BAP r^^?v^' T?«. - > T, ' nm^V^-fi' ■'^rw '»»■ PRINCETON, N. J. Presented by Mr Samuel Agnew of Philadelphia, Pa. g-/iciu Coll. on Baptism, No. S^6 lfSb?f^f $^//^//i^{^^c^{^ vr\ PLEA FOR INFANT BAPTISM, IN SEVEN PARTS. I. The Standing Authority of the Old Tes- tament. I I. The Grace of Vhe Abruhamic Covenant. III. The fiermuTient sanciion of the Moral Law, IV. The s-ciojects and mode of Christian V^.afHjsm. V. A>\ Address to Anabaptists. VI. y./fj Address to Pcedobaptists. V1I-, An Address to the Undetermintd^ Bv JAMES MILLIGAN, Pastor of the Reformed Presbyterian Socicii«s in Ryegale, Topsham, Barnet and Craftsbury. -— ^w^ *• «■ * •■■— — But Jesus said, suffer "ttle children, and forbid them not, to come unto me, for of such is the kingdom of heav- en. — John xix. 14. I— ^Wi ; DANVILLE: PRINTED BY EBENEZER EATOK. 1818. SALUTATION. To the candid ChrUtian Reader-" Grace be with you, raercy and peace from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Fa- ther in truth and love. mTRODUCTIOJf^, I'N sending this work abroad, the author is aWare that it is a, contested subject. He is also Jj^ ^nsible that in this age, controversy is, \i'\iW^x^^^ ny, rather unfashionable. It is particularly to be regretted that defence of ancient truth, principle and order secnns to be espcciaHy decreed. The religious world has been, for a long time in a rsvoluiionary state, and although flections- mulUplyi animosities do, in some mcusiirc steni to subside. This must certainly be pleasing to all the loVersof peace. It is, however, very nat- ural for society to oscillate between cxtrenies. The social orb has been for a considerable lime rh the cold regions of the north. Stcpticism and- indiffi Fence about principle have succeeded to blind zeal and bloody perpecutioO. Those who used, while power was in their hands, to be most active in nich work are now the most noisy advocates of forbearance, moderatioia and charity. This they need not do, to dull the edge of the sword, or quench the vioKnce of the flume, which they used to wield p.nd kindle, bu-t they wish to wi^rd oft", thereby, the spir:tu:d wea-- pons which the advocates of truth and sciiptural order use against iheir cruzy s)sltm!*. This is improper, unfair and cowardly. The best lime to adjust differences i-mong parties is a tV. INTRODUCTIOI*. time of peace. We do not need, however, to charge the Baptist brethren with these extremes. They have never persecuted ; thev have never been remiss. They have genernlly manilested a xeai worthy of a good cause in promoting the in- terest of their society and in propagating the pe- culiar tenets of their sect. For this they deserve credit. Let every one be fully persuaded in his own mind ; and whatever any man's hand find* to do, Ut him do it with all his might. If they are wrong, I do not justify them for that ; but if they are right, they ought to be zealous against all Cithers who must on that supposition be radically n' d tuniiainentally wrong. If ihiy are mistaken, and yet think themselre*^ exclasively correct, they are consistent in using all ihtir 2ieal and strttigth in vindicating the suppos- ed truth and order which they defend. At all t veins it must be considered a matter of suffi.- cieni magnitude to engage the aitentioa of all the friends of truth, propriety and peace. it is the importance of the subject, christian and candid reader, that justi&es my appearance at your bar. The cause which I plead is the cause of the poor defenceless children of credible be- lievers. They come into the world naked as well as others, and need as well as others, regenera- tion. Natural descent from christian parents does not communicate to them sanctifying grace. Still if the great Redeemer's Rule of the Church has ordained that they shall be covered with the skirt of parental represeatation^ and be dandled INTRODUCtlOK* V, on the knees of ih^ church in infanc)', you will not count mc a disturber of your repose while I plead their cause. In pleading this too, if it appears that the cov- enant charter really makes such provi'bion for the infants of such as are members of the visible church that they are to be baptised : then I shaU be pleading the cause not only of babes, hut also of God. If he really has ordained that children be members of the visible church by the represen. tation of their parents ; it is eerta'.nly indignant treatment of Him to say thai they shall not. The advocates upon the other side of the con- troversy must give me credit for honesty of intm- tion — for vindicating ancient clain»s — and the c^iuse of mercy. They cannot say that I have un- dertaken this suit by the misrepresentation of high fee« of my infant clients. No, pour things, they are mute, and if concerned, it is about some- thing else than their great birih-right. To this it is true they have no right upon the footing of the covenant of works. By this, on tlic contrary, misery and death have devolved upon all the apos- tate family. Hence we see those who have not sinned after the similitude of Adam*s transgres- sioD, i» e. who have not actually sinned are liable to death. We do, however humbly presume that our great Saviour, has in hia clemency and tncrcy revealed a covenant, whereby he may yet h^vc a holy nation; a godly seed. The b:;ptism of in- fants is not regeneration : nor doe* it avail to the purifying of the fltsh. Yet we hope, by duiae ▲ 2 Vr, INTRODUCTlpW. aid, to prove that it may be to well informed par-: etjts the arswer of a good conscience toward* God. It is particularly to be desired that this, controver-sy should bq fairly settled, in order that one great obstacle, may b» removed which stands; in the wsy of a. general union among professors. Ther-e are several causes of present existing divis-: ions, which it is easy to see, may vaniahv without any pmUQulu?, determination, which of the parties. is now correct. S'ime view in the gtnei al difTu^ ston of livangelical light may be so clear, absorb't \ng and cfTulgoni, that the parties m.iy readily and amicably drop the dispute about those which were prviviously pt^culiar. Like manners and wander-. ers, who in the daik night dispute about star* jjlimmering through the clouds, or lightsoccasion- ally gleaming through the hazy way, when the- jolting sun arts^s in his purple majesty in..thf)trcTioi». VII. tKiptlatn* Why then are professor* Rot visibly and formally united ? Why do tire subjects of one Lord quarrel ? Why do the heirs of like pre- cious faith disagree about forms i Bodily exer- cise profittfcth little : Godliness is- profitable urto all things, having the promiijc of, the life that now is and of that which is to conr»e. Still it nnust be adrailted th;it, the best way to obtain unity in prin- ciple and uniforiTiify in practice is to adhere close- ly and sirittly to dix'ine instituiion. * To the law and to ihe testimony. If they speak not according to the word it is because there is no light in them.* Isa. vjii. 20, Can two walk together except they be agreed. Amos iii. 3. What Christ has con- sidered of sufEcient importance to reveal, we should not rasWiy call indifferent to believe andi profess-^what he has commanded, we ought un- ; questionably to observe and do.^ If Episcopali- ans, Congregationalists and Presbyterians have no authority for baptising infants, they ought candid- ly to confess their error and desist from their unauthorised practice. Better to reform than be always wrong, and the sooner reformation is ef- fected the more honorable and the more advan« tageous. If they have authority, it is certainly, due to. the Baptist brethren that these other de- nominations should exhibit their authority, and render a reason for thcifhope. i. e. If children are included in the new covenant charter, of: which baptism is the visible initiatory teal, let the evidence thereof be produced, and let ftUconcerm- ti give unprejudiced attention* riU,^ INTHODUCTION. # That this subject mny have a fair hearing Is iihc design of the following plea ; and that it may tend, b) the blessing of God, to edify Christians and unite the Churches Is the sincere desire and fervent prayer of THE AUTHOR. PL e A KOR INFANT BAPTlSMflfc. >»v ■r^ IT is proper in allcontrover»1ef , that the dis- putants should have certain first principles upon which they agree, and to which they may refer the points in debate. Unhappily, however, in this dispute, as in many others of modern date, first principles themselves have been denied. Protestants of all denominations used to admit that ihe great judge in all theological trials was the Spirit of God speaking in the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments — that the covenant of grace was one and the same in all ages, although variously dispensed. We should be glad if the sceptical extrava- gance of modern limes would allow us still to assume these truths as axioms. But the case is otherwise. We submit. L.et the New Testa- ment then decide. Let it be understood, howev- er, that if we prove irom the New Testament the divinity and standing authority of the Old,we shall then have it in our power to draw from that source arguments in proof of our plea, Malhema- to THE STANDING AUTHOKirV OP tician* frequently refer to their demonstrations, as^ Well as to their primary axioms and posialates. It will not then bs denied that the Old 1 estamcnt scriptures were gqcc given by divine iKspiration and under divine sanction. If the Lord did not speak to Moses and to all the PiOpHets, they mast be rtckontd horrid im- pnstcrs, because they most ex[,llcitly gave out that he did. There is but one alternative. If the Lord then did not speak to Tttoses and the proph- ets, and by them to the Fathers, then Moses must be acaounted a greater impostor ilian the prophct- of Mecca ; and if the Lord did speak to thei», then they who say he did not must be woise than Mahomet himself, for he admitted that Moses was a prophet. Again — if the Old Testament writiliigs were given under the sanction of divine authority as a rule of faith and manners, they must be allowed that place uuiil equal or paramount authority abol- ish their claim. Did the Son of Ged, when in om- nature, raised up from amongthc brethren the great prophet of the Church, do this? Have the Apostles, endowed with the Holy Spirit of Jt sus Christ, done it ? Let us examine thtse pointSi Here we are a^ w.ire thai we are rather doviating from establish- ed rules of controversy, an-d taking the [lace of our opponents. If we find the law, thty should 6i'd the exceptions, or the repeal. The burden of proof rests upon the affirmant. If thty say these writings are obsolete, ihey ought lo prove THE OLD TESTAMENT. 11 it. However, as we are enquiring for truth, we »re billing not to stand upon po'rata. We would rather labor a little out of order to prove two neg- atives than be found slrivmg to prove one false- hoed. The first text then we use to prove that the old Testament scriptures are yet of standing authori- ty is John V. 39—*' Search the scriptures, for io then) ye think ye have eternal life, and they arc they which testify of me." Here it is evident and indisputable that the scriptures of which he here spe.iks are the scriptures of the Old Testa- ment. This was in the very commencement of his ministry, when there were no other scriptures in existence. Now we would ask the candid op- ponent if it be likely, on the supposition of the truth of his plea, that the divine teacher would speak in this msnner of scrij5turc*s, the lU'.hority and utility of which he was come to abolish. It is true he does not say that in them they had eter- nal life, but in them ye think ye have. If they were wrong, however, in thinking so, it certainly would have b-cr kind to have corrected their er- ror, and said— In ever trouble yourselves wiili these old writings : I am come to repeal them. You shall soon have scriptures, which without these superanuated ones will be sufficient. How contrary to tliisfs the text and the context, v 45 — Po not think that I will accuse you t» the Father^ there is one that accuseth you, even Rloses, ia ivlK)m ye trust ; for had ye believed Moses, j'C ayo.i^ld have beljtved me, for he wrote of me ; but \ jt, THE STANJilNG AUTHORlXy JOt if ye believe not his wnilogs, how can ye believe my words 7 In like manner in his sermon ein ihe Mount, he says — Ma4tl> v. 17, Think not that I am come to destroy the law and the prophets ; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill : For ver- ily X say unto you,^ill heaven and earth shall pass one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of the least of these command- ments and shall teach men so, shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven ; but whosoever shall do and teach them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. The same solemn ratifica- tion of the old testament writings is pronounced by the lips of our risen Redeemer. See the col- loquy between him and the two disciples travel- ling to Emmaus, Luke xxiv. 25 — Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken, v. 26. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory ? And beginning at Moses, and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himsfelf^ This was perfectly in unison with the instruc- tion he had delivered to them before his suffering. Now in the period between his resurrection and ascension, he teaches them very particularly how they arc to ti'ansact the business of his kingdom ■and still he shews the greatest respect for the old testament wrttings. After he had been made known to them by breaking bread at Emmaus, a!)d agaia saluted them in their evening meeting THE OLD TF.STAMENf. 13 ;»t Jerusalem, he say?, v. 44. Thescare the words which I spake unto you, while I wis yet with you, ihal all things must be fulfilled which f.-tre writ- ten in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, ami in the Psalms, concerning me. A'l these things vrere plainly enough revealed in the scripiure ; the only desideratum was, to have the mind illu- minated. This the divir.e teacher supplied ; " Thtu opened he their understarid-ing, that they might un- derstand the scriptures, and said unto them » TWas it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dea-i the third day." You see from this plainly that it mu'^t have beet* anoth- er than the divine teacher that has preached djwn the Old Testament, and it must be in another as- sociation than in the kingdom of heaven, or chi is- tian Church that this abolition has taken place. Again. What do the Apostles saj' upon this subject ? Do they say that, being appointed to es- tablish the church upon the New Testament plan, they deny the authority of the Old Tesi-nent 9c/-iptures ? No ; on the contrary, they quote them and submit what they say to be tried by them. They recommend the individuals and Churches which searched these venerable docu- ments and put their doctrines to the test of Old Testament authority. Turn your attention to a few of the many instances which might be adduc- ed in proof of this fact. Acts xvii. 11— These were more noble than those ia Thessalonica^ in that they received the word with all readiness af mind, and s«ar6hed the scriptuies daily, whether B 14 THE STANDING AWTHORITY Of these things were so. Here again, \re have the old tcftament writings called by their approptiate epithet, the scriptures, and the Berean believers honoured for their diligent attention to the in- struction contained in them. Yea, they are more noble than the believers in Thessalonica, because they compared the verbalinstruction of the Apos- tles, whose word they received, with the written authoritative docu;nents of the Old Testatuent. It must not be overlooked, that the teacher here was the Aposile of the Gentiles, and althoujh he preached in the synagogue both here and atThes- salonica, yet he had Gtrniile auditors, for ladies of honorable rank, who were Greeks, and of men not a few, believed. AL this, however, was perfectly natural and consistent, for he reasoned out of the scriptures, and therefore allowed and invited all his auditors, of course, to have their bibles, and search daily ftom these authentic and divine writings of the Oid Testament, whether or not his reaso'.iii)g was fair. He wished to urge upon them no article of faith, nor rule of prtcticc v/hich did cot accord with.God's consistent word. The next passage to which we solicit the candid reader^s attention is in 1 Cor. ix. In that chapter, and indeed in a great part of the epistles addres- sed to the Corinthians there is some obscurity a- bout the particular bearing of the Apostle's rea- soning, because we have not the other side of the correspondence ; still, there is no obscurity as to his opinion touching the point in hand. He is ia the b&gianin^ of this chapter pleading the light TJSE OLB TESTAMENT. 15 which he and Barrabas had to remuneration or support in ihtir ministerial labors, and after hav- ing reasoned from common principles of justice, he appeals to still higher authority, *' Say I these things as a man, or siiyeth not the law the .samt also. 9< For it is written, thou shuU Dot muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadcih out the corn : Doih God take care for oxen ? or saith he it alio- grtbcr for our sakes ? For our sakcs no doubt this is written." Here you see the apostle estab- lishes Old Testament aochoriiy and utility, not only to us as well as Old Testament siiinis, but also that it is particularly useful to us. I providentially glance upon another pas^a^e?, Eph. li. 20. And are built upon the f"oundati(va of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ him- self being the chief corner stone. In all things He must have the pre-eminence. If the writer then had any design in the arrangement, the proph- ets are nearest him who was before Abrahym, However, here the Church is considered undtr the notion of a temple or holy building, to be a habitation of God by the Spirit. Upon what is this building founded ? Upon the Apostles j what does this mean ? Is it not that ihcy believed their words, an^ obeyed their inspired precepts and example ? Well, but the Church is built up* on the prophets also ; and so it is evident that, whatever he the faith of modern Churches res- pecting the Old Testament, primitive Christians believed it, and endeavored to obey it. 1 he A- posilcs put the prophets upon a par with them- 16. THE 3TANPIMG AUTH-ORl'?if Q? selves. That they were quickened by the Spirit,, and were new creatures, by the grace of Christ, did not divrrt their atteniioa from th^ law oi Ghri&t. They knew that the testimony of Jesus. was the spirit of prophecy, and therefore to that spirit and testimony they would give diligent heed* By this meaas they who had beea waiting to see tfce iccompKihment of their prophecies, were ^ati^ed, an the astonished beholders of all these recent- events, were no less grati lied and confirmed m beholding tkali all thesd things had beeqt fore<>^ told. We have seen transiently what was the faith o£ the apostles and the churches immedia salvation. The Apostle ia that chapter seems to have had a very vivid pic- ture of present timfjs. before him. This know, eajs he, that in the bsttlays, perilous times shaU come ; men sh^dl be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers. 2, 13, But evil men and seducers shall wax worse acd worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14. But continue thou in the things which thou hastlearti- ed, and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them. ^ Seducers and heretics are generally first deceived themselves. 'I'his does not excuse them. It is always a very sus- picious character, that would have men renounce the religious principles, in which they have been taught. It ought not to be done without serious and candid examination. It is admitted that a doctrine is not true, because my forefathers be- lieved it and taught it to me ; but it is also true, that it is not therefore false, and it argues a very base and ungrateful mind, to renounce, without careful investigation, the principles, which pious and witnessing ancestors believed and perhapa . B 2 13, THE S.TANDI,Na AUTIiORlTY OF sealed wlih their blood. Tlose who are them-, selvas UQsteadfast and wavering, and who wish to, influence spirits akin to ihennsclves, naay do so ;. but those who desire, to say, let us go oa to per-, ftciica in Snishiog a testinnony, will not cast away,- the liihors and attainments of anqient tinncs, until, they have, better to put in their room ; or until, they c,onii(inse the. p-st, with well digested addi». tionSvani),endmenls and improvements*, Buttso it; i« — lOae.na^n is famous for saying, hold fast the< foroi . of . sout)d VTords,. ag,d, another for crying. do\yn. creeds and confessions ;-rone for lifiiug up?, his.ase against the thicktrees to prepare materi- . als for, the. temple of truth ; another for going a... gainst the same magnificent fabric, with axes and hammers to destroy the carved work* We. must not, however, make them worse. tha:x ihey arc. It is not that iheir followers should, have no professional lodging xjr creed at all ; but,, it is that they may not have one 30 high, so luflii-,. aous, as ancient mansions^ Like the very wise, and synnpathctic.Tartar, livirg in his cell, his door, and chimney all the sunje, when he heaia of two. story houses, he pities ihe folk that arc so scares. *f ground that ihey must build houaes in the air* In general you will Snd those reformtis,ihat want, io., destroy, ail confessions and forms cf sound, wcrd»> making such as the following their confes- sion,: : Aft. 1. — Thtte should be no.confessioa^ of faith but the scriptures. 2.— Christ died for sU men, to open a way for the salvation of all who. A-.iU repejit aafl believe.. 3 — If any should net. THE OLD TESTAMENT. 19. agree with ihe tbregoiiig confession he may unite, with us, if he comes possessed of a thrittian spir- it, i. e. be friendly towards us in our loose way, Sugh are aUvavs very much opposed to rational' deductioDs, if they militate against their favorite opiqions ; but haye. no oJ>jcci!ons to iufer, perhaps, sometimes wreck, ipference, and wrest scripture, f-\>rge terms aodi^'^ufacture logic iu. order to carry a poicj^ Upon such novices, however, the. evangelist m^jst not spt-cdi'y lay his hand. They^ aiejike Jannes and Jambres, who withstood Mo- ses.. So do they also resist the truth, mtn. of corrupt minds, reprobate coBcernjng the faith.— «. 14. Tia>. iii. 8. In like manner, Paul exhorts Titus, when em.- ployed ia furnishing the churches with proper teachers. Thus they are described as — -'* Hold- ing fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he. may be able by sound docUiDe, both to^ exhort and . to coiivince th« gainsaycrs." — Tltu* 1,9. Now what was that faithful word ia which they had been taught ? I . do not say that it has, no reference to the New Testament, but if it ex- cludes the Old, it. would be well to proTe, ai well as to say k. It mu&t be remarked too that there . are elders who are spoken of*. Nor are we to suppose that .Paul in all this wasi judaizing frond the prejudice of his own education. No; he charges them against giving heed ta Jewish fa* blcs and commandments of men, that turn from . the truth, v. 14. These two epistles may be coQs.ideicd as lessQQs apostoUc»l and diyiD&>^^ad»- -.20 THE StAN^DISC AUTHORITY OF dressed to the teachers of the Church in every age, «ncl if there be any thing in them which so much as ijupVies disrespect to the authority of the Old Tes- tament scriptures, I really cannot see it. I do not think Timothy or Titus did, and I question very much if Paul intended it. But the subject is I'aiher Eolemn, and we are all so fallible in our i'Klgments, that there shou'd be great allowance, if men would iceep in any bounds ; but when men will cry and cut thentiselves with knives, saying, Eaal save us, what can we do but say ' cry aloud.' "What are we to say on the epistle to the He- brews ? This is by all considered the great bond which visibly connects the Old and New Testament writings. Mark its beginningr God, who at sun- dry times and in divers manners, spake unto the prophets, hath in these latter days spoken to us by h'n own Son. Heb. i; 1,2. Although the scrip- tures were given at difl'erent times, and in divers manners, still it was God that spoke, perfectly cor- roborating what we ought to have noticed before it the 16th verse of Timothy iii. All scripture is given by inspiration ef God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction and instruc-^ tion in righteousness, that the naan of God may- be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good Works, In the most of Paul's epistles he asserts his Apostolic authority, but in this he is reason- ing with those who kelieve the Old Testament scriptures, and therefore hfe immediately joins issue with those in proving the divinity of Jesus. XEK OLQ TEST^IflENT';. 2t His eminence as a teacher ahova Moses^ as. a priest above Aaron, as a king above David. H& is Lord of ihe house, and so above all the buiidcra and above the house itself. Note, we say, he proves all these from the OJcl Testament scripluresy and could ihe Apostle reason from a book whess authority hs, or any partaking of the sanne spirit, with which he was endowed, would deny ? Yea, he proves, particularly by a citation from the xxxl of Jer. that God wou'd. ratify a new covenant with them. Not new as to its substance, as we design afterwards, to shew, but in the mode of its. application, being more eminently inward. He would write his law on thek heart. He would be their God and they should be his people indee4% and in truth !. For unto us was the gospel preach-- ed, as well as unto them. Heb. iv.2. If it be thought necessary we can shew that James and Peter speak in the same style about the old Tes- tament scriptures, that we have seen Jesus, Luke, and Paul do. Jas. ii. 23. And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith — " Abraham believed Godj, and it was imputed to him for righteousness, and; he was called the friend of God." What scripture is this which Jas. quotes with suchresp ect ? The first assertion is found in the boolcof the Old Testament.. Gen. v. 6. The sec- ond is found in. a book which, if any of the old Testament writings should be considered obsolete, it should, viz, 2 Chron. xx. 7. Ytt from both of. these ancient books the apostle James quotes and. sallsihem scripture, and that to prove a coctiine at. 22 THE STANDING AUTHORIXY OF once evangelical and practical. Jus. iv. 5. la citing apestoiic authority for the Old Testan^ent kCriptures, Wt must not altogethtr neglect Peter. Hear then what he says, rt-lerrinsr to Isa. xxviii. 16. and Psal. cxviii. 22, — Wherefore also it is contained inihtt scripture ; Behold I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect precious, acd he that belitveih on him shall not be confeundecl. Unto j'ou then which believe he is precious : but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, and a storte of stumbling and a rock of effence, even to them which stumble at the word^ being disobedient. 1 Pet. ii. 6, 7, 8. In the iii. chap. 12 V. he quotes also from Psalm xxxiv. 15. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayers; but the^ faice of tfieLord is against then\ that do evil. He expressly declares that the same spirit by which these elect strangers were quickened, preached by N oah to the disobedient Antedeluvians, whose spirits were now in prison, v. 18, 19, 20. He calls the Old Testament administration and scrip- tures the gospel, chap. iv. 6 — "For, for this cause W^s the gospel preached unto them also that are deacl, that they i[night be judged accordingto mea in the flesh", but live according to God in the spir- it." This passage contains a mass of information and proof of our plea. He is encour.'-.ging the believers' of his oV. n lime to patience and christian fortitude under the sore persecutions and fiery trials of their time. 1. From the example »f THE OLD TESTAMENT. 25 Christ. 2. From the example of ancient saints, long since deceased. *' That they might be judg- ed &c. 3. From the circumstance that they had not only the external gospeVbut also the internal administration thereof by the spirit. Again, ia the 2d epistle Ist chapter 1^ v. he refers to the glorious display of Christ's divinity, which was made on the mount of transfiguration, assuring them that the gospel was not a human device. *' For we have not followed cunningly devised fa- bles, when we made known wnto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ ; but were eye-witnesses of his majtsty. 17. For he receiv- ed from God the Father, honor and glory, when thtrL' came such a voice from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleas- ed. And this voice which came from heaven, we heard, when we were with him on the holy mount.' This was certainly very high authority— an Apos- tle declaring that he was an eye and an ear wit- ness of the majesty and glory of the Saviour. There is authority yet higher, or evidence yet more sure, vie. the writings of the Old Testament prophets. We must give attention to it. It is a light to direct us until we pass through the dark defiles of this nocturn;d state. VV^e are not wrest- ing it from its proper use by so doing, for it never was fle»if;ned only for temporary and partial sp- plirution, and a reason and proof is assigned, (hat it was fjivinely inspired. 19. We have a more snre w)i ' of proj/hecw whevaunto yi; ido, well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth. ipadark 54 TBC STA^NDING AUTHORITT QS place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts ; knowing this first, that no prophe- cy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy cam* not in old time by the will of man ; but iioiy men of God spalce as they were ■moved by the Holy Ghost. He foretells the fact, ■however, wiiich makes all thi-s reasoning necessa- ry, vi'2. that there would be false teachers in New Testament limes, as there had been false prophets in the Old, who, thotigh they should seem to be reformed by the knowledge of Christ, would after- wards turn from the holy commandment that was delivered unto them, for it is happened unto them according to the true proverb j The dog is turn- td to his vomit again, and the sow that was wash- ed to her wallowing in the mire. Thus it must be more tiian obvious, that they who deny the au- thority of the Old Testament scriptures to serve an end, have liot done denying ; they must deny the New also, and then they will rank anaong de- ists at once, and neither deceive their votaries nor pester their opponents with proving those things which ought among professors to be acknowledg- ed facts, and principles admitted. However, they do good ; their <:onduct is a fulfilment of prophecy, and will help to confirm the laiih of God^s chosen. Jade, while he exhorts to con- tend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints, describes those of another character. Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophecicd of them. Jude v. 4 — 14. So also John, in Kevc- Utioas xxii. 19. If any man shall take away froiv. THE OLD TESTAMENT. the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the l)ook of hfe jv making them to be without law, but putting the h*"w into their inward parts, and writing it in their hearts. He will be their God in covenant to save them, and they shall be his people to love, fear and serve him forever. From the discussion of this part, we may learn, First. In what order the scripture should be read. Second. The desperate n \ture of the cause, and the dangerous character of the system which re- jects the Old Testament scriptures. Third. The manaer of righilj understanding the scrip- tures. There is, you will at once perceive, an admirable wisdom in the arrangement of the word of God, That which we see around us is accounted for. Natural and moral phenomena are explained and connected. The hittorjr of the creation of alt tilings — the fall of man — the dispersion of the aboriginal tribes — the catastrophe which brought men ngaio within a narrovr circle, and left such C 26 THE STANDING AUTHORITY C? permanent vestiges of wniversal devastation, are all matters of such general interest and enquiry as every liberal and curious mind will want to un- derstand ; and how ar.e they lo know satisfactorilj' these things if they do not pay early attention to the documents provided by the ancient of days, who is the same. in all the vicibsiludes of man, and of nature ? The spirit which vilipends these sacred relicts of antiquity, is not only irreligious, but also bar- barous. Akin to this was the genius which des- troyed the Alexandrian library. The Mahome- tan did not deny the ancient excellency of the scriptures, but they v/ere so completely, ido'.a- trously and exclusively attached lo the Alcoran, that no other book, human or divine, of more an- cient date, was considered useful. The trial was short, and the sentence to the flumes. Either this book contains the same of the Koran, or some- thing different : if the former, i: is useless j if the latter, it is dangerous. The same spirit of illiberality and barbarity prevailed in the dark ages of reigning popery, when enthusiastic professors washed out the ink cf many ancient volumes of interesting matter, and wrote upon the washen parchments the lives of their saints. This view of the standisg authority of the Old 1 estament does not establish the ancient ritua-l, in its literal observance, but in its spirit and evan- gelical import as expounded by the New Testa- nient. It seems indeed almost incredible how THE OLD TESTAMENT. 27 any person can draw such an inference, seeing the inspired man who were most active and instru- mental in abrogating the observation of the one, were also zealous in establishing the authority of ihe other. The fair conclUsioB to be drawn, is, that the scripture is all of divine inspiration, and is re- tained and preserved for the important purpose of general edification, but thiit every part of it is to be taken and viewed in conncciion with every oth- er, and so used for the particular end designed* The typical, legal and prophetical parts of sci iptur e were in some sense particularly useful to those who lived whca they were first given. They h.id then DO other scriptures, and no' doubt GuU'i chosen had their eyes opened to lel^uld the win- ders of his law, and soil was found perfect lo conrert and edify the soul. They are particular- ly useful to us in another point of view. We see their accomplishment In the writings ef the New Testament in the history of the nations and of the Church, and so upon us the ends of the world of divine iHumination have met. What then must be our portion, if in the beam of such objective light, we are found subjectively and practically in darkness. JLet us then read all the scriptures humbly, thankfully, belicvingly and obediently. The first of these sentimtnis should be inspired and cherished, by a sense not only of the inadequacy of natural reason to discover sav- ing truth, but also of the necessity when a revela- tion is made, of enjoying the operation of the Spirit, to open our benighted eyes to behold the 28 THE STANDING AUTHORITY OF light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ. How thankful should we be that we enjoy such means. Mysteries which were hid frqm the foundation of the v^orld have been revtaled. If they are hid it is to the lost, whose e\es ihe god of this world has closed. If ihise art a stumbling block to the Jew, and foolish- re»s to ihe (ireek, they are the wisdom of God to the salvation of thenri that believe. Thanks then be to God "for hi& unspeakable gift." The faith with which all the scriptures should he read, res- pects more than the verity and authenticity of the scriptures, viz. the divinity of their subject, who is Jesus Christ, of whom Mosts and the Prophets, and the Psalms all spake. His character and achievemen's are revealed to our faith j himself and salvation to our reception. By him we be- come sons of God, and heirs of eternal Uf?, Shall we not then, as redeemed with the pre- c-ious blood of Christ, study to honour him, in all relations aud stations of life, being steadfast, un- nioveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that our labor shall not be in vain in the Lord. JVIay the spread of the bible in its letter be ac- companied with a difl'usion of its spirit and pow» er, that so its principles may be accurately knowi), its sanctifying influence in the heart be felt, and its anitlioraiing influence on society be universal- ly seent To this wish and prayer, we have no doubt every Christian will cordially subscribe his assent, and devoutly affix his — AMEN. On the Co'Dcnant ivitb Abraham, PART II. ^1JE have only a %'cry succinct account of the nature of the divine dispensation with adult or infant man in the Antedeluvian age and in the subdeluvian until the days of Abrahan), who is called the father of the faithful. Learned men are of dilTttrent opinions with re- gard to tho»e early times, in many point*. Whether they had any writttif annals, has been among other things controverted. . One ihinj; we know, that whatever means of evangelical instruction they enjoyed, to which we have not access, that was not considered of im- portance to us. The discoveries which the voice of God made to Adam, when he announced the gospel promise that the seed of the woman should bruise the head of the serpent — the institution and signification of the typical sacrifices, which represented the lamb slain from the foundation of th^ world would no doubt be contemplated with great interest by these patriarchial s."jges, and be transmitted, with peculiar care to their numerous successive progeny. Methinks I see the pristine sage himself, at once the teacher, priest and ruler of his numerous descendants, binding in their sight the devoted victim, and Vfith tears in his eyes explaining to ihcmihc reasoa and meaning of this strange ajj- a2- 30 THE GRACE OF TUB parent cruelty. Ah ! «ays hs, "behold ihe effects of my first sin, by whidh death hath been brought into the world, and ail our woe : by this as well as by our actual sins, I and all n>y posterity are bound over to death. But lo, with a smile bursts, ing through the clcud of grief, and showers of sor- row, he cries, ' BehoM the t) pica! substitute.* And sprinkling himself and his oifspring wiih the blood of the sacrifice, they are culltd by the nanie of Jehovah, and extol tn raptures of wondering joy the name of their redeeming God. The night advances. They draw near, with hearts fprir.k'- led froni an evil conscience, and bodies washed with pure water, to present their evening ac- kiiovsledgenients. Beneath the shade of soma lofty wide spread citron, entwined with the pliant vine,they participate a refreshing meal ; reclining for repose under the sable curtain of night, and wrapt 'in the skins of the saciifice, the Father still teaches them lessons of saving import. Ah} says he. By my sin you and 1 became naked to oar shame ; but lo, the imputed righteciisness of the promised seed, the second representative is for a cqveripg from the storm, and the rain of this present dark and dismal night. In this, then,l«'C us repose, until the eternal day shaVl dawn upon us in the beatific rays of which we shali be glori- ously clad and cveilastingly happy. We should egregriously err, however, shoiild we imagine there were then many preachers of such righteousness. No, the great man of mea vcrcflouing their licentious ^^.mbiticus^projccia ABRAHAMIC COVENANT. 91 ev€n while the ark was a building, which was jl20 year's : and after this period, while all tht- ttrrible vestiges of that catastrophe stared ihe subsequent gcnw rations wide in the face. The world aficr the flood is as mad as it was before. 'Jhcir am- bition yet towers — their hearts are towardi their idols — they follow their own sinful ways — their counsels and their tongues are judicially divided to prevent the execution of one sinful and silly de- vice — they scatter to plan and execute more — they multiply colonies and colonial deities. God, however, will have a seed toservte him, on whom he n.ay murk his name, as the sheep of his pasto- ral care. Abraham is for this purpose called from JJr of the Chaldees. As one of his chosea sKeep he hears his voice — he follows his shepherd, he knows not whither. It is enough that he hears the voice af the illustrious leader, saying, " This is the way." It is true he has no posterity when he starts with his kinsman and wife, yet this covenant is made with him and his seed. It is proper that we should now consider this covenant, itsseai^its promise. TKe werds by which making a cove- nant was expressed, chere cheteb, signify to cut the sacrifice, or divide the purifier. Doubtless the idea of the word, and the phraseology are deriv- ed from the ancient amd general rites performed in making treaties or covenants; the parties pas- sed through the bloody divided victim, inTocatiug iuch curscsjdiviaioas & death upon themselves, if ihcy htake th« siipuUtions of the solemn parUOA* 32 THE GRACE OF THE The kind af animal which, according to the taste of the nation, was considered peculiarly ex- cerlent for food, was generally used. Hence we find the Greeks and the Romans bi- secting ihe swine./— The Jews cutting the calf ia- twain. Whence the practice originated the re- flecting mind will not be at a loss to tell. No doubi the typical beasts which the great high- pi iest of ourproftsfiioD siew wheiihe first announ- ced the mysteries of the covenant of grace, gave rise to al'i these ceremonies among the several de- scendants- of Adam. When man by his sin had! Kroken the legal covenant, a«d so excluded Kim" self from all access to tb« favorarble presence of God, and the tree of life, there was thus a waj*^— ^ " a new and a living.way opened up." Jesus was the lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Christ the substitute stood in the gap — he took our sins upon him — he approached the Father^ sustaining the majesty of celestial royalty, against which we had rebelled^ He approached, ahhoug he knew he must be smitten with the sword ©f justice, instead of all thosQ tribes of elect men^ whose names he bears oh his breast, and in his heart;. Verily, " He was wounded for our trans- gression, he was bruised' for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by. his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray, but the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all, says the church. Isa. liii. Abraham saw his day, and was glad. Before A— tirahsim was! AM* It must be very evident^ tct ABRAHAMIC COVENANT. 33 all who know any thing of the burning nnajesty of the great God, that no mere man in his fallen state can approach this absolute God. His brilliant di- vinity must be vailed, his burning holiness must be quenched with vicarious blootl. He must be approached by a Mediator. Hence Jehovah says by the prophet, "who is this that engaged his fceart to approach unto me." Jcr. xxx. 21. Surel;^ it can be no other than the Father's equal Son. There is but one God, and one Mediator between God and man, the Man Christ Jesus. He is the Father's equal in his essence and nature, f*r eve- ry son is of the same nature of his father. The son of man is properly man. The Son of God is also really and properly God. In this respect, therefore, he says, I and my Father are one. H« condescends, however, not only to we.nr our na- ture but also to humble himself to Mediatory ser- vitude. In this nature and character, he says, "My Father is greater than I." John xiv. 28. From another fact, it must appear evident that Abraham could have no intimacy with God, but in and through a Mediator. No man hath seen God at any time, the cnly begotten who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. Joha 1, 18. In and through him God makes a cove- nant, or ratifies a testimentary deed with all be- lievers. Isa. Iv. Incline your ear, und come un- to nie, hear and yout souls shall live, and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, even the sure mercies of David. There can properly be only '.wo covenants res- 34 THE GRACE OF Tr7TS' pecting man's happiness in ihe erjoyment.of idJci- tating fellowship wiih God; First. A legal cov- enant wilh man in innocence. • Second. A gra- cious covenant respeciing man in a fallen state. This cannot be made primarily with man himself. It must be made wilh the suretjrand Mediator of a belter covenant, A covenant have I made wivh my chosen* IMercy shall be built up for ever. Psalm Ixxxix. This second and better covenant then, or testament, must be viewed as originally, & properly made with the Son of God in bt half of thos-e whom he is graciously to save. It is made with all believers in the reception of Christ by faith. They Jay hold ^f the covenant. For Christ is given a covenant of the people. This latter covenant of grace, though one in itself, may re- ceive several names, according as it is viewed in the difierent steps of its exhibition. As primari- lymade with Christ for the purpose of buying back and restoring to liberty the poor captive and bankrupt man, it may be railed the covenant of re- demption. — Considering the ' prinftipie which moved it, ans fitce ', and God IBRAHAMIC COVKNANT. 45 tilked wUU him saying, as for me, btholJ my covenant is with ihee, and thou shall be a father of many naliom. Can we li'mit this expressioa to the nation of the Jews ? Ceiti^inly not. Nay, it contemplates the good of all nations ir^ a future day, for he has promised who will perform,"! will bless them that bless thee ; and curse him that curseth thee, and in thee shall o// fa;iiilies of the earth be blessed. It is admicted that many received privileges, both temporal and spiritual, by becoming citizens of the Jewish common- wea'th and members of the Church. These were proselytes of the gate and proselytes of the cove- nant. It will also be granted that some who were friendly towards them, received favours on that account. Instance Hiram, Bibler, Hur, Jose- phus, &c. But this promise seems to imply something more. That they even all ih^familia of the earth, should be blessed in him. Bat how, it will be asked, in him ? It will be granted that those who descended legally and naturally from him, had many advantages. They were in hin* scminally — he was their natural parent — they were in him, when the promise was given — thcv had a primary interest in this covenaat. Hence, when Cephas preached and baptised, he perform- ed this his ministry among the descendants of Abraham in the wilderness of Judea. Christ preached to them almost exclusively. From them he called his disciples — he coaan»ands theta to go only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. AUkough the iahnbltaQts of SAmafia called Jacob 4(4> THE GRACE OF THE their father, and said our fathers worshipped in this mountain, yet our Saviour knew they were njongrcis and aliens fronr\ the commonweahh of. Israel, and so he says to his disciples— "Into iho cities of Samaria enter not." " It is not meet to take the children's meal and cast it to dogs. He calls them emphatically his own. John I. He came unto his own. Though they are now under sore judgments for rejecting anrd crucifying their Messiah, yet they are still preserved a distinct people for singuh-xr blessings in the latter days, ac- cording to the covenant which sovereignly mani- fests such favors for the descendants of Abraham. 9d. In him respects the descent of Christ from him. Whose are the fathers and of whom as con- cerning the flesh, Christ came, who is God over all. blessed forever. Rom. ij.-S. Not as though the word of God had taken none effect. For they are not all Israel which are of Israel: but, in Isaac shall thy seed be called ; ihat is, they which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God : but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. I'his is quoted and ar? gued from Gen. xxi. 12, where Abraham is com- forted upon the expulsion of Hagar's son from be- fore the face of Sarah. The Apostle reasons on the same topic, and to the same amount in i%'s epistle to the Galatians. iii. IG. Now to Abranam and tQ his seed were the promises made. He saith not to seeds, as of many ; but a^ of one, and to thy %eed^ which is Christ. The Son of God by iQc^rnauoji whs (^oth«4 with human nature, and ARRAHAMIC eOVENf.NT. 4j that in an eminent sense from Abraham, as the first noted character, from whom he should di- rectly spring. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels ; but h« took on him the »eed of Abraham. Hcb. ii. IG. This may seem hard to reconcile with what has before been quoted. How is he the seed and yet takes on him the seed ? He is the seed when he takes his name fronn his humanity. He takes the seed when he is de- nominated from his divinity. This will receive illustration, if we attend to what is said of Christ and David in relation to each other. Says Christ, '* I am the root and the offspring of David. He was David's root as God — David's offspring ai man. So also, though before Abraham in his di- %ine nature, He was in him and from him as man, 3d. In thee or in thy seed respects his spiritual descendants. " Say not, we have Abraham to oar Father, for God is able of these stones to raise up seed to Abraham." All then are the children of Abraham who arc believers, heirs of his faith. But how are they h-is children or seed, if he and ihej do not believe substantially the same promis- es, and be interested in the same covenant ? Ar« not believers now heirs of the covenant of prom- is* or of grace ? Is not this the same as being heirs of his faith ? If this be the case, then either they are not in the covenant of grace, or he was. If he was, then the Abrahamic covenant was a dispensation of the covenant of grace. But his posterity, even when infants, were visibly adntiit- led into the same external priviUges, ^aU had, un- 46 THE GItiCE OF THE til ihey forftltetl the right,' r.n interest in the bles- sing of Cod beli;g their Goa. Why shouM not this be the case still i the reiecting reader will ask. We leave the answer to those who oppose infant bapti«nr». It is evident that belitxers and their seed have row the same essential ptivileges that Abrahann had. Had he God for his God ? was he an heir of God by the proraise ? So are we. Those who rejected the promise of the Sa- viour are for a while rejected. We are in their roonn adn^itted into the number and have a right to all the privileges of the sons of God. John 1,13. As many as received him, to thtm gave he power to become the sons of God, even tp them that believe on his name. No matter whether they «re dtsccnded of him ornot,if they are in the same covenant by regeneration.^ Who are born net of blood, or of th,e'wiU of the flesh, er of the will of man, but of God. lie is no longer exclusively the Cod of the Jews, cr natural de- scendants of Abraham. No, the covenant chsr- tcr continues the same in its internal and essential bfnefits ; is become far more liberal in its exhibi- tion ; more inward and spiritual in its application. " Is he the God of the Jews en!y ? is he net of the Gentiles also ? yes of the Gentiles also." Kcm. iii. 39. Has the Jew then no advantage ? Yes ; becauss to them was the covenant of promise cr grace first -given. They had a precedency in the crdtr of kticcession j but we a pre-eminence in the nature of the dispensation. Many of the Fathers and ii- siety of God's pec^le is represented as still ihfi ABRAHAMIC COVINANT. 49k same vine, even in the days of David, notwith- standing the many years and revolutions which had taken place while the Chuich was in the wil- derness, in the time of ihe judges, and of his pre- decessor Saul. Yea, after the captivity they ^re still viewed as the same society, although during that time the cities had been laid wisie wiihouc inhabitants, and the houses without men, wnd ihe land desolate. But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return and shall be eaten ; as a teil tree and as aa oak whose substance is in them, when they cast their leaves, so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof. Isa. vi. 13. New what was it that maintained the identity of this plant ? It was the holy seed. Ii had not only the organization of a plant by the covenant charter, but it bad also a substance from the spirit of Jesus Christ, who is the sijme yesterday, to-day and forever. Thus he speaks of the same subject >n the New Testament. John xv. 1. I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh away : and eveiiy branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit. From this passage it is evident that there are two ways of being in Christ, viz. one by profession of religion, and another by possession of real grace. The form,er the great husbandman taketh away. This he does in several ways. By discipline when faithfully administered by the servants of God and stewards of bis house, those who bear Qo fruit, or bad fruit, will be taken away. Tke 30 THE GRACE OF THE laborers will eut off the dry branches by the aa* ihorjty of the great Husbandman. By perseeu" tjon or some worldly inconvenience, those who hold not religion in supreme consideration, will be tempted to part with it. When the profession of the truth requires sacrifice — anon they arc of- fended — they went out from us, i. e. from our visible connection, because ihey were not of us, i. e. by inward, spiritual union. Sometimes this pjay be omitted, till death make the 6aal separa- ti©», when the tares resemble very much the wheat ; — the taking of the tares may be postponed until the wheat is ripe, and then the wheat will be gathered into the heavenly granary, and the tares will be cast into the unquenchable fire of heir* Those who, like the rich man in the parable, do nothing for God's pcwar chuich and people, but think themselves bound to do nothing more than what the laws of the community bind them to do, will then see their mittake, when the Lazaruses whom they have neglected, shall be in Abraham's bo«om, and they rejected, and not a drop of water be aflbrded to cool their scorching tongues. This subject will reeeivc farther illustration, if we attend to the Apostle's reasoning. Rom. xi. He asks — Hath God cast away his people ? God forbid ! For I also am an Israelite of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. He shews thcit there was an election or rcunnant of the body of Israel, even at that time, when the rauUitudc were unbelieving and so evidently going to des- truction. He seems to hint too that there wcris ABRAIIAMIC COVENANT. 51 more of these tban perhaps some superficial ob- servers would reckon. In limes of prosperity in the Church, there seems to be more than they re- ally are ; in times of persecution and of Sun^s trouble, there will appeal to be fewer than they really are. This he illustrates from the state of the church in Klijah's time. When the prophet concluded that he was alone, God told him he had rescived seven thousand in Israel who had not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. S. vcn thousand who had walked in the holy way of ihcir father Abraham, who, with his posterity, were to be aeperated, by profession and practice, from the idolatrous nations was a considerable numl)er, :4n<-l yet it was nothing to the many thousands of Is- raei who followed the popular and court religiact of that very corrupt lime. The Apostle accord- ingly says — "Even so then at this present time, there is a remnant according to the tlactioo of grace." This small remnant however are more counted of than all the rest, although a very in- considerable minority. They have the ecclesi- astical constitution upon their side. Arcc-rdin^ly the rest are represented as branches broken off; they are spoken of as the originai stock, v. 17. And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou beiig a wild olive tree, wert grafted in a- mong them, and with them partakest of ihe root and fatness ef the olive tree, boast not against the branches : but if thou boast, ih ju bcarest not the root but the root thee. What then is this good olive tree from which some branches were lopped St THE ©RACE or THE and into which some others were engrafted ? ]t is evident it must be a church state ; for about church matters he is reasoning. Whether thca 13 it about a church state of ancient or of modern ©rganization ? of Jewish or of Gentile origin ? or to spehk in the ordinary way about this subject, does the Apostle mean by this good olive tree the Jewish or the Christian Church ? It is evi- tlint it cannot be the latter, for the Jews as such never belonged to this organization ; of course co«!d not be taken off that on which they never were fixed. The Apoitle considers however the Church constitution esscntixilly one. There is •bnt one Church. It is quite absurd t« speak of a Jewivh and a Christian church, for the same church which was in the wilderness, is now and ever will be. The mountains may depart, aad the hilU be removed, but the covenant of his peace, rminently revealed to Abraham, renewed with Isaac andjacob, shall never be removed. I would not have you ignorant, says the Apostle, that :ill our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, andwere all baptised urtto Moses in the cloud & in the sea ; and did all eat the same spiritual meat, and did all drink the same spiritu- al drink ; for they drank of the rock that follow- ed them, and that rock was Christ. 1 Cor. x. I, 2, 3, 4. The Saviour aad spiritual things were known to them by diiferent names, and exhibited in different modes, but these spiritual things are still the same.— The Saviour still one and the «ame. There are diversities of adnaiaistratioDi ABRAHAMIC COVENANT. 53 bat the same spirit. Were the G'^ntiles now in- troducecj into gracious privileges and blessings of the covenant of grace in a church state ? Well. It was the same blessing and the same covenant state which Abraham before enjoyed, and into which his posterity were through him introduced. Thus the A;*Qstle reasons. Gal. iii. 14. That the blessing of Abraham might come on the (Gentiles through Jesus Christ ; that wc ml^ht receive the promise of the Spirit through faith, v. 15, Brethren, I speak after the manner of m-.-n ; Though it be but a man's covenant ; (does not this most clearly shew that the covenant he speaks of is God's covenant, or the covenant of grace, for he reasons from the Itrss to the greater) ) et if it be confirmed, no maa disannuUcth, or addeth thereto, v. 16. Now to Abraham atd his setd verc the premises made. All iliis is so congen- ial not only with the tenor and scope of scripture, but even with the honest and fair ncgociations of men in a s»cial state, according to the represent.^- tive system, that it may indeed &eem strange that any should either deny or misunderjitand it. Sure every one knows that so long as the churier of any society continues, or the constitution of any cemmuniiy, that it is still the same socieij-, and the same community, although it may change a thousand times rts members ; be increased or di- minished, or altered in its by laws to anj- degree you caa imagine. Suppose a civil society to be formed by settling at first all of one nation, it is afterwards mixed, and Bnally ih« desccBU-tntt of 54 THE GRACE Of Tilt the original stock become extinct — it is still the same political body. All the treaties or contracts made by the aborigines would stand in the court of nafions, and the original constitution would just as much belong to the last members as to the first. This principle of the identity of organic bodies, seems to be understood in physics and ethics, and jurieprudence — in every thing but where it is most true and of most importance that is in regard ©f the Church, What privileges do we Gentiles now enjoy ? Is it not that though once aliens, we are now fel- low citizens, and of the household of faith ? We are come, not to the mount that might be toueh- ed,and that burned with fire and to blackness and darkness, or we are not introduced into the dark^ typical, and terrific legal part of ancient dispensa- tions. But we are come to mount Sion and unto the city of the living God, to the heavenly Jerusa- lem, and to an innumerable company of angels. To the general assembly and Church of \.\\e first born which are written in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect. Were God's people as a nation called out of and separated from an unbelieving idolatrous world ? So are we— called out of every people and tongae and nation, to be to him a peculiar people, a holy nation, a royal priesthood. But are we by this made a new society or different community from that which God of old re- deemed l He has but one body, for he is one head; ABRAttAMIC COVENANT. S5 he has one sheep-fold, for he is one shepherd ; one kingflom ; for he Is one king. By the blooi of the covenant he haa made of twain on« nsw man, so making peace. In Christ there is taei- ther Jew nor Gentile, bond nor free : all are one, He has united all things in heaven or in earth. Is this done by altering the constitution and ar- rangement of things respecting those already in glory, or is it not rather by altering and conform- ing things on earth to the pattern of things in heaven ? Either then the ancient saints vrerc trained up for that place, by a dispensation of grace, or we are not, or they and we cannot be united. If they were not, and we are, then our ed- ucation and theirs are essentially different. They and we are not, cannot, be socially and beatifictUy united. One will speak the language of Canaan, and the other the language of Ashdod. They will be barbarians to us, and we to them. We cannot be united as one nation, our language, our sentiments, our spirit have been so different* Who but sees the absurdity of this ? They with- out us could not be perfect, nor we without them. The reason is obvious. The body is one. We are all members ©ne of another. All must be unitedly exhibited as the reward of his suffering, when ha shall see of the travail of his soul, and be satisfied ; when he shall surrender the kingdom unto his father ; saying here am I and the chil- dren whom thou hast given me. Though gath- ered from different ages and places', they shall tkca be ONE GREAT NATION. Th« charter ba? 56 TMK 6RACE Olr THE always been the same. The one charter of all their rights has been the covenant of grace, and when all the diversities of opinions shall be dis- pelled, by the vision of glory, the differences of limes, in which they have lived, shall be all lost i« the duration of eternity. Then shall Abel, the Protoraartyr, whose spirit first of human souls, enjoyed celestial bliss, and the last believing spir- it, who shall close up the rear of the great ran- somed multituds, unite in sweetest symphony, in shouting, '* Grace, Grace, unto it." But are we still told that this all might be the case, and yet the Abrahamic covenant not be a dispensation of the covenant of grace, because he lived in a typical period ? What ! nnight grace be exhibited, and grace applied for salvation, and yet the dispensation not be gracious ? It must b« remembered that typical and gracious are not op- posites, capable of being contrasted, cr contradic- tory, incapable of recftneiliation,. 0f what were the ordinances of that period typical? Do you- say, of the external ordinancet of the gospel dis- pensation ? Then there must be some anti'13 pe in these of the rite of initiation. What is that, if not baptism ? Again do you say, they w«re typi- cal of spiritual things? If so, then what is the essential difference between thena and the ordi- nances of grace now ? In this sense the erdi- nances may still be called typical, for they still address men's reason through the organs of sense and perception. They yet regard man as consist- ing of soul and body j a capdidate ia lime for eternity. ABRAMAMIC COVEKANT, 57 Is it farther objected, that our system makes Abraham a Mediator ? We answer, by no means. On the contrary, we establish from scripture that he had the same One Mediator that all belicTers have. The covenant we have seen was not orig" inally made with him. It was the eternal cove- nant which only received a formal aod eminent rat- ifieatioB with this illustrious patriarch. Finally* Is it objected that nothing but a natural birth was required in the Abrahamic covenant, but that a spiritual birth is necessary in order to partake of the privileges of the covenant of grace ? To this we answer, by asking ; Were there any saved under that dispensation ? Were the be- lievers of that day, and under that dispensatiom regenerated or unrcgcnerated ? Did they believe without the operation of the Spiirit, or with it ? If with it, then they were regenerated, as well as ^e. If they were not, how did they enter into heaven ? Except a man be born again he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven. Is it said the kingdem in John iii. means the visible Church ? Grant it, and are the terms of admittance into the latter stricter than into the former ? Can they be admitted into the heavenly society without regen- eration, and not into the earthly — into the trium- phant, and not into the militant Church ! ! ! Again, can none be members of the church now unless they be regenerate ? Was Judas regene- rated i No ; he was the son of perdition. Was Simon the sorcerer regenerated ? No ; he was in the gaU of bitterness and in the bond of laiqui- 58 THE GRACE OF THE ty. ^^'tre (h« story grouiod hearers, the tares and the many that fehall say, Lord, Lord, &c. at the last suing for admittance renewed^ Were they who fled for fear of persccatioB, regenerated, who wervt out from us, because they were not of us ? These descriptions were all privileged with the partici- pation of gospel ordinances; belonged to the visi- ble society of the saints, yet unregeneratt • The truth on this subject appears to be thi», that the Church in old and new tesian>ent times, has had true and false merabers^ The true menn- bers always were made so by the regeneration of the Holy Spirit, This benefit is certainly impli- ed, and, that not obscurely, in the great promise of this dispensation, I will be your God. 1 his tlie apostle Peter quotes to encourage his 3000 con- verts. *• The promise," tays he •*Is to you and to your children." This he mentions to encour- age them that they should receive the Holy Ghost. It is then evident that if a disperEaticn, >vhereby God is manifested in mercy throngh Jesus Christ, and by the Spirit of God be a dis- pensation of grace, tkis covenant with Abraham must be so called, i. e. The Abrahamic ecvcnant was gracious. Not only has it continued to un-^ fold its stores of grace to all ages past, but will in all age« of time and eternity to come. I will be t/oiir God, It intimated that all the seyeral advances of the covenants execution, would tale place in their proper order and time ; of course, that Christ would appear as the great «refi/'— that he would Le cut off, bui net for him- ABRAHAMIC COTINANT. 59 8«lf, that he would bring in an everlasting right- eousness, Dan ix. 24, thax in him, all nations of the earth should finally be blessed. Hence it is evi(Jept thai a great many bleeaiogs of this covenant arc yet to be enjoyed. We are not without our interest in it, if v/c be be- lievers, God is our God, nnd the God of oar seed, as wc\l as be was the God of Abrahan) aad his. We reckon that he is so by the greatest grace. This promise will be eminently accom- plished, when the Jews shall be brought in by the fulness of ih* Gentiles, All Israel shall be saved, as it is written, Isaiah lix, 20. ** And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord. As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the Lord ; My Spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put into thy mouth, silhall not depart out of thy mouth ; nor out of the mouth of thy seed, aor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and forever. Then shall mea be particularlf blessed in the seed ot Abraham ; all natix>nf shall call him blessed, according to the promis« of this gracious covenant. The people shall praise him, all the people shall praise him : The earth shaU yield its increase, and God, even our God, shall bless us. Whereas, but a small peo- ple, inhabiting a little spot of territory, were an- ciently his peculiar possession, then shall the kingdoms of the world, become the kingdoms of our Lord, arvd of his QhrisC. This g;re4t do- 6Q. thc grace ot, &c. miQion shall extend from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. The whole vrorld shall be filled with the knowl- edge. of the glory of the Lord. One shall say I am the Lord's, and another shall subscribe him- •elf by the name of Jscob ; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord, and surname himself by the name of Israel. They ■hall say, come and let us join ourselves unto the Lord, in an everlasting covenant that shall not be forgotten. But even in all the glories, and felici- ty of the millenial agt, we shall not exhaust the blessings and grace of this covenant. " I will be yourGodf no, they shall come from the east, and from the west, and sit down xvitk Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, in the kingdom of our heavenly Father. They shall encircle, according to this charter, the Eternal's throne. They shall inhab- it those mansions, which thc RcdcemingSeed hath purchased, prepared, and preoccupied. Then all the ransomed of the Lord, shall meet en the summit of the heavenly Sion« and join in tike harmonious choir of praise to God and the Lamb, in the new Jerusalem, for ever and ever. PART III. The permanent sanction of the moral Lavi. IT is very observeable that in all the cli^pen- aations of Providence, atid grace, the )'oung and helpless are preserved and defended. Anionjj the animal tribes, the operations of providential kindness to this effect, arc very conspicuous. By the storgeal affection and parental instinct their indigent and imbecile young are nourished, with unwearied kindness, and defended some- times by fraud, sometimes by force, with astonish- ing skill, and courage. The weak seem to say, I am strong ; and the timid who have recourse to no defence for themselves, but flight, will, when guarding their young, place themselves '.n bellig- erent attitude, against the fiercest assailant, and most rapacious destroyer. To this interesting phenomenon, God's care of his people, and children, is often compared. In the period of Israel's redemption, and the subse- (queni Sinaic legislation, God's care for the seed of Israel, and the children of his peojple, is re- markable. The Egyptian po'icv, worse thra saVagc cruel- ty, contemplated the diminution of Israel's strength — Every male infant, for this purpose, must be put to death. But co, the matrons oi ¥ 62 THE PERMANENT SANCTION OF Isrnd are strong, and the mic'ivives bT Fgypt are tender. 1 h-: children ?.r«- spnri'd ; the more thty are oppressed, the more they grow — they come cut not one week arnonj all fhid the God of Jacob hath sent me unto you. 'Ihia is my name for- cvw, and this is my memorial unto all genera- tions." lie will be kuGwn by a name exi>rt>»i8ive of his relation to this patriarch and his seed for- ever. Of his gracious kindness according to kls covenant, to the posterity of Abraham, he wiil preserve a memorial to all gener-^tians oi men. That this legislative transaction should disjn- nul the covenant of promise is very un.ikcly. That it should, there can hardly be supposed jmy thing more absurd, unless it should be, thai the anti-typical redemption did. " Is the law then •gainst ih« promise of God ? God foibid ; for if there had been a lavr which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law." Gal. iii. 21. It is not only upon the principles of priorit}-* which in all courts is a strong claim, bm also be- cause both of these events were coaicm^)iut<.d in this ancient covenant. We have seen that the re- demption fiom Egypt was effocled by the Lord, because he remembered his covenant with their fathers, and it is equally evident that the New- 'J'estament redemption of his people out of all nations, wherein ih«) have been scivauts of sin and slaves to Satan, is eentemplated in the very terms of the Abrahamic diapensaiion of the cove- 64 fHE FIRMAMENT SANCTION OF naDt of grace. Gal. iii. 8. "And the scripture foreseeing that Gud wrould justify the heathen through faith, preached the gospel before unto Abraham, *ajing. In thee shall all natioas be bli^ssed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham, v. 17. And this I sav, that the covenant that was confirmed bcfere of God in Christ, the law that was 430 years aft«r, cannot disannul that it should make the promise of none effect." It is true, if the law should be considered as a covenant of works, and obedience to it be the supposed condition of life and happi- ness, then it would have this effect, to abrogate the previous dispensation of grace. Bui this was not the case, v 13. " For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise, but God g:ive it to Abraham by promise. The moral law however was and still is useful. By this sinners are led to the knowledge of sin, and believers are directed to dnty. It is a rule of life in the hands of a Mediator to believers. The ceremonial law was a veiled gospel, or as the scripture expresses it, a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. Sofa) from Christ's coming to destroy the ancient covenant ©f promise, that the promises were in bim, all yea and amen. They were fulfilled and ratified in Jesus Christ. In the giving of the law and tUe redemption of that period, he is known by the name Jehovah, immutable in his charac- ter, and faithful to his promises of salvation. Then might Israel say, "The Lord is our judge, TIIIL MORAL LAT'. OJ the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is oi.r king, he will save iis.'* The intelligent would at once see that the law was holy, and jiui, and good. It is evident too, that whatever were the n:ian- ifcsiations of propitious providenc* and benign gf-ace to adttlts ; the sat«e, if not greater, were made to tliu children. 1 hey, as well as ihe a- clolts, "art baptised in the cloud and in the sea." God cair.cs them as on eagles v«lng-^ — he s()reads his cloudy piesetite over them, to correct the fer- vid h:;at of day. and chiiling damps of night, I'o all of them in the preface of thi-s law, he most graciously says. *' I am the Lord ) our I'Od." 'i lie form of this preface, as well iis iis pl^ce in relation to the law, will abundantly satibfy all who know any thing about grace, that there was grace in (his Icrgaiion, and| so long as grace shall lavSt, this law must of course be considered as h.ning a gratioui nancliou. " Because God is the Loly, the lump is also holy, if the root be holy, so arc the brunchtrs." P'^ilicular provision was made for the educalio« r 3 &6 IHK Pr.P.MAStNT SANCTION OT Oi' ynuih in ihi« code, v. 8lh. " And thou shatt show thy son in that day, sayln{» ; This is done because of that which the Lord did unto me, when I canne forth out of Egypt, v. 9. And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes ; that the Lord^s la^ut may be in thy mouih, for with a strong hand hath the Lord brought thee out of Egypt.*' v. 14. And it shall be, w hen thy son asketh thee ia time to come, saying. What is this ? that thou shalt say unto him. By strength of hand the Lord brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage." There was gospel mystery in all these rites and in the events which they commemorat- « d, a»d therefore the parents must be careful to instruct their children in their allusion and sig- nification. They were charged not only to an- swer the qiiestions, which juvep-ile curiosity might propound, and which parental piety will always feel a peculiar pleasure to gratify ; but they were lo make the gospel of the^ir time and of that dis- pensation the great topic of discourse ! Children were embraced and eontcroplated in the body of the decalogue or ten commandments. Thus in the second, parents are charged by all the solicitude they would naturally have for theij. children, to worship God in no other way than in that of divine institution. They must make to themselves no similitude or imitation for their supposed help or imaginary gratification in wor- ship. They must receive, observe and keep pure ^d entire all su ch religious worship and ordlnaa- THE MORAL LAW. 67 ces^ God halh appointed inijis word. Why ? " For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, vis- iting the iniquicies of the faihers upon the chil- dren Mtito the third and fourth generation of them tb^t hate me, and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my command- ments." See how abundant he is in mercy and grac6 eves in legislation. Again, in ihe fourth precept of the decaloguei where he enjoins the sanciificalion of one whole d ses to make with the children of Israel in tke land of Moab, beside the covenant which he made with them in Horeb. v. 10. Ye stand all of you before the Lord your God, your captains of your tribes, your elders and your officers, v. 11. Your liiile ones .'" Not enly those who were there born, but also tho&e who were not born were con- sidered by representation present, v. ** That thou shouldcst enter into covenant with the Lord thy God, and into his oath which the Lord thy God mukeih with thee this day ; that he may es- tablish ihce to day for a people unto himself, and that he may be uuto thee a God as he said unto THE PERMANENT SANCTION ©F 7© thee, and as he haih swore unto thy iaihers, (© Abraham, to Isas^c and to Jacob. Neither wiih you only do I make this covenant and this oath; but with hiRi that standcih with us this day be- fore the Lord our God, and ahc with him tlict- in net here this day. v. 29. 1 hose things nhick^ftr revealed, btlong unto us and to our child) en for- ever, that v.e may do all the works of this law.'* From all these fscts respecting the utility of lb e law in its nature and tendency, and fronn ii» durability in its very form, it nmst be e\ i Jcnt, tiiat, if these moral end salutary precepts bt; abrogsttd, their abrogation must b£ very tuplicit, aud must be dor.e by competent authority. It sorxetimes hftppeus that people through prej- udice, pride, and superstition, are attached to sysierus t. hich they had better renounce ; but )$, is also uue, that a great dtd dcpends-upon the attachment ©f a people to a system, Vihether it shaU be salutary to them or not. To this wc may, V. iih safely add, that it is very improbable, to say the least of it, that a people would be too much attached to the laws cf their God. Were the children of Israel ever blamed for this ? No. They are blamed foi the very contrary. Ihty made void the law cf God through thtir tradi- tions. Whatever therefore Christ and his Apos- tles say against the Pharisees, Scrilics. ard La\%- givers of that period, must be understood against their traditionary expositions, and superstitious observances of human appendages; not sgainst )hc bu- itself. It is true they might put too n.uch. 71 THE MORAL LAW. dfpendarice en ihe literal observance of the lair. The law is only good when lawfully used, ami Doctors of bw hnve still an adoge, '• Siimmum jus est sufnma injuria." The height of the law is the height of injusiicc. They abused the Jaw very much, by taking tliose precepts which were designed to regulate the decisions of the judge upon the bench, in times vrhca greatest rigour was necessary, tUcse they took to be common maxima, of ordinary life. By this means they juRiified their relentless cruelty and revengefi*! disposition. The law was net to blame for this ; nor is Christ to be considered as speaking against the law of retaliation in every case when he re- pjoves this its abus?. Neither will the reproof which he administers to profane swearers be coa- «idered, by any but ignorant enthusiasts or de- signing kn-wes, to be a repeal of the law respect- ing testimony npon oath. " An oath for confirm mation is sti4l im ordinance of God to put an end to strife." Judicious and tender Christians may, and stlU do, testify against crtielties perpetrated by individ^ Aials and communities under the pretext of law* even di\ine. They may, and still do, testify a<» gainst the profane forms, and profane frequency of oaths. They, notwithstanding, constantly plead that individuals, Churches and nations should avouch God to be their God— that thejr should walk in his statutes, keep hi* ordinances, and in case of sufncieni importance and difficulty jiwcar by his great and dreadful name. fi VQE PERMANENT SANCTISN et. If this be coflsidered digression, we arc not to blame, hut our opponents, who h«v€ dra|;ged it into the controversy. If they are forced to take refuge in an antinomian plea, it cannot be against the lavr or cause of this controversy to plead for the permanent sanction of the Moral Laxv. I know some of the baptist brethren will say. We do not affirm that Christ came to destroy the law. We do say with the Apostle — " The law is holy ^nd just and good. We wish they would all say »«o. When they do, we shall in our rwgociations «rith them^ desist from long discussions of a con- troversial nature x>n this point. It is extremely ^difficult at present for their want of union among themselves to know, in what manner to meet them ^n their views of the flaw. They have eacompat- aed the camp of truth ; not in regular battalions marching in rank and file, but in skulking parties^ like companies of Indians, hordes of Vandals, or legions of Gog and Magog- Some say there arc ten commandments ; some say there are eleven { some say there are six { some four ; some two ; some one j some none. Some say there are tea, but like the Papists who, erasing the second, be- cause it does j!9t well comport with their hosts and images, make tv\^ ef tke tenth* So some of the mudern Heformers take away the fourth a who shall deliver me from thy Lurdcnson^e precepts ! No — " But O wretch- ed man, v/ho shall deliver me from the body of this death ? I thank God through Jesus Christ. So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God." This he would not say if he had a heart hatred of the fourth commandment. The fourth 8© THE PEI3y in which hosannas shnuld l)e sung, and salva- tion declared in Sion. On fhis day should the souls and the bodies of the redtemed loe nllVc- tionately bound to the altar of instituted woisM^), that tht-y may be ofTered living sacrifices, huiy and acceptable to God. On ihis day, Chrtfitians Will rtjoice to receive blessings from ike Chorch or house of the Lord. In holy ehuion »kin thall men worship ihc FMiherj ihai is Lxclugiv.tly, b'a every wlierc men shall tall on vhc Lord, aiid bb accepted." And when did this lake plact. i Aflcr the advcni of Mi-ssiah, or in New 'I'cfet..- liient limes : and )et actoiditig to the prophr'^ there is a sabbath lo be kepi irom pulluiing \^. Lz'v-kict tilso, X ill. chapter, 27ih verse pic^.ua* cies of the sime lime and of the change uuJ olj- SL-rvatVon'of the sabbath day. "And it shall l»v ., %vhcn those days are expired, that upon the eig!.;h ilay and so forward, the priest shull njuke jour burnt offerings upon the altar, and your ptucc of- ferings, and I will accept you, s.iith the Lj.d God." Our Christian sabbaih is upon ihe eighth day from creation, and so forward. Upon ihai d ly spiritual sacrifices are accepted. By ihis ch.;nge, if you just consider ihiii mournful day in which the disciplts had no rest, because ihcy ihoujjhL tlieir M.isier was gone, never mure to rtvjrn, blotted out of the calendar of chris.ians, the Gist day sabbaih just comes in its room — a day ifl vhich tlieir troubled minds w:;re comforted and restored to rest, in the manifcataiious of ih.if risen KeJeemer. At any rate, it is very evident, count as you will, thai the fourth comai.;ndmetit was always practicable. There never was a wtti •nihou'. a sabbach j there n.v.r w^s a wctk wiili 88 THE PfFJIANINT SAKCTION GT two. All] oiigb the day was changed fiom ihe tevemh to the fust, or as the Prophet txpressts it, "on the eighth day, and so forward, the priests shall ofltr your burnt oflTerings, he. and I will ac- cept you. still it was the sabbath of the Lord God, as we will more fully shew. Scconti objection. That the observance of a seventh pv'it of time is rot a duty of nature, and rot particularly cominand(.^d in the New Testa- uit-nt. Ar\f-\v<*r, Wf have alrea.ly proved wiih rc'a« t'on to tlic tt-nth com'-n:iudment, that it is not ne- {•f ssiSry ihat a h«\v, which shall be ar cou*nted mor- al Hivi jurrr.ment, &l;ou (1 be obvious to our natu- r:if ui.'.ii rst:»r.cling ^nd unrenewed conscience, h is enough that the observance of it be found j.errnanenily to be of practical utility. We are noi to conclude neither tliat nothing is discovera- \-\f which we have not discovered. Nature teat-he^i us a?, a theorem, that there is a God, and 2S a problem or practical maxim, that he is to be worsliipped. I cannot see why it is not as evi- ?!cnt, that he is to be wdrshijipc-d on some fixed or :!;-.puintid time, as thai he should be worshipped at all. We may not be able perhaps to shew by the light of nature, «hat the seventh part is more J' roper than the sixth or eighth par^. I prebume, I otwithotanding, that none bi.t cavillers will say, ti.at tliere is therefore no more propricy in the one ai langement ihnn there woulti be in the other. It is clear, that in all ages, soci.il nc.-in hi.s ob- KLi\tu Uic seventh part ol lime, and counted day*' THE MORAL LA\r. 89 by vr?cks. It is from this circumstance tlvU we have the epithet Sunday, us the nume of t!ie first djy of the week. Nine can be -at any loss to know from whence it rece.veJ ih.it n.:me. On the first day light was made. Alihou^i^h this light was not rtgularly orgmlzcd or incorporated into the body of the sun, or i.-to distinct and va- rious luminous bodies, as it afterwards was on the f 'urih day ; yet it is evident, fhat it was so c^n- giomer.ded and the revolu'.ivi.is of the t.irth io ordered, that there wasevcu'i-g and morning or alternate dark'.iess and light. That dj\ then, crt whivh it was first seen to rise, not from a prtvi- cus circuit on anoth.r hemisphere, but from the h rnd of the Father of lightSj has vi-r, n.iiutaily 1)1 en Called Sunday. ' We do not plead f^r the propricfv of that i-n-. ' scriptural and heathtn nam^ of the Lord's da^ or Christian sabbath. Some of the Fathers, \s ho wished to be understooil by Gf-ecian and Rom.,n readers, gtve i: that title. But it certainly is ■worthy of remark, that the Sun of K;gh'.eou6ii;;.s, the Sun of the world of grace, rose upon the same day as did the sun of nature. l» buih cases, rt is evident the dark-aess must have bcenb fare ihe light. The evcciug or dark time, and the moin- iiig or light time, was the first day. It is clear on the least rcflHrciion that the first day did not, could not, begin nor end with swnset } and it is equaHv evident, that the firsi day, upon which Christ roiij did not begin with sun-set, nor end. Very early .in the morning, while it was yel ditik, lh« womea u t • '> THE PERMAKENT SAKCTION CI ■r>'" to the sepulchre : In the evening of the me day, when the disciples were assembled and t c doors shut, Christ noet wiih them. John xx* 1 , 19. Whatever therefore may be the practice of the J> ws. and some cnngregntional churches, V bo begin the Sabbath from sun-set of Saturday, yv.r] end it at sun-set of Gabbath, it does not ap- pear thiit from the beginning either of the world of nature, or of the world of grace that it was so. 7 he practice of the refornriing ruKr Nthemiah li !S been quoted as authority fur this pr.ict'ce. I do not see. however, what end it answers to tl ose v>ho cite it. It seems indeed rather against ihem. lie first testified against the profane mer- (hopts of Jn(l;ih themselves, who brought their wares iiito market on t'lnt dny. Keproof he kfiew V ou'd be cast away upon the Tyrian hucksters \^!iO brought fish into Jeru'^alem. He reproved trie p;.r;rt uubles, however, because they tolerated such trjidc on the Sabbath. In the third place he ci dered the ga;e to be shut, V/hen ? Why when it begftn to be dark before t,he Sahbath^ and in the fi.uith place, v.hen they would yet profane the sabbath by l)ing about the walls, to be in early pftcr tl'.e sabtaih was over, he threatened, if they persisted in this thai he would L>y hands on them. 1 his is a true statement of the matter, and what is there in it that favours the beginning and end- ing of the Sabbath with sun-set ? That you may have it before you in stud) ing the matter, recite the passage as it stands. Nch. xiii. 15. *'In those days I saw in Judah seme treading wine presses TKZ MORAL LAW. §1 on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lad- ing asses : as also wine, grapes and figs, and all iri:inncr of burdens, which they broughi into Je- rusalem on the s ibbath day ; and I testifi^rd against them in the day wherein they sold victuals. There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all nmnner of w.ire, and «old on the saWjaih unto the children of Judah and in Jc- rosa'cm. Then I contended with the nobles of Jud.th, and s.ud unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and prof >ne the sabbath day ? Did not your fathers thus, and did not your God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city ? jet ye biirg more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath. And il came to pass that when the gate» of J<'.ru3'alem begin to be dark before the Sibbaih, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they shouM not be opened lill after the siibbath : and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should be no burden brought in on the sabbath day. So the merchants and sellers of all kinds of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice. Then I testrficd against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye aboat the wall ? if ye do so again I will lay hands on } ou. From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath." We readily grant that this concluct was influen- ced by the spirit of true religion, and left upoa record with divine approbation, to be a copy for imitation to all Christian magistrates that would study the welfare of the people, over whom the/ 92- THE PrKMANENT SATCCTION ©F rule; but how it proves the propriety of cctn- mencing and lerminaling the sabbath with the go- irgt the same absolute time, in which others may be engaged in v.'orship and sabbath keeping. To this mode of calculating there would be no end of distinction. Ilcwever proper it may be to shut gates and put a stop to the hurry of business c-n th« evening before the sabbath, this does not be- gin the sabbath, but is preperatory for it. Even should it be proved, that the Jewish sabbath did begin with suB-sel, that will not prove that cur's ought, any more than it will prove, that our sab- bath should be the seventh day of the week, as their's was. Wc can easily see how Christ was THE MORAL LA\r. W part of three days in the grave, whether we begin ihe day wiih san-aet or midnight. The way, it appears, that ihe Jews connpuied time, was this : They counted the night by watcheg or periods of three hours each, and the day by hours. The first watch of the night was from sun-set or six o'clock to nine — the second watch fiom nine to twelve, or n^idnight — the ihird, from twelve to three in the morning — the fourth^ or morning watch from three to six. Their day agnin was computed from six or sun-rise. From the sixth to the seventh, accotding to the Rojxian computa- tion, or as we wouM say, from six to seven, they called the first hour of the day — from seven to eight, the second, from eight to nine the third, &c. It appears too that afcout such an hour sig- nifies, in their style, when that hour had nearly expired. Thus about the sixth hour seems to in- timate that it was about noon, at which time the sixih hour of their d<)y transpired. At the third - liour or nine o'c'ock A. M. Christ was nailed up* on the cross. Mark xv. 25. About the sixth hour or noon, the darkness commenced, and con- tinued till the ninth hour or three P. I\I. Math. xivii. 45. Luke xxJii. 44- About this tme na- ture was all convulsed — the vail rent — the graves opened — tlie earth quaked. The centurion con- fessed — "He glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man. And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which Were done, smote their breasts and return- ed." All seemed to have been moved with hor- 04'- TtlE PLll.MANENT SAKCTI-OtV C?-' for or sympathy bur ihe rolU'R htiirted |,liarisee3^ ■. Thty were insensible to all fecrnig but ihai oP tttvy and hale. 1 hvy prcitndt d however to zeal ■ and sirlctness. Joiiti'xix. 21. The Jews ihertlore • because it v/as iht pfcparaiion; ilial tht bgdics^. r,hould not remain upon the cross -ou'ihc sabbaih ^ day, (for tliati>abb4th' wfis an- hr^ h d.^y) l.eiou'j^ht • P-ilatC'thftt ihtirlrgs might bt: broken-, &;ci Tlie iiccksiastics of that tiint would never^ havr effected ihe nefarious deeds llicy. did, hud ' they not affected great piet}'. The dead bodies ' must ih^iefore be interred before the sabbath. The necessity of fraclufing the limbs, however,? of the Saviour, was superceded by his previous : decease. His agony of mind in beating ou-r sins, , his scourging by Pilate, and perhaps his volunta- ry surrender of his soul to the Father, when his "* work was finished, rendered tl»is *ct unnecessary. The executioners when they came to bim found his body dead ; they pierced his he>.ri with a spear, but brtke not his bones thii the scripture might be fuJfilitd, *'A b-.-ne of him shall not be broken." Joseph of Arimaih^a and Ni cod cm us, both men of eminence ill the Church end Com- monweaUh of Israel, bestxjwed pains and cost up- on his funeral;. While alive, they were under strong convictions that he was the IMessKih of promise, but 'hey did not publicly confess him. Now when his cu-n disciples ficd, forsook and denied hiip, they acknowledge him— Joseph-gives ■ him his new tomb, ^icodemus brings a copious ' and cosOy preparation of spices and .ircmaiic 1 rTHE MORAL LAW. 96 ^'drngs to perfume his lacerated body — they wrap it in linen clothes with the spices, as the Jt- W3* custom is to bury. Ry tliis time it must hare bten about tvening. Still, however, it is ths prep- aration, and the sabbath only drew on. Luke xxiii. 54!. The women visited the sepulchre, re- turned, prepared spices also before it Was necessa- ry to rest on the sabbath, according to the scrip- tures. Had they considered the sabbath over too at sun-set, why should they not have vibitt;d the tomb that evening rather than early on the fiiEt d;«y of the week, while it was yet dark? But ad- mitting the Jews did>count their days, as Persians and some Eastern nations do, Christ was laid in the tomb on the afternoon of the sixth day. That, according to Jewish computation, is counted one. He continues in the tomb all the seventh, that Is two, a ptirt of the finet, that is- the third day, in which he rose. But if you begin the first day from st.nret. you cannot possibly make out a part of three days in which he continued in the grave. However then the fact be about the Jewish sab- b.ith, the christiitn sabbath caniTOt, with any pro- priety, begin earlier than midnight, nor can it end earlier, unless you would say tliat it began before the Saviour rose, and you might as well begin the era of his birih befcre he was born, or the com- memoration of his resurrection before he rose. -Cf this again, in relation to th's second part of the exception, we would remark, that we have no ejc- -press commandmer.! in the New Tcitamcnt to ykeep this or any other day as a sabbath, T^e 96 *HK -PERMANENT SAKCTION OF commandment we have seen wa« not r^pealed« All that was necessary was that we should *ee an . exarapJe whereby we would know what day h was that the commandment now respected. This we have clearly set before us, in the cxampie of the Apostlesvwho, during th€ forty days of our Sav- iour's abode upon earth, after the -resurrection, had an opportunity t^ receive directions concerti- 4ng the affairs of the Church or kingdom oi heav- .€n. It is clear that their first interview with him after his death, was upon this memorable day : Again, it is said, eight days after. There cer- tainly may be something learned from thi^ chro* nolcgical relation. It was written, no doubt, for this purpose. The second Lord's day they were all met. Although Thomas had his unbelieving doubts, 3'et he met that day and had his doubts re- moved. Upon this first day also the Holy Spir- it, with which they were to be endowed for their great work, descended. The passover that year -we have already seen happened upon a Jewish sabbath. Seven of these will bring us to the for- ty-ninth dayy for they counted from the passover. Their Pentecost or feast which happened on the .fiftieth - thall see afterwards, that the Spirit from on hi^h did not leach thetii nor us to desist from the sr^nctification of the Grsi day of the week as the Christian sabbath. Nay, if He had not designed to countenance it, He Would not have appeared on that day, for it js evident, ttey were already habituated to the practice. The Apostles were influenced in a very immediate manner by their divine Teacher in planting the Churches, and is it not most clear, that ihey were in the hnbit of keeping the first day of the week as a Sabbath i It can easiJ)' be made to appear that the Apostol- ic Churches were wont to assemble on that day for religious worship, su h as prayer, praise, charitable contributions and communion. Acts XX. 7ih, 1 Cor. xvi. 1, may, with many other pas- sages of scripture, be adduced as proof. There is one thing to be observed from the first of these placlem, by the terrible c^i'.aaviiies which preceded the enliredesiruction ofihat me- tropolis, had been reduced to want and indigence themselves. On principles, therefore, of recipro- cii\', aswell as on principles of dhirily, oiher Churches, less aiTcctcd by these revolutionary liibulations, felt ihemseivts bound to muke con- triluHion to iheir necessiiles and reimbursenienu of their lormer kindness. The first dviy of the week, was the ila)' on which this deed of chaiiiy was to be done. And so long as there are por with us, it would be u'cll to bbseive this inj auc- tion. It was an ancient practice among the Jews, ai,d had divine sanction, that n«ni was to come before God with his hands empty. Our Saviour .^r- proves of the woman's contribution of her last mite into the Lord's treasury. He assures us that we have the poor always wiila us. It is sanc- tioned by the almost universal practice of all christians ; it is congruous with the prhiclples of our nature, that when ihe charities of our hearts arexnlivenesl by the doctrines and spirit of true religion, our hands should be opened to acts of" charity and religious bonnty. As to the third ohjection^ we just say that it does not very well comport with the practice of Congregational and Baptist Churches, who con- secrate or dedicate their meeting-houses. I do not know, however, thiit place or time could ever be said to be holy in themselves only on account of the services to be performed in 100 THE PiRMAfctNT SAKCTION ©7 them,oron account of what they symbolUtd. Th« temple and iis furniture were holy, as types of Christ. He tsccroe to ihe great antitypical tecn- pli . Destroy, says he, pomting to his body, this temple, and I will reat- it up in three days, speak- ing of the tsrepk of his body. To that personal temple we must still look in presenting our ser- ▼Ice.-, wherever tv« reside, by the banks of the Chthar or of the CunR*eticut. He will hear in heaven, who dwells bodily in Innmanuel. Now there is no need, of course, that Jews and Samar- itans should disputt about hil's, such as Gerizim and Sion,or Jews and Christians about new moon R'bbaihs, or Papists and Protestants about Christnoas and Mh< r holy days, as those call the days ihcy have dedicated to saints. But it would rt quire n^ore than the ipse dixits of disputants to prove, that on< day in stven according to the last ©f the fourth co«imandmcnt, is not as holy as it ever was. If it is not, what have we in its roonn ? We have seen what we have in lieu of the conse- crated temple. What have we in lieu of the sab- bath ? Christ says plainly, that there should be a sabbath after the establishment # f Christianity or •f the new Testament adminrstration. Math, xxiv. 20. "But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, or on the Sabbath day." He is here speaking of the flight of Christians from the smoking ruins of Jerusalem. The destruction of this once famous city took place many years after the ascension of our Lord. Let the objtctor thta tell what the object was, that would be gain- (the mokal law. 101 e?en undci'- stand^ it, and to the eternal rest of heaven, as B^^xter and others exjjlain it. But neither tke profound Qwen, nor the fervent Baxter, nor their explanations would oppose this inference. Nay, the fact that it does respect these things is in fa- vour of OUT argument and against the objector. Is the gospel state a-Sabbatisnra, and yet the fourth commandment i» its spirit, as well as form, re- pealed ? No sabbath day among Christians trav- elling to the Canaan of heavenly rest ! ! ! Finally, in answer to this objection, hear what John calls the Christian sabbath. Rev. I, 10» *' I was in the spirit oti the Lord's day." Does not this clearly express the peculiar holiness of this time ? If not, why called his ^ Is not the Lord's supper a holy supper ? — the Lord's table a holy table ? — the Loro's people a holy people I ^hy then should not the Lord's day be coanted really, properly, and exclusively a holt day ? From these details of argument then, it must appear, that the moral law continues in all its in- tfigritifi in all its utility^ and in all its sanction. The very circumstance that Christ did aotgire a new law, will be to the judicious and c^indid. pretty strong evidence, that ' e did aot destroy the integrity of the old. That the law did exist, when h« came in the fit^, was a fact too well |Ct4 THE PERMANENT SANCTION OF known to be overlooked ; — too practically impor- tant to be neglected and no impravement be made of it. If then something must be done with ihc law by the great Legislator when upon earth, we cannot conceive of his disposing of that law oth- erwise than one of these three ways. He must cither, Fii:st — Disannul it altogether and totally, or, Second — Abrogate a part, and raiify a part, or,. 1 hird — Ratify and sanction 'he whole. Had he intended to do the first, he must hav-e procted- ed in the business of abrogation in a style which could v.xii be misunderstood. Ibe 'I'ruih could not equivocate about, or dtny uny object of his mission. It is true, in sorue instances he eluded the snares of his adversaries, who thought t© en- tangle him in his speech. The Pharisees and Herodians differed in their views of politics. The former were professedly zealous for the an- cient rights of the Israelitish constitution and di- vine charter. The latter were temporizers and professed t© admire the atiministratioa of Herod. They thought to improve this dispute by prefer- iBg a case to Christ, which would force hina either to speak what the Pharisees would make treason a- gainstGod,or the Herodians against Casar. They ask thereforc-Isit lawful to give tribute to Caesar or oot ? He eluded this ensnaring fjucstion, a- bfsut which he knew they had their minds already Btade upf by saying, Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and to God the things which are God's. On another tim? they thought to make bim THE MORAL LAV« IGil speak what they would construe blasphemy, '^By what authority dost thou these things, and who gare thee this authority ? He asks them about the baptism of John, whether it was from heaven or from men. Thry found themselves perplex- ed and embarrassed. If they said from heaven, they knew he would say. Why hear ye not him ? If thty said of men, they feared the people, for they all held John as a prophet. They therefore sav, We canooi tell. He says, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things. In such cases as these it is cl«ar that instruction was neither candidly sought, nor professedly given^ But did he ever conceal his design from his dis- ciples, or speak obscurely to his followers about what he came to teach? Or did he ever hint to them th»t he came to destroy tht law ? Had he done so it must have been accounted for. His disciples were not the licentious r.tbble that false teachers usually pick up, and easily proselyte to any loose system. They were sober men, taught in the religion of their times, and especially taught and accustomed to revere the law. If then the law was to be abrogated, theie must be a full and satisfactory discussion of this matter. Where is this discussion to be found ? Rather, where is the contrary not to be found ? If any such thing could be found, it certainly would have been easy in that state of society to have condemned him, wiihout saboruing false and inconstant witnesses in order to establish a iibel against Jesus. If nothing £uch can be found, is 106 7 HE ?E£MANENT SANCTION ©T' It not Strange that such an improb.iLle thimg can be now surmised ag-^inst Christ ? It cannot be sai«i that he designed to lay aside the l»w -, tut suppressetl his dsbign for fear of popular rage, I'han this suggestion ihcr« can be nothing more absurd and horrid. It is absurd and contradic- tory.- It says he did, and did not lay it aside. How is his design to this effect known, sfting through fear and policrhe suppressed it ? Buf- how could he be influenced by either of these base passions ? iiis professed design was to ^ie — he came to lay c" wn his life a ransom for many. What then could one that had death p.s a part of his plan fear ? He sought not, nay he refusedj protnotion from the people. "I receive not hoFv- our from men." "My kingdom is not of this world." He raised no bastic of ambitious striv- ing for mastery in the streets of civil polity — he Qidy came to bear wiincbs for the truik and suf- fer for his people's salvation who had violated the law, In doing so it was necessary he should fulfil all rtghteousnesf. Did this look like abrogating the whole law ? "We sometimes learn the nature of a teacher's jioctriRe from the conduct of his scholars. If he eanf^e to disannul the law, we would certainly see some evidence of it in the conduct of his disciples and followers. Did they manifest a lawless and licentious disposition ? The very reverse. It must here be remembered that the law is in every respect contrary to the corrupt incli nations of men. Of course^if its restraints were reimoved THE 110 P. AL LAW. jO? we wouW ifr,mei11»t«:ly see the tffrcts. Do W€ see them in the conduct of" Cfirisi's followers ? No, but the very ccntrar}-. Thieir conduct is tried by severe scrutiny in the hands of a cen- sorious world, and still the conduct of Christians, »li'6cient as thej' are, is better than that of any other society of men that ever appeared in the wor'^ This is not the award and decision of the Church herself respecting her own raembersj but is the opinion of the candid; and an inference which may be drawn from the judgment of the malicious. In most cases, among men, more de- pendance will be put upoa tile man who is sup- "posed to be influenced by Christian principles, than upon one destitute of the fear of God. Why *o : if Christ came to lay the law aside, and -the tendency of his doctrine be Antimoniani The. censorious always criticise more rigidly up- on the morals of Christians than upon any ethers. Why so ? Because more is expected from them. But why is more expected from them ? Because their principles are more strict and ihelr conduct gei^erally more correct. And does this intimate that their Master came to destroy the whole law ? Certainly not ; but the reverse, that he came to establish it. These reflections certainly .more than prove that he did not come to repeal the whole law. Let us next see a little further ; if he came to repeal a part of it. It must htre be remembered that He is speak- ing of the moral law, summarily comprehended in the decalogue or ten commandments. If He lOS THC PCKMANENT SANCTION OF had done this, it is clear he must have beea ex* p]icit in declaring >vhi)t He ratified and what he repealed* Where then is the place in the history •f his transactions, where this is done ? There is no such place. It cannot be dene by any otli- er. The law is a complete system : yeu cannot break upon it, without Jestroyingit entirely. He that said, Do not contmit adultery, said also, Do not kill. We do net say, with the stoics that all sins are equal — that it is as great a sin to steal a cabbage plant out of a neighbor's garden, as to ViU a father. But we do say that every tin is an insult of the nnajcsty and authority of tke law ; that Vie who breaks one, or offends in ode point, iiS, in this respect, guilty of all. So far then from there being any evidence, that he has repealjed tfonne, there is all nYidf nee against it, and this if possible is more absurd than the former, viz. that he has repealed the wholcc There remains there- fete DO conclusioFi, but that he has ratiHed the whole* Who9» therefore breaketh one of the least of these com'Oi^aDdmenfs, and teacheth mem •o, shall be called least in the kingdom of heav- en. I came nbt to destroy the law but to ful- fil it. Heaven and enrth shaU pass away, but one iota or tittle of the law shall E^ot pass till all be fulfilled. In the next place we infer, the utilitt/ of the law of God. The law of God is useful in show- ing us what ve are ; what we ought to be ; and what we ought to do. One of the wise sayings ©f Grecinn philosophy was — "• Gnothi seavionf\ THK MO'UAI LAW. 10.9 Know 'bjself. A famous English 8poth?gym is analogous to this. '• The proper knowledge of niankind is man." When we examyie Any per- son or any thing we must hav* some rule by which to conduct the investigation. The law i^ the rule of personal self-examination, When \Vk examine ourselves by others, ire art apt to [rt proud, and say with th^ Pkariscc, •* I ihank the« that I am not as other men are.'* There are two reasons for this. In the first place, w«re the per- sons and their characters compared alike } we are partial to ourselves. In the second place, we are partial to those features of character and items of morality, in which we excel. Do we measure ourselves by ourselves, and compare ourselves vith ourselves? If we do, wc are not wise. Who would not smile at the man who would measure a hushetby itself, to see if it held as much ;is it held ? Would we not think the man def ang- ed who would compare a crooked stick with a crooked stick to see if it was straight ? Equally ludicrous and mad ift the conduct of the man who makes, from his own mind, tke standard of charac- ter and morality, and then proceeds to examine himself by this capricious model. We m:ty de- ceive ourselves when we have the law, but we must deceive oarsclvcs if we proceed in this bu- siness without the law. We rsay deceive our- selves by reckoning that speculative notions arc true faith. This is a mistake even should these notions be correct. Fallen spirits may have a cotrect creed. " Devils believe and iremWc.** K ^tO- THE PEHMANEXT SAKCTION OF It is very vossible to hold the truth in untight^ enusncss i "For the h«-art to be wi\houtjcnowl? edge is not good,'* says the wisest of men, and yet, in perfect consistency nilb this inspired adage the Apostle intimates that a n^r^n r»ay have all Inowled^e aad yet want charity.. We are liable to self-deception toe about feel- ing and experience. The comn?awd is very per- emptory and emphaticul — *'Gon, give me thine heart.'* The same authority commands — " Re- joice w';ih them that do rejoice, and weep with ihem that weep." Wlien we consider our rela- tir,n to our Creator, Redeewner and Sanctifier^ ■what can be more reasonnhle than a compliance ■with the former precept ? Whrn %yc consider oxir reiaticn to cur brethrei; b) natural and relig- ious ties, our mutual dependence and reciprocal irterepts, con the propriety of the hvtter injuqciiori be doubted ? But the difficu'ty is, we call that 5 compliance which is not. How rttany are there that think they are loving God and their neii:!;.- feiours, when tbey are loving themselves ? See that ^ay lady wreping at the trijfgic talc related on the stage ; she thii.ks her heart ia tender, and she prides herself in her Avn paihecic fet lings ; but {K,1tho»Jgh she can give a doMar for her ticket to rh« bpK of the theatre, she grudges half a dollar to the pooi: box in the Church — She sobs a«d cries very affectionately over ariifieial distress de- piiittjd by fhe base actor, but spurns real sorrow from Uer door with a bosom cold as Greenland «now,and u hcan hpvd as the northern steel. THE MORAL LAW. i 1 1 TVuc chiisliaas are represented i« scripture as sighing auJ crying for the aboininuti )p.s of the *ai»d ; ihey are lonimantled to pr^y alvvajs. •'Clesstd are they that mourn, for they shall be eomfortcJ." B'ut still, whit are we >o think of thut morose oUman, n'ho weuld nt vcr bi'sasptci- ed of Christianity but for his long face, long pray- tf.s an J long relation' of trx'ptrrience. If you ta'k \\iih hiiTi abfflit the state of society, his heart is fcady to break that the worM is so v/iclitd ; but vlut did he ever do to improre it ? His noti-'us of religion ai'e narro^i^ andincorfect ; ih« Govl lie worships is as far fram Ijcing the tru# God of iht^ scriptures as Baal or J/Ioloch, and yei hv ihiiiks Iiimsi»lf, and is thought by na-iny, lo be a viiv eminent Christian. His opinion about rclig on •» the oracle of truth to a ntighborhocd. 11 i\v useful is the law of God to keep us from puc!^ deception r It inculcates active piety -^" If \c love me keep my commandments." — " I ihall not be ashamed when I have rtspt-ct to all iny Statutes" — * Whatsoever things I liavC comm md- ed cAserve and do' — ' By the lav\', then, is the knowledge of sin." This law, however, must not be mutilated in some part, and magriified in othws, or it will not ansuer the end. li is prac- tical Atheism to reckon, that it exacts nothing more than to make me a passable citizen. If there were no God who is the righteous judge of all the earth, no tribunal of eternal justice, it would do well enough ; but if there be both, where will many evenof our justices and judges apj^ear.^ lit '•HE PERMANENT SANCTION OT 7 he Pharisees and scribes made egregrious mls- lakes even with the law in their hands and large inscriptions of it upon their dress. By fasting, prRjing ond t) thing they supposed ihty were per- "fttt, sinlessly perfect^ but the great L,^wgiver taught ihem bette**, that they neglected the weightier mnittrs of the law, judgment, righleons- ress ami the love ef God. These ought ye to nav« done,«nd not to l^^ve left the other undone. AtcordinR to this inccrreet way of txpounding ite law, Saul t>{ Tarsus w^s blameless, when, liut for his ignorance, he had committed the un- pardonable sin 'in maUciously opposing the truth. ^S'litn he betame better versed in the true s|)irit t)i ihc law^ he pionouncei it holy and just and good, but says, I am carnal sold under sin. When lUe law came m id convictions and demands^ menaces and terror, Sin revived, says he, and I ditct. We do not know how lively and strong sin is, until the law come tviih its jusi claims, ilappy is it, however, for those who know some- thing of the strength of sin, whiU they are near a stronger Saviour : happy they who die indeed UBio si5«, that they may live uciio God. Having despaired in themselves, they are induced to hope in God, putting no confidence in th« flesh. Tliey see, with great astonishment, the love of God, in giving his Son for poor self destroyed sinners, " When we were without strength, ia due time Christ died for the ungodly** — '* For vwh.-it the law could not do, ia that it was weak through the flesh, God sent forth his own Son in the likeness THE M>RAL LAW 1/3 of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned s'm In the flesh, that the righteousness of the \^w tttlght be fulfilled in us, who walk, not after the flcsb, but after the Spirit." They will then reason with the Apostle, "If one died for all, then were all dead, that they who live should not henceforth live un-* to themselves, but unto. Christ that^dicd for them and rose again." Thus — 'The /art' of ihe Lord is perfect, con- verting ihe soul ; the testimony of the Lord ia sure, ftialiing wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord :ire right, rejoicing ihe heart :. the com- mmf/mcnt pf the Lnrd is pure, enlighteniug &■: e)e«. Padlm xix. 7, 8, The law of Ciod is useTul U\ shewingus what we ought to be, holy in heart and in life, " iii ye holy," says God in the law, **for I am holy." The necessity, propriety and utility of this requi- sition wou'd never Ijiave bee» doubted, had we not by the fait becoBie depraved as well as gaiU}". "We were originally m*de after the inwvge of Cird, in knowledge, rightceusness ?nd true holiness. The law of God would to us, contii.uing in that state, haye been pleasant, natural and agreeable. In our fallen state it is not so. " The caroal mind is enmity against God, and is not subject to the !aw of God, neither indeed can be." lu the regenerate, hewever, it is a glass in wJiich they see genuine character and conduct reflected, and that every regenerate man will say, with :he Apostle, *'I delight in the law of God ihtr the taward man." The gospel caU« s nuerj, a**? Jt 2 114 THE PERMANENT SANCTION Of righteous and holy men ; bat It does not caH ihem to continuance in sin» but tcrtepeutance— we are called, not to sin, but to holiness. " But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God kiiih fioni the beginning cUosen you to salvation through sanctificaiion of -the Spirit and belief of the truih. Whereunto he called you by uur gos- pel to the obtaining of the glory of dur Lord Je- sus Christ." Thes. ii. 13, 14. " Folic w peace with all men and holinsss, without which no man fchall see the Lurd." This is the object of God the Father in our election, of God' the Son in our r#denftption, gnd of God the Spirit in our snnctifi- catien. Eph. 1. 4, "According as he huvh chos^ en us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be /;o/j/,and without blame before him in love.'* 1 Pet. ^, 18. " Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conver- sation rectived by tradition from your fathers v but uith the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb wiihout blemish and without s^ot." This itdempiion Jesus wrought, vkat he might present IS faultless, without spot of pollution, or wrinkle of the old nature, atidfor this purpose he gives us of his holy spirit to take of the things that are his, and shew them uBto us. This Ho?^ Spirit sanctifies the redeemed of the Lord by the truth ef (he Lord. 'Sanctify them through the truth :: thy word is truth.'* John xyii. 17. Th«ir hrgh thoughts are brought low j fvery imaginatioti is. TJIR MORAL LA.W. lla brought into the obedience of faith, an obedience which the first commandment clearly requires. They are cleansed in their whole character, for that faith, by which they live, works by love, and purifies their hearf. 1 Pet. 1, 22. * Seeing ye have purified your sou's, in obeying the truth, through the Spirit, unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a piwe heart fervently." Contemplating these facts and piinciples, the believer will imitate the Aposile and say— "Not as though I had attained, either were already perfect : but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that, for v/liich also I am appre- hended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended : but this one thing I do, forgetting the things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mafk, for the prize of the high calling of God in Cbrist Jesus." Phil. iii. 12, 13, 14. The law is so exceeding broad and spir- itual, that, whatever be a man's previous attain- ments, he will, when he compares himself with this model, seem to have attained nothing. The Christian will therefore be humble and yet not despair. Encompassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, he will lay aside every weight and the sin which doth most easily beset him and he will run, with patience, the race set before him. He will look to Jesus the Author and finisher of his faitlv He will make mention of his righteous- ness, lean upon his strength and hope in his aalva- uo« i 80 will he run that he may obtain. He li€ THt PtRMANENT SANCTION OF will not, however, run at rancjoin — he will not fight as those that beat the air. He will have the Kiw of the Lord in his heart and in his hand, as the guide of his conduct. In peru'^iog this, and seeking the iUumiriation of the Spirit, he will Le constantly saying, Lord what wouldsi ihou hav-e me to do ? While faithful ministers preach to such characters, they will (onfute all the calum> nics of ihe adversaries, who charge gospel minis- ters with saying, ** Let us continue in sin that grace may abound." They v/ill shew in their dr)Ctr>ine, and in the practice of t e'r people, thit thcj' du rot m?ke void ihi larv through fa'itli, but t!:atthe}- establish die la-.v. V hat ! hha'l we cor.- tliiue in sin ? Nay, how shall we, that are dend to sia, live any longtr therein ? This law will be a delightful m;nual in their christian journey. It will point out the duty of every relation and every station of life.. Understanding it, and by grace, walking according to it, they will have as iruch comfort as if God was, in bodily shap**,. walking with them, and showing them the road j^ or saying in- an audible voice, " This is the way walk ye in it." Shall they not then, in keeping his commandments, have a great reward ? H«ar what he says ?o his disciples and through thera to all faithful ministers. M atth. xxviii. 19, 20. "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing ihem in the name o£ the Father, and of the Son,- and of the Holy Ghost ; teaching them te oherve ell things -wboi soever I have commanded yon : and loy I am zmth ycualivay^ even unto tie endof.th& wtri^* Amen." THE MORAL LAlV. 117 The law not only continues in its sanction, but is in many respects, now in gospel times, more strict^ and th« violation of it more soverely pun- ished ihsin in former times. God requires of men obedience according t* the opportunities iher have of knowing his law. Thus "in times of ignorance, God winked at those things, but will now have all men every where to repent." *' The servant, that trans- gresseth, nol knowing his misters will, shall be beaten with few stripes; but he that knoweth, and yetdoeth it not, shall be beaten with many stripes. Sin is the transgression of the law* Were man theo, so circumstanced^ that he could know nothing about rt, neither by natural or su- pernatural revelation, he would then be clear; •' Where there is no law, there is no transgre- sion : When the law is exhibited in its spirit, as well as in its letter in the gospel dispensation, the transgression of the law becomes far more crim- inal, and its sanction will be far more terrible. Has Nineveh been judged f«r the sins of its inhabitants, when we can hardly find its scite ^ ILive Tyre and SJdcn, those wealthy mercan- tile cities, been punished, when fishermen dry their nets upon the rocks where once they stood. Have Sodom Gomorrah and the cities of the plain been judged, whea they were consumed by fire from heaven, and are now submersed with the noisome waters of the Dead sea ? Far more terrible judgments, however, await tlie cities of those nations who have enj»yed, and yet not il8 tHE PERMANENT SAJiGTlOS Oi obeyed ihe gospel of Jt:sus Ghrist. lie will' pour his fury upon the naiions and upon the fam-' ilies ihat call Aot <5H his name. He wiU ttirn i\\l tii-.lJOns into htli that forget God. Jer. x 25^ Fsalm \\. 17. 'Therefore >vt ou^^ht lo give iTic tiiott eartcsi hted to the ihinps which \*t Inn-e lieard, hst at any time \ve let ihtm s'ip ; for if ihe word spokcB hy angels Vr as sleadfait, rind every tr.insgrtEsiou and discHjedi^nce rtceivtd a jusf ttcompence of reward, how 6h.;!l we escape ? Hcl^. ii. 1, 2j 3. Has not the law received in the ftuffcrings of Christ ihe most awful S'anction ? 1 hough he was personally inftoccnt end immacU' lately pure, tee h©w the sword of justice smote Him when standing our surety. If the Alniighiy supporter of all things groaned beneath the pres- sure of the law's cutsc, when he stood the substi- tute of all believers, where would that curse crush feeble reptiles I If such things were done ©n the green tree, what will become of the dry ? Verily those who fall even upon the Kock of Sal' vuiion shall be broken, bm those upon whom he falls in terrible vengeance, he will grityhen the Ttrraihful torch shall be put to the fune- ral jile of nature. 2 Pet. iii. 7. *'For the heaven? and the earth which are njnw, by the same worcj are kept in store, .reserved unto fire pgninst the day of judgment, and perdition of ungodly noen; V. 10. Bi*t the day of the Lord will come as a t^iicf in the night ; iu tlic which the heavens shall pass awa\ wiih a great noise, and the element's meU wi'h fcrvtnt heat, ih« earth also, and the v.'O'ks tl.at ?re ther«rin^ shall bt hurncd up. v. 14. S'^einyg then tl'.at a'l these things shali be dissolv.- ed, what tn'*nn?r of pers'^n^ au;);'it ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness ? v. IS. L(*)oking for and hastening untio the coming ef the day of God, whet-io the heavcn» llciiig c.u fire sh^il be dissolved^" Sec. yes, let us hasten for he comes to every onr of us qj^iickly. Rev. xxii. 12. ''Be- h<^ld I come c^uickly ; and mf reward is with me, to give to every man according as his work shall be. Tben ihidi we see tl rament wiiich, though one, has two parts, the ex- ternal and symbolical, and the internal, spiritual and real. Now it is true, that men can be saved ty the latter, withoui the former, a«d not by the former without the latter. The penitent thief was admitted with the Saviour into Paradise, liviihout the participition of uny sacrament. Ju« »l;jf- eyt the last passover with our Lord, and yet Wits the ion ui' perdition, and went to hiaow-n CHRISTIAN BAPTISM 125 place. Slmou was baptised with Apostolic iiands, and yet was in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity. On the other ha«d it is very plain, that no intelligent Christian will despise the institu- tions of divine grace, which are so admirably a- dapted to •ur case and character — so well calcu- lated to represent, seal, and apply, by the blessing of God's Spirit, the benefits of Christ's pnrchase to his heritage and people. To say that ordinances save, is to idolize them ; to say they may be neglected with innoce«ce or impunity, is to despise the wisdom and goodness ®f God, and to proclaim our own ignorance, ar- rogance and impiety. Of this, however, we must say no more at pres- ent, but procead to consider, Whether infiints are proper subjects of Christian baptism i When we enquire if infants are proper subjects of bap- tism, we do not mean any infants. We agree with Anti-Pedobaptists thus far, that the children of Heathens and scandalous or ungodly prof.-rs- sors are to be excluded ttntl they profess their faith in Christ and obedience to him ; but we also say that the infants of such, as are members of the visible Church, are to be baptized. The first principle upon whidi we plead th« right of infants to membership in the Church, is their ancieit and unrepealed charter. Tbey were, as we have already seen io treating of th« covenant with Abraham, and the law, publicly recognized. It they must not be so now, we waat to know the reason of this rejection. Has J26 THE SUBJECTS AND MODC Of iheir right to membership been recalled ? If it has been recalled,' where is that transaction re- corded ? where is the repeal ? Tkis would require to be very explicit on «iany accounts. First. Because it is a common usage among nations that th« son be considered a member of the same commonwealth or kingdom, of which his facheris a member. In taking the census or list of inhab- itants and citizens in any corporation the chil- dren are not excluded. This practice is not an ir.novation of modern times. It is a practice as ancient as tlj.e history of social man. God him- self sanctions the use of it in regard to the city of iNineveh J Jonah 4, 11. " And shotvld not I fpare Nioeveh, iVia* gfCht city, wherein are. more than sixscore thousand ptrsons that cannot dis- cern between their right haad and their left hand." Here yo\x sec we hav«, la round num» hers, a list of the young population of this great .'■ncient city. These unconscious babes too, were xhc citizens fot whose sake God pleads with the P'. evish prv)phet that the city should be spared* Why then, the man o{ reading aad reflection will ask, Wfey are children not included among the members of the commonwealth of the Church ? Why are ihcynot considered citizens of the New Tcitameni, as well as of the Old Testament Sion? Why are they not according to uniform custom considered meiubers of the kingdom of heaven as well as their parents } Is there any case in which children are not accounted legitimate heirs qI such social privileges as belonged to their par- CHRISTIAN BAPtIS* 127 ents ? Why was Paul a Rotwair citizen ? He never purchased that freedom ; he never swore an oaih of allegiance to that government to ob- tain that franchise j " Ay, but he was free born." Well, and are we prepared to say that the Roman empire was more generous and kind to its infaiM; population than the Redeemer's empire is ? Siiall the fourth beast of Daniel's vision, which was ''exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron and his nails of brass, which devoured and brake in pieces, and stamp the residue with his feet," Dan. vii. 19 — Shall this beast of prey be ittore kind to his children born in Tarsus, than the Lamb, on mount Sion to the children born ia his city Jerusalem ? We know n^en otherwise rcry respectable, M'ill go far in maintaining a cause which tWey hare once taken up. But let that, for a moment, be forgotten, and see if every candid, generous and pious mind would n»t revolt at the thought of such an impeachment. What ! the seiasible soul would exclaim, shall we make the ancient of day«, the Judge of all the earth more cruel than the os- trich f Shall we suppose that he who is about tG set up a righteous and an everlasting kingdom^ that he will exclude infants from it ? — that he vrho was himself the child born and the Sun gives will, from that corporation, of which, in an emi- neat degree he carries the keys, lock out the chil- dren of his people ? All this, however, that sys- tem most evidently does, which denies the chil- dren of believing and pious parents the right ef 128 CHRISTIAN BAPTISM. membership in the Church. Is there any man, untrammelled by system and sophism, who does not see the inconsistency of this ? Second. If the ancient right of membership in the Church has been recalled, the repeal of that impoitant clause in the charter would need to be particularly explicit, to satisfy the believing Jew. He had been well acquainted with the application of this representative principle, not only in the state, but als^ in the Church, in the ancient ad- ministration. He was feelingly alive to any al- teration from his old customs. This principle he carried even to servile bigotry and attachment to onerous rites of the typical service. The Re- deemer of Israel bestowed pains to emancipate the mind* of kis ancient people from such bon- dage. He shews them that he has now, for ever, by one sacrifice perfected all them that are sanc- tified. If there had been a change made in this particular, i. e. If infants, that used to be mem- bers of the Church in the wilderness, according to the tenor of that covenant which was confirm- ed of God in Christ with Abraham, were now ex- cluded when the Seed appeared, is it possible, on the supposition of such a ehange baing made, that the Jew would make no enquiry, and that the King of the Jews and Prophet of Israel would, ■either by himself, no? by his Apostles, give any soItttioH of such a difficvilt prollara ? Parents are generally tender of ;heir inU nls and aCiupulous •f maintaining their rights Had, tuere'ore, .he administrators of the gcsgel ia thetariy esci-blisU THE SUBJECTS AND J«0«C Of 129 ment of Christianity, toid the Jewish proselytes that their children could, by no rite, be received into th& Church, you may rely upon it we would have heard something about it. We hear noth- ing, however; we therefore fairly conclude that no such thing was done — that the charier of aa- cient privilege to their children was ratified ; that they feceived the initiatory seal of covenant priv- ilege in the Church along with their parents. 7 he silence of the Jew on this subject is a known and acknowledged fact, if there be any other pos- sible, or even plausibl^t way of accounting for it, we want our opponent to adduce it ; if there be not, he must acquiesce in this fair inference, that the question was never agitated by the Apostles and ministers of the primitive Church, But if this question was not agitated, doubtless infants were accounted members of the Church and re- ceived the initiatory seal, or badge of member- ship. If they who joined from the Jewish race, received th-e privilege of baptism for their chil- dren, why should not the Gentiles ? are not Jews and Gentiles all one in Christ Jesus ? If Jews and Gentiles both received this privilege for their children in the early period of the Christian era, when was this privilege withdrawn ? Who had a right, since that period, to abridge the privileg- es of the members of Christ's mystical body— the Church ? Third. This principle will gather strength in its ^pplisation to ibe point in band, if we consider thb kiio\/n fact, riz. that in generail ihc admiuw- 130 THE SUBJECTS AND MODE Of tration of the covenant of grace, since the adveiit and suflTcring of Chrisr, has been more obvrously liberal and gracious than before. Although aa we have seen, there was grace in the legation of Moses, yet so far does the grace of this. dispen- sation excel that that is eclipsed. "The law wa3 given by Moses. Grace and truth came by Je- sus Christ." John 1. 17. The law, even when dealing out threats in its most legal, literal and killing form speaks of " visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, and shew- ing mercy unto thousands (generations) of thenrx that lovf me and keep my commandments." Did not this threat and this pfomise shine with weighty lustre from Sinai ? and are children now to be altogether neglected and unknown i Ne. ifi. Cor. iii. 9, 10, " For if the ministr.ition of condemnation be glory, much more doth the min- istration of righteousness exceed in glory. For even that which was made glorious, had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excel- leth." Are females now known in society — are Gentiles of every tribe now called to enjoy the privileges of the Church i Are the rites of re- ligion less operous and expensive, yet more evan- gelical, clear and expressive ? Is the administra- tion of the gracious covenant of salvation in every respect more benign than ever before ? How is it then that infants are excluded, now, seeing they were not before ? Every considerate man before he c^a believe thut iafants are now excommuni*- ' CHRISTIAN BAPTISM. 13l caled from the Church must have exceedingly, clear evidence that their ancient rights have bee« revoked : the thing itself is so very unlikely, and improbable, so obviously incongruous with the other parts of this dispensation. What ! if this revocation has taken place it cannot be in mercy. It was in mercy that God said, " I will be the God of your seed." It cannot, therefore, be in mercy and grace that he would say, 1 will not be the God of your seed any longer. Is it then in judgment ? These are to be sure judg- ments inflicted on the great body of the Jews ac- cording to their own tefrible imprecation. "His bleod be on us and on our children." But this blood is not on the head of tho&c who believe. Vo ! For them he prayad, "I^'ather forgive them, they know not what they do." Why then should not their children with their parents revert to their wonted immunities and privileges? Thus it is evident the man of common sense, from the rational principles of his nature — t-he politician from ordinary priaciples of jurispru- dence — the philoiopher from observation on the ways of Providence — the Jew from what he hadl been taught in the past dispensations of mercy— the Christian, enlightened by the special radian- cy and brightness of the gospel, all, all would expect that children iJiould be recognized a$; members of the same corporation of the parents. They would expect that the infants of such as are members of the visible Church should be bap- tized. Arc they then iaug^kt otherwise by the 132 THE SUBJECTS AND MODE OF Saviour of the Gentile as well as of the Jtw ? If they are then, let every imagination be brought into subjection to the «!)tUience of faith. Let reason knuckle to revclatioa ; but let revelation be reasonably examined. With this view let the candid reader consult the motto of our pUa. >Iath. xix. 14. *' Jesus said, suffer little children and forbid them not to come unto me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven." When we read any part -of the scriptures we should have our cars open to hear what God speaks. Men's thoughts may be very pretty and considerably impressive, but there is an unction and e profundity in all di- vine revelation which defies all ^successful imita- tion. This we may say is eminently the case when Jesus, who spake as never man, is the speaker. What then is this passage intended to teqch ? Were these children affected with dis- eases and maladies which their parents wished to have healed ? Of bodily maladies the passage hints nothing. We can hardly suppose that the dtsciplcs would be so grossly inhumane or unbe- lieving ad to have rebuked the parents for bring- ing them to him who had proved himself often iti their sight to be, even for the body, the great Physician. The occult qualities and constitu- tional nature of infantile ; the inveteracy and con- firmed habit of senile disease^ which frequently eludes the skill, and baffles the powers of humaa doctors, had often been demonstrated to be quite sanable by this Divine Healer. The reply the« does not seem to intimate that this was the obj^t, CHRISTIAN BAPTISM. 1 3S the parents wished to obtain, or the disciples ;o hindur'. What, we again ask, is the passage de- signed to teach ? If it inean nothing more th.m that childien may be saved, this would imply th »t the disciples denied and wished to oppose the salvation of infants. This had indeed been a horrid sentiment, more cruel than ever held by the wildest sect of men. The disciples would have shuddered at the suga;estion, that the Saviour would not show his condescension in the saivs- tion of infants. This then cannot be a reproof of their illiberality in that respect and to that degree. The true history of the case seems to have been some how thus. The parents conceived a very high opinion of Jesus the Saviour; they wished the infants in their arms, and the little children that clung by the skirts of their garments, to par- take of his divine benediction. The Saviour ap- proved of their faith ; he rejoiced iu beholding the heart cheering scene, and in manifesting his condescension to, and care of, the lambs. He saw some there that he knew were to be eminent by his grace in the Church. Nicephorus tells us, that the famous father Ignaiias was one of the babes now presented to Jesus for his recefnioa and blessing. The disciples seem to have been left to (all, for a little, into this unbelieving, car- nal and proud way of reasoning. Thete parents and children- are encroaching upon our masier's time and more impon tant business of instructing and proselyting adults. They seem strangel) to have fallen ioto the system of Anti-pec^obaptists, U 134 Tnn SUBJECTS avb mod-c ojf arcl CO to have concluded, that anj' public relig- ious attention to babes was- useless, seeing Ihey did not understand rhc use of it. Such seenas /obviously -to have been the view of the disciples, in thrusting away the parents who came to put their children into the arms of Jesus. Strange there are parents by pious instinct wishing to do their duty, and active to fulfil a prophecy, and there arc teaching disciples that for a time op- pose both. What ! did they not know that the great Shepherd, whose voice they heard and fol- lowed, was to gather the lambs «o his arms P All events of Providence subserve the system of grace. Those who act in concutrence and those v/ho act in opposition seem frequently alike igno- rant. of t(his. The instruction of the scripture, while it has a particular adaptation to the case on which it Was first exhibited, has a practical accommodation to 9 whole class of analagous cases. Had there not been a propriety at this time to reprove the Anti- pedobaptist spirit of the disciples, the children could, as well, have been blessed at a distance as at hand. The design then of the saying of our Lord is to teach us all, that in some public way children should b& presented to Christ, and ac- knowledged as members of the kingdom af heav- en or of kis Church. I do not see ho\f our opponents will avoid this conclusion, except by safing, either, that thef were not children, in age, but in grace ; or by saying, that the kingdom docs not mean the GHRlStlAN BAPTISM 135 Church. As to the first, viz. that they were not children In age, but in grace, by a new, and not by a natural birth ; — in answer to this wt would confidently say, thai it they were not ehildrerhin age, it would be hard to shew what words or cir- Gunnstance would be calculated to express such. First. The word is the diminutive of child, it ia paidion our translators noticed this and so ca!h them little children. In the parallel passaije, Luke xviii. 15, they are called brcphcy " Ani they brought unto him infants^ that he should teach them, and when thj disciples saw it, they rebuked them." This na-aie is given to those who are passive or considerably in receiving duir food. It is sometimes ustd for a b^be in its mother's womb. Luke 1, 41. *' When Eliza- beth heard the salutation of Mary the babe [hrephe'] leaped in her wc-mb." Sometimes for a new bom child. Luke 11, 12; "Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes." The farthest that it can go in expressing age is when the child first btgins to receive th» affeetioaiite lessons of a parent. 2Tim. iii. 15. *' And that from a child thou hast k.nuwn the scripiurts." Second. The circumstaHces ; parents bring them. It is to the parents that the reproof of the disciples is directed. Mark x. 13. " And they brought young children to him that he should touch them, and his disciples rebuked those that brought them " It is true it is said suSer them to come, but who does not know that we speak ia ihis style of every person or thing approaching us, 136 TtlE SUBJECTS ANt3 M0D£ Ct \v]\t\htr it be aciivc or passive. How often haver T.t r.ll heard or.e kind matran addressing the child of snotber before it could speaker stand, " Come to me.*' Again, as we have already Winted, it is quite likdy that some of thenvwere walking and jNome of thtm sucking children. Concerting all of them it is said that he took them up in his r.fms. Mark x. 16. " And he took ihem up in his arms, put his hands upon' them and blessed' them." The very circumstance, that the disciple* opposed their access to Christ, will be strong as a thousand arguments to every attentive reader^ th:tt !,hei*e were chi'drenin age. Would it hot »ef m passing str.inge indeed that the disciples, nhc) \vifh the rxcejrion of Judas Iscariot, have oeen alvviiys atCouutsd regenerated men, and- were acquainted with the fact that except a man vvfts born again he could not enter into the king- dom of h^.Aven, should object to ttieir admiesioa on this very account. Thst Servetus, who ridi- culed the doctrine of ih« Trinity, and argued that infants should not be baptized, because the doc- trines of Trismegistus and the Sibyls forbade sa- cred ablutions to any but adults, should so explain (he passage as to involve such an absurdity, need not seem strange. That men who are ignorant and unlearned, should wrest the scriptures need not surprise us. From those who have no rec- ommendation to teach but that they say they are converted and called, we are not to look for con- sistency. Bat that such men as Dr. Gill of Lon- don, and Dr. Stoughton of Philadelphia, should CilRISTlA.N' BAPTISM. 137 countenance and circulate such inept comments on sacred scripture is really astonishing. It shews how far even men of learning may go in de- fending a favorite system. Fviriher — If we make one part of the passage allegorical, we must make the other so also. Make the children, then, not children of age, but in grace j then who will be ihe parente ? Who was it that ije gat men by the word of trufih, and travailed as in birth until Christ w«s formed with- in ihcm ? Was it not the disciples ? Then ac» cording to this the disciples would be the parents presenting them, and opposed to their presenfA- tion at the same time. But, will it be said, as a dernier resort, that the children presented were children in years ? but that when he says, of such are the kingdom of heaven, he means those who ^-e made such by grace ? We admit, that unless a man be convert- ed and become as a little child in docility anJ de- pendance upon the heavenly Father, he cannot be saved, chap, xviii. 3. Every regenerate person becomes, in many respects, as a little child ; but, if this be the construction, the disciples might say, All this is admitted, but it is not to the point. Shall we then charge a non stquhur to a proposi- tion of our Lord. Every person must see this gloss of the passaglF would make the Saviour's paaition inconclusive. That, therefore, cannot be the meaning of the Saviour's remark. Try it, SufFer these little children to come unto me, r.nj forbid them not ; for of grown up, regeu^erave M 3 138 THE SUBJECTS AND MODE Of persons is the kingdom of heaven. One would fcuppose that even pf>Tty prejudise would feel a liule reluctant, at putting such an incoherent ar- gument into the mouth of the divine Teacher. It may be thought, however, in the second place, that these absurdities may be evaded by saying that the phrase, kingdom of heaven^ means the plate and state of endless happiness, or the Church above. But this is not only contrary to the general current of expositors and the scope of the place itself, it would also be not a little odd, if they could be members of the church of glory, and ) et could not belong Ip the cjjurch of grace -r-of the church triumphant and not of the church militant. If they may be adm'rtted members of the heavenly society, would it not be proper that, by some ordinance, their obligation to the blood of atonement should be expressed ? Our Baptist brethren, of the regular order at least, we, hope, are not become Sociniacs to deny original sin, nor heathens, tp think of any other way of salvation, biit by the name of Jesus. The passage ihea plainly proves that children in age should be al- lowed to be presented by their parents to Jesus, and should, by regular church officers, be acknowl- edged members Af his Church. If so, we ask, By what rite ? Let the Baptists themselves an- swer. They practically adHiit that baptism is thp rite whereby membership in the Church is declared or effected. It will avail oothing here to say, that these children Vere not baptized. The adtiUfi whom Christ received; ke didBotbap^ CHRJSTIA.N BAPTISH. 13^ uxe,for he baptized none (John iv. 2) nor was baptism as yet perfectly settled as the door of ad- mission ; but he did that which was tantamount; he invittfd them to him, encouraged the bringing of them, and signified to kis disciples, to whom the ke) s of the kingdom of God were given, that they were members of his kingdom i and accordi- jiigly conferred upon them the blessings of that kingdom : and his giving them the thing signifi- ed may suffi^-iently justify his ministers in giving the sign. In other societies, the children of such as are membcTs are commonly looked upon as members. 1 hough a wise man duth not always beget a wise man, )et a free man begets a free man. As the pious iVIutthew Henry justly remarks — " The king of England would giye those small thauks, who should cut oit all the children of the king- dom. Our law calls natural allegiance, h'^gh aUe- glance^ and he that oweth it is called subdttus na- tiis, natural liege subject. Ic is the privilege of the subject, and fhe prerogative of the king, that it shoald be so." And shall it notice allowed in ihie visible kingdom of Christ ? By the Jewish law, if a servant married and had children born )ji the master^s house, they were the master's; they were taken under his protectioQ and inter* csled in the privileges of the family, though yet capable of no service. 'Vlvis law David applies apiritually. Psalm cxvi. 16. Lord, truly lam thy servant; I. am thy servant, the son of thif handmaidf bgrn in thy Mmt,. Tbo»e coaauU ncir 149 THK SUBJECTS AKD MODE OF ther the hoaour of the master, the credit of ihe family, nor the benefit of their children, who, theugh servants in Christ's family themselves, nvill not allow their children. To deny the Church membership of the seed of believers, is to deny privileges to those who once had them, and #ho haye never forfeited them. Ii is, in ef- fect, to deliver their children to Satan as mem- bers of his visible kingdom; for I know no mean between the kingdom of darkness and the king- dom of light. Give me leave, then, as the in- fants' advocate, to make their complaint in the words of David, 1 Sam. xxvi. 19. Tliry havt dt hen me cut this day from abiding in the inheri- tance of the Lord^ sayings Go and serve other gods^ and to present their petition for a visible church membership, in the words of the Reubcnitcs and Gadites. Josh. xxii. 24, 25 — For fear lesty in time to come ycur children might ipeak unto our chil- dren, sayings What have you to do with the Lord God of Israel i ye have no part in the Lord; so shall your children make our children cease from fearing the Lord. There fere, according to the warrant of the written word, we maintain bap- tism, as a sign of the church membership of our infants ; that it may be a -witness for our genera- tions after w*, that they may do the service of the- Lord, and might not be cut off fromf.Howing af- ter him. For whatsoever those who are other- wise minded, uncharitably suggesti ihe Lord God efGods, the Lord God of gods ^ he^noweth and Is-^ raeJ shall knQW, that it is nti in rcbellign'nor CIlRlSTIAiN BAPTISM 141 transgression against the Lord. We desire to express as great a jealousy as they can do for the institutions of Christ, and are as fearful of going, a step without a warrant. Several other scriptural arguments have been undeniably urged, to prove the church member- ship of infants ; but what was said to prove their covenant right, and to shtw the reasons of it, eerve indifferently to this j for the visible church and the external administration of the covenant are of equal extent and latitude. Grant me that infants are of that visible body, or society, to which pertainelh the adoption and the glory Ssf the covenant^ See. in the same sense, in which these pertained to the Jews of old and to their seed, and I desire no more. That is their covenant right, and their church membership which eatb" tlcth them to baptism. We have before said, that Christ had not, at the time in which he took up these children in his arms and blessed them, appointed baptism as the badge of his disciples. That institution was not to be generally observed, until after his baptism unto death ; and therefore, he does not institute it until recently before his passion. Let us con- sider the words of institution. Maith. xxviii. 19. * Go ye, therefore, teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, ?.nd of the Holy Ghost." The word rendered, ti'aehy in the former part of this verse is not the same of that which is translated, teach, in the be- ginning of the next verse. The former is malhc l42 THE SUBJECTS AND MOIjJE Of teu&ate ; the latter is didaskontes. The distinct tion of their meaning is as great as of their form and ought to be observed. The first is a causa- tive verb, formed from the word which signifies a disciple, and so its meanicg is evidently to dis- cipulate or make disciples, i. e. initiate them into the school of the Church. In all cases childrea are introduced as scholars before they are taught. Students are matriculated before they enjoy the advantages of seminaries of learning. So it is to be done here. Disciple the nations, baptizing them, i. e. Disciple them by this rite. It is well known that infants compose a great part of all nations j the general command, therefore will em- brace all the particular characters. It was not necessary to say, men, women and children. All these were evidently iacludcd in the general term nations. If they had been unacquaainled wiih the ancient plan and common order of society— with the particular condescension and kindness ef Christ to babes, it might have been necessary that some specification should have been made. The disciples, however, were supposed to be men of common sense, and had received in the school of Jesus instruction to qualify them for their work. All that can be inferred from the circum- stance that (jnatheteiisatt) disciple precedes the word baptise is, thai ihey were to be in the way of learning. Now who does not know that parents may bind children to trades, employ for them tutors, confer upon them rights, and leave them inheriianccs before they are of age ? All this .CKRISTIAK BAPTISM. 143 s4ioulJ be done under proper responsible guar*- dians. Suppc^e the dispensation had been altered solely with respect to the extent of character whom it would embrace ; and not with respect to the mode and rit^ of administration. Instead of being sent exclusively to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, let them be sent to all the nations of the earth to proselyte and circumcise. Would they in this cas9, have needed any particular in- struction respecting the infants of their prose- lytes ? Would they not have known that the de- scendants of such as believed and became mera- hers of the church, whose usage on that poiat had been long known should be eircumcised ? If they had neglected this would there have been no Jew ox Gentile convert, acquainted with Jewish stat- ,ute and precedent upon that subject, who would have said, Why are our children excluded when we a#e received? We have been taught that this was a dispensation of peculiar mercy ; why thea are not children recognized and made visibly to participate of this mercy as well as before ? What is the difference then between the cases ? The disciples evidently understood the one com- ing in the room of the other, at least this far, that the one was the Jewish and the other the Chris- tian rite of introduction into the Church. It is to be observed also, that those who were commissioned were Jews, and needed not to be informed of the ancient uainge of the church upo« this suli^ect, and if they had an/ unbelieving 144 THE SUBJECTS AnC KODE ©F scrup'e about the right of infants to membership in his Church and kingdom, he had already set- tled that in a passage previously considered and .adduced. From this commission then it would appear pretty dear ikat the Apostles and their successors could have no reasonable scruplefs about admit- ting the infants of professors into the Church. The rite of admission was baptism ; they, there- fore, could have no scruple about baptizing the infants of believers or mettibers of the Church. If they had been so illiberal and ill acquainted with the Christian dispensation of eminent con- descension Jtjd grace, they would have been cor- rected. Pious parents would have urged their babes for admittance and the Redeemer would plead their cause. To all this reasoning upoa the commission and original instruction given to the Apostles, it may perhaps be objected, that al- though they are commanded to proselyte nation* Tta ethndJl yet they are only commanded to bap- tize ihem, [autous'] which Dr. Gill thinks is a -clear proof that the7H does not relate to nations as its antecedent. Nations we admit is neuter in the original and them masculine. But acccrdirtg tor his way of criticising, it is evident that females would be excluded from this ordinance by th» commission ; but we know they are not by the practice of the Apostles. Campbell aays— *' There are manifestly three things which our X.ord here distinctly enjoins his Apostles to exe- cut« with regard to the Rations, to wit — mathc* CHRISTIAN BiV»ri^itf 145 tuein, baptizein, didaslrein, that is, to convert them to the faith, to initiate the converts into the church by baptism, and to instruct the baptized in all the duties of the christian life." He shews a great many vvnays of rendering the first word matheteasate, and all his authorities agreeing on ihe meaning of the latter. Perhnps, however, it might be more proper to consider the charge as one thing, but the cxccutioa of it to consist ut two parts. The charge is, make disciples of the nations. This is to be done by baptizing and teaching them. If you attend to the translation, it will shew you that this is the true meaning o^ it, and how well this will agree with the admis-^ flion of infant pupils, every considerate pc^rsoa will at once see. It will not follow from thig rea- soning that the infants of Jews, Turks, and pro- fane persons are to be baptized. These are not proselyted or converted. The Apostles would n«ver once dream of such a thing j these parents would by no means allow it ; and nothing but a desperate case would ever have made the Bap- lists suggest it as inferable. Infants hsv« n^H yet learned tbe knowledge of Christ : that does not hinder their being members of the Christian's school. It would be a strange seminary, that Hfould admit none as pupils but those who knew the very science, which it proposed to teach. It is evident from Rabbinical writings and from ih* scripture, that an unlearned person msy be a Christiao pupil. The JcAvish children were con- Vidcred membcjs of tkat Charch aad nation, a!- N 146 THE SUBJECTS AKfc MOl^E OF though, as yet, they knew nothing of the consti- lution of tiiher church or state. There is an account upon record of a Gentiie who says to Rabhi Uillel j ^' Facme proselyiwn ut me dcceas.^^ Make me a disciple or proselyte that you may teach mCf It is very evident that if objections should be made to the foregoing as alluding to Jewish max- ims, that we have these sanctioned and the point in hand established by New Testament authori- ty. Acts XV. 10. *' Now therefore, why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disci- pies, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear ?" It is evident here that circumcision i$ the matter of controversy. " Certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, Ex- cept ye be circumcised, after the manner of Mo- ses, ye cannot be saved." " But there arose up certain of the stct of the Pharisees which believ- ed gaying, That it wa» needful to circumcise them and to command them to keep the law of Mosee." This was quite natural that evea those who believed of the Jews should kave scruples about their ancient rituals. If they thought cir- cumcision should continue in use it is impossible to shew, upon what principle, they would reject infants from being its subjects. These men from Judea and the believing Pharisees, it appears, then wished to have circumcision administered to all who personally or by representation were members of Christ's school, i. e. adults and their ilifftQts. Bat these, upon whon they wished •» CHRISTIAN BAPTISM. 14-7 impose this yoke are called disciples ; therefore infants may Ije called disciples ; and if dis in the Church below, but you will also shut against them tlic gales of the Church above. Although it is not said hf that believcth not shall not be baptia- <;d, i,t is s:i'ul "IJc that believelh cot shall be <^anined/' Now, it i;; evident according to the ■f.*ay our oppouenis argue, that infcrfits cannot lie S'3ved. Apply the aduit rule to infant subjects, i»iBd y^u see what horrid conclusions force ihcm- Sflfcs wpon yout The Anabaptist reasons — B«- cauee the infant cannot believe, therefore it caa- rot !>e baptised. By a much clearer inference it might be said, because they eannot believe, they camiot be saved. Il must be here observed that I do not blame the Baptist for holding either of those opinions, to wit : that children should be turved ; or thait they will all be excluded the kingdom of heaven. It is their system and not their hearts, that holds both of these shocking te- nets. They would, in humanity, administer food to the hungry babe — they would, in pity, pray that babes might, in divint mercy be saved. It woiild be but reasonable, however, to consider consequences and fcnoonce sytiterns, which, if CHKISTIAN BAPTISM 149 followedi would be so horrid in their results. We have seen then that Infants may be disciples, that those who are made disciples in the Church are to be baptized, that the tendency of ihe rea- soning which opposes this, would lead to the star- vation of childrea and the denial of their salva- tion. No scripture rigody understood can lead to absurdity, ami 3.ripture shoul'i he compared with scripture, before we draw inferences and conclusions, which we would not ourseives wiih their whole train admit. Let us see then what other parts of holy writ will ssy upon this subject. Before we finally de- cide upon this interesting question, whether or not infants should be baptized, w« must try what way the Apostles understood th«ir instruction. We cannot do this better than by noticing their practice under this general diractioa. We h»ave not any insianc* of a nation becoming Christian during the ministry of inspired mcfi*. Of course we have no Apostolic iftodel for regulating a na- tional Church.. Several yearsj yta centuries of years had to elapse from that period, before the kingdoms of the world should become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, However, the|r made full proof of their ministry. They labored to bring about the much desired time. They en- deavored to compel men to enter into the king- dom. Wc have no instanw of their ever refus- iag to baptize the infants of professors — no in- stance, after th^ regular cstablishmeat of tbe 150 THE SUBftCT5 AND MODE OF Church in any place, that the children of aduffc members upon growing up, were baptized. Wo have very strong evidence that they did, under the direction of their permanent commission, baptise the infants of believing proselytes. What evidence ought to be required upon this head ? Wouid ft not be sutScient, if we had the ancient promise corifirmed and ratified in connection wiih the command to receive this seal ? Indeed only for the slowness of man's heart to believe, there %voul(l have been no necessity to confirm and r:.t- ify a divine grant. The heavens may depart and life eaiih be removed, but he will never fail of aay thing he has promised. We might therefore have said, If he haj^ not withdrawn his promise from the children ; but we are not under the ne- cessity of reasoning closely to maintain their right ; we have line upou line and promise upon promise. To illustrate and prove our point let us suppose an instance; Suppose a king possessed of large territories entirely at his own disposal, should first have enfeoffed his land to the adults and infants of a cc! tain tribe. This enfeoffment is made by a seal atca.ched to a charter. The original occupants foifeit their right, and by their rebellion alienate the propcrt)'. After some time he alters the seal, and extends his royal munificence to all other tribes ipdiscrirainately, upon their agreeing to come and be orderly residents in the region. H« sends out factors and agents to seal and dcllvcF Dver Ugiil rights to th^ dcw stUkrs. Would any CHRHTiAN WA?Tlsar. 151 person suppose that the children, in this new ar- rangement were to be excluded ? Certainly not. If some agents were afttrwards to refuse this, V'ould not the settlers have a right to enquire in- to the reason of the alteration. If none could be given but such as might, with equal propriety, have been advanced against the ancient, known custom and regulation of the tenure ; would not all think that tliese agents did not understand the Bature of their lord's grant ? The case, you will see, is similar to the one in hand. Examine Acts ii. 59. *' For the promisd is unto you and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." The first of these characters are the descendants of Abraham, unto whom and to his, seed the promise was originally given. The sec* ond, are the nations who are to be blessed in his seed, chap. iii. 25. *' Ye are the children of the prophets and of the covenant which God mad^ with our fathers saying to Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.'* The promise can be no other than what wc have been already considering in the second part of our plea, to wit, " I will be your God and the God of your seed.'' But this promise was sealed. Abraham received the sign of circumcision aseul of the righteousness of faith. His seed also re- ceived the seal. Male r&fants were to be cir- cumsised. This promise is mentioned, confirm- ed and ratified in connection with a command to respect the seal anU sacr^mcat of baptism. This 152 THE SUBJECTS AND MODE ©F itself is DO obscure hint that baptism came in the room of circumcision and should, of course, like its predecessor be administered to infants, unless you would make the type more condescending and kind to babes than the antitype. Peter had charged home upon the awakened consciences of some, the terrible deed of crucifying the Lord. They cried under pungent conviction, "Men and brethren, what shall we do ? Then Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remis- sion of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." In the verse already quoted, he assigns this a» a reason, •' For the promise is unto you and to ycur children." Why should children be here mentioned, if thc^ have nothing to do with the pro nise nor irs seal ? It is trifling to say that the promise would be tp their children, when they were grown up to be men and women, i. e. when they are no longer childrea. It is evident that; according to this way of explaining, or rather^ wresiing the passage, there is no promise to children. It is farther added, lest any should be led to believe that the Gentiles should not have the same privileges ; " And to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.^' If none but adults have an interest in this prom- iscjit will mangle and destroy the promise itselfi The promise is, *• I will be the God cf your seedy as well as I will be your God>" The promise then w&s UQt acc^diag to its origiaajl f^rni X9 CllRISTiAN BAPriSM. iSS them, if not also to their infant seed. No per- son has any right to abstract from ihe grant of Jehovah. Our plea then is fa*r, that the promise is to the children of the called Gentiles, although anciently afar off, the}' are now brought nigh by the blood of Christ. They are no longer stran- gers, but fcllow-citizcns with \he saints, and of the household of faith. Shall they, then, who have the promise, liot have the seal of the promise ? Shall they of the household of faith, not have the privileges of that house or family ? Shall citizens »ot have the immunities and franchise of citizens ? What if the children of the Gentiles were once accounted stones, no matter if, by an enlargement of the grant, they ar« now accounted children, shall they not hiive the mark and nam© of children ? We have therefore seen that the Apostles gaVe these penitent applicants ground to expect, that, although the character of the seal was a little changed, siill the santve persons as formerly should recr-ive it. Who were these ? Were they not believing penitents and their children ? Is it not, tbi-refore, reasonable to suppose that be- lit vers would bring their children with them to be in-tiatcd, as formerly, into the same covenant privileges and stf>te with themselves ? Is thei'e any him, »hat in all these plausible calculations they were disappointed i What can be assigned as the j^eason that there is no such hint, unless it be the r. a-on which cstabl;^hes our plea, and the claim of the infituts of ghurch members to church lS4i THE SUBJECTS ANSI KODE OF privileges, that is, that they were not disappoint- ed in these calculations ? But it will be said that these were men, and had not their household* with them. That this objection might be obvi- ated, we have documents still more explicit upon this head. It will, therefore, be satisfactory to all who love God's grace and the rights of childrctT founded thereon, if it be evident that the Apos« ties actually did baptize households. It is well known that house or household generally signi- fies families consisting of persons of different ages, of adults and infants. Now although there are some houses in which there are no children j' so there arc some houses in which there are no grown persons, still it is certain, that the word house, when any moral act is done by, or upon it, intimates that there are inhabitants, yea unless there be something said to the contrary, that there are children. In this style of language the scripture often speaks, '* He maketh the barren woman to keep houKe" Psalm cxiii. 9. The explanation of ihat ]\hrase is given in the second part of the paral- lelism, according to the idiom of Hebrew poesy *' and to be a joyful mother of chUdren." Thus you see she is not considered properly to keep house, until she is made a mother of children. Take another instance of this sigoificatioc. of house as certainly implying children. Jer. xi. 10. " The house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant, which I made with their fa- thers." This text proves two things for our pur- CJIKISTIAN BAPTISM. I55 pose. ls,t. That house signifies an aasemblage of people ofdiflerent ages. 2cl. That posterity may be bound by the representation of their pre- decessors and fathers. If they were not bound by the covenant which God made with their la- thers, how could they break its obligations ? Baptists themselves understand both of these principles. They understand the philological principle respecting the meaning of the word, as you may see by the way they sometimes reason on Ex. xii. 3, 4. They understand its moral principle. They consider treaties obligatory up- on the posterity of the personal contractors. Should it be said that house or household does not always and necessarily intimate the piesence of children, if it be admitted that it generally does, it is enough for our purpose. If we have the precedent of the Apostles baptizing household* we shall be pretty safe m following their exam- ple. Th«re was no need for this purpose that the names, sex and agn of the several members should be given, and unless there be exceptions made, we have n*- riglit to make any. It is wor- thy of remark, that in these instances mentioned there is no notice taken of the profession of anjr but of the beftd ol -he family. Acts jcvi t4, 15. *' And a certa.a wtman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the ty cf Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard u. \ whose heart the Lord opened, that she atte. ^ed \ nio the things which were spoken of Pauu And when she was baptised and her household, she besought U3, saying, If ye 156 fat SVJJtCTS AND MODE OF have judged me faithful, come into my house and abide there." If it be said that this woman was a single lady and akroad on business, and had ro family, we would ask, What was the meaning of her house being baptized ? Did Paul dip the building ? It is very probable she was a widow,; but it is also very certain that she had a family, and that they were baptized, when her heart was jspened to receive the things spoken by Paul. Thus it is evident, that if there had been but tiiis one instance of a household baptism, it would have been probable, that in that house there were children ; and that, at any rate, would have been a precedent for baptizing households. It is not, kowever, solitary^ It is recorded, with equal particularit}', that, when the jailer believed, he and his were all bapiized straightway, y. 3S. It was certainly not wiihoat design, and so -should not be unnoticed, that the two instances of household baptism in this one chapter are one of them under the representation of a female, and ;the other of a male head. How condescending, gracious, and considerate is our Lord I We -Have not done yet with instances andevidence&ef this kind. 1 Cor. 1. 16. " And I baptized also t1ie household of Stephanus.'* We have then seen three instances ot household baptism tecord- e^, without any exceptions made of the children of these professed believers. The mode of re- cording the&e transactions evidently agrees with the account of circumcision in Abraham's family. i^eij^ 4v^6 no B««d to give an/ express statute fTTRlSTlAN B vPTI'M. l.)7' f.irthcr w'uh rt-gnrj to ihe privileges of chiclieji. ;htre was no dispute at that time about this poinr. The insfances of household baptism ar« doubled and trebled thit all d'ensation is such, that the children are accounted clean and holy, the same as if the unbelieving party had also been sanctifi- ed. Yea, in the decision of the Church, he is ac- counted so far satictified, even by the believinq \vife. The meaning which some Anabaptists put upon the word, is quite inadmissable, viz. ih.':t it signifies legitimacy of birth. Surely the Aposi'e would not proVe a thing by itself. He would net soy, Your marriage is legal and your ofTsprir.^ kgitimate because they are so. Tlure is no pre- cedent in the scriptures nor in profp.r.e writinq-n for this meaning. There is no ir.siance in ih-j law or usage of any nation, that the chriiiianit^ or piety of eiher tne or both of the parties, n ;» * considered necessary for the legitimacy of iht; offspring. There was, however, in the usage ot the Church, at this time, some difTereoce be- tween the children of professors and those of oth- ers. What was it ? It must eiiher have bee i that thry were inward'y holy, that the spiritual character of the parents W-^s erita''?c# upon their posterity ; or that they were visibly and fcdera'- ly holy and clean. The fornTiCr neither Ptdobaptists nor Ana! ap' tists will maintain. 1 he latter must therefore be admitted, i. e. such infants, as are descended ef parents of whom one or boih are credible pro- fessors, should be considered clean and ho)y. 1 hey should therefore enjoy ail the religious privileges of which ihcy are pioper r€ci{ncnts. 160 THE EVBjrcTS AND MODE OP Of what outward privileges iben cculd ihcy be the subjects, if not bapiism, which is the very Brst ? It need not be urged that according to this reasoning they should also receive the other sacraujcn*. Theae are rcry different ia their nature. The ene ia a seal of what infants may pariicipatc as well as adults. Surely they en.iy be purged, regenerated, and translated into the kirgdom of Christ. They cannot exannine themselves in order to prrpare for the othei seal. 1 hey cannot be edi- fied in ihe paiticlpation of the other sacrament. I c n easily conceive of a case, in which an .'iduU jpjghl be received to the ordinance of baptism, Ltlore he was capable of receiving the proper ad- vantage of the Lord's supper. Birih is necessa- ry for viiible existence, and mi'.k is suitable for bi.bes, strong meat must be given only those of full giowih, whose minds are exercised ko discern good aud evil. It «eems veiy evident that there were some of the Corinthian brethren that c«t and drank unworthily because they did not dis- icrn the Lord's body, who yet were chastened of •,he I. old tha; they mijjhl not be judged with the no J Id. We reason then upon this subject conclusive!y Jn ihis manner. We ought to consider all ihose »3 members of his Church whom Christ recogni- zes ; but Christ recognises chilJrtn as members uf his Church ; so should we. Who can exclude those whom Christ the Lord of the house in- cIudwE .' Those children that are, either by birth, tHRrsTrAS BA?TI?.M-. 161 or atimiuance with the parents, members of ihe Church, should receive \he scol and badge of membership ; bat baplism is ihe seal and badge of membership : therefore children should be baptized. The Apostlts were commanded to baptize all nations of prost^lj tes, or all those over M'hom they migl.t afterwards preside, in leachin .j them to wa'ik in divine institutions. Ministers of the gospel succeed the Apostles, in the dis- charge of the ordinary negociaiions of Christ's kingdom. They shou'd, therefore, consid<*r themselves bound to baptize all, whom theycouKL rationally expect dfterward-j to teach, to abserva all things whatsoever Christ coip:.nivnds. Gospel ministers ought to follow the example of the Apostles in administering divine ordinan- ces i the Apostles, however, baptised house- holds when the head, or heads, male or femaU believed ; Therefore, so still should the ministers and stewards of the house and kingdom of Christ baptise the infants of Church members, the house- holds of believers. What we have reason to believe was a univer- sal and known practice in the Apostolic and pri- mitive Church, we should follow snd maintain. It is well known at\d mutt be admised that in the primUlve churches, even of Apostolic f hnt- ing, the children of professing parents wer« considered holy ; therefore they should be ac- counted so still. If we are still urged to give more express commandment, or more tbvious example ; we say, let our oppcntrrts ^i\c inof? o 2 162 iWE "sUBJKClS AND IMODE uF express conimanJment, or more o'ovious exam- ple for female right to participate of the Lord's iupper. \Vc i-^y they have a right as well astthe Anubaptist. Bat we infer it, and 5>o do they, 'i here is no commandmei.t to dispeDse it to wo« (V'tr. ; there is no explicit teatimooy that ihcy did pariicipat; . If ihcn rci^soiiirg and iafertnce be admiucd in Lv^ur of ftrm le rights, why should they noi a'so bt in favor of infancs ? Fina;i\-, ujon .he su'^jt cts of Chiisiian b iptis n Rj-.d In favor ol ijifaris we say, (he ChrKsti.;n Church is the same coi poraiion of the ancient churth called frinn the subject of it, the Jcwit.?^, iiot ;0 di'itinj^uibh it fiom Christian, but to dis- tingui.^h W from the Geutile or Caiholic Churc!;. 'Ihe Church in the wilderness of Arabia, and the Chuich in the continent of America is still the san.e. The Jewish branches were lopped oifthe ^ood o'lve tree, or ece'esiastical organization, that wt Geutiles Oiight be grafted in. AH the rights and immunities therefore, vvhieh they enjoyed, we fehuuld aUo enjoy. They enjoyed for their cVril- d.en the sign of circumcision, the stal of the righteousness of which »ot only Isaac and Jacob b«t we also aie heirs. Their childrtn were, in the construGiion of mercy, held as members of ihe church, tiU they forfeited their right or sold their birthright. So unquestionably should ours. Those who were the subjects of the ancient typi- cal rite, should be the subjects of that which came in its room. Children were the sulijects of the ancient rite or 5«al, the^ who impute so much to lotions in the Ganges, consider that it is the holiness of its quality, and not the largeness of its quantity that gives it all its virtue. All, therefore, must depend upon the divine appaintment. Baptism does not avail to the pu- rifying of the flesh ; but as it Is the answer of a good conscience, looking to God for a '' ine blessing upon a divine institution. It must also be admitted, that in the institution of baptism there is no particular direction given respecting the mode thereof. The disciples are command- ed to go arid baptize ; in what way the water wa& to be exhibited^ the Saviour said nothing. 164 THE syjBJtCTS AND MGDE OF The word {baptize) Is one of very irdt finite signification. Had the great head of the Church designed that there should be but one nr.ode, it wou'd have no doubt been expressed so that a- bout the mode there could be no doubt. The translators were aware of these facts and so have /not translated the word, otly given it an English icrmiraiicn, leaving it the sanne latitude of sig- nification iu our langange thet it had in the orig- inal. It is by some considered a causative verb (r word frond bapto ; by some it is rttkontd a diminutive. B.iptists do not consider it as a cr.usative word, for they actually dip, and do nor, I believe, generally cause the person, or any oth- er to perform the rite for thera. It must, there- fore, be undersiood as a diminutive. I do not say this is very conclusive. I rest the force of the plea for effusion upon coEvcnience, decency and expressiveness,. In a rude state of society and in warm climates, where perhaps the princi- pal attention to cleanliness is bodily ablutions f.nd immersions, there may be no great inconven- iency experienced ia this operation. When peo- ple are inured not only \o bodily hardship, but >yhen their minds also are destitute of any deli- cate cultivation, there may, in suck a state of so- ciety, be no sacrifice of bodily or mental feeling. In such a state of society,, the sexes aie accus- tomed to see each other in habits and attitudes, which civil society would count rather awkward* This vhey may db without either painful or licen- liotis feelings. But ia the highly cuHivaUdj&Utte CHRISTIAN BAPTISM. 165 of American and BrltUh socivtyt certainly every unbiassed mind must feel ihocked at seeing the sturdy baptist drag the delicate female into the stream— seize her by the neck and breast, while he trips up herliecis in the presence of the gaz- ing crowd. It must require strong feelings of conscience or superstition to reconcile a mind of ordinary delicacy to this mode. If, however, it be commanded, it must be done. We must, in all cases of duty, take up our cross. There is no necessity, however, of making one, and I do not know that in any instance, it is appointed that the members or mitlisters of Christs flock arc to im- pose these upon each other. They fulfil the law of Christ by bearing one another's burdens. They imitate the corrupt Scribes and Pharisees when they impose onerous loads on Christ's re- deemed. It is true offences must come, but woe to them by whom they come. It were, better that a man were cast into the midst of the sea with a millstone at his neck, than that he should offend one of Christ's little ones. When the wicked of the world treal them rudely be- cause of thtir testimony ic behalf of truth, they must, after the example of their divine Master, hold fast, nor love their lives unto the death for his sake. But does this prove that they must put stumbling blocks and rocks of offence in each other's way — that they will be doings God service when they put one another to death indiscreetly if Dot intehtionall} ? The Baptist, however, will say all this avai's nothing in the face of scripture !G6 T»E s&sjcets Andmodg oi authority which is all in favour of dippirij^» What is there then in favour of ireimefslon as thi exclusive mode of Christian baptism ? If the scripture be obviously on that side, then let the reasoning perish that is opposed to revelation. Let every irtiaginatioti l)e brought into the obe- dience of faith* The Baptist pleads for immer- sicti, 1 On the precise signification of the word. 2 On the practice of John. 3 On the case of Philip and the eunuch. 4. On the phrase, " Bu- tied with him by baptism into death." Upon the first of these arguments we would remark, Docs the word baptize in the English or baptizo in the Greek signify to dip and noih'rg else ? If it does not, there can be nothing certainly learned from the tvord. If it does, what was the use of making this word, seeing it and its parent^ according to baptists mean the same thing; If baptizo and bapto, baptize and dip signify cce and ibe sarr.e ihing, why ajelhey rot inter- changeably used ? Try an instance in Matthew liii. II. "I indeed baptize jou with water to re- pentance ; but he that comeih after me, is migh- tier than I, whose s>hoes I am unworthy to bear, he shall l^piize )0U with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.*' Mivke the word baptize signify noth- ing bwt dip, and you may render the passage thus — I indeed dip you wiih water, but cne com- .eib after me, S^c. 'fix shall dip you with the Holy Ghost and with 6re. Even a baptist, we pre- sume, [fccrccivcs ih^ solecism and feels shocked with both the sound and the seose that his owti CHRISTIAN BAPTISM 1-6? criticism on the meaning of the word makes. Will ihey then sa) that the word bapiii,e aUva\s means to dip or imniersc, »nd may always be so translated ? The Jews, it is known, had a great many washings, sprinklings, and ceremonial pu- rifications, all of which went by the general name of baptisms. iMarkvii.4. Hcb. ix. 10. *' And when they come from m.arket, except they wash [are baptized, in tke Greek] they cat not. And many other things there be which th^y have re- ceived to hold, as the washing [baptisms] of cups and pots, brazen vessels and tables or couches. Now, it is evident, if they dipped in all their rit- ual purifications, they must have had very large ewers or vessels. It will be of importance to know something about the size of them. As the shrewd youth remarked, when the very ingenious and rational preacher taught the people that the loaves which fed so many thoasands were as large as a ccrtiin mountain which he named, *^ I would not wish»" said the arch wag " to doubt the truth of what the minister ssys, but I would like to know how large the oven was in which the loaves were baked." If then the Jews baptized brass kettles, tables, Sec. let us CKamine how large the vessels were, in which \kiese ritual puriGcatioas were performed. Of these, we have an account in the anecdote of the marriage at Cana of Gali- lee. John 11. This family, we have reason to- believe, were as well provided qs others and es- pecially at this time. v. 6. " And there were set sis water pots of stone, after the Jews' manner «f 168 TKt SVBJrCTS AND J»ODE CI ftirification." How wuch then did these vessels contain? Our translaiion sa\8 Iwo or three fir* kins ; in the original, it is two or three measures. It would have been as well to have left it as in- definite in the translation as in the original, and if ihey had put a precise modern measure upon it t^cy surely ought not to have made such a large nteasure as the frkin answer to jhe original. The bath has by learned men been thought the more probable known measure of the metretas. However, some make the bath seven gallons and a half, some four and some three. The truth is, it must be more from circumstances than from a definite knowledge of the word, that we must as- certain the quanfitj'. However, should these stone pots contain the largest quantity that any body ever conjectured, it is evident they could not admit of a man's body to be immersed in them. It appears, indeed, from the whole story to me very evident that they did not contaiti more than two or three gallons each. It appears they were quite handy and portable not only when they were empty, but also after they were filled with the wine made of the water. It must be, therefore, very evident that the baptism per- formed in these vessels, or vessels of their size, either of tables or persons must have been a bap- tism by washing and not by dipping. We know also beyond any conjecture that the purifications under the law were performed by sprinklings and not by immersion. Take for instaace the rite of dcftnsing the leper, tev. xiv. And he shall CHRISTIAN BAPTISM. 169 «f rlnkic upon him that is to be cleanstd from the Jcprosy seven times aud shall pionouacc hitn ckan." So also of the unclean house, verses 48, 4-9» 50, 51, 52. Now, although in both of thes« cases water was to be itfietwaids uied, it is evi- dent that the typical rite was sprinkling. By attending to a colloquy in the third ch.ip- cr of this «amc book, we will see that b.«[nisna vas performed by John »nd the disciples of Je- «us in a way, which resembled the |j:e of purifi- cation among the Jews. v. 25. " Then thtrc- a- rose a question between one of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying, v. 2&. And they came unto John and said uuto liion, Kabbi, he that was with thee bcyoad Jordan, to whom thou bcarest witness, behold the same baptixcih, and all men come unto him.'* Our translators seen* evidently to have taken up the proper significa- tion of baptism as used in ths New, and alsa ia the Old Testament. It is the same, by which the assembly of divines at Westminster define it, viz. '* The washing with water,«nd as a religious rite having a respect to the great cconomv of salvation, it must be done in the name of the Fa- ther, Son, and Holy Gho«t,who in that work take each a proper part" That the translators under- stood it so and right too, is evident from Heb. jx. 10. *' Which stood only in meats ant! d'inks Mid divers washings [Greek, bapmnwm,] It is here clear to every unprejudiced mind that if they had translated the word h;»pt'»mou8, dip- fings, as they have douc it washings, they wcjulJ iY4> THE 8UBJFGTS AKD MOr>E 6-? have said a falsehood, from what we have already aten concerning the legal purificatione ; it would hav^ been improper to have called them dippings. It was very proper, however, to call thtnn bap- tisms ; therefore, baptisnfi and dipping are differ- ent thingi. Washing then, it appears, is the radi- cal idea. From Mark vii. 34 and Luke xi. 38, it is clear that washing and baptism m«an the same thing. Except they are baptized as it is ia l^e original, they eat not. What was this bap- tism ? Why just washing their hands, and what too is worthy of remark, it was then a custom and i« to this day in the east, ^o have water poured on the hands, but no matter ho\y, to be baptized in the passages cited, was to have ihs bands vrsshed, the vessels which the passages say were baptized, w« have seen were wadied. Oae sig- nification therefore of the word baptize is to wash. Allowing then the baptist his signification viz. to dip, we shall have another signification of the word : this with the obc made out before will make two. Let us see if scripture language will not afford us another sense. In 1 Cor. x. The Apostle says the Israelites were all baptized un- to Moses in the cloud asd in the sea. Here was a baptizing and neither dipping nor washing. For we can easily see how they might be sprink- led by the spray of the sea and the drops of the cloud. No honest, uoprcjudiced reader, and for such the scripture is designed, would ever think from the narrative that there was any dipping isi tbe case as respected th« Uraelitei. The Egyp- CHRISTIAN BAPTISM. Ifl fiAQS and rioi the I»raeliles got ihfc immarsion, or were dipped on that memorable occasion. It is only a desperate subterfuge in fame Bapiiats, who sa} they were covered in the cloud aad ;a the sea. Would a Baptist then say that a man nilght be receiving baptism, while he was walk- ing upon dry ground, provided there was water on every side of him, aud a hazy cloud over him ? If so, it will bs a valuable discover)- f.:.r delicate constitutions in cold climates. Rut no, they would not call it bapfism, unless they were all wet with M'ater. No man of comnoon sense would call such a positive dipping. 1'he Apos- tle, however, declares there was a catholic bap- tism of all the ransomed tribes. It was not done by inamersion, for they were not immersed. It was not done by washing, for they were not wasb.- td. Still if we give the Apostle credit for true r»rrative and correct language, they were bajft'iz- ed. , Seeing that was performed upon them Rti- ther by washing nor dipping, we conclude it vas done by sprinkling. To say, they were baj^iized by water in a vapoury state above them, and in a fluid state at a distance from them, and that this baptism was dipping, is not only inadmissable but absurd and ridiculous. According to this eanon of criticism, men might always hi called the sub- jects of baptism when a tloud of vapour impended and waters stood, or run on each side. Unless then, some fourth way be discovered of adminis- tering baptism, w« must conclude the baptism of the Israelites in the Red Sea was done bv alTa* tf2 THE SlfljreTS AKD MO»E O? gioD or ^prinfeUng. This then establishes one- Hnpor^ant f»Gt which Baptists hove unfajrly tried to dtny, and shews, to every candid mind, that the Icained and inspired Apostle considered bap-^ tisM reaJly and properly administered by sprink^ ling. The Apostles, then we see, not only bap- tized households, but they »Iso evidently consid- ered the vrord baptisnn to have the »ignification= of sprinkling. They would therefore have con-^ Sii'vkred, that they acted according to the tenor, spirit and letter of their commission, if they la- boured to proselyte to the faiih of Jesus nation«^ and in token of pardon and purgation through tie meri*#nd tfFvcacy of his blood, would sprinkle the hcusehclds acd nations converted. Why should not we ? Why should not the Baptist* thefaselves yield to Apostolic authority, and ad- oait that baptism may be valid without inatner- «ion ? Allow then, dear brethren, the rod of di- fine authority to dry up ihc Wittrs of thia con- lrovcrs«5' — suffer the ransomed of the Lord to jpess from Egyptian darkness and vassalage to ihe wilderness of ecclesiastical tutorage and the Canaan of he;irehly rest on dry ground. Let the slond of divine testimony dropdown influences of heavenly grace on old and young— Let tears cf penitence and gratitude mingle with the sym- bols of these gracious favours, and so let contro- versies of w,ort!s and modes of initiation cease. The second objection directs us to precedent and authority. Plere it is to be remarkedj in the first place, GMRISTIU.N BATTIsy: IfS that, even if it did appear that John dipped his disciples, I do not know that this would prove dipping to be the only proper way of administer- ing the ordinance ot" baptism. 1. Because it is not very certain that John't baptism, and that which is appointed in the Chris- tian dispensation, are the same. It is certain it was not instituted by Christ's commandnrjent to his disciples, and through them to the ambassa* dors of his kingdom. It seems, indeed, raihtr to have been a baptism in expression of the faith that the kingdom was at hand, than an introduc- tion into the kingdom upon the New Testament pl?.n modelled. John was not in the kingdom thus modxiiled hinoself, " The least in the kingdom of heavea is greater than he." His doctrine was not that the kingdom of heaveo was comef but that the kingdom of heaven, or eminent reign of grace ia the dispensation of the gespcl after Christ's death and resurrection, was at hand.' His baptism, therefore, was the baptism of repentance and re- mission of sins, and reformation of life in expec- tation of these purer times and stricter dispensa- tion approacliiog. Thus you see, he wa-s the harbinger «f Christ's advent, and not a messen- ger or minuter of Christ, as having already es- tabliihedbis .Church upon its New Toitamcnt and permanent model. Again— if John did baptize by itnnnersion, and should it be admitted that John's baptisna was es- isemially the same as ours, it doos «ot therefore p 2 Iit4 THE SUBJECTS AND MOBE 07 rteccssarilj- fo!low that we should. There is no necessity, a« far as I koow, that we should wear a g?»rmeal of camel's hair girded with a leathern belt, or that our meat t.houid be locusts and wild honey. Unless, therefore, it be made appear, that there is something particularly espressivc in Uiis mode ; ot that it has positive institutien in kii favour, we would not be bound, as far as I see, t: imitate the tniouti^e of John's exnnjple. , We have already sten, it has not the latter au- t;:ority, viz. positive institution, for the com- li^iaadment was, Go and buptige, not specifying in Sr=lixt mode. Nut the forijner, if the scripture be giista-ned as a compeieot j'^dge in the matter ; i'lr i\'.c scriptare frt-qiicntly expresses the thing t'gtiifud in baptism by sprinkling, which is, as V. c have seec, on« of its meanings, but never once, ar. far as we know, by dipping. The Israelites varied their mode of eating the passover, acd yet neither John nor the Saviour, who were both candid reprovers and strict re* formers, found any fault with ihena on that ac' fount. At first, they eat standing upon their feet, with staves in their hands. In Christ's time they cat it in a recumbent posture, after the mode of the Romans in feasting. Christians do not con- sider themselves bound to imitate all the circum- stantial forms of the first eucharistic feast. For instance they do not think it necessary, that this feast should be celebrated in an upper chamber, nor in the night season. It is true, they will ]reckoB l^emselves bound conscientiously to ob* CHRISTIAH BAPTI-SM. 175 serve all significant parts of this and every other divine institutioa. They will, therefore, ta/ie^ ia token of the assumption of our nature b^- our Saviour, which is the great mystery of godliness. 1'hey will breakt in symbol of his suffering for our sitis ; ghf, to keep up the sensible remembrance of his iiee offer of himself for our salvation ; communicants will i eceive as an act of faiih ap« propriating Christ j cat, to shew the hanger of the soul and the satisf) ing nouribhmeot which is f'jund in the S.iviour, who is th£ true bread of life. They will noc consider ii a matter of im- portance, whether tlit-y take one little bit of bread or ten. I do not know that the Corinthians W3uM have been reproved for making it literally a feast, if they had not kept up invidious distinc- tions beUveen the rich and the poor, which is ob- viously at war with all the principles of the gos- pel. Still I believe the most of Christians now admit that the Apostle's instructions on that oc- casion, and the whole character and design of the sacrament, require that small portions of bread and wine should be used. Why such zeal then for copious element in the other sacrament ? Th.se facts and inductions however, shew that, in order to keep any ordinance pure and entire, h is not nccessany to be miaute only where there is obvious 8igni£cation or express institutioa in- volved. We have seen that it is not very certain that John's baptism was Christian baptism ; that if it was, and even if he did immerse, that it is inTti r.ot necessary i^uolher state of society and is t76 th£ subjects ano aroDE or anotVier climate that we should immerse. Let as examine, however, before ws close the reply to this objection, whether it be very evident that John did administer baptism in this manner. The first aceoiint we have of this matter is in Matih. iii. 6. " And were baptised of him in Jordan, cor.»fessing their sins.'* Now the ques- tion is upon this part of the evidence. Did he dip them, or did he wash them, or did he sprin- kle them ? All these significauons, we have found according to -scripture usage, belong to the word. If he dipped them, and the record of the faetwas- intended to teach us that this mode is essential to the validity of the ordinance, why was ?F not nventioned in such language, and in connectioa with such circumstances, (for instance, the chang- ing of apparel) as would have put the matter be- yond a doubt ? What renders the assumption of our opponents still more doubtful^ is the ex- pression which follows, V. 11. "I indeed bap- tize you with water uBt© repentance." Now is it not evident that water is here represented ac the instrument of baptism, or that with which he performed the ceremony ? But It is also evident that in dipping they do nothing with the water 5 they do all with the subject. The water stands or runs. The baptized operates as much upon the water as the baptizer. Try how it will Vead in the way th« dipper would construe it, •r with the help of his criticism. You muet, of course, use the word in the sense which he says is its proper aod CBclusive signi^cation. He dipped them CHRItTtAW ITAPTTSJf. ITT wittj water ; or I dip rou wirh watrr. That is evidently a solecism or nnsapplicatioa of terms. I baptize you with water, however makes very good scBse. Whether then should we unfler- stand the word in the \ray that will make sense or in the way that will art ^ Our opponents will> perhaps wish to miik« another emtndaiion of the text, and say that it should be reatl not thit he dipped them v;ith water, which would be inco- herent language, but that he dipped them in wa- ter. Allow the altecation snd apply the* criii- eism to another expression of the same evangeN ist, and in the same chapter, v. 11. '* I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. — He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and fire.'*' The same event is predicted in Acts I. 5. "John baptized with water, ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost aot many days hence." Who- ever will be at the pains of reading and compar- ing these passnges either in the original or in our translation, must, if catxlid, admit that with, and rot in, is the preposition which should be used before water and before the Holy Ghost. What sense would it make to say. He shall bfc dipped in the Holy Ghcst and in fire, or ye shall be dipped in, &c. It' is true there is no prepo- sition at all used before fire, and therefore it might be said in relation to it, that we might ren- der it in that way which would m-.ke the best sense. There are two things here which shoilld be noticed. The first i?, that the sume significn- lion should be attached to an indefinite preposi- 17s TH£ »«Bj£GTS AND MOBE G7 lion expressed as tnust be attached to the wcrd ivithout the preposition ;■ otherwise, there will be DO connection. It would not do clearly to say, He shall dip you in the Holy Ghost and with fire. In the second place,- If the syntax of the Grstk- language and the scope of the place would rc- cjuire that piiri v/ithoiit a preposiiion should be' read wiih fire a;s denoting the instrument of pu- rification and not the place in which, then it nriust also be evident, that uduti standing in the same connection and case, should be in the same way' translated. Let any man then, at all acquainted^ vich the Greek, look at the passages cited, and he will at once see that in this way, the meaning «f the preposition in this place must be luith, as denoting the instrumentality of the substance to which it is pressed. But if this be obscure to some who are unacquainted with biblical criti- cism, let them bu^ attend to the fact, riz. that when the prediction was fulfilled, it was not by imnnersiori, but by affusion. The diiciples were baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire on the day of Pentecost. How was this done ? \Vere they dipped in the Holy Ghost ? — dipped In fire ? No, the inspired Apostle declares clo- ven tongues like asoffire sat upon each of them, and moreover declares that now was accomplish- ed the ancient prophecy, " I will p^ur out of my spirit upon all flesh. Therefore, being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he feath shed forth t/iis, which ye now see and hear. CHRISTIAN BAPTISM 179 Thus you sec, by comparing one part of the •history of John's baptism vviih another, and all the pirts of it wiih the antitype or that which it prefigured, it is pretty evident that dipping, or immersion was not the mode of its administra- tion. But what renders it still mere improbable that they were baptized by dipping is thif, •' They were baptized, confessing their sins." John seems to have l)een teaching them, and they confessirg, while the ordinance was administered. Now we know when a man dips he has his hands pretty full of business without teaching, and the subjcccs have other employment for their lips th«ft lo confess their sins. This circumstance then upon record, renders it very imflrobabl« .that he dipped them. If they went down into the wnter and kneeled, or stooped while h« laved •r sprinkled water upon them, the instruction and confession might be coetaneous with their bap- tism, net so if they were thrust under the watcjT ,or immersed. We have another text in this diapter, whieh is frequently cited, or suborned as a witness ia this controversy* v. 16. "And Jesus when he was baptized wetnt up straightway out of the wa- ter," Sic. The shortest reflection will shew you that there is nothing conclusive to be inferred frorn these wordj; Nothi;.-; but the positire manner in which they have lieen quoted, could muke any person think there was any proof for dipping in the words. Every body knows that waters, or riven have ISO THE SiiBJECTS AKB WODE OF banks, tbat uhen you approach the water, even should you only descend or go down to the verge of the river, you aiay be. said to go down into the water; when you recede you may be said tp Cfcmc up from or out of the water, jdthough you have not been plunged all over in or under the water. In corroboration of this construction, we must remember that the baptism of Christ was not of repentance and confession, as that of oth- er A, but was a baptism of righteousness. He was about to enter upon the execution of sarcc- dotal functions, and so mu&t be inducted accord- itig to the forms prescribed ia Ex. 4*, 12. *' And thou shall bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregatioa and wash them with water." As he would not enter upon his public minis- try, until he was thirty years of age, according to the statute, so he would observe, as far as circum- stances would admit, the Ijlw respecting the mode of induction. *'Thu» it becomcth us," saye he, ** to fulfil all righteousness." The manner in which this baptism, or washing of the priests at their instalment was performed, we are told ia the 3Ut and 32d verses : The water was applied to their hands and \^t\rfe€t. That the expression •' into the water," used ia relation to those whom John baptized, and which we design shortly more fully to consider, does not necessarily signify to go under the water, is evident from the frequent use of it, in application to-iuoimtains. If going '* ioto the mountaia" to €ilrtISTlAN BAXTISM. 181 pray prove that the mountain was penetJ p.that the baptism of his namesake was aot alwayt even near bf or at Jordan, although it wae alw^s 1£2 CHRISTIAN BAPTISM. ro dovibt with wnter. That it wns not confined to Jordan is clear, for in the 28th verse it is stat- ed that he \V3S bapiiziiijr in Bcihabara beyond Jo'dan. Again in Jqhn iii. 23, it is said, '* And John also was baptizing in Enon wear to Salim, because there was much water theie, and they came and were baptized." It has often been re- marked in books on this contraversy .Tnd iii com- roentriries, thnt much water, " iidata polhi'' signi- fies many waters rather than a large collection of waters, sach as would be requisite for phmging. The very circuntistance that it has been sorrewhat difficult to find the place where this took place shews clearly that there is no large body of water in Enon near Salim. < So far as I have been able to gather from travellers and geographers who have described those countries, it would appear that the original expresses the topography of the place better than the translation ; and that the meaning of the phrase rather is, that there was pit nty of water to drink and for affusioni than that there was an;/ copious lake or large river for immersion. The third objectior\. The case oF Phitip and the eunuch is urged by the advocates of immer- sian as very decisive in their favour. Let us then consider this evidence attentively. There is one circumstance in the fact which rf n- ^ers the case peculiarly worthy of our attention. The Administrator was a gospel minister, or dea- con, and the subject was a Gentile believer : Of .course wc need expect nothing here but what.ie THE SUljLCTS AND MODE OF 183 qii'ite evangelical. If then it In; proved thai Phil- ip immersed the eunuch oF Ethiopia, it ought to have considerable weijjht as authority in syiiiin^ the controversy about the mode of Christian baj)- tism. It must also be o'-«served that there .s something peculiar in the case. In ordinary cu- &CS, it iji plain that the administration ol this s.i- crameot should be public, and accompanied wliii the preaching of the word. " Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature ; he that btlieveth and is bispiized shall be saved." We gcneral'y expect a plurality of auditors when tve preach. Mere however, \\c have the traveller and the preacher without any other human com- pany. Ths S[)irit, however, directed Pliilip to join himself ix> this chariot. It is not very likt.ly that they h. d any convenience of baptising except by approaching some water. There is another thing also here to be observ- ed ; that it is a dry desert where they were trav- elling between Jerusalem and Gaza. It appears that this prime minister and master of the treas- ury for Candacei queen c^f the Ethiopians, was a proselyte of the Jewish religion. It is likely that he had been up at Jerusalem upon some religious business, attending perhaps some of the periodi- cal festivities. The agitated state of Jewish af- fairs might very probably afieci his mind and pro- duce concern. At any rate, he was deeply exer- cised in his mind, while he read and studied the Bcriptures. The passage of holy writ, which par- ticularly engaged his attention; v/as the 3d chip- 184 eiiRisTrAN BAPrisftf. ter uf Isaiah, and about it he was extremely anJC* ious to know, whether the prophet spake of him- seK, or of some otiier man. A mere knowledge of grammar could not decide his question, for,. aitlioMgh it was all in the third person, '* He was- ltd as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep be- lore her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth." Yet, so common was it, for itiea who wrote commentaries and histories, to speak of themselves, in the third person, that this alone could not settle the diffictilty. Philip, however, in an opportune season arrived, and preached to him Jesus the L:imb of God that taketh away the sin of the vvorUl. The euriuch with enlightened ryes saw the ti uth of the passage and its fulfil- ment in the remarkable events of recent occur- rence. He belitved. While they iratclled with minds siroDK'y attent on such a niighiy and inier^ tsting subjfecc, they came to a certain water, that seems to have run acrobs the road. This sugges- ted, at once, to the eunuch, the propriety of hav- ing his body sealed with the rile of baptism. Very probably he would be the more solicitous for this; because in thesanne connection and but a little before the verses he was reading when Philip joined his chariot» it is said of the same chaip.cteron whom his faith was new ftxed, *'He ihill sprinkle many nations ; the kings shall shut xheir mouths at him, for lh:it which had not been Jold them iball ihey see, and that which they had not heard shall they consider." He was a great man in the court of Candace, fcU himself the sub- THE SUBJECTS AND MODE OF 185 ^ectof part ef this story, and desired to share al- so of the rest. He had seen and coasidered great things tvhich were before hid. When he saw the water, then he asked Philip, What doth hinder m©' to be baptised ? And Philip said, if thou beiicvest with all thine heart thou mayesr. And he answered and said, I bclitve that Jesus Christ is (he Son of God. Let the reader keep all these circunibtances in his mind and ask, What is it in the passage that proves innmersion ? The Anabaptist will sa^', He went into the wa- ter. Well, does ihis prove that l,e went under the water ? If it does, then it is said, as express- 1\', that Philip went into the water, i. e. as the Anabaptist explains the phrastr, under the water. *' And they went down both of them into the wa- ter [under the water, according to the Baptist tomreient] both Philip and the eunuch, and hs baptized him." Now let the reader ask the plunger, How did Philip baptize the eunuch, tvhen they were both under the water, before tlic rite of baptism was performed f It will here ob- vio«5sly appear that the passage proves rather te j- much for the Aoabriptist, upon his own pi^n of construing it« Our opponents will be now readv to say, that common sense teaches that there was no necessity of Philip's going under the water. So we think also ; but it is upon the meaning of words and verbal criticism that we are »ow rea- soning, and if the proof of the eunuch's immer- sion be good upon the phrase went into the water and come up out of the water, it must also be good Q.2 186 CHRISIIAN BAPTISM upon the part of Philip. So the Baptists in order to be consistent vs^lth their own criticism must accottijBany their proselytes under the water, and gdminister the ordinance the best way they can in the regions of the deep. However, we do not wish to insist longer upon verbal criticism. If he renounces ihat plea and ?.p- peaU to common sense, I have no objections pro- vided ii be not the common sense of party pi'tju- dice. Common sense too, must judge upon facts and mu4l remember that baptism is different from going into the water according to the scrtpture, must remember that there is no mention made of a bridge or a ferry to cross this wattr , that the place is a dry desert between Jerusalem andi Gaza, wheri ihete is no lake nor river, but that they came to a certain water ; that there is no mention made of changing garments, but that as soon as the simpl* and easy gospel rite was ad- ministered, the Spirit carried away the baptizer, and the baptized wsnt on his way rejoicing, Kow, I confess, if unprejudiced common sense say, there is here clear evidence of immersion, rather than of any ether way of bapiiz^ing, I can- not s«e it. It must also appear evident, that if any portion of scripture can be found, which will favour the saethod of immersion in Christian bapti&m, it must be this. The Baptists themselves insist so snuch upon it as to shew that they think so toos»_ and it is evident that if you take their own com- mtnt, it will pr»ve too much even for them* If TUE SUBJECTS AN» MODE OF 1^7 you reason upon all the circumstances of the nar- rative, if it be not demonstrably evident, that sprinkling was the mode, it is far more probable that it was sprinkling than immersion. The 4th objection is taken from Col. ii. 12. It is evident from this passage that baptism is come in the room of circumcision. Ail the Churches, as might waturally be expected, were harrasscd at that time with Judnixing teachers. These were incapable of resisting the external ev- idence of the gospel facts, and yet were also in- capable of perceiving the spiritual signification of gospel rites. Ihey were envious of Apostolic popularity, and afraid of Jewish or Gentile perse- cution. In order,, then, to reconcile their con- victions and policy, their views and ways, they taught a kind of corrupt system, and blended Jewish and Christian rites ; they preached the gospel through envy, and, through pride or fear of persecution,.taught Christians that they must be circumcised and keep the law of Moses. The Apostle teaches the Colossians that there- was no need of receiving circumcision ; for, in 60 doing, they became debtors to the whole ritu- al law. He shews them particularly here that they were circumcised virtually and really by being baptized.. They had no need to compiaia that they were deatitute of right rules, or «uit«* ble religious rites. All that was moral or spirit- ual in ancient prescription is certainly retained. For says he ^' Ye are complete in him who is the h«ftd of «ll principality and power. In whom al- 188 CHRISTIAN BAPTJISM. SO ye are Circumcised with the circumcisroa not made with hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ." The next verse is connected with the one now cited, and shews how alt this lakes place, v. 12. '* Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faiih of the ope- ration of God, who hath raised him from the dead." Is this, then, the closing proof for immersion ? If it be, we must see wherein its great strength lieth. There is the more necessity for this, be- cause, we presume ihut a great many have deriv- ed tdiucation from the passage, and yet have Eev- er seen any thing in it relating to the mode of administering, the ordinance of baptism. How- ever, if it contain evidence and proof relative to thii point let us see and own it though it should be rather occult and obscure. Is this then the argument? Those that arc buried are covered with earth ; therefore those that are baptised should be covered with water ? When we are following analogy so close it would be well enough to ask, Whetner the dead clothes and coffin dojiot hinder their entire immersion.iR the earth ? If that is considered to make no odds in the case of iotcrment, we would again ask, If this might not suggest an improvement upon the Baptist plan of immersion ? If tl^ sub^ jcct were enclosed in a tight box, and boi and proselyte deposited in a hole dug in the earth,- vater might b^ s^ovellei upoa the b&z. till it was TWE SUBJKtTS AMD MODE 0» r89i" covered, and the baptized's cloihes keyt dry. In this way the common mode of sepulture might certainly be more completely represented than by the present mode oi immersion. It would cer- tainly, howevtr, be advisable, if such a plan should be adopted, that the box should be a little farcical in its size, so as to contain some vital airiest tha farce should terminate in serious reality as often as it now does. But we hav«: gone perhaps too far in shewing how ridiculous this mode of inter- preting the passage is. Let us see if the plain and obvious sense of it be not belter, vi2 : That wt die completely to all hopes of life and salva- tion by the souV-humbling exhibition of the cra-> eiBed,dead and buried Saviour. Again — we rise to a newness of life and com- fort by the faith of his resurrection. This com- ment is confirmed by collation with a parallel passage in Horn. vi. 3, 4. " Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Josus Christ, were baptized into his death ? Therefore wb are buried with him by baptism into death i 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." It is eertainly proper that we should understand one scripture by an- other and one part of the same passage by anoth- er. According to ihis mode of commeut it is ev- ident that the rising, in these texts is nota rising •ut of the water of immersion, but out of the grave of a natural stale, to walk, not on the banks of the river, out of which they have ascended^ but to walk ia newness «f life. 2-Ga CHRISTIAN »apt:sm If it should still be urged, ihat though ihese e-2- pressions do not positively prove that dipping 13 the only proper j.'lan, they p.- eve that it is ihe- more expiessive mode of exhibiting those spirit- ual truths and experience which baptisiTi is de- signed to represent. If that itself were the case, certainly the consideration should have weight. But ffrit, it is certain that Christ, in his biiptism unto death uas sprinkled, if, in all verbal and rit- ual institutions, then, we should have respect to Christ and him crucified, to have his death set be- fore us, sprinkling is the best mode. Second. Ae- cording to both ancient and modem modes of in- lerracnt, burial is more naturally expressed by sprinkling, than by immersion. We do not^ pliinge the corpse into the earth, but xve lay it down and eprinkle mould upon it. We have al.* ready seen, that the scripture very o^ten repie- sents the spiritu-il significatioQ of baptisnn by sprinkling, but never by immersion, 'i'he sum therefore of uie matter seems to be thi^: : B<*p-^ tism has several significations in scri; tare use ; the rite of course may be done in sev---al v.'rvs. Minis' ers are not particularly instrurved ho^y they snould administer k. Examples fram strip- lure, so far from fixing its meaning io dipf ing, rtthcr render it incredible, iht coiive.iinit^ and decent way, allowing con>.mon sense to judge, is sprink- ling, and the most &ign{ficant mode, by the de- cision of the scriptnres is sprinkling. Lev. xiv. 7. Psalm ii. Isa. iii. 15, t.z. ^xxvi. 25. Keb. ix. 13,x. 22, xii. 34. 1 Pet. 1, 2. PART V ^-AN ADDRISS TO ANABJlPTlSrS. I HOPE, tosucbof viHi,as arc candid en- jqulrers for truth and instituted order, this publi- cation will give no offence. I am the more encouraged to hope this, be- cause it is your ordinary argumei.t and plea, that this sacrament should be administered strictlv» punctually, and formally, accordirg to the divine will. YoQ also admit that the divine will is to be le:\- a> than with others, who, while they are as tc.'jatioiis of truth and order, ars mort liberal in ruakinjj ni- lowances, and more learned, as I wouUl sa)\,iu making judicious distinctions. Wh.it v>'i1l be- come of you, if it ieally appear'ihat you hivo m i- iher John the Baptist nor the Aposilcs, the primitive churches, the Waldcnses, nor the lit;- iormersas your predecessors and patrons ? You deny our ordinances, our ecclesiastical authoritv. Who first dipped the baptist broiher ? \V'ho first ordainfed the baptist elder ? You ought to ktio\/ ^|his very correctly, lest it bff' found that youro.vu system and mode of judging will judge and con- demn yourselves. Here you must not misun- derstand me } I am not judging you, but expos- ing you to judge yourselves. Take your present practice as the rule of your decision, if ) ou find that it is going to leave you fatherless, spu- 196 A-N ADDRESS T» ANABAPTISTS. rious and self created, we hope it will teach you*; to judge of others more charitabl)'. Stilly' how- ever, I would not have you thitik that I am urg- ing you to the loose practice of the Church of England, which allows for secular purposes every profane creature, and people of every creed to partake of the holy communioa. Na, if you thiik us ''disorderly brethren," treat us as such ; '• withdraw from us," till you be csnvinced of the contrary. Bat do not excommunicate us alto- gtiher frcm the visib'e church, because we have hot been baptized nt the particular time, and in the preci'je mods which you tlpink proper. \Ve""i\'-,il reiii'ily ?dm;t that not only the Popish hariot, but also msny Protestant societies have turned uie Church too much into a worldly sacc- tuary, have admitted many both old and young |o membership, neither for iheir own good nor for the honour of the Church, wliich should be a holy society. But is It fair, on that eccovmt, to infer that God hath cast off his people and their seed ; Surely some of you have a sense- of the greut grijce of God in Christ. Let such consider that '* Hs gather* the lambs in histrmSjand car- w and pay to the Lord }our God." If we cannot succeed in bringing them up for God, we shall be clear of our oath like Abraham's servant. But certainly vie have very comfortable promises and it does seem to me very improper, very imprudtht, very unbe- lieving and very ungrateful not to apprehend them. *' Train up a child in the way he should £o, and when he is old he will not depart frona it." B 2 1§8 AM ADDRESS TO ANTABAPTISTS You Still ask, What it the use of this ordi- nance ? I answer it has six uses. First, It is a- recognition of the grace of God. Second, It is a; gratification of the pious parent. Third, It is a rendering to God what is his due. Fourth, It is a. religious bond of mutual duties annong godly families. Fifths It is a solemn pledge of the per- manency of the Church, and a bond among the sever?.] members thereof. Sixth, It is calculated in a peculiar manner to establish the mind of a pious parent, either when he is about to leave his offspring or when they are called away from him. Jn the acknowledgemeTit of divine grace and mer- cy, justice ought not to be denied. i[n the bap- tism of infants the fall of man, in AdHm is ac- knowledged. That this affects infjnts is obvious in the dispensations of Providence, why should not. jlie covenant und dispensation of grace also affect this interesiing^-class cf juniors ? You see their faces often bedtwed with sorrow and sometimes pale with death, why will j'ou not allow true be- ]iev*r3 to have their children's faces sprinkled with the symbol of the grace of life ? Why not hIIow us to acknowledge the grace of God, who *' forasmuch as the children were partakers of flesh and bloodj did hinoaelf also take part of the same, that through death he might destroy death" &C. Our elder Brother knows what it is to be a babe as well as to be a man. If babes had not needed redemption by his. blood, why should he? have been circumcised in youth ? The promises arc all ratified in him ; the testament, in which AN ADDRESS 'iCO ANABA^TWTB 199 they are contained He sealed with his blood. Are thare then any pronnises to children ? If none, where is the great grace of thia dispensation ? The promises were to be to the seed. If the pronn • jse be to the children still, why should not the seal also be ? It is not safe to separate that which" God haih joined. It is evident that God has ap- pointed baptism as the sign and pledge of regen- eration J to whom he denies it therefore, he must be considtred as denying (he grace signified. Why is it the will of God that unbelievers and impenitent sinners should not be baptized ? It. is because he denies them ths grace, he will not grant them the sign. If, therefore, God denies the sign to the infant seed of believers, it must* be because he denies thera the grace of it ', and- then all the children of believing par«nt3 dying in their infancy, must without hope perish. Moreover, I argue, if the promise be not to the seed of believers, it cannot be to believers them- selves. What was the promise,^ **I will be your God and the God of your seed." Take away the latter part of it and it is not the same promise. Again, Christ came to ratify the promise made to the fathers, Rom. xv. 8, why then will j^u not allow us to acknowledge tbis grace ^f the Redeemer? Why not help us to do it ? Sure- ly you would not have him that is the messenger of the covenant. Mai. iii. 1, to come to disannul the covcnanti if this had been the ca«c, then Christ had not been a faithful messenger, and thoee who aay vhat iafants haveno part in the 200 AN ADDRESS TO ANABAPTISTS promise and the seal, necessarily deny that He came to confirm the promises made unto the Fa- thers. You will make as little of it to say, that the promise which is to believers and their seed is the promise of the Spirit. Let it be so, that is the same promise. H^w is God our God but by granting us his Spirit. This is the very bles- sing, which was promised and fulfilled to Abra- ham in the ancient dispeRsaiion of grace, and which is now graciously transferred to us poor Gentiles. Gal. iii. 13 •' Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeih on a tree. v. 14. That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through jftsiis Chtist, that rue vught receive the promiite ftf the Spirit tkrongh faith?'' Hear what Dr. Owen, who can be charged by none as a superficial man, says upon this passage: ** Christ is the messenger of the covenant. Mai. iii. !• (i. e.) the covenant of God made with A- braham. Gen. xvii. 7. 1. That coveaant was with and to Christ mystical. Gal. iii. 16. And he was the messenger of no covenant, but that which was made with himself and his members. 2. He was sent, or was God's messenger to per- form and accomplish th-e covenant and oath made with Abraham. Luke i, 72, 15. 3. The end of his message and of hi& coming was, tliat these^ to whom he was sent, might be blessed with faith- ful Abrahanii, or that the blessing of Abrahatn promised in the covcD^nt might come on thcm.'^ Gal. iii. 9. 14. Xt( ADDBGS TO A»A BAPTISTS. 20!' To deny this overthrovrs the whole relatiou be- tween the Old Testament and the New ; the ve- racity of God in his promises, and all the proper- ties of the covenant of Grace mentioned, 2 Sunn, xxrti. 5. It was not the covenant of works, nei- ther originally, or essentially, nor the covcuaat in its Ieg»l admioiatrHtinn ; for he confirmed and sealed that covenant, of which he VTas the Messen- ger ; but these he abolished. Let it be named what covenant he was the messenger of, if not of this. Occasional additions of temporal promises do not in the least alter the nature of the cove- nant. Herein he was the minister of the cir- cumcision for the truth of God to confirm the promises made to the Fathers. Rom. xv. 7. That is undeniably the covenant made with A- braham, enlarged and explained by the following premises. This covenant was, that G«d would be a God to Abraham and to his seed, which God explains to be his infant seed. Gfl-n. xvii. 12. that is, the infant seed of every one of his poster- ity that should lay hold on, and avouch that cov- enant as Abraham did and not else. This ihe whole Church did solemnly for themselves, and their posterity whereon th« covenant was con- firmed and sealed to them all. Exod. xxiv. 7, 8. And every one was bound to do the same in his own person, which if he did not, he was to be cut ofl from the congregation whereby he forfcited^ll privileges to himself and his seed. The covenadt therefore was not not granted in U& administrations to the carnal seed of Abra- 902 AN' ADDRESS TO ANABAPTISTS ham as such ; but tc his covenant seed, those who entered iiUo it, and professedly stood to its term?. And the nromise made to the Fathers were, that their infaat seed, their buds and off- spring, should have an equal share in the cove- Rant with ihcnn. Isa. xxii. 24, xL-ir; 3. Ixi. 9. Ixv. 23. They are the seed of the blessed, and iheir cfspriiig xvkh ihsm ; not only ihcmselvei, who are the believing professing seed of those who were blessed of the Lord by a particL- wa» not Christ a faithful messenger, nor did he confirm the truth of the promises made unto the lathers. To deny, therefore, that the children of believ- ing, professing parents, who have avouched God's covenant as the church of Israel did, Ex. xxiv. 7^ 8, have the same right and interest with their parents in the covenant is plainly to deny the fidel- ity of Christ in the discharge of his ofKce. It may be i-t will be said that although children have a right to the covenant or do belong to it, yet they have no right to tke'initial seal of it. This will not suffice : For, 1. If they have aay interest in it, it is either in its grace or in its administra- tion. If they have the former, they have the la«er also, as shall be produced at any time : If ^^ti ADDRESS^TO ANABAI'TSITS 203 they have neither, they ha%'e none. Then the truth of ihc promises of God unto the Fathers, was not cot firmed by ■Christ. 2. That to whom the covenant or promise doth belong, to them be- longs the administraiion of the initial - N AE APT13TS liberalized by an extensive contemplation of God's ways, eacouraged by scriptural precedents and promises, and especially .^vhcn animated I;y di- vine grace,, will csryy O that the child might live btforc thee ! Gen. xvii. 18. He who hears the young ravens and the young lions, hears the dis- , tress and affliction of young mortals, and will gratify the pious prayers and earnest supplica- tions of parents in their behalf. Behold the dis- tressed Hannah travailing in her soul, before she, conteived in her body, praying and weeping and vowing.— Read the instructive and encouraging passage, 1 Sam. 1,9 — 18. Was the disconsolate Hannah neglected ? No. Was ihe story record- ed only for entertainment ? No. With all other scripture it was designed for. .^irectioa in right-^ eousness. Mark then, ye mothers in Israel, her conduct. She calls him Samuel, that is, asked of I God, and she presents him again to the Lord, saying, '* He whom I have obtained by petition shall be retarned.'* Her dedication of him is accepted ; the pious parent ia justified. This particular favour she acknowledges in an inspired hymn. The same general principle in relation to God's kind and coadescending disposition is no- ticed, in the thirty-seventh psalm and fourtli verse *' Delight thyself also in the Lord, and he shall give thee the^ desires of thine heart." Can parents help having desires, fond desires for the salvation of their children ? Can they be indifferent about obtaiaing every help of their faith? Caa they, thenj say that baptism is of. AN ADDRESS TO ANABAPTISTS 205 »r.o use, when il seals to their offspring the prom- ises of salvation ? Christian parents know that God's word is sure, but still iht» considerate of thenn will rejoice that he establishes their faiih by two innnautHble things. Party spirit, I admit, may prevail so much in some, as to deprive tlieni of natural affection j but we are speaking of or- dinary cases, ?nd c<»n our Baptist friends suppose that God will reckon their neglect of their chil- dren, self denial and hurtiility i No. He will ascribe it, if not to cruelty, to forgeifulness and ignorance. *' Even the sea monsters draw out ithe breast ; they give suck to their young ones : ithe daughter of my people is become cruel, lite (the ostriches in the wilderness." Lam. iv. 3. ^See a farther description of thisi unnatural animal .ia Job xxxix. 14. "Which leaveih her eggs in the earth, and warmeth them in the dust ; 16 .and forgetteih that the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may bieak them. 16 She Is hardened against her }0ung ones, as though they were not hei's : her labour is in vain with- out fear. 17 Because God hath deprived her of wisdom ; neither hath he imparted unto her un- derstanding." We would then affectionately ex- hort those, who have ) et some bowels of affection for their children, to take courage, and bring them to the king of Israel, who is a merciful king, al- though he may suffer you to be greatly exercised in mind about their right (so if you are pious you have been about your own) yet, he delights to rgraiify your pious soUciiudi; /or your offspring, 206 AN ADDRESS TO ANABAPTITS and will approve even what some ill informd clis- cipJes may call presumptive audacity. Read for confirmation of this truth Math. xv. 21, 28— Mark vii. 34. You will cert;iinly be more safe in imitating the approved example of the Syro- phcnician than in following the wild Arabian of the desert. Sec how even the woman of Ca- naan entreats for her young daughter, even in the face of frowning disciples, and a remonstrat- ing Jesus, and she succeeds !!! Shall there be less faiih among the matrons of Israel, who bring forth children whom the God of Israel claims as his ? But this brings us to the Third Use of infant baptism, which we have stated) viz. That it is a rendering unto God what is his due* If faith be too feeble to appreciate the force of the first inducement, and calculation on divine kindness too low to catch the strength of the sec- ond, we would fondly hope, that a sense of justice would remove all scruple from the minds oi oyr oppenents, about the propriety of Christians dedi- cating their infant offspring to God in baptism. You listen to constables and collectors when ihcy proclaim in your ears, ''Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's," and shall you not attend to theiegates of heaven, when they call upon you to '* Render unto God the things that are God's ?" The very first principle of equity and justice is, to give every one his due. If, therefore, we can shew that the children of believers are his, yoit will allow him his due. That which is, in i: pe= culiar sense, his, ought ia a peculiar way to be AN ADDRES TO ANABAPTISTS. 207 niarked as his. The children of his covenant people are in a pecwliar sense his ; ilurtibre, the children of his covenant people should be in a peculiar way marked as his property. I have been the more particular in framing this argu- ment, because, however solid its principle, it is liable to the attacks of insolent quibble. We shall not insult your uriderslandings so far as to IcU you, that this principle has the sanction of an- tiquity and obvious propriety both upon its side j but we would wish you to ailr-nd to two facts, which render its pro[)ricty, new, more obvious than in ancient times. First. In the putii.irchul and Mosaic dispensations, God's people were lo- cally distinct from Oihers, and ^o liid less need of being peculiarly maiked. Secondly. Society, at that time was not so formal in its negociations as latterly it has been. Every shepherd and mer- chant can appreciate these observations, and ap- ply them to the case in hand. These' thoughts being kept in view, the conduct ol those uhopcc- fess to be under shepherds, and yet oppose the application of these principles to the lambs of Christ's flock, must appear to the candid very suspiciou". Forget, I entreat jou, dear friends, that you are baptists, and think, should not those who ktve Christ pay marked attention to hi* lambs ? ListcH to what David or Solomon says, " Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord ; and the fruit of the womb is bis reward."* To eve- ry pious parent, the Lord, whose heritage chil- • Psftlm cxxvii. 3. 2C8 AN ADDRESS TO AKAB APTISTS". dren are, says, •' Take this chi/d, and mirse it far »:f.''t " 1 hus saith the Holy One of Israel, and* his m:iker, Ask n>e of things to come concerning^^ tnif sons, vnd concerning the works of my hands command ye mc' § Shall Christian worshippers of the true God suffer tdolators to be more entire" jy devoted to their imaginary deities, and be more honest in their dealings with l>ing vasities, than they nre in thtir trsnsaction wiih the Blessed and only Potentate, King of kings and Lord of lords ?' Ezek. xvi. 20, 21. " Moreover, thou hast taken (hv sons and thy daughters, whom thou hast sH-iii r.nto me, aad ihe*e hast thou sacrificed ruito them to be devoured. Is this of thy whore- d(ur.5 a small m:.tttr ? 2t That thou hast slain my childien, vmd delivered tht m to caase them to pa^3 through the fire for them.^" The children of idolators aic reckoned the children of the idol. Ma', ii. 11. " Judah h;ah dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jeiusalcm; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the Lord which he I©ved and hath married the daughter of a strange god^ We admit that adult believers are not unfre- quenily called children of God. Math. v. 9. *' Blessed are the peace makers for they shall be called the children of God." This is so far, how- ever, from militating against the plea of God's pe- culiar propriety in the children of believers, that it seems to me entirely in favour of it. If be had no people that were literally children, we can- t Ex.ii. 9. 5 Isa. xlv. N. AN ADDRESS TO ANABAPTISTS 2C9 .not see upon what principle he would call some metaphorically so. He seems to take, if we may so speak, a pleasure in calling his people general- ly by that name, because of such is the kingdom of God. We are not to be understood, however as advocating the right of those, who have de- scended from any distant predecessor, or of those who are adult descendants of an immediate parent who is or was piou?: Rom. ix. 7. '' Neither be- cause they are the seed of Abraham are they all children, but in Isaac shall thy seed be called. 8. That is, they which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God > but thy children of the promise are counted for the seed." Here I very readily admit thut the A- posile has a reference to a supernatural birth ac- cording to a sovereign election, as ih« scope of the place will prove to every enlightened student ; still it is well known that the descendants of the pious patriarch had a peculiar mark of beii g God's peculiar properly, until the seed of the; flesh despised the seed of the promise in adult years ; and this too without any regard to eviden- ces of regentraiion, which could not then be ob- tained. This is the \ rinciple we would have yoti, in justice to God and your seed, still to observe. Reject not, we pray you the counsel of God against your oflTspring, in refusing to have them baptized. If, when they grow up, they behave rudely as did Ishmael in Abraham's house, let their baptism become no baptism j let thenn be «}«ctcd. If, like Esau, they sell their birthright s 2 2510 AN ADDRtSS TO ANABAPTIST* j'ou cannot help that, but for justice's sake let- babes, while babes, have their birthright. Let the children of the promise be accounted for the seed still. In doing so you are certaialy making uo great sacrifice. We are not calling upon you to give them to the arms of a burning Baal or a monstrous devouring Moloch, but you arc giv- ing them to the arms of a merciful Jesus, ac- knowledging the virtue and value of his redeem- ing blood to purify souls and purchase captive children. If you the roots be holy, so are they the branches, upon every analogy of nature and gracious dispensation. Ye have had your holi- ness or consecration to God signified by baptism, why should iiot your branches receive the same ordinance ? Will you not alow God by his Spirit efficiently, and by his ministers symbolical- ly, to pour his Spirit upon your seed and bisbles- sicgvvpon yottr offsprirgr* Will you not allow the Redeemer of his Church to sanctify and tleanse all the members thereof, young and old, wUb the washing t>( water by the word ?t Fourth; It is a spiritual and religious bond of mutual duties among godly individuals and f^mi*. lies. All the ordinances of religion, as well as the arrangements of Providence, are evidently • akulated to bind nncn together by social ties. Any usage, therefore, of the Church, which con- forms to this general principle, is so far demon- »traied to be consistent with the great whole. Any usage, on the contrary, which does not coft;. ' U»,xliT. 3. t Eph.y. 2£- AM ADDRESS TO ANABAPTUTS 21 1 ferm to this great social principle, is so far doubt- ful. By baptism administered to infants we obtain a solemn bond of parents, that they shall perform parental duties conscientiously to their children. There are few, we believe, so fanati' eal, as to say that parents da not owe some du- ties to their children, or to God, in relation to their children. There are few willing so far to acknowledge themselves descendants of Cain, a« to say they should exercise no brotherly guardi- anship towards each other in relation to these du- ties. For the illustration of the practical advan- tage of infant baptism, in this view of the subject, we shall suppose two cases. 1st. Of two chris* tian brethren who acted upon the plan of infant baptism and parental vows in the administration, of that ordinance. 2d. Of two beloHging to your society, who deny that infants are, or can be, members of the Church, and, of course, have no baptismal vow in immediate relation to their off- spring. One of each of these parties has naughty children, and, like Eli, does not, with sufficient energy and faithfulness, restrain them. One of each of these parties is exemplary, in his ov»n conduct, and conscientious and vigilant to inspect reprove and reform his Christian brother. Upon the Psedobaptist system, the correct man can say to the offender. Dear brother, I am truly sorry to find that you so far forget your covenant en- gagements for your children, that you suffer them to live in ignorance, <»nd in all that train of Vhce, ^Ril dissipation which haunt untutored youtfa> 21S AN ADDRESS TO ANABAPTISTS Did not you, when presenting your childrsn be- fore the Lord in baptism, vow, under all the sol- emnities of sacramental symbols there exhibited, that you would instruct them in the principles, and train them up in the practices of an holy re- ligion ? — that you would not only set before them a pious example, but also that you would use towards them a strict discipline, that they might not be aHowed to profane the holy name whereby they were called, by following the pro- pensities of the flesh, the fascinations of the world and the standard of the prince of darkness, who rules over the children of disobedience ? The offender cannot in consistency but say, I acknowledge your reproof is proper. I have been too indulgent and too negligent. I have rerily been fauky in the holy covenant; I con- fess I have not only dishonoured God, but also have given offence to my ecclesiastical brethrenj who are united with me in the same covenant, A 1! the comfort, I can now have is, that the God of Israel is merciful and ready to forgive, that he promises to heal our backslidingg. Were not the covenant itself sure and steadfas-t, what would frail, failing mortals do ? Dear brother, help roe by your prayers, advice, and co-operation to re- form my family, that we may yet walk together ■ in the light, as children ^of the light, rejoicing that the blood of Jesus Christ, which was sprinkled sacramentally upon us allia baptism cleanseth us from all sins. On the opposite system what skall the aggrieved say ! What cannot the offgn*-- AN ADDHESff T«f ANABAPTISTS 21.1- der reply ? Docs the former adduce, from gen- eral topics of morality, arguments to convince his brother of the impropriety of hrs conduct to- wards his family ? By this I'erv fact vou may see the imperfcctima of your sjstetD. Why does not jour sNstem embody these principles in the social compact ? Even should there be some ar- ticles in the congregational covenant^ relative to familv gDvernment. it is clear that alt sources of purification must be verv liable to run dry, which are not connected with the fountain opened in the house of David for sin and for uncleanness. The great argument for, and the great agent of, sanctification in young or old must be, and is, the blood of Christ. Why then weaken that argu- ment, why keep cut of view the operation of that sgent, in relation to your infants ? What would your system answer should the reproved in the case before OS sav, "What have I to do with those that are without," alluding to his own chil- dren ? Would the laws of civilised society ad- mit this answer, 9nd is the system of your church less perfect ? Suppose the first founders of the Anabaptist society had succeeded in demolishing this fabric of civil government altogether, by what laws would you either have corrected or protected your children ? In the same way the advantage of infant baptism might be demonstra- ted from the hold Upon yofuth which it affords to the ministers of the gospel. The covenant con- nexion established by circumcision, the Apostles employed as an arg^unent with the Jews in urg- 2^4' AN AbDilESS TO ANABiPTSlti^ rng them rightly to improve the opportunities of the gospel. Acts iii. 19. **Rcpent)e therefore^' and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out^ when the times of refreshing shall come frotw the presenre of the Lord; v. 25. Ye arc the chil- dren ©f the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abra- ham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blesserio" Even in their negociations with churches composed of a considerable pro- portion of Gentiles, they draw argsiments from ' the ancient covenant which embraced the infants attd households of professors. Thus, in urging upon the Romans the great duties of forbearance, mutual edification and united profession and re- ciprocal charities, he says " Wherefore receive ye one another as Christ also received us, to the glory of God. Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God,; to confirm the promises made unto the fa- thers ; and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy ; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles and sing ittntd thy name." Rom. xv. When reproving the Galalians for their. legal views and carnal dispo- sition to be made perfect by the flesh, he recom- mends to thera cvargelical views, and spiritual -fxercises by the example of Abraham. Gal. iii, .§. '* Even as Abraham believed God and it was , accounted to liim for righteousness= v. 7. Know - y,e not that they which are of faith, the same are iht children of Abraham ?" Children must ex- AN ADDHESS-TO AMADAPTiSTS 2iiJ ,pect to be justified upon the same principles of iheir parents, Abraham was a very opposite ex« .ample to those who were proselyted in adult years, and were made the fathers in a new dispen- catioD. V. 8. *' And the scriptures.ioresecing that , God would justify the heathen through faiih, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, ;2n thee shall all nations be blessed, v. 9. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faiihful Abraham ;*' as if he had said. You are entirely bewitched and dreadfully deceived, if yousuppoisc that Abraham was justified by the law, or sancti- fied by external and ritual ceremony. It seems from this last quotation obvious that the Apostle found no difficulty in counteracting the tendency of Judaizing teachers, in consisten- cy with maintaining the evangelical principles and spiritual tendency of the Abrahamic dispensa- tion. Those whom he reproves and their teach- ers, saw nothing but legal principles and carnal forms inr it; fhcy considered it as a fleshly cove- nant, by conforming to the bodily exercise of which, they might obtain salvation. Thus you see. so far you and these deluded Gatatians agree, and had the Apostle been of the same miad with , them and you on this point, he must evidentlf ,have taken t[uite other ground to refute them. But, by the Spirit of truth, he is preserved from that extreme, and shews, in the form of his rea- 3onin;j, the advantage of having, in all our eccle- siastical proceedings, some view to a permanent, general and conspicuous covenant. Without thU ^16 icH ADDRRSa.T© -ANABAI'TJSYS Christians will have upon each other no boite!, even from the venerable revelation of truth, legis- lation of divine sovereignty, nior from the succes- sive dispensations of God's grace. Fifth. It is a solemn pledge of the permanen- cy of the Church ; and of course, in gloomy times, is an exhibition .pf cheering future pros- pects. No^ truth is plainer than this, that *' one gene- ration passeth avray, and another cometh." Were the former only true, and nor the latter, all human society must inevitably become extinct. A permanent society, therefore, must have men^ vyomen, and. children for its members. Take away any one of these and it becomes visibly im- perfect. If it coniinwe it fnust for that continur jmcc be dependant. 1% the- Church, ^hen, an im- pcrfecl; and a dependant society, -in its visible organizaiion and obvious structure ? So say the opponents of infant membership and infant bap- tism : but so «a snot the Bibl^. The Christian, while he contemplates, with pleasure, the corres- pondence of the charter and the seal of the cove- nant with respect to the persons interested ia the promises, will also rejoice that the correspon- dence holds out a sure pledge of the permanency of the Church. We are not reasoning with you now 'that it does so, or we would be more particular in ■stating our arguments, but we are shewing that it 'is not in vain that this is done. It gladdci.s the (hearts of those who love the prosperity of Zioa '^nd rejoice in her permanent charter and perma*; AN ADDRES TO AN A B A PT 13 TS. .217 nent seals. When the good oltl man feels liU infirmities multiply, and is anticipating from year to year, his own dissokitlon, it will do his heaitgood to see an infant presented before the Lord in baptism. He will then remember that the Lord hath said, " My mercy will I ki^ep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall siaqd fast with him. His seed also will I make to en- dure for ever." Psalm Ixxxix. 28. Frail as ha is and fleeting as he sees all nature to be, he will rejoice in the permanent establishment of the church and the continuation of her infant mem- bers. *' The children of thy servant shall con- tinue?, and their seed shall be established before ihee." cil. 28. Are the children related to him i He will feel as if this proiuise was i.-nmediately fulfilled to himself. " Yea, thou shah see thy children's children, and peace upon Israel." cxxviii. 6. He will pray that that may be fulfil- led to the children. '* I will pour my spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thy offspring, and they shall spring up as among the grass, and as willows by the water courses." Isa. xjiv. 4. Ha will pray that the substance as well as the sign naay be present. Isa. xliv. 4. As for me, this ia my covenant with them, saith the Lord, ]\Iy spir- it that is upon thee, and my word which I have put in ihy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever." lix.21. Behold the scene a hitle produced, see those children join T ;218 AN ADDRESS TO AMABAPTStTS in the cheerful exercises of the sancturary and tell what, good man, or angel, can but be pleased? Take but one peep in Zechiriah's glass, viii. 3. " Thussaiih the Lord I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and Je- rusalem shall be called the city of truth i and. the mountaia of the Lord of hosts. Thereshallyet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem and eveiy man wifh his staff in his hand, for very age. 5. And the streets of the city shall be full o£ boys and girls playing in the streets thereof." If the prophet gives us a fair repre- sentation, a true picture of the 'Church in her Millenial glory, you see children shall be in her streets. Who is so misanthropic as to wish it should be otherwise ? Sixth; It is calculated in a peculiar manner, to support the mind of a pious parent, either when he is about to leave his offspring, or whea they are called away from him; The more religion there is upon any posses- ,sion the more highly will its enjoyment be relish- ed, and the more easily will its alienation be borne. The parent naturally wishes to see his children comfortably established m the world and in the Church before he and they separate. He may, in this, be disappointed. Is he called away before they grow up ? In baptism he has already dedicated them to God in a solenon cov- enant, and in a voluntary and cordial manner. It will be easy for him, therefore, nsw to comply with the scriptural injunction. Jer, xlixr IL AtJ^ ADDRESS TO ANABAPTISTS. 219 •^'^ Leave thy faiherles* children, I will preserve them, and let thy widows trust in mc." Arc they wrested from him in early infancy, with Jol>, he «nys, " the Lord giveth and ihe Lord tt.keih away, and blessed be the name of the l^ord," or v.'ilh David in faiih of seeing them in the iaimor- lal country, he says, " I will go to him, he sh;All not return to me." Is the good man token off, while his children are young, but not before he has got evidence that they are going to be fictive in building up the Church, iht- itmjjle of the living God ? Will he not, in that case, take up Divid's soliloquyi wheti Nathan loU him that his son should build the intended house, for which he 1 ad laid wp so much treasure ? '^Who am I, O Lorfi God? and what is my house that thou ha5.L brought me hitherto ? And this was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord God, but thou hast spoken of thy servant's house for a great while to come." ii. Sam. vii. 18, 19. On the other hand, should his children not do as he would wish in their youth, he will be comforted that the covenant exhibited in their buntism, secures his own salvation and may yet effect their rtfer- mation even in old age. " Although my house be not so with God ; yet he hatli made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and Mare, and this is all my salvation and all my de- sire, although he make it not to grow., i'. Sam. xxiif. 5. The parent's precepts and prayers may do good to the son, when the father has long been in the dust. Ecc!. xi. 1, *.* Cast thy food upon 22Q AN ADBRLSS TO ANASAPTITS the wafers ; for thou shalt find it after many days." Prov. sxii. 6. " Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is ol AMADT3RE5S TO PTDOBAPTISTS . audi' children's waywardness into glorious aduU liberty. It is a pretty sight, even here, to see the Father confidently laying aside- the supercil- ious constriction of countenance, and caution of conduct, which must be, in some degree, main- tained in the intercourse with his children, in ju- venile life. The children, at the same time, wiihout forgetting the reverence which they early learned to cherish toward their parents, yet ven- lurtng to assume, in conversation, a manly confi- dence. How exquisitely delightful to see them engage in counsels respecting the church; the son perhap?-the better informed, yet willing to shew the greatest deference to his father's hoary hairs and sage experience ! ! ! What heart caa fail to feel pleasing emotions when such a scene presents itself ? But O I how faint is Ihe resem- blance ? Some may suppose that as there will be neither marrying nor giving in marriage in heaven, there will be there no relative affec- tions. To thrs I would say — 1st, It is not an infirmi- ty but a property of our social nature to love rel- atives, and I do not know that these properties of our social natures shall be effaced in our future and far more perfect state. 2dly. Grace does Bot weaken, but rather strengthens and improves our natural affections. What evidence is there, then, that grace consummated in glory will anni- hilate them ? It is true, grace gives the love of God a supreme place, so that compared with this, a-n»an aiust hate his child, his life j but ihis does ^N ADDRESS TO PEDOBAPTirPS '^27 /not say that the love of children and life is less than before, but only that one is introduced which is greater. Charley is accumulative and perfecting of all benevolent affections, and v/hile it teaches a. lesson bf active benefiGence to all, especially to whether you that are theoretically right and practically wrong, or they who are wrong in both, will be most con- demned before God ; but we are surcvthat a bap- tist is aot so inconsistent, if he be careless of his family, as you are, Th« scripture is itself ex- plicit .that he who knows the raaster^s will and does it not, shall be beaten with many stripes. " Better not to vow, than to vow and not to pay." To be sure, this latter will particularly apply to things indifferent, among which the devotion of our children to our God cannot be counted. If there should be soaie among our Anabaptist op- AN ADDRESS TO PEDOBAPTISTS 220 y^xmcnts, notwtt'hstancling the p»ralisinj» system into which they have been seduceJ, who are con- stientious in educating their children, wnd some among you who are the contrary, the scripture has tkcided upon the case. The one says, " I will not, and yet goes ; the other — I go, sir, and goes not." Were it not for instances of this k-nd the right of infants to b^ipiism would he easily maiu- tained. But alas ! there are some who hold tWe truth in unrighttiousness, and want nothing mote for themselves or their offspring but the nume of Christians, to take away their reproach, and in- stead of Answering that end, it brings a repro3may you not soon loose more than that in the dissipation of folly, debility of sickness, or blasting of prospects by divine judgments, on ac- count of this unbelieving and profane course ? Re- ligion is not an expenditure of time, nor calculated, when rightly undirstood and practised, to injure our worldly circumstance^: Deut. 11. S. *'An4 these words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart, and thou shalt teach them dili- gently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house & when thou walk- «st by the way, ik when theu liest down, and whea thou risest up." See the good effects, even in a terapo.al view, which a compliance with this pre- cept has, both in the connection of the passage and in the history ef that people t» whom it was ferst given. Either your plan upon which the ob- jection is predicated, is wrong ; or the scripture is wrong, which represents " godliness as profiia- Lie in all things, having the pramise ♦f the life that now is and of that which is to come." 1. Tiin. iv. 8. "Godliness with contentmcat is great gain." chap. vi. 6. £ut the negligent will farther perhaps object — We have not ability to teach our family to perform and observe the du- ties of religion as we ought. You are an kumble oibjector indeed ; not able to teach your own chil- dren, ashamed to acknowledge the Saviour in acts ef religion before your own family ! ! But caji any man composedly and deliberately jmike this Ai«' ABDRESS T« PED0BA?TIST» 2iil objection and remember that he and his family must cJie, and either be happy eternaUy in acts of I'.oliest worship in the presence of God ; or mis- erable in eternal exclusion fron* God's presence, with them that know not God and obey not tit<- gospcl of Christ ? Ar« you in jest, however, or in earnest. If the former, we woa'd say to you. lUe not deceived; God is not mocked. Ynu may shield ofl" the attacks of fellow mortals by such pretexts and pretences, but how will yon answer God when he takes you to account ? If the latter, we would reply, In a certain sense, uo man is able for any thing, and in another sense, every man is able for every thing. Wuhouc grace we can do noibing ; with it we can do a^ things, *' if ye belicv« all things are possible." If you feel incompetent to the task of relig- iously educating )our children, be diligent, believing and fervent. Plead the promi'ies of that very covenant which imposes upon you so many necessary obligations. Remember Truth itself hath said, '• If any of you latk wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveih to all men lilxerally, and upbraideih not ; and it shall be given him.'** James 1, 5. " Bat he giveth more grace : where- fore he saith, God resisteth the proud and giveth grace u«to the humble, iv. 6, Humble yoaiselves in the sight of the Lord and he shall lift you up." ver. 10. Do y©u yet object, that it will answer no purpose without grace, as is evident from the many instances of profligacy in religiously edu- cated families.' How evangelical you arc!! 232 AN ARDRE&S TO PI!DOB APTISTS W« admit ihat Abraiiam'^s so'tciturle for Ishmael did not hinder hioi to be a wild man ; — nor Isaac's partiality for Esau reverse the counsel of God to gW-f the beJovtd Jacob the blessing anrl vltimately th« hirthrigh*. ; — VVe admit that God's bcvePfeigRiiy wDl be conspicuous, and thcnecessi- (v of his gracious ii^fluence be manifested in all thirgs pertaining to salvation — " Paul may plant, *jid A\A llos water, it is God that must give the in- crease/' What then ? Is Paul to cease sowing, at»d AfoMos to desist from watering? UpoQ ■ u'jr ; finciple and mode of reasoning, that would; tj the inltrence. It is evident you divide and. ttcj.ar/itc ih.it which (iod haih joined, and yoa vjriuvily say. Unless yvu can effect Bomething by ) oi.r own exertion without God's grace you wHl do n thing. How pestilential and unholy your l^rinciple ; haw uQscriptural and unnatural your maxin> ? The scripture tells you, '* Without me je can do nothing," and yet it inculcates duty. You do «ot act upon your own maxim in natural things. To set the folly and irapiety of this o'l- jeciion in a clear light ; to illustrate and enforce the duty of paicnis towards tlieir children, I avail m)stlf of assistance fiom VVardlavv's JL«c- Uires on Romans iv. 9 — 25. From this little, but Able piece, I might have extracted many pertineat r^emsi ks i>n the gtace of the Abrahamic covenant, r.ad I seen the book before that part was printed. In his ihird lecture, after having shewn with, great pevspicpity and force, 1. That there is no fibsiurditj in administering ordinances of spiriluftl AN ABBKE8S TO PED0BAPTIT8 iSS import to chiWren. f.. That circumcision and baptism signify the same thing, only the former respected Messiah to come, the latter Christ come. 3. That the Abrahamic covenant, which was confirmed before of God in Christ, is the ev- erlasting covenant under which we are, and, rf course, embraces infants. He then infers, p. 1C9 — *' The charge t'ntrusted to you, who bear the character ef parents, is the most solemnly impor- tant and tenderly interesting that can be imagin- ed by the human mind. It is the charge of im- mortal souls. Every child that is born into the world enters upon an existence that is never to terminate ; upon a short life on the earth, whi( h must be succeeded by eternal blessedness or eter- nal woe. Hovr aflTecting the consideration ! And wiih regard to your own children, to you is committed the sacred trust of imparting to theni that knowledge which shall mzlf.e them wise untn salratioB. These lights, lighted for eternitv, it is yours to feed with holy oil from the sanctuar^r of God, that they raay shine, forever in his prc^- cnce, to his glory. The language; of God to eve- ry Christian parent, is that of Pharoah's daughter to the mother •f Meses — " Take this child anal nurse it for me.? Forget not, ;hen, the sacred obligation. Let it be engraven on your heart? as with a pen of iron, and the point of a diamond, Tou love your childrta ; they are dear to you as the apple of your ey€«— as y«ur own «ouls — you would part with any thing to secure their welfare., ^d are AOt their eternal interests iirst in youc U 2 254 AK ADDRE5S TO PEDOBAPTISTS thoughts and first in your desires? If you feel as Christians, they are, they must be. Ltt them then, be first in your prayer?, and first in your exertions. — Seek to impress early on their hearts a sense of the unspeakable importance of eternal things. Teach them the knowledge of the Lord, when you sit in the house, snd when you walk by the way ; never with the repulsive authority of a master, but with all the engaging tenderness^ of parental love. Let no probability of temporal advantage in luce you to expose their souls to pe». culiar ha7,ards from the temptations of this en- Etiaring world. — -Let no accomplishments of bedy or of m-nd, however gratifying and endearing^ ihey mi;y lawTuUy be, engross that particular joy, which, in the hearts of Christian parents, will tver be reserved for ** seeing iheir children walk- ing in the truth." Remembering that God alone can give your desires their gratifications, and ijour labours their increasei j>r2iy without ceasing,. thiit He may *' pour ©ut his Spirit upon your seed and his blessing upon your offspring ; that thty may s{»riog up as among the grass and as villows by the water courses ; andi be a part of 4hc planting of the Lord, that he may be gloriR- ed." Present them, for a blessing, to that gra^- cious Savfcur, who said, in the days of. his flesk, •' Suffer litile children to come unk) me and fori- bid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heav- en." As Christians, il is a part of yo«r experi- ence that the promises of God do not operate as cncouragenacnis to indolence, but as incentives tOs Aw ADDllSS TO P^EDOBAPTMTS 235 aetivity. — You are stimulated to " work out your own salvation with fear and trembling," by con- sidering that " it is God that worketh in yoa both to will and to do of his good pleasure.'' His declaration that " his people shall never perish," instead of lulling yoa in careless security, ai^i- mates you, by banishing despair, " to gird up the loins of your minds," and to '■'■ run with patience the race that is set before you.'" — So, let the pe- culiar regard which God, in the promise of his covenant, has been shewn to have, to the offspring of his people, encourage you in discharging the duty of " bringing up your children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." Let it inspire your prayers for them, with the animating confi- dence of expectation, and enlivtia your exertions with the hopes of success. The connection is iadissolubly established be- tween the fulfilment of his promises on God's parti .'tnd attention to duty in the Hse of appoint- ed means on the part of his people. To expect the one without the other, is not to trust in God, but unwarrantable presumption. Set your hearts with intense desire, on the salvation of your chil- dren ; — Ask it of God, with the fervour and per- severing importunity of faith. Shew the sinceri- ty of your desires and prayers, by unwearied at- tention to the use of necessary means, and I doubt not, you will have the blessedness of seeing amongst your offspring a seed arise to serve the Lord. Let the apparent failure of the blessing, in you^ 236 AN ABDiESS T» PEBtiBAPTSITS own familie», or ia those ©f other professing Christians^, lead you rather t« suspecs yourselves than to question the faithfalness of God. Such cases, indeed, call to much searchiag of heart- Has the salvatioa of your childre* eagaged your desires with a fervour and constancy proportion- ed to its infinite importance ? — Have you parsued this object with suSicient seriousness as the "one thing needful" to your happiness as parents ? While 30U have been teaching the truths of God, have you been careful to walk before youj house ii? a perfect way, cxemplifing is your person;ii behaviour, thsir holy, heavenly influence ? Have you, in n» measure, been guilty of sacrificing the souls of your children to temporal interest I Has the object I epeak of occupied that place in yeur prayers and exertions to which its inconceivable ma{;aitude gives it so striking a claim ? — Have y»ur prayers been thie prayers of faith ? — yeur exertions believing exertions ? — Or has there not been, in both, a lamentable want of faith is God ? May the " God of all the families of Israel'' lead- all believing parents to lay to heart, mere deeply than ever, the duty enjoined upon them ! And by bestowing aa absndant blessing on parental education, ^' instead of the fathers, take the chil- tlren," that race untn race may praise him I'* Secondly* To children and ynuth wh* have been baptizedo Drar CxiL9R£n — In vindication ef your rights has this plea been exhibited. This boelt 1ms, therefore, up»B your attentiem, a partic«las' AN ADDRESS TO PEDOBAPTlSTS 257 claim, and that its publication may Jo you good, its auihor feels a peculiar solicitude, at the bar of a practical public. It may also be remarked, very much depends upon the conduct of the clients, and the apparent impression which the pica itself makes upon you whose cause it advocates. If you considtfr the matter at issue of small impor- tancpi who will be likely to take any great interest in the ease. On the other hand, if it be found that you feel an early and a growing solicitude of living as free born citizens of Zion, and as early enfeoffed with great rights, high dignity, and an heavenly inheritance, few will then be so harrfy as to oppose your covenant claims. It is true, He who has allowed yoa to be acknowledged heirs of such an inheritance, will not, on account cf seme childish foibles, have you disinherited. As appointed, however, a tutor of your minority, I would apprize yeu, that though you be children, you should reckon yourselves children of the light and of the day, who should not sleep as do ethers, but watch and be sober. So soon as you are mature in knowledge and piety, you will be cordially allowed to pasfifrom the tutorage of a mi- nor state — from the class of catechumens, to the class of adult members in the Church of God. In other things of infinitely less importance, you have an eager desire of progressing, and an ar- dent ambition to excel. You look before you, you long for every approaching epoch and climac- teric cf life ; why are you not more anxious to grow in grace and in ih« knowledge of } our Lord So8 AWT AWiB»ES9 re PE©SB APT15TS ' rnd Saviour Jesus Christ ? Your age is pecoV» iarly favorable for learning, and we tak« it for granted, that before you read this address, you have been iaitiated into the doctrines of aalva- tion. Those catechetical compends by Mhich you have been indoctrinated, may be to you of great and lasting advantages. That th«y maybe so, however, you soust be apprized that you have not done with your primers when you can recite ihesa accurately by memory when asked, or even when you can ask and answer them in the soli- tude and solemnity of sable night. Ifyou WQuld derive from them- real good, yeu must meditate much upon their import, refer them for proof to the unerring standard of God's holy word, a»d strife by grace to live according to their pious maxims.. This will be a proper and profitable exercise in various ways and for several reasons. 1st. It will assist you in understanding both the scriptures and lb€ catechisms. 2dly. It will teach you to look for precise and definite ideas aad doctrines in the holy scriptures. The scrip- »ures are read, and catechiums learned to very liiilt purpose, wtxea ao tStention is paid to sigai- fieatlon. It is a killing thit^g to mind nothing but the letter. You must, therefore, observe the di- icclion of the Saviour—" Search the scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify' of lae." You must study to inoTv wisdom and instruction, to pprceiiie the words of understanding, to receive the instruction of wisdom, 3dly. By pursuing this course, you AN ABSRESS T© P E1»0B APTISTS. -S^S t~wiil be referring to the proper source for relig- -ious knowledge, you will be appealing to the su- preme standard of faith aoU ultimate tribunal of ; doctiiae. "To the law and to the testimony, if they apeak nct*cc©iding to this word, it is be- .cause thtrc is no light in them." Some may probably object, that, seeing the scriptures must be the last umpire, why not study them first aod ..alone ? 'Phis objection, howcTcr specious, is by no means solid. ;It is conuary to the method found expedient in tb« prosecution of all literary and scieutiiic attainments. Every person knows the propriety of grammatical institutes and scien- tific syllabi, gr outlines and brief compends of the various branches of study. V/ould not the man be thought either in jest or a fool who would say all philosophy must be founded upoa obser- vation actually made upoa nature, therefore all books of philosophy are unnecessary and pernic- ious i The indolent slugglard and idle truant might approve of the method, but we are sure the true spirit of philosophy would testify against it. The diligent student will avail himself of the aid to be derived from the experience and ob- servation of others, while he will ;also be for- ward and industrious to test other men's systems by his own actual experiments, and thus» while the idle saunterer, following the path of the savage* will make no improvement, the industrious stu- dent will obtaia a rich feast from every scene of aa-ture which passes under his intelligent revieir, ,ai:d, while he compares the oatura^ 'orfginal wick 240 A» ADDRESS TO PEDOB Al>Ti6TS the artificial portrait of sciemilic system, will, doubtless, acknov/lecJgc the superlative grandeur and inimitable excellency of the former, will, at the same time, with modesty, apd perfect congis- tcncy, admit the utility of the latter. The appli- cation of all this to the case in hand is easy. The Jewish scripturian — the Papist traditionist — the skeptical infidel — the wrangling bigot — the superstitous formalist — the enthusiastic fanatic, all steer coursas, not more different from one another, than the true Christian; He will not be so sillv as to suppose that much advantage is to be obtained by counting the words and letter of the inspired books, nor will he calculate much upon the /phylacteries, talismans and atpulets of scriptiu'e; thus profaned by the veiled" Hebrew. Neither will he spend time in <;ounting the feuds which recal to the mind of the catholic the name and fantastic deeds of canonized heroes, and tu- telary saintS) and imaginary mediators. He will not implicitly believe the ifise dixhs of Popes, cardinals, and doctors ; neither will he for pride or interest, subscribe and maintain the creeds of (Councils, nor will he think himself certainly cor- re<:t, when regulated in his conduct by the canons of hierarchial clergy. No ; while he may tran- siently, glance at all this gilded trumpery, he will, with peculiar plea&ure, and profit too, medi- tate upon God's law^ and study the deep thoughts of the Spirit of Truth. He will, at the same time, avail himself of all the helps which the pious study and faithful testimoni' of aociept witnesses AN ADDRESS TO PEDOBAPTISTS 241 afford. He will distinguish between the scrip- tarest which are God's testimony to nnen, and the confessions of the faithful, which are the tes- timony of the Chttrch for the cause of a redeem- ing God, exhibited befortthe eyes of a blind and rebellious world. But I must hasten to a fourth reason for, and use of, proving your rudiments of early instruction by the word of God. It is evi- dent if yoiir word be correct it will have many opponents. If it has not, it cannot be either scriptural or true. This is the time, in which men heap to themselves teachers having itching ears. Many shall follow their pernicious ^vays, by reason of which the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. It is quite natural to suppose that those teachers, who know not what themselves say, nor whereof they affirm, who have no sys- tem, teaeh no doctrine, should wish to have au- ditors of a corresponding character. Such teach- ers as make once or twice crying to be conver- sion, and going under the water to be obedience to the gospel, certainly act consistently and pru- dently, when they use all their influence to expel from the chrktiaa world those forms of sound words, which are calculated to assist the young members of the church to understand the ra- clcs of God. Adults in yeurs and infnn* - in knowledge are their be«t game, because th:y are most easily affected and most readily persuaded of a system which appeais besi with ctndle light. If then, against the assaults of ruth cavillers a« ivant no ether jrjw^cn to oppose a dot ttiuc, thuQ W 242 AH ADDKE83 TO PED0BAPTIST3 that it is contained in a catechism or confession of faith, you would be successful, you must con- nect two precepts of Paul to his son Timothy. In the first chapter, 13th verse, he exhorts him-^ " Hold fast the form of sound words which ihou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus," and in the third chapter of the same second epistle, 14th and 15th verses, he shaws how this against seduceis may be done — •' But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assurred of, knowing ef whom thou hast learned them : and, that 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. Nearly related to this duty of intelligent and constant maintenance of the principles of truth, in which you have been taaght, and intimately connected with its success will be- a practical regard to the duties, which their doctrines and the precepts of your parents inculcate. Religion is not a mere theory ; the gospel of Christ must be obeyedk If this fact and principle be not observed, the con- sequences will be doleful as the neglect is bane- ful. We are very apt to reckon our conduct reasonable, and always disposed to stand up in its defence. If, therefore, it should unfortunotely happen, my dear young friends, that your con- duct and your creed should be found at variance, it will be at least matter of fear and doiabt with those who wish your everlasting welfare, that you frill renounce your orthodox faith rather thao AK ADDRESS TO PBDOBAPTISTS 24S I'eform your heretical practice. Indeed, if sov- ereign grace prevent not, it will require no extra- ordinary sagacity to divine in such a case what will be the result. On the other hand, if you make conscience of conformity to Uie hcly pre- cepts of religion j our iaith will be strengihenttJ, and your knowledge greatly iucreaseJ. *' If you do the xviil of Godt ye shall know of the doctrwt; whether it be of GodJ''* What matter of rejoicing will it be to all your instructors if it be found that from the heart you obey that form of doc- trine which has been d<:livered to you." Ilora. vi. 17. Your pious parents will aiTcctionatrly adopt the language of David. " And thou, Solo- moQ my son, know ihou the God of thy fathers. Thou shall avouch the Lord to be thy God and thou shalt walk in his statutes and keep his com- mandineiits and do them." If God so perempto- rily command you to obey your parents in all things, is it possible that you can with impunity be disobedient to these commandments which are in their nature so solemn and important ? Your circumcision will be greatly profitable \iyo\xkeep the law, but it had beea belter for you that you had been born Hottentots, Turks or Indians thaa that after having known the will of God, you be found to turJi away from thg holy commandments* Would you be successful in worldly things, this is your most political couraci and we fear not the charge of lejgality in urging this as a motion, be- cause we have abundance of scriptural precedent. " Seek ye first tke kingdom of God and hii 244 AN ADDRESS TO PEDOBAPTIST* righteousness and all these things shall be added^ unto you.'' Blatt. vi. 33. '• Children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right. Honour thy father and thy mother, which is the first command- ment with promise, that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest live long on the earth.*' Eph. vi. 1, 2, 3. Surely if parents generally are to be honoured and obeyed in all common things, mw:h more should religious parents be honoured and obeyed in religious things. " The eye that mockKh at his father and despiseth to observe the law of his mother the ravens of the valley shall pluck it out and the young- eagle shall eat it.'* it must be admitted that you can, if you will, prevail in backsliding and apostacy against all the prayers and pains of parents and pastors ; but is it not possible that you may, in the end> be filled, with your own ways ? Rather is it possible that you can wound the breasts, and wring the hearts of your religious friends with impunity ? Even could yoa, would you, thus requite the Lord of hosts ? Ah, foolish children, think not to strive with the Almighty, He wilt have a seed to do him service if some, even of the children of the kingdom-, should be cast otrt. He will bring them from the north and the south, from the east and the west to sit down with Abraham : what will you then think ? Do you not now devoutly pray that yoa may be of the number of those son* whom he shall bring from afar, and of those daughters whom he shall bring from the ends of the earth ? Cease not, dear youth, thus to prayj^ AN ADDRESS TO PED0BAPTI3TS. 245 say — Art thou not our father ? Having been early enrolled among the disciples of Jesus Christ see that you Tnake early preparation to remember that wonderful price which he paid as the ransom of his children. You will surely not consider the dying command of the great Redeemer a little one .**Do this in remembrance of me." Is it then a fact that whosoever breaketh the least of his commandments, and teacheth meu so shall be called the lenst in the kingdom of heaven, what then shall he be called that breaketh the great- est ? Was it death under the Jewish economy to omit the celebration of the paschal feast , can it be a matter of little moment, whether or not we keep that feast which is come in its roam ? You fear unworthy communion ; is there ho danger of obstinate neglect ? You say, being unregenerated you will eat and drink judgment to yourselves, so you might if regenerate, as is clear from the passage alluded to. Rut have you no fear to eat a common meal ? is there no danger that your- common table may be made a snare and a trap ? May not God, while you continue to slight his invitations, and cast his commandments behind youT back, curse all your blessing ? You are ia a predicament, from which nothing but divine grace can extricate you. Why will you not then yield to gracious offers, and cry for gracious and divine influence ? AVhen in his word he says, seek my face, say ye, Thy face Lord will we seek ; I will take of the cup of salvation aikl call ^poaihe name,y«9^tbe saving name of the Lord. w 2 ^46 AM ADDRESS TO PEDOBAPTISTS You must remember too that every one thatnam- ctb the n^me of Jesua must depart from iniquity. Would it not be a horrid thing to turn the grace of God into lasciviousness, and to trample under foot the blood of the covenant. See then, that you flee youthful lusts that war against the 9«ul. Be fissured that if ye live after the flesh ye shall die, but if ye through the Spirit do moriify the deeds of the body ye shall live. You must con* fiider yourselves as the property of Christ, as re- deemed not with corruptible things as of silver and gold from your vain conversation, and you must then live to him and ofl'er your souls and your bodies living sacrifices, holy and acceptable, nvhich, as it is a reasonable service, so we can as- sure you it will be found, by all who seriously en- gage in it, a pleasant service^ "Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober and hope to the end, for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ .: as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance ; but as he who hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all. manner of conversation." " Little children keep, yourselves from idols."— As new born babes dc* sire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby. *• Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall frem your own steadfastness. But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him b« glory both no¥( und Wreyer^— Amca*'' AN ADDRRISSTO ?E»0BAPTI8T8 347 Thirdly, and finally—-** The elders wWch are among you I exhort who am also an elder." It must appear, even from the imperfect exhitr- Jtion given in the foregoing parts of this plea, that the coBtroversy between us and our Anabaptist professors is one of great and practical impor- tance. Let us then be intelligently, practically, and unitedly decisive in its maintenance. If H-e, upon whose shoulders hang the keys of sole su- premacy, allow children lo be members of his church ai>d kingdom, it cannot, for a moment, be questioned that we should catch the spirit of this wise, gracious and condescending arrangement, and should, of course, treat them as such. It must be pleasing to all the lovers of order and coFisistency in the Church, that the controversy about the half way covenant is now pretty much settled. I believe there are now but few in this country who would risque so far their reputation as to say, that openly wicked and irreligious men, who have evidently themselves no part in the matter, who have evidently rejected the counsel of God against themselves, should have baptism for their offspring. It is certainly, notwithstanding this, much to be regretted that sufficient care is not taken yet to seperate between the precious aad th« vile. We should remember that we are not the servants of men in the administration of doctrine, drsciphne and sacraments in the houve of God, (however gratifying it maybe to some to have a name for themselves and thxir^s) if they vatt Qotbing m^rej it caooot be profitable to thei% 24« AN ABDR£t8 TO PEDOBAPTISTS but the contrary. What ? shall we indulge them in the dangerous gratifieation of profaning the holy things of God's sanctuary ! It may, I ad- mit, conduce to our popularity, ease and affluence thus to trifle and please men, saying, Peace, peace, when there is no peace ; but shall we not be cal- led to account for our stewardship ? What shall we servants answer the Lord of the house if wc are not fiithful ? I humbly submit another thing to your consideration, t^iz. Whether our language and conduct be correct concerning the children of those parents, of whom we have good reason to believe that they hold the promise precious, which is to thefn and to their children. We pro- fess an abhorrence of the system, which throws the children of God's covenant people among the dogs and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and mur- derers and idolators, and whosoever loveth and makeih a lie, who are without. — We profess to oppose the system which hangs the ehildren of God's people upon the threshold of the church as neither in the house nor out of the housiei How is it then that we talk about such when they are grown up as if they were not members of the Church, even before there has been any discipline exercised upon them to cast thena out ? Why d© we talk of taking them into the Church if the^ were in it already i We say in our arguments with those who oppose the membership of infants, that they are members though yet but babes, and of course, are only fed with the milk of plain dec- line acd eitecheticftl iM|rtt«u«a io tk«ir juaior- AN ADDRESS TO PCDOBAPTISTS 249 itv, Why ihcn do wc even seem to contraclict ihis in our moJe of speaking about them when ihey become strong, as we hope, for the stronger viands of sacramental food f If they are visibly engrafted into Christ by baptism, we should not afterwards speak of thetr joining the Church. If they are not, what is thtir baptism ? It really does seem to tne that either our language, or our conduct is iQCorrect. Do we not give too much ground for the enemies of infunt membership to blaspheme the solemn rite of their presentation be- fore the Lord and recognition a^ members cof the Church ? Might I submit another thing, dear brethren, to your consideration. I would ask, What should we do when a person who has nev- er been baptized makes application for admission and shews a predeliction for immersion ? Should. \K not tell such a person that although Pedobap- tist Churches d© not hold the mode to be very es- sential, that yet sprinkling is the common cus- tom, and that of course if he thinks so too, it will not be his duty by schismatical obstinacy to destroy the uniformity of ecclesiastical ritual, especially in a day of so much dissension I If he says that he considers this the only scriptural mode then we certainly give neither him, nor the society of dippers, any justice if we take the job out of their hands. They are more expert in im- posing this yoke upon Christ's disciples than we are, and should, of course, do it. I admit, there may be instances, in which wc should have the Ust of our accessions, by this decisive pracdce ^59 AN ADDRESS TO P'EDOBAPTIXa tliminished ; but this is no proof ihat the caUsef c{ Pedobapiism \vould be thereby weakened.- To act othejiviss would be horridly cruel to the applicant himself. The ir.an might then, it is true, he satisfied that he had the ordinance purely and' }:roperiy administered to himself ; but what' must he think of his father and his brethren ? The former he must consider ignorant or wicked in the ordinary way of his administration of this ordinance, and the latter as well as the former unbaptized. Of course when he begins to reflect upon these things he will,if he has any conscience, or any consistence, join those who are properly his brethren; I need hardly now ask, what should we do if any should shew a desire, after having keen sprinkled, of being re-baptlzed by immer- sion, certainly no maa will think himself justified in profaning the name and ordinance of God by UQBecessary repetition, because of ignorant scru- ples. If these can, by scriptural argument and christian rcaionstrance, be removed, well ; if not we must say as the AposJe about the distinguiah- iag gafh of males and fenaalcs. 1 Cor. xi. 16. ** But, if any man sscm to be contentious, we have no su(,h custom, n?iiher the churches of God." Frct» these remarks a question may nat- uraliy arise, Uqv; is the membership of baptized yoBih to influence our practice towards them ^ The answer is ready and wc think obvious, viz. We should consider them peculiarly under our tuition and inspection. We should strive, by in- struction and admonition to do good to all, but AN ADDRESS TO P£D0BAPTIST$ 2.51 •there should he an "especially" preHxed to the ♦* household of faith." We who are teaching ci- ders should as bishops be apt to teach, we shouM be ready in season and out of season to reprove, rebuke and exhort, with all meekness, long suffer- ing and doctrine — we should preach the gospel, in short, to every creature, but we have a particu- lar charge from the great Shepherd and Bishop of our souls to *• Ferci his Iambs." When he as- cended up on high he received gifts for men, and gave some apostles, some prophets, (^which were extraordinary offices) and some pastors and teachers for the edification of his Church. It is evident that during their early infancy and youth we must exercise our official tiHist upon them chiefly through the medium of their parents. But I know no reason why they, when grown up; should be considered excinpt from the immediate exercise of that authority which we have receiv- ed not for destruction, but for edification. It is pleasing to know that several of the most consci- entious clergy in the Reformed Dutch Church, and To" the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church have recently expressed their decided approbation of this course of consistent and faith- ful discipline towards the young and interesting members, and hope of the Redeemer's Church. It would seem strapge indeed that discipline should be altogether omitted, in that very period of life, when it is most likely to have a good ef- fect : and equally strange, that they might indulge IB any excess of youthful folly with impunity, if 252 AV ADDV.ZHS TO PEDOBAPTISTS they have only the discretion to neglect the &c'- ennn duty of <:ommunioa in the Lord's supper ! ; This must certainly be considered the very cli- max of practical absurdity, and y«t, which of us can plead, in regard to it, innocence. Dear brethren, let us pray for one another that we may all become naore conscientious and consisitnt ; and let us co-oporate with one another, and strive together, that we may be more suc- cessful in producing practical reformation in the congregation of our charge. There is an- other thing I wish the officers in Pedobaptist churches to study, viz. Is it proper that we should solicit Anabaptists to hold with us pro- miscuous fellowship in the Lord's supper ? In relation to this question, it is muc^ to be regret- ted, that we cannot be unanimous in opinion, and uniform ixi practice. There aie two classes of characters who will be at no loss to decide all controversies of this kind. The bigotted parti- zan, on all such questions, decides at once. " They differ from us, we shall have nothing to do with them." The elFeminate latitudinariao, who regulates all affairs of this kind by blind feel- 4ng, will answer such questions with equal promptness — " To refuse them fellowship, or to omit inviting them would be uncharitable." The intelligent Christian will be satisfied with neither of these modes of disposing of this question, he will say, in regard oi the first, What ? have nothing to do with a fellow-creature, and perhaps as well as myself, 9, christian ! With respect to AN ADDRESS TO PCEOB APTIlTS. ' 253 ?the,la.tter be would be at no loss to coincide, pro- vided he were sure that charily rtquires us to hold communion with Anabaptists. All things should be done in charity. We should have charily not only towards all professors, l)ut to- wards all men. But this does not say that we should blindly suppose that all men, unbelievers and wicked as well as others, will be saved ; or that in oar profcs:sion we should have no regard to orthodoxy any more than to heresy ; or that we should make no distinction between orderly and disorderly brethren. 1 he man who wishes to be a consistent christian, will view this subject in relation to the Anabaptists themselves. He will at once see that the most orthodox and or- derly of that people, are opposed to catholic and , unprincipled communion. With the Calvinistic and regular Baptists, then, the matter is generally known to be settled by themselves. Is it a mat- ter, then, that merits much discussion, whether or not, we should amalgamate in profession with with those who, laying the controversy of baptism aside, deny the divinity ef Christ, and set up the i-dol of the human will against the throne of divine grace ? He must fee libertine in principle, who with such would court communion. The true christian, who has had a humbling sense of his great depravity and sin, knows that none can be his saviour but God ; of course, with those who have a Saviour less, or other than Cod, he cannot Jiave communion. It wouid be cruel to ask those «rho are, in other thiujjs, pretty sound acd ctdcr- 254 AN ADDR&SS TO PF.DOB APTSITS ly. Would we ourselves admit the unbaptized? OP those whom we deemed unbaptizcd ? \1( not, then do we not act eriTelly and contrary to our Saviour's rule, if we ask them to do what wc could not, in like case, do ourselves ? Suppose the Quaker only to reject the one of the seals, viz. baptism; would we in that case, while he continued to reject the counsel of God requiring him to be baptized; would we, I say, bolster up his piesumption, and encourage him in his rebel- lion, by sealing to him in the supper, as far as we could, his right to everlasting peace and blessed- ness ? Surely iio, we could not be so cruel. The Baptists look on us, however, in the same light as we would these supposed Quakers. Is it not then cruel in us to ask them for communion, until we persuade them that we are baptized ? But, again — Should we with candour contemplate the matter as respects ourselves, we ought not to be proud, neither should wc allow any to despise ci- ther ourselves or our s)^tem. ^Vhat ihe^ is like- ly to be the conclusion that the considerate will draw, Vvhen all the objection m hich is heard against Anabaptists is, that they will not fellowship us i Will it not be that they are conscious of being right, and are consistent, while we have no con- science about the matter,. only to court popularity anid make members to our own society ? What- ever temporary and local effect the- loose method may produce in favour of a political man who dexterously manages momentary circumstances ^ it will be seea that this loos« method will, in the AM ADDRtSS TO PEBOBAPTISTS 259. rtid, weaken the cause of its advocates. It is, therefore, upon a large scale impolitic as \v«:ll as we have before shewn it to be rrucU It is also mean. The Anabaptists call us onbaptizeil a»i4 yet we will ask of them sealing privileges ; :.s if either our edification or comfort were dt;p'.'tul;int upon their favour. We shoukl, I knovr, study meekness, but I do not know that we should cul- tivate nrreanness. Finally, it is unfaithful. Are we stewards and bound to separate between the precious and vile ? Is the chaff, then, of their dreams and notions to be mixed with the truth of a pure profession ? Are we watehmen ? and ought we not to give an alarm, uhtn any danger- ous hostile error approaches the walls of cur Je- rusalem ? Can we do this, and at the same time, admit them to all the solemnities of onr holy communion, And inmost sanctuary ? Have we no altar, to which they have no right who serve the tabernacle ? Are we soldiers, yea ensigns under Jesus, our great Captain ? Are we not therefore bound, when errors break in as a flood to lift op a banner against them. It is true, if our personal enemy hungers, we should feed him with the bread of hospitality at our own tables, bat I know no authority we have to feed the enemies of truth and christian peace ai the table of the Lord. On the contrary, if we woald be faithful yte must *'mark them who cause divisions con- trary to the doctrines which we have received, and avoid them.* The truik is, none on either • Rom. xvi. It, 255 AN ADDRESS TO PEDOBAPTISTS side th^t are fully persuaded aftd conscitniloutv- will be fond of this promiscuous «nd unprinci- pled fellowship. They kcevv that, in existing circumstances, they must count each other disor- derly and so, even if they do reckon each other brothers, they must withdraw because of suppos- ed disorderly walking, " Can two walk togeth- er except they be agreed. ''f If we would have comnnunion rogether which will be edifying and pertTiaiiently comfortable, it must be on the con- sistent bnsis of union, and that union must be 1 redieatfd upon the permanent basis of truth. * ' l.nvt iht'. tra'.h and the peace." j" Whatfel- iiAvstjip hruh light- with darkness?" Cerlaioly. if ■ the one of the systems be righteousness, the oth- er in its opposition must be unrighteousness, and then there cannot be fellowship. If the one be light the other must be darkness, and 30 there cannot be communion. Do then, let us be faith- ful and consistent, acd not put the invention of our opponents so far to the rack as to oblige them to assert, that the Apostles had not Christian baptism, in order to justify themselves in inviting or in admitting us. If've have the truth, we need not hvwe recourse to any indirect and un- faithful means to obtain professors of it. The God of truth will influence, by his> Spirit, to this whom he pleases. Let us, under the influence of that assurance, u«e with diligence all the means v,'hich he puts in our power, and which the genius of his kingdom admits. Let us strive to have t Amos iii. 3. ♦ Zech. viii. 19. f 2 Cot. vi. 14. IM ADDRESS TO T1D0BAPT1T8 257 our people well instructed, especially in all pres- ent truth. Let us concur with each other, as far as we are agreed, in giving to truth its proper ef- fect upon the conscience and conduct of mew: Let us be particularly diligent in feeding the lambs of the Redeemer's flock. I am persuaded that an latelligent pastor will have no greater joy in any part of his charge, than in concurring with his clement Master in the gracious workofgath- ethering tkeno in his arms and carrying them in his bosom, ^ I think I may safeK- say for all my Psedobaptist brethren in the ministry, that, whca they drink largely of their Master's spirit, there is no part of their labour^ in which they have more countenance and more comfort, than in witnessing aikd ministering in the dedication of babes to Je- sus, whom they still hear from above the mercy seat, saying, " Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me, for of such is tha kingdom of heaven." May I not also appeal to you, if towards these dear children of the king- dom it be not most congenial to a pastor's heart, to cherish, under the influence of grac«, the strongest affection and tenderest solicitude ? Let us concur with their parents in presenting thetn with faith and fervent love to the Saviour of his children, and although we may be sometimes cal- led in this work to sow in tears of solieitude we shall have a reaping time of joy. Although in the dispensation of the concerns of the world and the Church, there may be, in the present state of things, much suffering connected with the reU- X 2 QSt AN ADDAE^S TO PtDOBAPTl'sril tions which cause most exquisite joy, yet in the end, if we are faithful, wc shall have happiness without nriixture, measure or end. What must be the emotions, the extacy, the beatitude of faithful pastors, when called to shew with the chief Shepherd in that moment of Mediatorial cxuhaiion, when he will say, ** Here am I, and the children whom thou hast given me ?" Com- pared with the felicity of that hour, what are the joys of momentary marriage? what the triumphs of temporary victory ? what the splendours of fading crowns ? what the glory of a dissolving world ? ! ! PART IV. AN ADDRESS to th'e UNDETERMINED. THKSE mav be a>*rar,^ed into three classes. 1st. Such as have descended from Anabaptist parents, and of coarse, as far as education extends Its influence, are prepossessed In favoar of that kystem, though yet undetermined. 2d. Such as have been brought up to no relig- ion at all, and perhaps are skeptical about all. 8d. Such as have beea baptized in infancy, and yet are, by Anabaptist arguments, induced to Wraver. With you of the first class, I feel myself bound to treat upon the subject with the greatest sympa- thy and tenderness, because, however incorrect the system of our fathers may be, it deserres, on their account^ some considerable support. Chil- dren are naturally disposed te credit what thcifc parents say and believe* All their early view* of religious things are derived through the channel ^f their instructions, and it really seems to me that in the precept, " Children obey your parents" 5s implied, that we should be of their religion un- less upon very mature reflection and conscientious 260 AN ADDRESS TO THE WNDETERMISED inveftigation of the scriptures, we discover a bet- ter. To an age of so mucii revolutionary enter- prize as th* present, and to the descendants of a people of so much naissionary exertion and pros- elyting zeal as your ancestors have always eher- ishjtd we n€cd hardly stale that the religian even of- our fathers should be exun^ined by the suprenn* sti nr'ard ; and if in this balance it he found warning, should be abandoned. If this principle be denied, how are we to justify the spirit and practice of the Rjeformers of the ever nitniorable 16ih century, who shook, in the con- tirsent of Europe, the old establishments of pap:«i dowin.uion, superstition and idolatry ? In what darkness had we been grsping, in what distres"? involvedj^had they revered the religion of their fathers above the religion of God's word ? Nay^ how could we justify the practice of Christ's own Apostles, who. reasoned and testified against the sayings and traditions of old times, who display^ ed the banner ©f- trmh and sounded loud and long the trump of war against all the systems of religion which were then fornaidable by. the mul^ titude of their advocates, and venerable by the sages of antiquity who had been active in their establishnrient. Of all youth, it may also be re^- marked, you have the strongest inducements to be candid and disinlerestedia your investigations of this description. The system of your fathers has taught them to cast you, in. religious m.attersy 3it the door of public pity. Thoug;h the children Qf those whom they coasidcr almost exclusivdjr AN ADBRrS* TO THE UNDf TEKMiNC D 261 c1iristj;\n,they ha^'e excluded you from live church and prononnccd vou no nnore worihv cf a pV^co in the house of God, than the cftttie'tcH'lhe hovtl or the hogs of the stv. Still we would not \\uvtt you forgetful of the kindness of 5 our parents in the exercise of cure over, and kindpess to, your hodies. Give the system the y dtifend a candid :iiid careful examination, ar.d if yoa frnd that they were authorized by the head of ihe Church to exclude you from his kingdom; let them have credit and do Iike<\*ise. But if, on the contrary^ you find that Christ allows parents to bring their children to him for a blessing and a public recog- nition as iTiembers of the kingdotti of heaven, vre would, for the sake of your offspring and for the lionourof the Redeemer's clemency and conde- scension and mercy, entreat you to lay a%ide the iignorant zeal which has deprived 30U of the hoa- tte and advantage of euHy adoption into the num- ber and privileges of the family, of God. Pre- serve the same course in ihis case as you would, without any advice, in a political concern of a sinriilar kind. S«ppose ydUr partntft h;Kl been in the lot of the pa;aiotic heVocs vt'ho, utiilt-r the pro- t-ectjon and aus^jices of the Alicighty, achieved the liberty of this much favoured land, and by their gallant exploits with their compatriots in arms, obtained the franchise of citizens in this coromonwealth ; )ct net rnder«tandit)g the gener- ous principles of the constitution in this respect^ through mistake, had excluded you from the in- heritance of soldier''2 lands and freemen's rights^ 252^.- AN( ADDRESS TO THE T^NSETERMINEIT-' saying you had no more right to these posse-s- - sions and this freedom, than the children of red ■ Indians or sable Hottemots, What in this case would you do? VVoxiid you not say, certainly our parents designed us no harm, but they rta- soned incovrccth. The question relative to us was not, vvheih"fer we had any person.i! merit, or desert of^ g'.dlant deed, according to their own ^ tenure of these privileges, but whether the coasti- tuttonal charterj'.illows us, as their children, calcu- lating charitably that wq would be worthy of 3uc{r ancestors, to inherit their possessions and liber- ties, uBtil we forfeit them by actual misdemeanor. Having discovered this mistake, would jou not give in the names of youf children, have them - enrolled as citizens, and so endowed with all the privileges competent to their age ? Would you ■ not teach them to say to those who would quts- tion their rights, as Paul said, " Yes, but I was free-born" ? Should you act otherwise, you would Tiot only injure your children, but also prolong the evi! accruing from the ignorance of your parents. By their mistake their children ■ were denied of a privilege, but by your continu- ance in their system you would make them to bi^nie for the disfranchisement of their grand- children. Should you say the cases are not slmi- ].\r ; Christ's kingdom is not of ihi« world, we would so far admit that its genius is, in many res- pects differ eht : It is rot established by intrigue nor perpetuated by force and cruelty ; but aieycu really prepared to say that the covenant of grace, 263 AN ADD11ES5 TO THE UNDETERMFNtD the charter ofthe commonwealth of Israel, is ir>- ftfvior to the constitution of the nations ;ind king- doms of this world in clemency and mercy ? ;No; you shudder at the thought. You would not even admit that the dispensation of this cov* enant in the New Testament is behind, in clemen- cy, the same dispensation as it respected the chureh in the wilderness, or as it was displayed in the ecclesiastical establishment of God's an- cient Israel. Admitting this then, can you doubt that the blessing of Abraham should visibly de- scend upon the seed of the Gentile Church ? This way of arguing will, I know, have no io^u- ence upon your conduct, if you believe the caijils of half bred deists, who deny and ridicule ttje first and largest part of the Bible j if there was no covenant of grace nor Church of the redeem- ed till the commencement of the present era, then we must admit that from the scriptures of ancient tVmes and the dispensation of God toward the fathers, nothing can be learned. If Christ came to destroy the law and the prophets, to abrogate, 'Whil« ^sojourning in the flesh, and suffering on tVe cross, the promises which were before con- •firnred of God in Christ to the fathers, then in- deed we shall despair of influencing you any thing by our plea in behalf of your own rights and the rights of your descendants. If you can believe that the {n-omi#e *' He will be your God and the God of your seed" meant nothing more than that " if they behave well according to the political statutes of this time, they and their** 264 AN ADDRESS TO THE UNDET E RM T.VED shctild pof-sess the land of Palestine, I shuli, in- deed dt-spair of elTecting gny thing by my argu- ment?. If, on the contrary, you should tuke a view of the God of Israel as the xame mercilul God, wiui whom the mc-mbers of the Church have jet to do, of Jesus Christ as the same yes- terday, to day and forever, of the covenant of grace as the covenant which was established upon a. basis more perjnagefat than the mountains vhith may he-removed, then we shall hope, ihajt \ou will believe that the promise is to you and to your children^ jvnd that you v,ill be baptized with all t/Ott« straightway, resolving that what- ever others do, as for you aed your houses you wiU serve iheLord. You need not be afraid oF calculatirig too largely upon God's constant and consistent clemency. He proposes to you now the same covenant that he proposed by Isaiah Iv. chap. " I .will make with you an everlasting .covenant, ordered in all things and sure, for it was even the sure mercies of David." As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are his way* and thoughts higher than curs. You may see what these sure mercies of David are by turning your attention to the Ixxi and Ixxix Psalm — " O God, thou hast taught .me from my youth ; and hitherto have I declared tby wondrous works. Now also, when I am old and grayheadcd, O God, forsake me not, until I have shewed thy strength unto thi-s generation, and thy power to every one that isto conTiC." "But my faithfulness and my tmercy shall be, with him, and in my oame shall hi«i AN ADDUESS TO THE USD r TE RMIXED 2G5 horn he ex'.Ucd. I will set his hand in the sea, and his rijjht hand in the rivers. He shall cry anto me, Thou art my father, my son, and the rock of my salvation. Also I will make him n^y first l>orn, higher than the kings of the earth. My mercij will I keep fur him forevermore, «iid my covenant shall stand fast with him. Hix seed 'A' fio will I make to endure forever, and his throne as the days of heaven — Once have I svrore by my holiness that I will not lie unto David. His seed shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun before me." If this gracious and everlasting covenant be all your salvation and de3'.re,you will no doubi desire to have it sealed in the most de- cent, expressive, and scriptural manner. You will remember that it was retiUy sealed by the eflTusion of the blood of Christ. Alihough the sj-stem of your parents has hindered the early application of the symbol, the promise yet continues to address you. I wil! sprinkle clean water upon you, from all your filthiness and from all your idoU will I cleanse you. I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the diy ground, I will pour my spirit upon ihy ssed, and my blessing upon thy oflfspriog* However men and systems may do for a while, God will accomplish hi* word, and will proselyte the nations in that way which shall commemorate best the great deed of the Redeemer's death, when his face was sprink- led with blood running frctn his temples, pierced • Is», xliv 3. 365 AN ADDRESS TO THE UNDETERMINED with the thorny erown ; " As many were aston- ished at thee ; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men : so shall he sprinkle many nations ; the Icings shall shut their mouths at him ; for that whick had not been told them shall they see, and that which they had not heard shall they consid- er.* In these happy times there shall be one great ecclesiastical establishment, which will em- brace the world, young and old, the kinjgdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of Christ. He will thcR reign over his saints in Jerusalem and ta the ends of the earth. It is true children shall then have an admirable maturity of understand- ing and perhaps none of them will be called hence in infancy. Then " they shall not labour in vain, nor b.ring forth for trouble ; for they are the ieed cf the blessed of the Lord^ and their off- spring WITH THEM."'!' In that happy state of society the Church shall have no more trouble with the Canaanite in the house of the Lord of hosts, they sh«ll then be rid oi strange children ; yet for the building and ornament of that spaaflc matters of controversy, to be therefore indifferent. Upon this principle, what could be considered essen- tial ? Not oaly the truth of the scriptures, but also the being of a God has been questioned. Whether they are practically and pretendedly Atheists, or also speculatively and in their delib- erate opinions, may itself be matter of controver- ty, and upon this men high in the estimation of the Church have already decided differently : bur, that they are Atheists their words and their work^ Goospire to prove. Men too have had different views — hot and bloody controversies about the best mode of civil polity. Does this prove that tfcere is no difference what kind of government men adopt, or that they may do as well without any, and live in a state of confusion and anarchy ? Such differences may render delay necessary ; be- cause the discussion may require time ; but no • Piftlm cxiv. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. 268 AN ADDRESS TO TH£ UNDETERMINED prudent mnn wi!l think that general skepticism is th«rcby jusiifitd ; or that permanent discon* r.ection with e\ery society is therefore proper or safe. Although the diversity of opinion may oc^ casion some disagreeable feeling both to parties regularly organized and to enquirers ; yei the man who has a real desire to know the truth, witl thankfully i'mprovc the opportunity which collis- ion affords to examine opsnioas an^ elicit truth. This is, doubtless, the ianprovcment we should makjt of the present divisions among professors* *" Many shall run to and fro and knowledge shaft bt increased." In j, our deliberations and inves- tigstionsit will be necessary foi you to disliuguish fectwven facts and ii.ferences, first principles an4 «unclusions« Vpon the former you will j^nd as much arguaacnt in the evidence as is necessary in •rd«r to forna a fair verdict. The chicanery of atlvotates will in all trials clash ; if you canhrirrg liriicipUs of law to bear upon authentic facts of Of iden«e, ycu will tbcR be prepared to decide. The bibls is before yea containing the solemn «i!rp«8ll\ons of connpetent, disinterested, yea self dktnied and dcvulcd evidenceg. There is certain- Jy sonaeihiog very peculiar in the character of these witnesses and of their testimony. There is am initailable oosjcsty and fidelity in the former and consistency in the latter which can be accoun- ted for on no other principle, but upon the majes- ty and force of tiuth. And then you are to re- member that they relate miracles, which had they act happened, ceuld be easily confuted. They AN ADDRESS TO TUB UNDZTtRMIKED 269 dourt no men's favour or concurrence. Moses relates the miracles of God and the obduracy of the people, his own rashness and dies. The prophets reprove and are hated, rejected and s'ain; and yet the mtirderers of these prophets declare the truth of their prophecy and garnish their tombs. In thtir narratives there is evidently no collusion in order to be consistent with cash oth- er, and yet when carefully examined they all agree. / s there is no way to accownt for the existence of the scriptures but that they are divine revelation ; so, thcie is no way to account for the existence of a true Church but that its members are influenc- ed to join it by the Divine Spirit. The scrip- tures and the Church unite in testifying of Jesus as the seed of the woman, v»ho was to appear ia our nation. In the beginning of this era the scep- tre having departed from Judah, and that land having become a Roman province, Jesus was born at Bethlehem. That primary fact then is admitted by both. The Jew says, however, that he was an illegitimate child, for both Jews and Christians agree that he was not the son of Jo- seph, lor Mary conceived before they came to- gether. The Christian jays, however, that he was a miraculous conception as to his hunsanity and that he was really the only begotten and eter- nal Son of God. Here then upon inferential facts they widely differ. Let the candid and yet undetermined then take the fasts that are admit- ted on all hands, and reason whether he will be an uubelitving Jew or believing Christian^ Let 27f> AN ADDRISS TO THE VRDETERMINeS him ssk himself thus : What induceoarnt had the j-adicicus Joseph to retain his espoused Mary and take such rare of her son^ if the fi»ct be not as the chrioiiau scriptures declare ? It is well known ihat jealousy is the rage of a man, and that it will frequently sunder the bands of matrimonial con- r.eciion, when these have been strengthened by lorg intimacy, and mutual pledges of everlasting attachment. Here every facility of alienation was afTojdcd. The law was in his favour if the fact of the espousal had been as it commonly was public* In this instance, however, it seems be had it in his power and in his mind to put her away privately. Why did he not: the Christian has a reason — an angel apperircd to him arid told that although his espoused Mary was pregnant. Vet she was also a virgin, and tlvitt she was with «hild of the Messi^ih according to the sciipturcs, a virgin shall ccnctive ; a woman shall compass a man. The Jew has none. Although descend- ed of the io)'al family of David she was no heir- ess. 'ih;a farnily was reduced , she had neither monty nor friends even in her own city, when she was enrolkd according to the decree cf Cajsar Augustus, but must endure, even in her delicate si'.uaiion, the hardships of a stable lodging. Her offering was the offering of the poor. Soon was the bate, htr mother, and reputed father exposed also to persecurioo. When Herod understood • That espousal was a public deed generally, and so an ex. ample for the orderly practice observed in civilized communi* tiss generally of publishing parlies before marrijige, is evident ffoin this fACt, tba.t the punishmen: of violating the i»eUol)ke4 was lbs s%0)e as lox sdviiary. Deat. wi- 34, /N ADBRrSS TO THE UKDETt HW INtD 271 frorn the wise men, that some great personage tvas born at Bethlthem, where the Priests and Le- vites told the INIessiah should be born. He i ought the joang child's life, and Joseph must travel with his espoused wiftr into Egypt, How will the Jew account for tiiib ? I'hat Joseph shoulJ be so careful of one that was, as thty blas- phtme, a bastard, illcgi'imatt ! ! Lai further, his friends and hin.self hold oit uniformly this idea that he was the Son of God. The Jews do not assert that he enjoyed any distinguiihirg oppor- tunities of learning, how is it thtn that he was so successful in procuring not ordy the temporary {ipprobaiion ot the doctors, and the ypphiust of the people, but also the drstruttioD of their s}s- t.m, and the dispersion of the J' ws- If not em- inently favoured of God, was the thing possible for hirr. ? If not anointed with the Holy Ghost jibove measure ? Would God then countenance to «uch a degree, such an arch inspcster, and au- dacious blasphemer as they make him to be ? Impossible : They charge him with calling him- self the Son of God, they reckon tliis the same a& miking himself God, or tqjal with God. Ke nei- ther denies the fact nor the inference of the charge. Again, they both say he was crucified between two thieves — both say he was laid in Joseph's tomb — both say the tomb stone was sealed and a watch or guard of Roman soldiers set, to prevent the disciples from stealing away the body hy ■ight.. They both agree that the body was rt- moved^and tlvAt a great nany believed he rese a« 2T2 AN ADDRESS TO Tlin UKDETERMIKE-D gain. These are; primary facta then upon whick the disputants and opponents in this great contro- versy agree, facts which Jews and Greeks, Ma- honfietans and Christians all admit as being es- tfihlished with more particular and ample evidence than can gener;diy be obtained, or is generally asked for, in r>sc rtiining facs of historv. Then w hat sre the ii.ferential eonciusions ? Why the Jew says the disciples crnne by night when the guard f'ept and stole him awav. The Christiaa s:iys, he rose by the power of God. Here they V'idfly differ, I ut i; is upon a point in which yoa art n{;t bound to give imphcit credit to the testi- irony of eiiht"-. You hive an opportunity to de- cide from the interijal evidence of the one or the other of the stauments, from other oceurrenct* of those times recorded without any counter tes- timony,, fsom ihe effecis which the embracing or rejecting of the one or other side has had. First then it is to be noticed that the christian scrip- tures have recorded v.'iihout valid contradiciioa from Jewish and Geniile persecutors, the only ra- tional way, by which this historical phenomenon- can be accounted for, or explained. They say^ that the soldiers are hrrtd to relate an inconsis- tent falsehood, viz. That while they slept the dis- ciples stole away the body of Jesus. Now in the first place, it muiit be admitted that this was the account th t was given of the matter by the sol- diers, by the Jews, by the unbelieving world gen- erally. It would necessarily produce a great deal cf investigaiioBt Some cause must be assigned An address tu the UNDLTruriiNCD 273 why tl.e body of Jesus was not in th*- tomb of Jo- seph. AgJtin it was impossible that the disciples could preserve a record of the solution of this problem which was false. If the soldiers had n.)t said that tius was the cus(% it would have bren e.4sy for the Jews to have confuted at once this part of New Ttstatntnt record. It was about a third party, viz. the liomans tut wtienviny ways more attached to, ai,d it.terested ii) the Jew- ish credit now, rather ilian in the Christian. It must then be a matter of fact that the soldiers «aid this. The thing, then, to be cxamiaed i», did they say tbe truth ? In solving this question we must take several things ioto the account. 1. What object could they have in view, if thtjr could not save their living master how could the corps of iheir deu«l master db any thing for them? 2. Is it likely thut the cowwrd'.y disciples who trembled and fled and basely dtnicd their Master when interrogated by damsels, would dare, at bight, to enter the defiles oi a Roman guard, l>reak the seal of the nation and rimcve th« heavy stone, and bear away the dead body ? 3» How could this bearing ar.dy a dead body avail to the shewing of the same body fl'/tr- before many wit- nesses ? But again, what dots the saying of the •guard testify I It sa)S that they were guilty of death. \Vhy were not the laws of the militiry code executed ? It was death for one to sleep, and yet hew did iV:ey all she;) ? If ihey all slept, how did they know what was done ? Hoyv catne they then to tell this ibcohereat self contrudictury 2r4 AN ADDHFSS T9 THE UN Dt.TEEM INKD ?;ory ? The scriprurea tell ns they were promised imjuinity, in the implitd fiiult, and bribed to re* L tc ire obvi. us fa!si huo;ct not to the truth of religion. We only desist from a participatlou 27-6 AN ADDRESS TO THE U.vDI.TE [; MIN ED ?nd observance of Its rites b-cause of the par'y spirit which prevails aoiong professors. Rslig- ion, we atlmit, is someihing intern.*!, and unkss it influence life and murals it canr.ot be genuine ; and yet we con end ihat it is pre^umpiive and fj^ngerous to ntglect the posi'ive institutions of piety. Ills contrarj' to our nature to observe no ritual ; — it is extremely -vingrriteful to negUct Cod's appointments ; — it is by no means safe to violate positive institutions. The nation has nev- er been found, in which there is no religious cere- monies observed, it is quite a rer^sonabic ser- vice to offer our souls and toviies a living sacri- fice holy and acceptufele upon the altar of divine institution. Has God griciously nppointed these appropriate ordinances, and ) ;:t sh-all Vv€ neglect them ? Has our Creator, Preseiver and Saviour no claims on our gratitiide ? Obedience is of this principle the best evidence," l\ ye love me keep my coin m and ments." What was it that first " brought death into the world and all our woe." Was it sot man's first disobedience i« violating a divine institnviou ? Would i/hat sol- dier be considered a duiifu! soldier who would refuse to wear the livery of his country ? If Christ commanded such rites generally to be ob- served, what vcilid reason can we give for omis- sion ? If they who sinned against Moses' law died, at the mouth of two or three witnesses, of how much greater punishment shall he be thought worthy, who shall either profanel? use, or sullenly neglect these solemn rites by which the blood of AN ADDRFSS TO THE UNDETERMINED 277 the covenant is slgnlfiecl, scaled and applied ? Are the n(^en of this generation stiff necked and rebellious? There is the more need that all who are his friends, should show themselves friendly, and not reject the counsel of God against them- selves bj' refusing to be baptised in his name. If any man phall be ashamed of him, of his truth or of his ordinances in the midst of this crooked and perverse generation, of him will he be ashamed when he sh^H come in his own glory and in his Father's. Do yoa ask, then, what you shall do to be saved ? We are commisioned to preach the gospel of good tidings to every creature, giving them this assuraiace, that he that believcth and is baptized shall be saved. Wehnve Ai^ostolical ex- ample to si'.y "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus for the remission of sin, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost ; for the premise is to you and to your children and to ail that are afar off, even ;is many as the Lord our God shall call." Should you say, if you have the spirit of tt ue religion, ) cu n,ed not be much concerned about rites and loiins, yoa will not thereby shun the vortex of" controversy. There is a denomination who say so : the Quak- ers say there is but onj baptism, and see'.nr rb-^re is certaioiy an inward spiritui>l bapl'srA there can be need of any outwa.'d. iiut :hev might just as well argue that man is bur one ; there is a spirit in man, or an inward mar ; ihf rtfor«? rhere is no necessity of mtnding the r.u'wuru w.tui or body. They pretend to reject iii. ir.bti'.uucl forms 278 AN ADDRESS TO THE UNDETERMIKEO of religjon, but even they have some forms. They have their drab coloured and buttonlcss coats as the badg« of their religion. They reason contra- ry to the Apostles. They forbid water to their disciples and say they have ihe spirit. The A- postles say, " Can any man foibid water that these should be baptized who have received the Holy Ghost as well as we.'' Acts x. 47. You see then that uniform custom and divine institu- tion enjoin the observance of rites of religion. But you will say, I have not the spirit, and there- fore I cannot with propriety be baptized, and make a profession of what I do not posses. If ycu do not, j'^u ought. Will it answer as an ex- cuse to God, that you were not disposed to bear fakthful and true allegiance to yoar heavenly po- tentate ? Has he not made his revelation credit ble ? Why do yeu not believe it with your heart? This is his command: It is a reasonable command, and if you do, you may be baptized-ac- cording to express commandment and indubita- ble precedent. If you do not, you know the awful consequence. Cry then. Lord I believe, help my Utibelief. With the heart man believeth unto lighteoosness, and with the mouth confession is mads unto salvation. Tiie Lord added unto the church only such as should bo saved. The manner in which you should observe this initiatory ordinance, you must learn from what tias been already said, and from what yre are a- bout briefly to lay down, for the direction of this second divlsioa of the uodetermiQed^ riz. They A« ADDRESS TO THE UNDETfRMlNED 279 tvho have never heen bapiizcfl, fcrel convictions of the truth and ino.pression of the importance of re- ligion, and yet are uwdecidcd about scriptural forms. Wt feel sensibly for your case. It is painful to hdlt between two opinions. It is natural for every person who is a subject of ('i- vine grace, to be inquisitive about di'.'ine truTti and institul^'^ order, and of course to say solemn- ly, •* Lord, what wouldst thou have me to do T' This enquiry will be miiiutc in proportion as im- aginations arc brought into the obedience of faith. Haughty unsubdued minds will always hnve something to say in its reli;^ion. The true chris- tian will act as Eli directed Samuel, sayiwg, I,t>rJ speak for thy servr^nt heart ih. At thesiimo lime that this is a laudable disposition, it may be carri- ed too far, or rather another may be mistaken {cr it. There may be a zeal without knowledge. jNIuch litigation has been in the Churches htout opinions and rites of humstn invention. This is not the error however of the present day. If then it were the ease th.u God had commanded you to be dipped^ I irast n>y gracious Master would not allow me to forbid you. If he had commanded you to leave your children without when you came in, I trust I should not isvlie you to bring them. Let this matter then be se- riously examined. Try both sides ; lay by prej- udices. Try to imbibe as much of the spirit of ibe gospel as possible, and let these subjects bo decided when you are most under its irOuence. S«c whether the admisaion or rejection of the in. ^280 AN AppRESS TO THE UNDETERMINED fisntsoi! believers would be the greatest evidenc© <:/' divine giuite, condescension Jtnd kindness to lire (hildrtn of oien ; or whether the subjecis, ad- rnin.is,tra^ors and snectutorsof baptism may not be r.s coiriposed and beljieving and of course as much cdiTed by the affusion or sprinklingof water upon ihc Lody cf the baptized as by plunging it under the water ; whether this wil) not answer as wcU for a S) mbpl of what it is designed to signify, al- lowing tlvescri|?tuies to be the judges, in this case, of propriciy. If there be many instances ia scriptvire phrase wherein the operation of the Midi in »pp'}ing the blood of Christ is expressed i.\ s{ lii liiiijg. and none where the sjime is expres- .s<^(l by dipping^ yon will be at no loss to decide which mode is most eligible, convenient, expres- iive and proper. That cunning disputants upon the oiher sick may be able to involve y«u in some fLifficuliics, may be expected. Th?re is noiUiag, S3 fur as I know, but what in the present, partial, find imperfect knowledge of nfwn, but what by subtle cavil may be somewhat involved in diffi- culty. ** Now we see through a glass darkly." We may be practically, savingly and comfortably f!»iion but the traditions of our fathers and the dogmas of our teachers. I would h v^; you, therefore, shun this degrading extreme ; if the system which your parents taught you be t ue,'Cocsistent and scriptural, it can bear an ex- amination ; il not, it is worth very little or rather &s a religious system, it is worth nothing at all. If society arrunrl had all been taught as you were, stid you and they were disposed to continue itv that sys'ein, in which you had been taught, it might be enough for the maintenance of any ar- gument that could occur in that case, that yoa know the current and catholic doctrines; but seeing the Head of the Church has seen proper that matters should be otherwise, yeu arc under a strong obligation to yourself anal your system, t© give this and every other commoD controversy a careful investigation, so that you may be prepar- ed but those whom Anabaptist elders dip? If so, you must look upon surroundJTig professors not only as uo^ baptized heathens, but as arrogant profaners of a very holy ordinance. 1 say you must consider them as wilful opposers of the purity ofdivicfr institutions, because I cannot conceive, how you could find for them »he apology of comparative ignorance. Baptists themselves must admit that the ministers of other denominations are at least f qual in learning to theirs. Now, do you really think that all the fathers of the first ages oif th« christian church, whe contended so earnestly for ihji faiih #Bce delivered lo the eaints, who viodi- ANADDRESS TO THE WNDETERMINED 287 6«Keil 60 -bravely the prophetic office of Christ against the tr.idiiions of the Jtws and the philos- ophy of the Gentiles, were either not taught of ^od themselves, or were such knaves that they would deceive t)ihers by baptiziag those who nei- ther were, nor could be the subjects of that ordi- canct^ Their success in confuting all the learn- ing and all the pcllcy of that day, confutes the iirst of these euppositions ; the fact that in m lio- tainin;; their system, in vindicating the liberty where b. Chritt makes his people free, they bed to resist unto blood, striving against sin, renders the latter of these suppositions, namely, their insin- cerity, impossible. It is true this contro- versy had then no place in the Church. Those who had been engrafted into the good olive tree, had no doubt but that if the root was holy so tvere the branches. They knew that in the Apos- tolic churches the children even of a pious moth- er were holy, not by native innocence, not by works of righteousness, but by the washing of re- generation and the renewing of the Holy Ghost, which was promised to be poured out upon the seed of believers. What are we to say of that galaxy of burning and shining lights that rose up- on the benighted world at the reformation ? Can you mention any of those who have attained to eminence forthat great work, that were advocates or rather that were not strenuous opposers of that system which excludes from the Church of the- Redeemer the infant seed of believers ? Were we novr to write in this controversy in the style 288 AN ADDRESS TO THE UNDETERMINED m which Luther, Calvin, Owen and Flavel hare discussed this subject we would be thought very harsh. These reen, tO">, did not draw their ar- guments from the practice of the Church in the middle and dark ages, but from the authority of the primitive father*, from the Apostles and prophets, on which foundation they uniformly de- sired to build, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stcue. Were these men then igno- rant and weak, or were they roguish and deceit- ful men! They had all the weight of arguments that have been since adduced in favour of that system, they were in the way of reformation ; they had no long formed attachments to a^y sys- tem but to the one they renounced. In what way then are we to account for their practice, but that they were persuaded that troth permitted, yea, encouraged the admission of infants into the Chu'^ch in the simple, plain, but at the same time, expressive and scriptural mode of baptism by af- fusion. Before, then, you renounce either the doctrines or order of these eminent reformers, vhose integrity was equal to their talents, and their talent* a«d integrity equalled by few, I have but one thing to ask of you, viz. That you first know their system, and that then you act prayer- fully and conscientiouslyt Doing so, I have no fear, that you will either excommunicate them, or renounce the scriptural system which from thsm has been to you, in kind Providence, transmitted. Hold fast then wh^t you have received ; let no man take your crown i for he established a tesd-> A.N ADDRESS TO THE USDETCRMINED 38^ monv in Jicob nud nppointed a law in Fsriel, which he commantled our fathers that they should make them known to their children ; thaiihe gen- eration to come might know them ; even the chil- dren which should be horn ; who shrill arise and declare them to their ciiildren. In the third place if yoa should adopt the Anabaptist system^ }ou must be again 'oaptized. If that would be necessary in your cnse, it would be necessary in the case of all who have been baptized in infancy ; if it would not be necessary in, all cases, and yours being the same as ihelrs, it uimk be a profanation of the name of God and of the ordinance of bap- tism. You can easily see then, that whether you will or not your infant baptism puts you in a pre- dicament. very different from that of those who have not been subjects of that solemn rite. You Aviil, perhaps, say, you cannot answer the Baptise objections against infant baptism. What then ? Js there no way of accounting for this, but that they are unanswerable ? Can you answer all the objection of the deist against the scriptures and the Christian religion ? If you cannot ; have you not the same reason to become a deist that you have to become an Anabaptist ? Again — should you change you change your profession to-mor- row are you sure that you could answer ell the objections which might be brought ag:^inst th« system ? If so, you will, to be sure, be so far comfortable ; if not, what better will you be then than you are now ? The same obligation will be .upon you to change that is now,.t)ut this difficulty A a 290 AN ADDRESS TO THE UKDETERTMINED will he in the way, that you do not want to be al- tvays changing, and >ou will have a kind of pride in maintaining a system which you have personal- ly adopted. You may say, however, that you shall then be baptized in a way which you are sure is scriptural, and therefore your mind will be e^sy. It will certainly be desired by all true christians that they may profess what is true, and practise what is correct, according to tie scriptures ; but you will find it to be a very hard task to bring from scripture any precedent cf the same deed that you have in contemplation. There were adults baptized; of that we have, no doubt. So we, without any scruple, baptize aduUs, of whose cordiality in the faith of the gospel, we can obtait comfortable evidence; But where is the example of any baptized in adult years who had been baptized in infancy ? This is your case, and for this you have no scriptural precedent. Nay more, until the fifteenth or sixteenth century, you will find no precedent of this kind, ai^d at that time it need not s«em strange, when society re- ceived such a fiery purgaiion, if some dross shoald be fourlfJ among those who were separat- ed from the popish mass. You will perhaps fur- ther object, that sprinkling a little water upon aa unconscious bai)e could answer no purpose for the purging of the soul. It is admitted on all hands that baptism, in whatever form, and 10 whatever subjects administered, does not avail to the purifying of the flesh, or the cleaos- jng ©f our ppllutcd, carnal nature. It is otiy Aia ADDRESS TO THE If S DETERMINE D 2f J fcy ihe blessing of God upon an ordinance of his own that we can txpect any advantage front the sacraments. Is God then not able to bless the infants of his people with effusions of his Spirit for cleansing and saiictificatioQ atcordiog to his own promise ? If so, are we not bound to acknowledge this his great grace and condescen- sion, and having had it acknowledged upon our- selves, we ought certainly not to deny it, either in its propriety, or to our offspring. Do you yet object that you have found no advantage trcm your baptism, and therefore you consider it ne- cessary th^Jt you should renounce the first nnd have recourse to another baptism ? Bsfore ) cu actually do so, I would ask you a few questions. I'irst — Have }0U improved your infant baptitm as you ought ? If you have, and yet find no ad- yantage I could not much blame you for trying an adult baptism. If you have not; then, Sec- ond — I would ask you, whether it is not more llk«- Jy that the calamity of your spiritual condition is to be ascribed to your misimrrovement of a di- vine ordinance, than that infant baptism is desti- tute of authority ? You know, there is no propri- «ty in reasoning from the abuse of any thing against its right observation and use. In the old dispensation circumcision was profitable to thos« who kept the law of that institution ; in relation to others, circumcision became uncircumcision ; not so that the rite should be repeated, of which we have no record, but that they might not, in a licentious coufse, presume upon covenant Wes* 292 AN ADDRESS TO THE UNDETERMINLD sings, but rn'.her tr.ke warniog and reform. T!ie same is the case here. If we have trampled uii- ^irm. against wh'ch I have been writings of whom I would chviritably hope the better things tluu accompany salvation, though I thus speak. 'i he 8C ipiures leave it without a doubt, that all who build upon a right foundation shall be saved, filihough they may heap upon tliat foundatipn of Christ Jcsus, a great deal of stubble, which they must, in the end. be willing to have consumed. It is because I love their persons, and, in many respects their deportment, that I feel such an in^ tcresi in having their dreams and delusions des- troyed. ** What is the chaff to the wheat?" If, too, we were to hesitate about joining a system as long as we see any of its vouchers apparently piou*, we might hesitate long, and about many sys- tems. When we make a profession it should not be of-our own piety, or of the piety of our party ; but it should be of our faith in Jesus Christ the only Saviour, the living ai;d true God. If you would attain a comfortable establishment of heart 296 AN ADDRESS TO THE U^JBETERMrSEO' in a professioii of religion you must examins" carefully your own heart to make your calling an<4 cleciion sare, but, I do not know that you have^ any authority to exanxioe tke heart and experi- ences of others^ It is by iheir intelligent profes- sion, and holy walk and conversation that is, by; ihdr fnntf- ye shall knew ikcm. There are, alas t too nnaRy ir&tancts of proof to shew that men may call chenastlveB converted christians, when yet they m..ke the true Christ a blasphemer as did the Pharisees of old, because he, being a man makes himself eqiiai to God. Proselyting zeal and ostcnxatious piety may run very high where there is no true religion. And when he ~vas de- manded of the Pharisees xvhcn the kmg'dom of God should eome^ he amwerrd them and said, the ii?^^- dom of God caneth not by observation ; Neither shall they say ; Lo here, or Lo tlure^for^ behold the kingdom of God is within you. Wfien they shall say to you^ See here ; or See ihere,go not af- ter them nor follow them. If there ever was a time in which it was necessary- that the Spirits should be tried certainly it is now. Still if we humbly and diligently apfly ourselves to thi« work, taking the bible as our manual, and the Spirit of God speaking thereio as our guide to- the knowledge ©f all truth, we need not be like children tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine ; but may become strong io the faith, giving glory to God. Difficult as these trying times are, and scarce as true faith may b«, unde- lermined aad waveriog people of God's corenanJj, AN ADORtSJ TO TUT UN n ET L KM 1 N E I) {2^7 tritst i 1 lie Lord and you shall yd be csiablish- td. "Why sa\ebt ihou, O J**cc)b^ atvj «poakest O Isra.I. IS'Iy way is I'.id frou) ;he Lord cl is bj'li jealfMis a«d gracious in If giila ion 67 Hale — Judge, his rexark o» sabbath fancriti^a ion PQ l^nutius — one of the cUlIrtn v\ horn Clirist biessed lUi III — >vhat it is to be in Abralum 44 Two ways of being in Christ 49 Inftius ar^ called di;ci| les 146 — — their right to bsp'ism not repeaUd 126 — - All should not be baptized 125 iMto the water — what it means 180 Law — the moral— permanent ... 61 ' ' yet entire . . • • 76 ■; Christ in His serm-n dees not sj^eak against the law, but against the pharibaical constiuctifn of it fQ ■ ! Our opponents not agreed about the law 72 r. '- Christ must dispose of it one of three ways 304 Chr'siijns respect the law : ^ 107 —— promotes sanctification . • - H/ — — is more cbligatory than formerly . . Jig • i-yjdia — her family bnpti/ed . . . I55 Moses and Mahomet • • . 1(J Nicepharus - - . • 133 Oaths— proper in matters of importauce . • 7^ ■OIJ Testament wtiters taw, jn vision, the cliange of the sabbath from the seventh t« the first day . Jgi Parents must teach their children " " 66 Paul instructs Timothy and Titus • • " 19 reasons frora tbc Olal Testarrent • •" • 21 Philip Uaptizos the eunuch . : s 182 Pedobaptists— address to : : 223 not al«» ays consistent - • 24^ Posterity bound by the representation of their parents 155 Qjialification for membership • • 122 •Q^iakers opposed to water baptism • • 277 Krid - a • . 280 •Re.'urrectiofl j - x » 274 ■Regeiiera ion , t » - . Sf Sabbath — change from the last to the first day of the week : : : : : : : ; Si Collection for the saints a duty «f the Eabbatii • • 98 — — when it begin and ends ' • ' ' • &9 —— Observation of it, salutary and pleasant : : 81 Objections against tha sabba'h in N, T. ti.naes ! 82 Scrvetus :::;:: : : 136 Stephanas ::::::: : 156 -Uses of baptism : : : : : : 198 .!;« worthy communicating . . • . 245 VValdensei - . i . 79i Warolaw ; j r ; 352 Tout^i— baptized y With how to be treated • r i59 ERRATA. ^CT In cf.nscq'unce of ihe liiste ^n which the forcgoirg wctk was prepared for pub!ication, end ihe clist;\nce (.f the Au'h. I's rerjtlefi foUowinj errors passed unno icid •ee ff« m the pvcss, the Pa^e 1. lirie 21, for John read'p Mankf-u). JP p. 3 1 9, for cfeciceY. read cfe Ip rr/e./ — I 9 read revolutjonary t p. 4 1.31 __ read Redeeiuer &.p read Rokr, p. 5, 1 17. for »' 'v