 fying to them that God would have them to enjoy their 
 
ADDRESS TO VARIOUS CLASSES. 361 
 
 full privileges, as members of Christ, children of God, 
 and inheritors of the kingdom of heaven. They are 
 bound by the strongest obligations of duty, self-inte- 
 rest, the good of others, and their own everlasting 
 blessedness, to realize these blessings of God's love 
 by faith, and to act consistently with them in the holy 
 and happy walk of a Christian life. All things are 
 ready. The day of grace is waning to its close ; the 
 season of judgment is at hand; the world is shaking 
 previous to its last convulsion ; every thing else is 
 failing; every other hope is groundless — now, then, 
 fly to your true refuge and strength, and be hid in the 
 day of God's wrath, and be prepared for his kingdom 
 and glory. 
 
 I close with addressing all that are baptized. 
 Walk worthy of your high calling. Think of the 
 apostle's statement, As many of you as have been bap- 
 tized into Christ have put on Christ. This is your 
 glorious privilege. You may and should believe that 
 God looks at you through this "iinance, as if he saw 
 only Christ. In this day ol grace, even sinners are 
 spared from day to day, and blessed with innumerable 
 blessings. You are called to consider yourselves 
 Christians, as one in Christ Jesus, (Gal. iii. 27, 28,) and 
 to regard yourselves as but one person, as if He and 
 you were but one being; clothed with his righteous- 
 ness, you may go to your God with all filial freedom 
 and joyful confidence ; you may have access with bold- 
 ness to the holiest through his blood. He looks upon 
 you, believing in Jesus, as he does upon his very Son 
 Christ Jesus. Realise this blessed truth by faith, and 
 live in the light of it. There is a double putting on 
 of Christ. Gal. iii. 27, 28. Rom. xiii. 12, 14. Not 
 only put on Christ by baptism, which is God's first 
 
362 TREATISE ON BAPTISM .* 
 
 act of grace and love, shewing his willingness for 
 your salvation, but put on Christ by daily faith and 
 love, by constant imitation and conformity. Thus the 
 Apostle charges baptized Christians, — Put on the 
 armour of light ; walk honestly as in the day ; put ye on 
 the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the 
 flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof. Rom. xiii. 12 — 14. Me- 
 ditate much on his mind and converse, on his life and 
 sufferings, on his meekness and humility, on his love 
 and patience, his spirit of prayer and devotedness to 
 his father's will, and see your high calling and your 
 glorious pattern, and be followers of him. O let 
 Christ and none else be our model! When they were 
 baptized in the early church, they had white gar- 
 ments put upon them to denote their intention thence- 
 forward to maintain a life of unspotted purity; with 
 a charge of this kind, "Receive this white and imma- 
 culate garment, and bring it forth without spot before 
 the tribunal of our Lord Jesus Christ." They were 
 considered as engaged to that strict and holy life 
 which Jesus had left us by his doctrine and ex- 
 ample.* 
 
 What a world would ours be if thus filled with 
 Christlike followers of our divine Redeemer ! What 
 victories would the gospel continually gain ! Chris- 
 tian reader, seek to add first yourself and then others 
 to this happy number of the chosen generation, the 
 royal priesthood, the holy nation, the peculiar people, 
 thus shewing forth the virtues (ras aperas) of him who 
 hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous 
 light. 
 
 Once more let the baptized be full of love 
 
 * See Cave's Primitive Christianity. 
 
ADDRESS TO VARIOUS CLASSES. 363 
 
 to the baptized. The name of the Trinity has by 
 his ministers sounded over us all: and been put 
 upon us all, (Numb. vi. 27,) and the fulness of that 
 name is love. Beloved, let us love one another, for love 
 is of God, and every one that loveth is born of God, and 
 knoweth God: he that loveth not knoweth not God, for God 
 is love. God is love, and he, he only, that dwelleth in 
 love, dwelleth in God, and God in him. 1 John iv. 7, 8, 
 16. Our baptism should make us one, and not divide 
 us ; and it will do this when we rise through the out- 
 ward form to the inward life and glory. This they 
 did in the primitive church ; we no sooner read of 
 their being baptized, than we read of their having 
 all things common, and eating their meat with gladness 
 and singleness of heart ; the multitude of them that be- 
 lieved were of one heart and of one soul. We are by one 
 Spirit all baptized into one body ; let us think of each 
 as fellow-members of that body. To this the apostle 
 often and fully exhorts us, that whether one member 
 suffer, all the members suffer with it, or one member be 
 honoured, all the members rejoice with it. May we feel 
 that we are the body of Christ, and members in par- 
 ticular. 
 
 It is our losing this true Christian standing that 
 gives occasion to all the false imitations of it by 
 which Satan deludes men in unholy unions and in- 
 fidel conspiracies, full of pretended love, but all based 
 on selfishness. Our fellow men are mocked by the 
 great enemy with the delusive phantom of that reality 
 which the gospel of Christ alone can give. But Chris- 
 tians, by their inconsistencies, have given this enemy 
 all his advantages for this delusion. Let us now, in 
 the evil times in which we live, dispel Satan's delu- 
 sions by the fulness of Christ's love. 
 
364 TREATISE ON BAPTISM. 
 
 May we, then, attaining the reality more and more, 
 make every artificial imitation needless and worth- 
 less, by the bright shining of the full light of true 
 Christian love, and so shall we truly become the light 
 of the world. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 A LIST OF THE CHIEF BOOKS THAT HAVE BEEN 
 PUBLISHED ON BAPTISM. 
 
 This List is added in the hope that it may be convenient to some 
 readers to have such a reference as will enable them at any time to 
 sftidy farther this interesting subject. The books are arranged 
 chronologically ; except where those on particular controversies 
 are mentioned together. It doubtless might have been much 
 enlarged. 
 
 The subject of baptism has been from time to time considered 
 by the Christian Fathers. Tertullian has a Treatise on it. 
 Cyprian wrote on the Rebaptizing of Heretics. Cyril's Cateche- 
 tical Lectures to Candidates for Baptism have just been translated 
 into English, and published at Oxford. There is a Treatise on 
 the Sacraments attributed to Ambrose, and another on Baptism 
 by Mark about a.d. 395. Basil has Homilies upon it. Augus- 
 tine has three Treatises on Baptism. Chrysostom has two Dis- 
 courses on Baptism. The Fathers often give their views of it in 
 their general writings. There is a considerable collection of the 
 Testimonies of the Fathers in favour of the Protestant Doctrine 
 at the end of the Corpus Confessionum Fidei. 
 
 The Reformers Luther and Calvin, Zuingle and CEcolampa- 
 dius, were by the Anabaptists compelled to notice baptism. Bul- 
 linger, Philpot, and Frith also wrote on Infant Baptism : and 
 Bishop Jewell on the Sacraments. 
 
 Cassander, Hottinger, Vossius, and many other foreigners, 
 have published Treatises upon it. 
 
366 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 English writers have considered it very fulh r , as the follow- 
 ing list will shew. 
 
 Attersol (Wm.) A Treatise of the Sacraments. 4to. 1614. 
 Dennison (John). On the Two Sacraments. 4to. 1621. 
 Burgess (Cornelius). On Baptismal Regeneration. 4to. 1629. 
 
 See the remarks on this in this work. 
 Rogers (Daniel). Treatise of Baptism and the Lord's Supper. 
 1636. 
 
 Barber (Edw.) Treatise of Baptism or Dipping. Fol. 1641. 
 
 Wynell (Thomas). Covenant of Free Grace pleading the Divine 
 Right of Christian Infants. 4to. 1642. 
 
 Blackwood (Thomas). The Storming of Antichrist in his Gar- 
 rison of Infant Baptism. 1644. 
 
 The Vanity of Childish Baptism. 1644. 
 
 The number of writers for and against infant baptism were greatly 
 multiplied from this time. Some of those for infant baptism were 
 as follows: — Cooke, Marshall, Stalham, Page, Phillips, Ram, Bake- 
 well, Church, Cotton, Geree, Cobbett, Moore, Goodwin, Wills, 
 Whiston, Walker, Collinges, Hickes, Towerson, Petto, Keith, Tur- 
 ner, Bennett, Dorrington, Williams, Pirie, Bostwick, Perronet, Tow- 
 gocd, Tyerman. Some of those against infant baptism were as fol- 
 lows :— Cornwell, Rees, Blackwood, Hobson, Tombes, Hussey, 
 Punch, Ives, Danvers, Grantham, Gale, Penn, Jenkins, Martin, 
 Kennett, Toulmin, Birt, Gill. There have also been several his- 
 tories of the Baptists, by Crosby, lvimey, Cox, and Hoby. 
 
 Marshall (Stephen). Defence of Infant Baptism. 4to. 1646. 
 
 Geree (John). Vindication of Infant Baptism, in a full An- 
 swer to Mr. Tombes. 4to. 1646. 
 
 This writer dwells on the scriptural evidence. 
 
 Garner (Robert). A Treatise on Baptism. 4to. 1645; 8vo. 1701. 
 
 Homes (Nathaniel). Animadversions on Mr. Tombes. 1646. 
 
 Laurence (Henry). Treatise of Baptism. 4to. 1649. 
 
 Cotton (John). Grounds and Ends of the Baptism of the Chil- 
 dren of the Faithful. 4to. 1647. 
 
 Comprehensive. 
 
 Featley (Daniel). The Dippers Dipt. 4to. 1647. 
 Sarcastic. 
 
 Hooker (Thomas). The Covenant of Grace opened, and Infant 
 Baptism Proved. 4to. 1649. 
 
 Hammond (Henry). Baptism of Infants Defended. 8vo. 1650. 
 
 Hall (Thomas). The Font Guarded. Fol. 1657. 
 
 Taylor (Jer. Bishop). Discourse on Baptism. 4to. 1652. 
 Eloquent and pious, but with the author's peculiarities. 
 
APPENDIX. 367 
 
 Baxter (Richard). Plain Scripture Proof of Infants' Church 
 Membership. 4to. 1653-6. 
 A full discussion with the author's comprehensiveness of thought. 
 
 Tombes (John). Antipaedobaptism, in 3 parts, 4to. 1652-7. 
 
 Fuller (Thomas). The Infant's Advocate. 8vo. 1653. 
 
 Cobbett (Thomas). Vindication of Children's Right to Baptism. 
 4to. 1654. 
 
 Ford (Simon). A Dialogue on the Practical Use of Infant Bap- 
 tism. 4to. 1654. 
 
 Many useful thoughts. 
 
 Sidenham (Cuthbert). A Christian Exercitation on Infant Bap- 
 tism. 12mo. 1657. 
 
 Carter (William). The Covenant of God with Abraham 
 opened. 4to. 1657. 
 
 Brinsley (John). On Infant Baptism. 1653. 
 
 Walker (William.) A Plea for Infant Baptism. 8vo. 1677. 
 
 Heywood (0.) Baptismal Bonds Renewed. 12mo. 1687. 
 
 Towerson (Gabriel). Of the Sacrament of Baptism, and of the 
 Church Catechism. 8vo. 1687. 
 
 Primitive Baptism, and therein Infants' and Parents' Right. 
 8vo. 1690. 
 
 Recommended by Mr. Sylvester. 
 
 Assheton (William). Conference with an Anabaptist. 12mo. 
 1695. 
 
 Conclusive and satisfactory as to the controversy. 
 
 Burkitt (William). Discourse on Infant Baptism. 8vo. 1695. 
 
 Leslie (Charles). The Divine Institution of Water Baptism, in 
 Answer to the Quakers. 4to. 1697. 
 
 Gilpin (Richard). A Discourse on Infant Baptism. 8vo. 1698. 
 By the Author of the Treatise on Satan's Temptation. 
 
 Many useful thoughts in it. It is a scarce tract, without his name. 
 
 Keith (George). The Arguments of the Quakers against Bap- 
 tism Refuted. 4to. 1698. 
 
 Patrick (Bishop). Aqua Genitalis. 8vo. 1702. 
 
 Wall (William). The History of Infant Baptism. 
 
 A truly valuable and comprehensive work, with full testimonies from 
 the Fathers. Many editions. 1705. 4 vols. 8vo. 1836. Oxford. 
 
 Gale (John). Reflections on Mr. Wall's History. 8vo. 1711. 
 
 Hitchin (Edward). The Infant's Cause Pleaded, or the Con- 
 current Harmony of all parts of Holy Scripture for their Bap- 
 tism. 12mo. 1706. 
 
 Remarkable for the fulness of the scripture testimony. 
 
 Bradford (Bishop) A Discourse concerning Baptismal and 
 Spiritual Regeneration. 12mo. 1709. 
 
3G8 TREATISE ON BAPTISM : 
 
 Whiston (William). The Doctrine and Practice of the two first 
 
 Centuries. 8vo. 1712. 
 Bingham (Joseph). History of the Practice of the Church on 
 Lay Baptism. 2 vol. 8vo. 1712. 
 
 Mr. Brett replied to part of this, 8vo. 1714. 
 Warden (John). A Practical Essay on Baptism. Edinburgh. 
 8vo. 1724. 
 
 This answers to the title. 
 Nasmith (Robert). A Treatise on the Entail of the Covenant 
 of Grace. 12mo. 1725. 
 
 Much valuable scriptural truth in this work. 
 Foot (William). A Practical Discourse concerning Baptism. 
 12mo. 1729. 
 
 A useful work. 
 
 Waterland (Daniel). The Nature, Obligation, and Efficacy of 
 the Christian Sacraments considered. 8vo. 1730. 
 
 Bradbury (Thomas). Duty and Doctrine of Baptism. 8vo. 1749. 
 
 Gill (John). Anti-paedo Baptism maintained. 8vo. 1753. 
 
 Addington (Stephen). The Christian Minister's Reasons for 
 Baptizing Infants. 12mo. 1771. 
 
 Sensible and practical. 
 
 Henry (Matthew.) A Treatise on Baptism. 12mo. 1783. 
 
 This is an Abridgement of a larger work in manuscript. I fear the 
 original manuscript has been lost. It is written in the excellent 
 spirit of the author. 
 
 Williams (Dr.) On Baptism. 2 vols. 1789. 
 
 An able work in favour of infant baptism. 
 
 Robinson )Robert). The History of Baptism. 4to. 1790. 
 
 Edwards (Peter). Candid Reasons for Renouncing Anti-predo- 
 Baptism. 8vo. 1795. 
 
 Kinghorn (Joseph). Defence of Infant Baptism its best Confu- 
 tation. 12mo. 1795. 
 
 A reply to Peter Edwards. 
 
 Osgood (David). Validity of Sprinkling and Right of Infants. 
 12mo. 1804. 
 
 An able work. 
 
 Yardley (Edward.) A Practical Exposition on the Offices of 
 Baptism. 12mo. 1810. 
 
 Postlethwaite (Richard). The Doctrine of Baptism Vindi- 
 cated. 12mo. 1811. 
 
 An excellent little work, justifying the church services. 
 
APPENDIX. 309 
 
 Hall (Robert). On terms of Communion. 8vo. On the Dif- 
 ference between Christian and John's Baptism. 1815. 
 
 This led to a controversy with Mr. Kinghorn, who maintained close, 
 not open, communion. 
 
 Bowden (James). Family Conversations on Baptism. 12mo. 
 1815. 
 
 Much useful information in these dialogues. 
 
 Mant (Bishop). Two Tracts on Regeneration and Conversion. 
 12mo. 1815. 
 
 These tracts gave rise to a long controversy, in which T.T. Biddulph, 
 G. Bugg, G. Nicholson, J.W. Cunningham, John Scott, C. Simeon, 
 Bishop Laurence, Bishop Bethel, Bishop Marsh, Bishop Wilson, 
 Archdeacons Daubeny and Pott, H. Gauntlett, C.Jerram, Morgan, 
 G. Wilford, J. Napleton, H. Gipps, Melville Home, and many others 
 were engaged. 
 Taylor (C.) Facts and Evidences on the Subject of Baptism. 
 
 8vo. 1818. 
 Mr. Taylor endeavours to prove that pouring water on those to be 
 
 baptized was the original plan. 
 Thoughts on Baptism by Agnostos. 1819. 
 Written to recommend baptism to be used only for converts from 
 
 other religions to Christianity. 
 Ewing (Greville). An Essay on Baptism. 12mo. 1824. 
 Wardlaw (R.) Authority, Nature, and Uses of Infant Bap- 
 tism. 8vo. 1825. 
 Jerram (Charles) Conversations on Baptism. 12mo. 1826. 
 
 A valuable work. 
 Rylanh (Dr. John). A Candid Statement of the Reasons why 
 Baptists differ. 8vo. 1827. 
 
 Written in an excellent spirit. 
 Irving (Edward). On the Sacrament of Baptism, 12mo. 1827. 
 Budd (Henry). Infant Baptism the Means of National Refor- 
 mation. 1827. Third edition 1841. 
 
 A truly profitable work. 
 Booth (Abraham). Psedo Baptism examined. 3 vols. 8vo. 1829. 
 Davys (Bishop). Village Conversations on the Office of Baptism. 
 12mo. 1830. 
 
 A useful tract. 
 Carson (Alexander). Baptism in its Mode and Subjects 8vo. 
 1844. 
 
 See the remarks page 34, &c. 
 Fallow (T. M.) The order of Baptism Illustrated from the 
 "Use of Salisbury," &c. 12mo. 1838. 
 
 A convenient work for reference. 
 2 B 
 
370 TREATISE ON BAPTISM. 
 
 Maurice (F.) The Kingdom of Christ. 3 vols. 12mo. 1842. 
 A very able answer to the scruples of the Quakers, and an original 
 
 survey of various subjects controverted among Christians. 
 Pusey (E. B.) Scriptural Views of Holy Baptism. 2d edition, 
 
 8vo. 1839. 
 
 It will be seen in the preceding work that the author does not concur 
 in some material points with Dr. Pusey. 
 
 Budd (Henry). Helps for the Young; or, Baptismal Regenera- 
 tion according to the Services of the Established Church. 2 vols. 
 12mo. 
 
 Much very valuable instruction to help parents in giving a Christian 
 education. 
 
 Knight (W. B.) Letter on Infant Baptism. 12mo. 1831. 
 
 Stuart (Moses). The mode of Christian Baptism, prescribed in 
 the New Testament. Andover, U. S. 8vo. 1833. 
 
 Pond (Enoch). A Treatise on Christian Baptism, in four parts 
 relating to the mode of Baptism ; the subjects ; the infants, 
 origin and uses of infant Baptism ; and to close communion. 
 Boston, U. S. 8vo. 1833. 
 
 Much learned discussion in a small compass and in a Christian spirit. 
 
 Burgess (Archibald). Baptism considered in relation to its 
 mode and subjects. Boston, U. S. 12mo. 1837. 
 
 Faber (G.S.) The Primitive Doctrine of Regeneration. 8vo. 1840. 
 A very useful work. 
 
 A Sponsor's gift, in a series of letters to an absent child. 12mo. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Abraham, covenant with, 10 
 Abuses of baptism, 290 
 
 infant baptism, 125 
 
 Address to various classes, 
 
 349 
 Adult baptism, 93, 179, 189, 
 
 213 
 Ambrose, quoted, 32 
 Amen explained, 65 
 Appointment of baptism, 10, 
 
 20 
 Apostacy after baptism, 304 
 
 open and wilful, 312 
 
 national, 315 
 
 Article the 27th, 30 
 Assurance, 88, ch. xxi. 
 Augustine, quoted, 138, 158, 
 
 325 
 
 Baptism of the OldTestament, 1 
 
 of John, 13 
 
 of the New Testa- 
 ment, 94 
 
 meaning of, 26—29,36 
 
 of the Holy Ghost and 
 
 fire, 320 
 
 — for the dead, 83 
 
 Baptismal services, 192 
 Baptisteries, 28 
 
 Baptized addressed, ch. xxi. 
 
 prayers for, 232 
 
 their duty, 283 
 
 Baptists' objections answered, 
 
 110, 118—122 
 Baxter quoted, 122 
 Belief of Christian truth, 269 
 Benefits of baptism, 67 
 
 general to all, 7 1 
 
 before, 70, at, 70, 
 
 after, 78 
 Bernard quoted, 91 
 Bingham quoted, 83 
 Birth of infants, 8 
 Blessedness in Christ, 61 
 Body redeemed, ch. xx. 
 Books, list of, Appendix, 365 
 Bradford quoted, 295 
 
 meditations by, 229 
 
 Bridges quoted, 287 
 
 Budd quoted, 211 
 
 Burgess on Regeneration, 160 
 
 Canon 30th, 212 
 
 Carson's Treatise noticed, 34. 
 
 Catechism, 192 
 
 Children, promises to, 106 
 
 addressed, ch. xxi. 
 
 of God, 266 
 
 2B 2 
 
372 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Christ baptized, 16, baptizing, 
 18, present in baptism, 49 
 
 Christian name,233,family260 
 
 Chrysostom quoted, 82, 237, 
 323 
 
 Church services, 192 
 
 Churches of Christ, their 
 apostacy, 305 
 
 Clarke, Adam, quoted, 237 
 
 Clemens Alexandrinus, 176 
 
 Command to baptize, 20 — 23 
 
 Common names, 240 
 
 Communion with God, 60 
 
 Holy, 288 
 
 Confessing Christ, 87 
 
 Confirmation, 282 
 
 Correction, 257 
 
 Covenant privileges of chil- 
 dren, 127 
 
 Creatures redeemed by Christ, 
 chap. xx. 
 
 Cyprian quoted, 90 
 
 Day, children of, 275 
 Dedication of baptized, 33 
 Deluge, a type, 3 
 Discipline, 257 
 Divine truths taught, 33 
 Doctrines, departure from, 308 
 
 Education, Christian, 244 
 English writers on baptism, 
 
 Appendix 
 Epiphanius quoted, 83 
 Eternal fire, 333 
 Evangelical motives, 88 
 Ewing's Theory of Baptism, 35 
 
 Faith realising Christ's pre- 
 sence, 63 
 
 urged, 278 ; want of, 296 
 
 in the promises, 102, 248 
 
 Fathers, name, 40 
 
 Fathers, Christian, 112; on 
 baptism, Appendix 
 
 Form of Godliness merely, 298 
 
 Formality,*292 
 
 Foreign writers, Appendix. 
 
 Godfathers addressed, ch. xxi. 
 God's name redeemed, ch. xx. 
 Grace given in baptism, 77 
 
 Henry quoted, 92, 256 
 Holiness, departure from, 308 
 Holy Ghost, baptized into, 42 
 baptism of, 320 
 
 Homilies quoted, 48 
 Hooker quoted, 77 
 Hope, 278; expecting Christ, 
 63 
 
 Immersion, 27, 28 
 Improvement of baptism, 253 
 Infants, baptism of, 105 
 
 church practice, 113 
 
 their salvation, 116, 
 
 212 
 Inheritors of heaven, 267 
 Intercession prevailing, 59 
 
 Jerome quoted, 277, 324 
 Jewell quoted, 158, 237, 295 
 John's baptism, 13: anecdote, 
 
 176 
 Justin Martyr quoted, 118,138 
 
 Kingdoms of this world re- 
 deemed, chap. xx. 
 Kingly office redeemed, ch. xx. 
 Knowledge increasing, 273 
 
 Laying on of hands, 284 
 Leaning on Man, 294 
 Light children of, 275 
 Lord'b supper, comparison, 
 
 30 ; going to, 288 
 Love, enjoying Christ, 63 ; 
 
 urged, 279, ch- xxi. 
 Luther quoted, 11, 12 
 
INDEX. 
 
 373 
 
 Manifestation of God, 50 
 Martine referred to, 125 
 Maurice quoted, 84, 152 
 Means of grace, 70 
 Meditations before, 178 ; after, 
 
 221 
 Members of Christ, 265 
 Ministry of Gospel, 54 
 Ministers addressed, ch. xxi. 
 Money-getting spirit, 317 
 Moral influence, 89 
 
 Name, thrice holy, 39 
 Nasmith quoted, 110 
 Nations, all to be baptized, 45 
 New birth, 150 
 Nicholls on Common Prayer, 
 
 112 
 Non-communicants, ch. xxi. 
 'Novell's Catechism, quoted, 
 
 87 
 
 Obedience to God, 270 
 Obligation of baptism, 22 
 Origen quoted, 82, ch. xx. 
 Overflowing grace of Christ,59 
 
 Palmer's Origenes quoted, 198 
 Parents, Meditations for, 183, 
 
 191, 221 
 addressed, 244, ch. 
 
 xxi ; prayers for, 230 
 
 duty to children, 242 
 
 honouring, 273 
 
 55 1 Public baptism, 199 
 
 Pentecost, day of, 94 
 Physician, Christ, 244 
 Practice of baptism, 23 
 Prayer, fervent, 251, in secret, 
 
 272 
 forms of, 189— 191, 
 
 230, 302 
 Presence of the Saviour, 49 
 Priestly office redeemed, ch. 
 
 xx. 
 Private baptism, 216 
 
 Red Sea, passage through, 5 
 Reformers on Baptism, App. 
 Regeneration, thanks for, 209 
 
 in baptism, 78, 
 
 145—177 
 
 explained, 146 
 
 coming, 336 
 
 Remedy of abuses, 300 
 Remission of sins, 84 
 Renunciations, 268 
 Repentance, 100 
 Responsibility of ministers, 55 
 Resurrection of the dead, 82 
 Right reception, 99 
 Riper years, 213 
 
 Sacraments to be observed, 26 
 visible, 69 
 
 Salvation through baptism, 
 24, by grace, 265, of in- 
 fants, 116 
 
 Scott quoted, 152, ch. xxi. 
 
 Scripture names, 239 
 reading, 274 
 
 Sin after baptism, 173, 311 
 Society redeemed, ch. xx. 
 Son's name, 41 
 Soul's health and disease, 243 
 
 redeemed, ch. xx. 
 
 Spiritual life, 146 
 Sponsors' reasons, 136, du- 
 ties, 143, 181, 190, 251 
 
 prayers for, 231 
 
 meditations for, 225 
 
 Strong quoted, 55, 127 
 Sufferings, baptism of, 320 
 Suicer, 325 
 Superstition, 293 
 Surname, 234 
 
 Tertullian quoted, 1 38 
 Trinity, Baptism into, 39 
 Truth, fulness in Christ, 59 
 
374 
 
 NDEX. 
 
 Union to the Church, 72 
 Union with Christ, 80 
 Usher quoted, 16, 92, 217, 297 
 
 Wall's History of Baptism, 112 
 Warrant for infants, 118 
 Washings of the law, 6 
 Washing the feet, 19 
 
 Watchfulness, 276 
 Water, import of, 31, 32 
 Waterland quoted, Preface 
 Whitgift quoted, 77 
 Worldly professors, ch. xxi. 
 Worldliness, 291,306 
 Worship of God departed from, 
 309 
 
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