/ 
 
THE 
 
 SPIRIT OF LIBERTY; 
 
 ; OR, 
 
 JUNIUS'S LOYAL ADDRESS: 
 
 BEING A 
 
 KEY TO THE ENGLISH CABINET ; 
 
 OR, AN 
 
 Humble Dissertation upon the Rights and Liberties 
 of the Ancient Britons. 
 
 HUMBLY ADDRESSED TO HIS MAJESTY. 
 
 By ^JUNIUS, J*nim. 
 
 Secure the Muse may sport with Names o*" ^ings. 
 But Ministers, my Friends, are dange-'c. ^,'hingsj 
 Dangerous indeed — why should v/e think i»'' ■'«nge, 
 To see the Senate sink into a change? 
 
 We call OUT Fathers Fools — so wise vje grow, 
 
 No Doubt our wiser Sons will think vs sn. Popk. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
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 I8O9. 
 
TO THB 
 
 King's Most Excellent Majesty. 
 
 Most Gracious Sovereign, 
 
 IT is recorded in the British annals, to the immortal ho- 
 nour of CoNSTANTiNE the Great, who was an Emperor, a 
 King, and a Briton born, that he made the happiness of his 
 subjects his peculiar care : that his laws breathed tenderness 
 to the unfortunate, and at the same time were replete with 
 the Spirit of Liberty : That the Senate was established in its 
 ancient splendour, and therefore he was justly styled, by the 
 ancient citizens of London, the deliverer of the city — the 
 founder of peace — and the restorer of public wealth, — He 
 was brave, aftable, and polite; possessed of the talents of 
 Julius and the liberality of Titus ; far from sullying, by ex- 
 amples of austerity, the glories of his victories Yhough 
 
 an Empekor, yet being a Christian, a Prince, and a Briton 
 born, the particular share of his attention was bellowed fur 
 the happiness of this Island, and the prosperity of the city 
 of London, which was then (though so early) no mean city, 
 being remarkable for its extent, riches, and magnificence. 
 
 'J hen, Most Gracious Sovereign, as a Christian Prince, as 
 a Briton born, as one nearly allied to your people, as one 
 dear to them in affection, as their King, their Father, and 
 as a Sovereign, hear and relieve them, when the voice of the 
 people to their Sovereign, is as the speech of the woman of 
 
Tekoali unto David, who fell on her face to the ground and 
 did obeisance, and said, Help, O King ! 
 
 For it now remains. Royal Sir, not matter of doubt and 
 consideration, but of fact and demonstration, that not only 
 the forms but the very essence, strength, and spirit of the 
 constitution is violated, and the dear inheritance of the liberr 
 tiesof the people destroyed ; by a dominion of ar y pow- 
 er, in assuming a P — r- e to determine upon the rights 
 
 of the people and their representatives, by no other rule but 
 that of their own inclination, and would fain persuade us, 
 they do this for your Majesty's honour and the good of the 
 people. But, what is this but to add hypocrisy to violence 
 and artifice to op))ression ? A just disgrace they find attends it ; 
 and, indeed, mucbof it(throughan over-ruling ministerial pow- 
 er) cleaves to the honourable assembly of both houses, 
 which ought to be the constant object of attention, reverence, 
 and affection. 
 
 In this case. Royal Sir, where can an affectionate, but 
 afflicted, people go but to the bosom of their affectionate 
 Sovereign ? Where can disinherited children fly but to 
 the breast of their Royal Father, their friend, I had aU 
 most said their brother ? None can now relieve them, nor re-r 
 store their rights, but their Royal Sovereign, cither by 
 bringing back their legal but banished representative, or by 
 dissolving the unconstitutional house, which entirely depends 
 upon your Majesty's pleasure, the exertion of your Majesty's 
 power, and affection for your people ; which is the only 
 source they fly to for relief, and the only anchor hold oftheir 
 safety ; ihtrefore it is that they will, as a j)iivilege that is 
 dear to them, and what ilicy have an indubitable right unto, 
 namely, to icqucst, address, and remonstrate to the Throne, 
 till ihey have the pure undictated answer of your Majesty's 
 heart, which is the united wish and desire of your Majesty's 
 loyal subjects ; who have frequently anticipated the joy of 
 your Majesty's favour, upon the foundation of these humble 
 but hcarl-felt addresses already made; especially as their ap- 
 
 4 
 
plication were so full of affection and loyalty to their So- 
 vereign, and presented in a mode so agreeable to the rights 
 of the constitution of the kingdom ; and it not meeting with 
 that reception they hoped for from the affection of their 
 King, and from their rights as a people, they neither can 
 nor will impute it to any other cause than the arts and ma- 
 nagement of those who have no other means left to vindicate 
 their conduct to their Sovereign, than by misrepresenting the 
 complaints and desires of the people, when it is too evident 
 that neither the most sacred and dear rights of the people, 
 nor the honour of your Majesty's crown, has been the object 
 of their strict attention and care; who ought in duty, in af- 
 fection, and by every tie of gratitude and power of confidence 
 placed in them, be the natural guardians of both; as the pub- 
 lic welfare calls for the one, and the gems of your Majesty'^ 
 peace and crown calls for the other. 
 
 But as your Majesty's happiness is not only to rule and 
 reign, but to bless the people with peace, they cheerfully 
 hope that they shall yet be happy in your Majesty's paternal 
 favour ; whose honour, whose glory, whose crown is engaged 
 to make them the most happy people upon the earth ; there- 
 fore they are far from being hopeless but that their fresh 
 prayers and supplications, when spread before the Throne, 
 as the royal sceptre of liberty, or before the August assembly, 
 by their feeling faithful representatives (who are the stewards 
 of the nation's right, and the guardians of their liberty) will 
 be heard with the redress of every grievance, and the restor- 
 ing as the basis and bulwark of their happiness ; as the very 
 sinews, nerves, and strength of the constitution, their essen- 
 tial right of election (which now stands violated in the face 
 of the sun) and secure that right which is so dear to the 
 people and so securing to your Majesty's crown, from every 
 future violation ; by which means the affections of your Ma- 
 jesty's subjects will not only be restored, but re-established 
 in your Majesty's person as their prince, their King, and 
 Sovereign, 
 
And as your Majesty has been pleased not only to engage 
 ])imseir, by all the solemn ties of his coronation oath, to 
 maintain inviolably firm the rights of the peojile, but to re- 
 new those engagements b} his royal word and promise afresh, 
 in his last most gracious speech, that at all events it should 
 be your Majesty's first and constant care to watch over the 
 interests, and to preserve undiminished the rights of your 
 people, permit me. Royal Sir, with humble reverence to 
 say to your Majesty, as the Patriarch Jacob did to a migh- 
 tier monarch, when pleading his promise, do as thpu hast 
 said ; for it is nor, most Gracious Sovereign, suspicious and 
 groundless complaints, but matters of fact proved again and 
 again, by reason, by argument, and by law, which is the 
 
 cause of the discontents and complaints of the people. 
 
 They are robbed of their dearest right — of their being a free 
 (people — of their dearest privilege of having a free represent- 
 ation—and of their dearest enjoyment of having a free de- 
 terminati(m by the law — of their dearest liberty in having 
 free access to the ear and heart of their royal Sovereign and 
 father ; — all which at present is almost lost by the undue zeal 
 
 and force of m r — 1 power. But as your Majesty has 
 
 directed them, to make your Majesty's subjects sensible, that 
 it is your Majesty's constant attention to promote their happi- 
 ness, it may be (but, Oh ! how happy if) they they will hearken 
 to your Majesty this sessions, in promoting your Majesty's 
 rracious desire, in restoring the first rate liberties of the people, 
 in maintaining our excellent constitution, not by force and 
 authority, but according to the ancient Magna Charta,by ad- 
 mitting (without private influence or mercenary ends, but 
 purely out of love to the people) the plain and genuine sense 
 i)f the law to take place ; this alone and nodiing less than this, 
 will convince the people, that it is your Majesty's constant 
 attention to promote their happiness; and if they should with- 
 iiold this (however seeming strong their affection may appear 
 to your M.'ijcsty) it will be impossible for us to be a happy 
 pp<)})le, or your Majesty to be a happy Monarch, with evcr^ 
 
submission of duty as a servant, with all the ties of loyalty, 
 love, and affection as a subject to your Majesty's person and 
 government, united with a tender feeling sensation for the af- 
 fliction of the nation, that every division may be healed and 
 every right restored, when the alarms of war so loudly call 
 for it — May your Majesty have the wisdom, as an angel of 
 God, to discern the perfect law of liberty, and not like king 
 Rehoboam, who forsook his father's friends, and answered 
 the people roughly, 2 Chron. viii. l6. But like king Solomon, 
 who said to the God of heaven, % Chron. i. 10, 11, 12. Givz 
 me now whdom and knowledge^ that I may go out and come 
 in before this people ; for who can judge this thy people y that is 
 so great ? — And God said to Solomon, because this was in thin&. 
 heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth or hmour, nor the 
 life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life, but hast 
 asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge 
 my people, over whom I have made thee king : — Wisdom and 
 knowledge is granied unto thee, and I will give thee riches and 
 wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings hate had, that 
 have been before thee, neither shall there any after thee have 
 the like. 
 
 That your Majesty may enjoy this happy blessing, and liie 
 people their inestimable privileges, the following essav, upon 
 the rights of the people, and more particularly upon the per- 
 fect law of liberty of those ancient people called Christians, 
 is laid. 
 
 With all due reverence and submission, 
 
 At your Majesty's royal feet. 
 
 As your Majesty's most humble servant. 
 
 And devoted loyai subject, 
 
 JUNIUS, Jun. a Briton born. 
 Private Village. 
 
t^OLITICAL TALE. 
 
 Theophilus is a gentleman of a genteel fortune, amiaiblc 
 in his person, and of a fine genius; whose time, thoughts, 
 and talents, are much spent in free inquiries after Truth, not 
 believing every thing he hears for fact, nor immediately (as 
 many are) transported with flights and fancies; nor sunk into 
 dejection, by thepower of imagination, but deliberately weighs 
 and ponders things, whether they are political, philosophical, 
 scriptural, or practical. 
 
 Philagathus is a gentleman of more advanced age, who 
 is well learnt by daily observation, and striking demonstra- 
 tion, into the nature, ground, and truth of things — things po- 
 litical, according to the season of the times, or rather from a 
 more noble view, have engaged his attention and solid inqui- 
 ries, though philosophy, in all its beauties and branches, is 
 pleasing and familiar to him ; yet it seems that divine truths, 
 because of their majesty and grandeur, of their glory and great- 
 ness, of their authority and ancientness, of their conciseness 
 and conspicuousnesa, of their peace and felicity, have the 
 ascendant in his esteem : but, in the field of his Iwiowkdge, 
 being happily blessed with ease and freedom of access, and 
 being dispossessed of those formal airs of pride, and forbid- 
 ding stiffness of carriage, which too often attend knowledge 
 (when known), this makes Philagathus's company much de- 
 sired, and often sought after. 
 
 It happened that these two gentlemen met together some 
 
little time ago, at Mount Pleasant, Avhere, after a slioit iriier- 
 view, their conversation soon turned upon poliiics; ^^hen 
 Thcoph'dus very fVccly asked PliUagathm (not being satisfied 
 with the conduct of some in exalted power) what he thought 
 were the critcrions of an unfaiihful anci liiihappy niitiistry ; 
 hkewise what may be the mischiefs that Mow from that minis- 
 try when they are more great than good: 
 
 To this qufstion PJnla^afhus, upon a short pause, observed 
 that an unfaithful ministry and unhappy court-favourites were 
 those, who with much seeming airection, flatter their prince 
 for the sake of his royal favour, to feed their ambition with 
 pride and power ; or to supply their avarice with the affluence 
 of th€ nation : to obtain this it is easy to see how supple their 
 addresses, how sedulous their application; and men (who be- 
 fore were reputed wise in the station they were in) becoming- 
 greedy of honour and avarice, can sacrifice their time, bow 
 with patience, and undergo an attendance or court-slavery, 
 more grievous than an Algier galley-slave, to obtain an end 
 imworthv their trust, base to their prince, and tieacherous to 
 the jxiople, whicit soon appears when they abandon all 
 thoughts of public wealth and peace, but what is subfervient 
 to their private Interest; then it is plain, that their integrity 
 retires and gives place to their fortune, and that all their aims 
 tfnd. study is to promote dieir own private views, even at the 
 expelise of their owm characters, their [)rince's honour, and 
 the liberty of the people; 
 
 To support this, tht y think that pride and absolute power is 
 necessary ; and to avoid contempt (not being able to render 
 themselves respe(;iablc) theyistudy by their power to render 
 themselves feared: for their ambition beirtg granted, they 
 aim, in effect, to rule the nation by their own povver and plea- 
 sm-e, rather than by the laws of'the land : {'or, according to the 
 settled fixed ■charier andeonstitulionof thf; kingdom, the plea- 
 stir^, of tb« kingiin niii^n and'conscnt with bothhoiises of par- 
 liament is essentially necessary toestabHsh i\ny one act n;s a law 
 to-thf" sUbjeols. Ytt> notwilhstancKng this, the liberty of the 
 1. 
 
people may be destroyed and the law of tlie land violated, when 
 a ministry, or a set of men who afe iirst-rate favourites at 
 conrt, either for the sake of ambition, or for the sake of the 
 profits they enjoy, dictate to their king, or aim either by 
 power, places, or promises, to influence a majority of either 
 house to coincide with their measures, not thinking it safe 
 that there should be any in authority who are not influenced 
 by their power, and more especially wlien it strikes at the 
 liberties of the people. Then it is evident that the ministry, 
 and not the K — g, reigns, and that their arbitrary law is a 
 rule to them ; and therefore they make it a law to the people, 
 which is too evident the case, when they assume to direct 
 judges, to bias justice, to bestow places according to their 
 own interest, making not only all places of profits, honour, 
 and trust, to depend at their sole pleasure : but in cases more 
 notorious, such as pardoning of murderers, rewarding the 
 guilty, forbidding of juries, confining in prison, and over- 
 throwing the freedom and right of election, the very essence 
 of the subjects' right, and all that is dear to them as a people. 
 
 But by thus abandoning the true interest of their countr}'^, 
 and p!a3'ing with the laws of the land, making them pliable 
 to their wills, they thereby eftectually destroy the original 
 rights and liberties of th.e people ; and rather than fail therein 
 they endeavour to reduce his Majesty's honest and loyal sub- 
 jects to a, passive obedience by the cruel high-hand of the 
 military power. 
 
 Thus, an arbitrary ministry, by their arbilrarj' measures, 
 seldom or ever fail (if they can have their own way like Reho- 
 hoams evil counsellors) to ruin King, State, and People; for- 
 getting that their will and pleasure is not a law to a free peo- 
 ple, though it may be a law in their own House. That they 
 are not (designedly) placed there to rule, dictate, and reign 
 according to their will, but to maintain the liberties of the 
 people according to the law already established. 
 
 As there is a golden rule, or roj'al law, which is to do unto 
 others as wa mould tliey should do unto us; but suppose, I was 
 
to ask a nobleman, How, my lord, would you like to have 
 your lordship's house broke open by violence, and your 
 lordship's property taken away by force, accused and punished 
 and denied g, trial by a Jury of peers; to have an only Son 
 murdered, and the murderer screened from justice; and 
 when murderers were fairly tried by law and condemned, yet 
 pardoned, if not rewarded ; to be chosen repeatedly a mem- 
 ber, yet denied a place in the house, is not the very spirit of 
 the law and privilege of the people violated ? Is this, think 
 you, my lord, consistent with the laws of the land or the 
 liberties of a free people ? If not, why were such measures 
 taken, or why are such measures aimed Ao be supported? 
 Perhaps, the time was when yoy would have abhorred these 
 things ; but, alas ! how hard is it for greatness to pursue ho- 
 nest and safe methods in power! What wisdom, uprightness, 
 and integrity does it require for the potent to stand safe upon 
 the top-round of the ladder of honour, without espousing some 
 sordid interest and destroying the liberties of the people ? Alas! 
 by what insensible degrees are the favourites of a court 
 brought to consent (either by example or persuasion) to those 
 actions and measures which they once, perhaps, boldly de- 
 clared against with the highest indignation ? 
 
 But, this being once done, then they, for their own preser- 
 vation, powerfully insinuate themselves into their prince's fa- 
 vour ; and having once possessed themselves of his mind, 
 they seize upon all the avenues to his royal person, and render 
 the royal seat almost inaccessible: but if with difficulty, ancj 
 by right and privilege, which they cannot overthrow, access 
 is found to the royal ear, and the grievance of the people is 
 represented in the most fee)ing manner, united with the 
 strongest ties and proofs of loyal, affection to his person and 
 family, only asking of him what they, as his children, his 
 subjects, and as Britons have an indubitable right to enjoy ; 
 and what their king has, by promise, and by the very oath 
 that settled him upon ihe crown, engaged and bound himself 
 to maintain. Yet, alas ! all their grievances are fepresented 
 
^o him as shadows, and all their remonstrances as the fruits 
 of an aiFrighted imagination. With this apprehension he re- 
 ceives their petitions with a cold indifference, and therefore 
 no wonder that they are answered with the same silence. By 
 this means a ministry robs a king of his dhief glory, and the 
 people of their dearest privilege; no wonder then, if the spi- 
 rits of an injured people are set in a proper resentment against 
 such thieves and flatterers. 
 
 To this Theophitus replied : sir, a king cannot be without 
 fais ministry, nor well live happy without some favourite 
 ones. 
 
 Phila. True; therefore, a Prince who aims to live and 
 reign in the hearts of his people, ought (for his own honour, 
 and for the good of his subjects) to be exceeding careful who 
 he chooses for his counsellors and confidents ; because he 
 places much of his own dignity, as well as his people's rights 
 in their hands. Therefore, strict inquiry should be made 
 into their abilities, not to take up with a general sufficiency 
 of knowledge (which is common to most men) but such who 
 are great in understanding, and enjoy a peculiar fitness and 
 qualification for such a post, to discharge with honour and 
 credit the high trust committed to them ; not to take those 
 to be the Senators of the nation, that stand next in favour, 
 or are by a particular favourite recommended ; for there are 
 many grandees of a kingdom who are remjirkable for their 
 greatness and barrenness, and resemble certain high moun- 
 tains which ^re entirely fruitless, never producing either 
 herb, plant, or tree,* though at a distance, they seem to 
 touch the heavens with their stately tops : Yet their bar- 
 reniiess, with all their heiglits, renders them despicable. And 
 surely there is nothing that more recommends a prince's 
 judgment, no^- is there any thing of more importance to 
 his own safety and peace, and the growing felicity of bis 
 people, than a discreet choice of his ministers; that they 
 are such who have the true spirit of the law and the liberty 
 pf the people at heart. 
 
But, as your inquiry was, what may be the mischiefs aris- 
 ing from an ill placed ministry', I answer they are no less fatal 
 than various; and to sum them all up, is almost as diffi- 
 cult as to prevent them : For if the ministry are ignorant, 
 they ruin the state, their master,, and themselves, by their 
 ministerial weakness, and for want of understanding in 
 those things which are essential for the honour of the 
 King, and the security of the peace and privileges of the 
 people. 
 
 If they are treacherous, then they, with all their seeming 
 zeal for their King, sell the public wealth and peace for the 
 sordid sake of money. If they are of bad principles, their 
 aim will be to banish truth from the palace, to mislead the 
 mind of their piince by flattery, to misrepresent the petitions, 
 requests, and remonstrances of the people, by art and subtlety. 
 They exhaust the royal treasure by profuseness, and rob the 
 king of that bright jewel and royal diamond which once shone 
 so bright in his crown, viz. that pure flame of loyal aftection 
 which lustred so bright in the hearts of his people to him: For, 
 while with vain pretences they would seem to make him more 
 exalted in power than his forefathers, they unhappily render 
 him less loved at home, and consequently less revered abroad. 
 But, this is the case when an unhappy ministry have commit- 
 ted some extravagancies upon the rights of the people, and 
 being greatly (not to say justly) the objects of their contempt, 
 their thoughts are then spent, not so much (it is to be feared) 
 to serve their nyal master, but as we say, to save their own 
 recks; so that in all their counsels they then consult not his 
 advantage, but their own defence? What care ihey how 
 much the people are provoked, and their liberties in- 
 fringed, so they are but supported. For there can no greater 
 evil attend a king, a people, a state, or kingdom, than an 
 arbitrary despotic ministry, which is the source of so many 
 evils to a free people which we now feci : But methinks 
 there are some distant hope, some glimmering rays, that 
 this evil will cease ; that the affectionate sovereign of his 
 
people sees where his own honour and essential dignity, 
 his people's safety and tiaaqiiillity lie; and that he will 
 remove the evil, and grant them every privilege that he is 
 bound hy all the ties of affection, and sacred bonds of his 
 coronation oath, lo maintain : or it may be, we may be near 
 the eve of an alarming storm from a neighbouring power, 
 which will soon change the face of things; besides, that 
 truly noble and patriotic speech of Lord Chatham and 
 others, having left the ministry defenceless, there remains 
 nothing else but either for them to resign, or to restore 
 the rights of an injured people : but like Paul in another 
 case, they seem to be in a strait betwixt two, having a 
 desire to depart, which to choose they know not, but to think 
 abide they w ill be more needful for us, either to correct us 
 for our murmurings and complaints by the iron rod, or 
 to show their fidelity iu restoring the privileges of the 
 people; if they restore them noi, Heaven h:ive mercy upon 
 them ; but their future steps will only reveal this. 
 
 Upon this conversation there was aa intimate and free 
 familiarity commenced between Phi/agathm and Theophilus ; 
 upon which Philugathits told TheophiliLs, that he was going a 
 journey to the ancient city of Salem ; that of all cities in the 
 world it was the most remarkable for its foundation, glory, 
 and privileges; whose foundation is more firm than mountains 
 of marble, whose walls are more secure than rocks of brass, 
 whose gates are sohd pearls, whose ministry are all kings, 
 whose laws are love, whose privileges are perfect liberty, 
 whose provision is life, whose water is wine, whose inhabit- 
 ants are all kings sons, whose employment is felicity, and 
 whose enjoyment is perfect happiness. This city abideth 
 for ever, and is beautifully compacted together, being the 
 palace royal of the great King, whose wisdom, power, and 
 glory is superlative ; whose Queen I have heard, is a perfec- 
 tion of beauty, and is clothed with embroidered robes of 
 wrought gold : in short Theophilm, to incline you to go with 
 mc, i can assure you, without any hyperbole, that the walls 
 
of this city are of Jasper, the city itself is of pure gold ; has 
 twelve foundations, and twelve gates garnished with all man- 
 ner of precious stones; and every foundation is a pearl ; the 
 twelve gates are twelve pearls, and the street of the city is 
 pure gold, as it were transparent glass : it needs neither the 
 sun to shine by day, nor the moon by night ; for there is no 
 night there,* and the summit of glory does enlighten, and 
 the inhabitants walk in the light thereof among the beds of 
 spices, in the orchards of delight, by the river of the water 
 of life, among the trees of the garden, which yield ail man- 
 ner of fruit, insomuch that the very leaves are for the heal* 
 ing of the nations. 
 
 Upon this grand and magnificent description, Theophilus 
 was like one lost in a rapture, and said, O charming place f 
 
 palace of delight! I never heard of such a city before; 
 Where, O where, may this city be found ? I would travel 
 from sea to sea, and from rivers to the ends of the earth, to 
 see its beauty, to behold its glory, and enjoy the privilege 
 of being a citizen there. 
 
 To this Phi/agathus said, ray dear Theophilus, you need 
 not feel a painful moment respecting your desired felicity ; for 
 the gates of this city are open night and day, and the King 
 himself invitesf you. 
 
 Dear Philagathus, you transport me with discoveries, and 
 command all the powers of my soul into admiration : What ! 
 the gates open night and day, and the King invite strang<^rs to 
 come in, and I not know it f but alas ! How should I know it ? 
 
 1 know not the way thereto. 
 
 Phila. What, my dear Theophilus, not know this city, 
 nor the way thereto? Where have you been? What has^ 
 your time, your soul, and thoughts been employed about. 
 
 Here Theophilus blushed, and sunk away almost in bilence ; 
 but he only said, let the time past suffice ; may I not now en- 
 joy the felicity my ardent mind so much desires? But, alas ! 
 I knew not the way ; but, dear Philagathm, is the way plain, 
 or is it dark and intricate ? 
 
Phil A. The way is as plain as Heaven can make it, for 
 it is the King's Highway ; yet it is, by observation, upon the 
 traditions of our fathers and others, who are called guides, 
 they treading in general in the steps and traditions of their 
 fathers, frequently rendered by them so dark and intricate 
 tostrangers, that many lose their way ; and f)thers who have 
 a true zeal, by hearkening to them, find it very intricate 
 indeed. 
 
 Theovh. Alas! dear Philagathus, this \ms been my case, 
 for surely I seek feHcity with a true zeal; but lo ! I have 
 so been embarrassed by the muki^licity of these guides, 
 and led into their wild wanderings and traditions, that 
 in short the path hath appeared so intricate, that I have 
 been as one lost in a labyrinth to finu the way ; insomuch 
 that sometimes I have thought either there was no such 
 city, or that these guides rather perplex than rightly direct 
 strangers. 
 
 Phi LA. It is true, there are many that take upon them 
 the characters of guides, being appointed unto it by men who 
 know but little of the way themselves, and therefore they 
 are very dark in directing strangers : Pray, who have you 
 called upon for directions ? 
 
 Theo. Why Sir, I called upon one Barlamine, who was 
 noted to be an infallible guide ; he told me the way was pass- 
 able, but very difficult to find : He led me this way and then 
 that, then through dark windings and turnings ; then to this 
 Saint and then that, who he said were the best guides; but 
 they never spoke a good word to me. At last he told me, 
 perhaps, I might not get there while I lived; but by that 
 time I had been a month dead there was no fear, upon a suit^ 
 able remembrance, but I should get there: but being weary 
 of this guide, 1 went to another; one Mr. J. Wesley, whom 
 I had heard great talk of, that he had an universal love to 
 strangers, and that he had guided many thousands to this 
 city ; but lo ! when I came to him he distressed me ; for 
 though, at first, he told me the way was free for all, yet, 
 o 
 
10 
 
 when I came to know what way this was that was free for 
 all, I soon found that all might be lost, that it was a way 
 that none could go, it being round a mount that was all on 
 fire; and he likewise told me that the King had done im- 
 mense hurt to travellers by laying an impediment in the way, 
 therefore I thought my journey unnecessary ; however, I 
 thought I would call on one more, who has been accounted 
 a particular guide, Mr. Whitfield, he seemed to give me much 
 encouragement, by telling me that the way was open and 
 free, and that the King himself often encouraged travellers 
 by giving particular aids to them, and directions that they 
 might not be discouraged because of the way ; yea, so liberal 
 was he, that he frequently oflered me the King's favour for 
 my encouragement. Here I thought that his zeal and af- 
 fection led him too far, and therefore it rather discouraged 
 than encouraged me; for I thought surely the King's favour 
 was his own prerogative to give, and therefore I looked upon 
 it as lavish words without knowledge, which I was the more 
 confirmed in from his own lips; though he was so free of 
 hisoflfers of the King's favour, yet he told me again and again, 
 that 1 could receive no favour unless the King gave it me ; 
 then thought J, this is lov^ and lavish zeal indeed; for if he 
 had hone to give, nor no right to give, why did he offer it 
 me ? And if it was the King's right and power to give his own 
 favours, why did he amuse me with offers, when he could, I 
 find, give nothing, nor could I receive any thing ? Nay, 
 sometimes he would tell me that I must strive and labour 
 mightily to get into the way, and to keep in the way : 
 Now, dear Philaguthus, you tell me the way is as plain 
 as Heaven can make it; O tell me! How it is; if you 
 have been speaking to me by figures, speak now plainly, my 
 dear Sir ! 
 
 To this Philagathus replied, since, Thcophilus, your de- 
 sire is so earnest to know the city, the way to it, and the 
 glory of it, I will speak no more in figures, but T will speak 
 plainly. 
 
11 
 
 The ancient city of Salem is the Cliurch of the living 
 God, where he reveals the blessings of his love, and the 
 riches of his grace to his people ; which revelation^ for its 
 ancieutness and antiquity, for its clearness and conspicuous- 
 ness, for its authority and majesty, for its variety and beauty, 
 for its perfection and glory, exceeds all that can be said, 
 that words can declare, or languages express, by way of 
 eminence called the oracles of God ; therefore it is written. 
 In Judah is God known, his name is great in Israel ; in Salem 
 also is his Tahernade, Salem signifies peace : It was the an- 
 cient seat o? Melchesidec, who was king o? Salem, king of 
 righteousness, king of peace. It was afterwards called Jeru- 
 salem, where the temple of God was erected, being built 
 upon mount Moriah and mount Zion, where the worship and 
 ordinances of God were performed and solemnized, accord- 
 ing to the divine command ; therefore the Lord chose it for 
 his dwelling-place, and said, here will I dwell, because I 
 have desired it, as it is written, Jlis dwelling-place is in Zion ; 
 for there was contained the adoption, the glory, the covenants, 
 the giving of the law, and the promises. 
 
 Theoph. What might I apprehend by the foundation of 
 this city being more firm than mountains of marble ? 
 
 Phil A. Because the foundation of the church, upon which 
 all her hopes and salvation is built, is nothing less than 
 God himself, in the security of his everlasting love, called the 
 rock of her salvation ; which is revealed in Christ, as a sure 
 foundation ; thdefore she says, God is my salvation, I will 
 trust and not he afraid. 
 
 Theoph. Wherein are the walls of this city more strong 
 than brass ? 
 
 Phila. By the walls of this city, I mean the security of 
 the church of God. Hence it is written. We have a strong 
 city: salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks, which 
 walls of salvation are nothing less than the perfections, 
 power and promises of God, engaged for the. safety of his 
 people. 
 
12 
 
 Theoph. What may I apprehend by the gates being of 
 solid f)eails r 
 
 Phila. As gates are the ways of entrance to a city, and 
 as these gates are said to be of pearls, it may denote the 
 preciousness of the divine promises and blessings of heaven, 
 by which we enter into the kingdom; hence it is said unlo 
 Zion, " Thou shalt call thy gates, praise;" denoting, that 
 the open and free way of salvation, by the person, right- 
 eousness and blessings of Christ, are gates of praise to the 
 city of Zion. 
 
 Theoph. Who may I apprehend by the senator being 
 wisdom ? 
 
 Phila. The Loi?r> .Tesus Christ, whose name is the 
 wonderful counsellor; inasmuch as the foundation ot the 
 church's security, the walls of her salvation, and all the 
 blessings of grace and glory, was the plan of his own 
 infinite mind, as the fruit of his love, called the wisdom 
 of God. 
 
 Theoph. Wherein does it appear that his laws are 
 love ? 
 
 Phila. Inasmuch as all the citizens of this city are 
 received by love, drawn with love ; and the statute law of 
 the city is love, — love to his name, to his person, to his 
 word, and to one another: A new commandment, says 
 he, I give unto you, that ye love one another, as I have 
 loved you. 
 
 Theoph. What, by their privileges being perfect li- 
 berty ? 
 
 Phila. By their privileges being perfect liberty, from 
 the power and dominion of every adversary, is o^^ini;, en- 
 tirely owing, to a marvellous act of grace, by the King of 
 Glory. These citizens were originally free, being, by adop- 
 tion, heirs to every privilege, promise, and blessing, it being 
 all settled upon them in the bosom of their Father's lo\e; but 
 by the suotlcty of Sataii their hearts were drawn away into 
 sin and transgression, against their dear Sovereign j for 
 
13 
 
 which there was placed a flaming cherubim or sword, whicli 
 guarded the way to this city ; in this situation they had lost 
 tlieir freedom or Uberty to enjoy their privilege, though they 
 had not lost their right of" lieirship or inheritance to them : 
 In this circumstance, lo ! the King of Glory himself appears 
 for ihem, his love being stronger than death unto them. 
 He therefore undertook to make a mutual exchange between 
 them and their condition, by taking upon him es an advo- 
 cate, their cause ; as a representative, their persons ; as a 
 surety, their debt; as a sacrifice, their crimes and punish- 
 ments; as a v/arrior, their redemption and final victory; 
 which he fully accomplished, for his own arm brought salva- 
 tion : for by this mutual exchange, or his engaging his heart 
 to approach to God tor them, whatever was his, became 
 theirs, namely, his holiness, righteousness, life, deiith, re- 
 surrection, intercession, and glory ; and whatever was theirs, 
 became his, as a surety to SLitisfy for, and as a conqueror, to 
 triumph over: namely, their sins, enmity, and transgressions, 
 which he died for, and by the atonement of his own blood, 
 removed them into oblivion, never to be found any more ; 
 and as their Redeemer, he having power to la^' down his life, 
 aad power to take it again, he rose m triumph from the dead, 
 having put away sin, conquered Satan, and triumphed over 
 death, by the sacrifice of himself. Death hath no more do- 
 minion over him ; for it is written, death came hy sin. But 
 when sin was removed, death had no more power : therefore 
 he rose in full triumph over sin, death, hell, and the grave. 
 This being the case, the privileges, or in other words, the 
 love of God in all its blessings becomes as free in its com- 
 munication to the citizens of Zion, as though they had never 
 sinned nor offended, because his love to them never was 
 changed ; therefore they think much of their privileges, but 
 little ot their enemies, for what has sin, or Satan, or death, 
 or hell to do with theai, who are heirs of heaven ; sin has 
 nothing to do with them, by way of condemnation, for they 
 are dead indeed unto sin ; Satan has notliing to do with them, 
 
14 
 
 for they are delivered from the hands of the strong man armed ; 
 death, I mean ihe second death, has no right to them, for 
 that is swallowed up in victory ; and as to hell, it can claim 
 no authority over them, for they are not heirs of hell, but heirs 
 of heaven : 'tis true these enemies may, and do, daily disturb 
 them, but cannot destroy them ; therefore they think as 
 little of them as the children of Israel did of the Canaanites, 
 who said of them in all their formidable appearance, Their 
 dtfence is departed Jrom them, and the Lord is with ks: Fear 
 them not. O death, say they, where is thy sting ? O grave, 
 where is thy victory ? thanks be unto God, say they, who 
 giveth us the victory ; then you know, dear Theophilus, it is 
 no matter what the enemies are : thus you see that the way to 
 Zio7i or Salem, the city of our Lord, is as plain as Heaven 
 can make it, by faith in the person, righteousness, atonement 
 and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, who is the standard of 
 his Father's love, the highway which God has exalted for the 
 people. " I am, says Christ, the way, the truth, and the 
 life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me : I am, says 
 he, the door ; if a man enter in by me, he shall go in and out 
 and find pasture." 
 
 Theoph. Dear Philagathus, it gives me infinite pleasure 
 to find the way of life is so plain, and the path so precious; 
 this is surely fulfilling the counsel of Heaven, who says, Isa. 
 Ixii. 10. Go through, go through the gates, prepare yoxi the 
 way of the people, cast up, cast up the highway, gather out the 
 stones, lift up a standard for the people. Herein is love, not 
 that we loved God, but in that he loved us, and gave his Son 
 to be a propitiation for your sins: but that is not all, you 
 told me, dear Philagathus, that all the inhabitants of this city 
 were kings, how is that ? 
 
 Phila. They are kings by virtue of their union and rela- 
 tionship to the king of glory, being joint heirs with Christ, and 
 therefore a kingdom is prepared for them, and a crown of 
 glory given to them ; hence they arc said to be made kings 
 and priests unto God and his Father. 
 
15 
 
 Theoph. What may I apprehend by then* provision being 
 life, and their water being wine ? 
 
 pHiLA. By the provision being hfe, I mean the bread of 
 life, the word of Hfe, the iiicuiua of life, the food of hfe ; and, 
 by the water being wine, I mean the wine of everlasting love, 
 which flows from the throne of God and the Lamb, to the 
 church ; for the scriptures say, his love is better than rcine. 
 
 Theoph. Wherein does it appear that the employment 
 of these inhabitants is fulness of fehcity ; and their enjoy- 
 ment perfect happiness ; and that their security abideth for 
 ever ? 
 
 Phi LA. Their employment is praise, love, and thankful- 
 ness to their Kmg, which is fulness of felicity ; and their enjoy- 
 ment is the love, favour, and blessings of their King, which 
 is perfect happiness; and their happiness abideth for ever, as 
 it is fixed on the unchangeable love of the King of Glory to 
 them. 
 
 Theoph. What may I apprehend by this city being com- 
 pact together, and the palace of the great King ? 
 
 Phila. I mean that the saints or citizens of Zion, are 
 lively stones, or spiritual persons, being built or united together 
 in spiritual things, as a spiritual house, in spiritual ordinances, 
 spiritual blessings, spiritual discipline ; and are built upon 
 the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ 
 being the chief corner stone, in whom all the building fitly 
 framed together, groweih up to a holy temple in the Lord ; in 
 which respect the church is a compact city, or spiritual 
 building, from Christ, the foundation, to the top-stone, it be- 
 ing the pure workmanship of grace, called an habitation of 
 God through the spirit; and in the Psalms, the city of the 
 great King, because it is said the Lord is in Zion, and her 
 King is in the midst of her, the name of the city shall be called 
 Jehovah Shammah, the Lord is there. 
 
 Theoph. What, by the King being wisdom, love, power, 
 and beauty ; and the Queen being all glorious, and her rai- 
 ment of wrought gold : 
 
16 
 
 Phila. It denotes the beauty, love, and perfections of the 
 Lord Jesus Christ, as the King of Glory; and the Uiion 
 of the church to him in his Jove, beauty, perfection, and 
 glory, as his bride and spouse, she being appointed as the 
 Queen, to the same glory with the King, and taken as the 
 bride out ot himself, the bridegroom, as Eve was taken from 
 Adam; she is in him the image of himself, and likeness of his 
 glory, being a perfect beauty from his brightness; therefore 
 said to be all-glorious, that is, in his glory; as the chur<h's 
 glory and Christ's is but one ; as the glory of Jdam and Eve 
 was but one ; or they were not twain, but one flesh : this is 
 a great mystery, but 1 speak concerning Christ and his 
 church. 
 
 Theoph. What may I apprehend by the walls of the city 
 being of pearl, and the city itself being of pure gold ? 
 
 pHiLA. By the walls of this city being of pearl, it may de- 
 note the preciousness of the walls of salvation; and the city 
 being of pure gold, may denote the glory of tlie church, 
 shining m all the glories of Jehovah's love, in its founda- 
 tion, in its communication, in its revelation, and glorification ; 
 compared to pure gold for its majesty, glory, and grandeur, 
 being the glory he had fixed for her, ordained her to, and 
 brought her to the enjoyment of, as the fulfilment of his own 
 love to her in the person of Christ; therefore he is said to 
 make the place of his feet glorious. 
 
 Theoph. What may I apprehend by the city having twelve 
 foundations, and twelve gates, garnished with all manner of 
 precious stones? 
 
 Phila. As the twelve tribes of Israel were the foundation 
 of the Jewish church, so the twelve apostles were the ministe- 
 rial foundation of the gospel church, and the twelve gates are 
 the same; the apostles being ministerial gates to the city, by 
 opening the way of peace, life, and salvation by Je^us Christ, 
 declaring no other things, than what Moses in the law and the 
 prophets did write, that there was no other name given under 
 heaven whereby we could be saved : by these gates being gar- 
 
 4 
 
17 
 
 nished with all manner of precious stones, may det^ote the 
 preciousness of their ministerial gifts, whereby they made the 
 savour of Christ's name manifest in every place. 
 
 Theoph. What may I apprehend by the streets of this 
 city being of pure gold, as it were transparent glass ? 
 
 Phi LA. By the streets being of pure gold, it may serve to 
 show us, that all the paths in Ziofi are precious to the saints,- 
 that all the turnings and windings in providence, and. all the 
 avenues and ways of divine blessings that the saints are called 
 to walk in, they are like streets of gold, for their precious- 
 ness and glory, because it is the King's highway, in which 
 he walks, where he meets with tliem, and communicates his 
 favours unto them, and this is what makes them shine like 
 transparent glass ,• for there is such a clearness conspicuous- 
 ness, and brightness therein, that they reflect a glory upon 
 the saints, and a glory to them, because they shine so richly 
 with the glory of Christ's person, the beauties of his nature, 
 the perfections of his name, that they are like a transparent 
 glass, in which they behold the glory of the Lord, and are 
 thereby changed into the same image from glory to glory. 
 
 Theoph. But, how is it that this city needs neither the 
 sun to shine by day, nor the moon by night ? 
 
 Phila. This shows, my dear TheophUiis, the superlative 
 glory of the church above all the glory of this sublunary life^ 
 which depends upon the revolution of the moon, and the 
 daily course of the sun, blessings in themselves sweet and de- 
 sirable ; but. Oh ! the blessings of the church arise from a 
 glory infinitely more high in its nature, more secure in its 
 foundation, and more lasting in its duration: being not tem- 
 poral, but spiritual blessings; not sublunary or failing, but 
 eternal and unchanging ; called spiritual blessings, in heavenly 
 places, in Christ, and an eternal weight of glory. 
 
 Theoph. What may I apprehend by the Lord being an 
 everlasting light ? 
 
 Phila. Because it is said, the name of this city shall be 
 called Jehovah Shammah^ which signifies, the Lord is there; 
 
 D 
 
18 
 
 that is^ the Lord is there by the divine revelation in the light 
 of his person, in the light of his love, in the light of his glory, 
 and all the blessings and promises of his grace. 
 
 Theoph. What may I apprehend by the Lamb being the 
 light thereof? 
 
 Phila. By the Lamb we are to understand the Lord 
 Jesus Christ, who is the light of life to the church; inas- 
 much, as he is the glass of glory, of all the saints enjoy, seeing 
 the light of all the divine perfections shine in him ; being the 
 brightness of the Father's glory, the sun in whom all the 
 beams and rays of the Deity centre, the object in whom 
 all the glory of the Godhead shines, from whom the light of 
 life, love, peace, adoption, grace, and glory, blazes forth as a 
 light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of his people 
 Israel. 
 
 Theoph. Who may [ apprehend by the inhabitants, who 
 are said to walk in the light thereof? 
 
 Phi LA. The inhabitants of the church we shall find, if we 
 Consider them ever so early, to be believers in the Messiah } 
 for even Adam, who was a figure of him who was to come, 
 believed in the Messiah as the seed of the woman ; and the 
 marriage of Adam with Eve, in a state of innocency, was, as 
 the Jews say, a figure of the King Messiah and his church, 
 which union and oneness we consider the church in, in all 
 ages; but as Christ was, according to the flesh, to come of 
 the seed of Abraham, so his church, under the temple wor- 
 ship, was of his seed, called the seed of Abraham, and 
 owned by God to be his peculiar treasure ; to whom, says 
 the apostle, belongeth the covenants, the glory, the giving of 
 the law, and the promises: but Christ being according to 
 the flesh, near a-kin tons Gentiles as well as to the Jews, as it 
 is written, Boaz married Ruth, who was a Gentile, by whom he 
 hadObed, the father of Jesse, who was the father of David, of 
 whom concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is God over ail, 
 blessed for evermore ; and from this union, and kindred relation 
 to Christ, the bkisiug of Abraham came upon the Gentiles^, 
 
19 
 
 that the promise of salvation may be sure to all the seed : as 
 says, the apostle, If ye he Christ's, then are .you Ahraham\ 
 seed, and heirs according to the promises : for Christ removed 
 the partition-wall, and by his death he rent the vail in twain, 
 and blotted out the hand-writing of Ordinances that was against 
 vs, taking them out of the way, thereby both Jew and Gentile 
 become all one in Christ Jesus. 
 
 Theoph. As the church, under the Old Testament dispen- 
 sation, was called the seed of Abraham, the children of Israel, 
 to distinguish them that they belonged to the Lord God of 
 Israel in a peculiar manner; but what is the peculiar charac-^ 
 ter of the church, seeing they ;are both Jew and Gentile ? 
 
 Phii.a. As the Jews were, in a scriptural sense, called the 
 seed of Abraham, from their believing in the Lord God of 
 Abraham ; so both Jew and Gentile are, in the New Testa- 
 ment, called Christians, from their believing in Christ, tak- 
 ing their scripture name, or spiritual character, from him in 
 whom they trust. The Jews were called Israelites from Israel ; 
 but the Gentiles are called Christians from Christ; for as 
 the Jews had a natural union and relation to the person of 
 Israel, by virtue of which union and kindred they were called 
 Israelites, or the seed of Israel ; so the Gentiles, by virtue of 
 their union to Christ and their near relation to him, and 
 believing in him, they are called Christians, or his seed, hi» 
 offspring, &c. 
 
 Theoph. But, did all Jews and Gentiles belong to 
 Christ when he came ? 
 
 Phila. No, no, my dear Theophilus, it was only those 
 that loved his name, adored his person, who were give i to 
 him, and trusted upon him for salvation ; as it is written. 
 To as many as believed, to them gave he power to become the 
 Sons of God, even to as many as believed on his Name: but to 
 the disobedient he was a stone of stumbling, or a rock of 
 offence, the stone which the builders refused, though the head 
 stone of the corner: But, says the apostle, Unto you there- 
 fore that believe, he is precious. 
 
20 
 
 TiiEOPH. Dear Philagathus, what is believing in Christ ; 
 I have heard much about it, but I really, some how, know 
 little of it : I have been called to believe, lo believe, to believe, 
 and when the preacher has come down a little from the moun- 
 tain of his pathetic exhortation, and has defined to me what I 
 was to believe, I found it was to give my assent to the truth oi 
 the Scriptures, Ah ! thought T, Why so earnest to make me 
 believe what the devils believe, and what I never denied ? 
 There were others who told me, 1 must believe, it was my du- 
 ty to believe, and that if I did not believe, I must be damned ; 
 yet, they told me, I could not believe unless God gave me 
 power. Ah! thought I, what a wild jangle of words are 
 these ! I must believe, I cannol believe ; if it is as they say, 
 that God works both, both to will and to do of his own good 
 pleasure, why do they exhort me to do that which I have 
 neither power to will nor will to do ? Therefore, my dear 
 Philagathus, remove this anxiety and suspense from my 
 mind, tell me what believing in Christ is? 
 
 Phila. It is, indeed, a mournful consideration, that the 
 King's highway of salvation is rendered so dark and obscure 
 by the phraseology and traditions of men; for it is evident, 
 that it is as easy to believe as it is to breathe ; nay, that we 
 can no more help believing and live, than we can help 
 breathing and live. For believing is nothing less nor more, 
 than seeing, knowing, loving, and trusting in an object; — 
 as, for instance, I see the sun in the firmament by its own 
 light, I feel its heat, 1 see the life it invigorates the vegeta- 
 bles of the earth with, and knowing this, by continual demon- 
 stration and evidence, I can no more help believing the truth 
 of it, than I can help breathing and live; and therefore, lean- 
 not but prize, love, or value the sun, as it is a fountain of such 
 blessings to the universe; and consequently I cannot but place 
 my dependence upon it, for the continuation of the blessings 
 it does daily afford. Now I call this believing a natural 
 faith, because it is from natural knowledge, and centres in a 
 natural object ; and this is all by seeing, feeling, and enjoying, 
 
21 
 
 but if I had no eyes 1 could not see it ; nor sensation, could 
 I feel it; nor knowledge, could I enjoy it. And this is the 
 very case with regard to believing in the Lord Jesus Christ ; 
 for we can never believe in him till the eyes of our minds are 
 enlightened by divine light, to see the light of the glory of 
 Christ's person in his beauty and perfection ; in his name, 
 nature, and love; in his doing, dying, and sufferings; in his 
 death, righteousness, and intercession : when we thus see him 
 described in the glass of the divine revelation, we cannot help 
 then but believe this fact, that Jesus zs the Christ of God. 
 Such a light springs from him, that it commands us to 
 believe ; such a glory, that it attracts us ; such love, that it 
 draws us ; because we see, by divine light, every blessing in 
 him as a complete Saviour and salvation to us, viz. holiness 
 to adorn us, righteousness to justify us, a sacrifice of atone- 
 ment for us, a resurrection of power and intercession of pre- 
 valency with God for us ; under this view the soul having 
 spiritual life, and from this spiritual life, a feeling sensation 
 of the want of every blessing in Christ to make it happy; 
 therefore, it cannot but rejoice at such glad tidings, that to 
 us a Saviour is born, which is Christ the Lord. It believes it with 
 admiration, as the oracles of God, and depends upon it for 
 its eternal salvation : thus faith is a spiritual knowledge of 
 Christ in his person, name, and love ; in his grace, right- 
 eousness, and redemption ; and a soul that thus knows him, 
 cannot but love him for his beauty, love, and perfection ; for 
 what he is in his name, nature, and glory ; for what he has, 
 as the head of life, grace, and salvation ; for what he has 
 done, in doing, dying, and suffering; and for what he is now- 
 doing, in ever living to intercede, and for what he has 
 promised to do, when he shall come to be admired in all his 
 saints, and glorified in all them who believe. Now where 
 faith sees such a desirableness in the object, and love finds 
 such a complacency in him, as one full of grace and truth, 
 as it cannot but love such an object, because of his loveliness, 
 so it cannot but trust him, because of his faithfulness to his 
 
promise, liis word, and his oath; which is as an anchor to the 
 soul both sure and stedfast, reaching to that within the veil ; 
 — likewise, ail the names and characters which he bears in 
 the divine revelation, tend much to encourage the soul in its 
 dependence upon him, namely, his essential characters as 
 Jehovah Elohim, Jehovah Jireh, Jehovah Jesus; his near and 
 relative characters, as the King of Glory, as the Head of life, 
 the Bridegroom of the bride, the Husband of the spouse; 
 his salvation characters, as the Surety, the Saviour, the Re- 
 deemer, the Advocate, the Conqueror, the Intercessor, Jesus, 
 the Christ, the Anointed of God; his metaphorical charac- 
 ters, the Tree of life, the Bread of life, the Water of life, the 
 Fountain of life, the Strength of Israel, the Rock of sal- 
 vation; all which sets iiim forth as a firm foundation to the 
 soul, as the only encouragement for faith to trust upon him 
 ior all, seeing that it is the delight and office of Christ, 
 (as Immanuel, God with us) to save to the uttermost them that 
 come unto God by him. Thus, believing in Christ is no- 
 thing less nor more than a knowledge of him, a love to him, 
 and trust in him; w^hich knowledge, as it is supernatural or 
 heavenly, is the gift of God, the power of the Holy Ghost, 
 or the life of Christ made manifest in the soul; for faith 
 cannot exist without its object, nor be prior to it, or of Longer 
 continuation : for faith is not something distinct from 
 CnnisT, no more than the rays of liglit are distinct from 
 the sun ; for as the rays of light and heat are the effects of the 
 sun's power, so faith, as it comes from Christ, is the life of 
 Christ, in us; and as it centres or returns to Christ, it is 
 nothing but the light, tind love, of Christ returning to its own 
 /centre : and as it ceu^res, in\ him;, namely in person, perfec- 
 tions and promises; in. this respect Christ is called the ob- 
 ject of faith, and as it is his gift, he is said to be the author of 
 faith; but as this heavenly light is revealed to us and dwells 
 in u^, it is no less than that Christ is in us the Hope of Glory. 
 
 Theopii. How pl^in is truth! How precious are the 
 Scriptures, when they are explained free from the dark obscu- 
 
23 
 
 lities and traditions of the fathers! But, dear Philagathut, 
 do not those who love Christ, and believe in Jiis name, give 
 some evidentproof of the truth of their love to him ? 
 
 Phila. O yes, yes verily and of a truth, both in confessing 
 his name, and in being submissive and obedient to his com- 
 mands ; hence, says Christ, Ifyelove me, keep my command' 
 merits: and his command to his disciples wns, I'eaching them 
 to observe all things that I have commanded you; and he that 
 hath ray commandments, and keepeth them, he it is, that 
 loveth me, says Christ : And he that loveth me, says 
 Christ, shall be loved of my Father, and I zcitl love him, and 
 tDill manifest mr/self to him. 
 
 Theoph, What are these commandments of Christ, that 
 I may be found in the practice of them ? 
 
 Phila. 1 am glad, my dear Theophilus, to find that your 
 faith works by love; it is the divine character of a true faith 
 in the word of God. The commandments of Christ are 
 evident in the volume of the book, in which they are some- 
 times called his statutes, his laws, and ordinances, vv^hich are 
 particularly described in his commission to bis disciples. Mat, 
 xxviii. 19, 20. " Go, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing 
 them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Ho- 
 ly Ghost — teaching them to observe all things, zchatsoever I have 
 commanded you : and, lo ! I am with you alicay, even to the 
 end of the worM. Amen. The evangelist Mark, thus records 
 it, Mark s-Vi. 15, 1 6, and he said unto them, go into all tht 
 world, and preach the gospel to every creature : he that believdh, 
 and is baptized, shall he saved ; but he that believeth not, shall 
 be damned. Agreeable to this we find, the apostles went fortti, 
 preaching the word, which chiefly consisted in declaring the 
 resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Acts ii. SG, See. there- 
 fore, said Ptter, let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that 
 God hath made the same Jesus whom ye crucified both Lord 
 and Christ. Now, when they had heard this, they were pricked 
 to the heart, and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, 
 men and brethren, what shall we do 9 — Then Peter said unto 
 
24 
 
 ihenty repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the 7iame of 
 Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the 
 gift of the Holy Ghost: —fur the promise is to you and to your 
 children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as tlie Lord 
 our God shall call: then they that gladly received his word were 
 baptized, and the same day were added to them about three 
 thousand souls, and they continued stedfastly in the apostles' 
 doctrine and fellorx: ship, in breaking of bread, and in prayers. 
 
 From hence, it is evident, that the pure gospel (and not the 
 minister's offers of grace) is to be preached as a revelation 
 of truth even to sinners; let all the house of Israel know, as- 
 suredly, that the same Jesus, whom ye crucified, is both 
 Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were 
 pricked to the heart ; and well they may when they remem- 
 bered what they had said, namely, his blood be upon us and 
 our cliildren; therefore they said unto Peter and the rest of 
 the apostles, men and brethren, what shall we do ? As though 
 they had said, if his blood be upon us and upon our children, 
 what will become of us, and what will become of them? what 
 shall we do, if he be risen from the dead, and made both 
 Lord and Christ ? how shall we stand before him ? what 
 will become of us and of our children ■ men and brethren, what 
 shall we do'^ They did not ask what to do by way of excuse, 
 or to extenuate their crime, but what they should do to be 
 saved from their guilt; neither did they ask, in a law sense, 
 as though they could do any thing to save themselves from 
 that guilt that lay upon their consciences; for they knew 
 that as Jesus was the true Messiah, that all sacrifice for sin 
 was done away by the sacrifice of himself ; therefore they 
 speak under the greatest anguish and distress of mind, of 
 what would become of them and their children, — Peter said 
 unto them, repent, and be baptized in the name of Jesus for 
 the remission of sin. 
 
 Here let it be observed, that they were pricked to the 
 heart, and spoke from life and a feeling sensation of the want 
 of pardon and forgiveness ; therefore Peter's direction to 
 
25 
 
 tliem, was not to them as sinners, in the natural enmity of 
 their mind, but to them whose hearts were sensible of tiieir 
 misery; and therefore he points forth the way of mercy, — 
 repent. — Now repentance is an acknowledgment of havihg 
 done wrong, in a natural way, and springs from life or the 
 tender feeling sensations of the mind ; — so spiritual repent- 
 ance is a feeling sensation, or conviction of having done 
 wrong, — and this flows from a spiritual liglit, life, and under- 
 standing of the evil of sin, — saying, against thee and thee only 
 have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: and to show that 
 this repentance is not a shadow, form, or appearance, or an 
 empty show of words, we find that he -adds, —faith, love, and 
 obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ. Repent, says Peter, 
 but, is that all ? no, for he says, and be baptized every one of 
 you in ihe name of Jesus for the remission of sins. Now 
 these acts carry in them, as I hinted, faith, love, and obedi- 
 ence, the grant, criterions, or marks, or genuine characters of 
 true repentance, even of that repentance which is unto life ; 
 for first, the apostle's direction to them was, to have in view 
 the redemption of their souls, which includes faith. Second, 
 it was to be done in the name of Jesus, which denoted love 
 to him, and in reverence to his command, which denoted a 
 filial fear and obedience to him, being baptized. 
 
 Theoph. What! is baptism the peculiar command of 
 Christ, and the ancient evidence of true faith in him, and 
 love to his name ? 
 
 Phi LA. Yes, sure, for it is the peculiar commission of 
 Christ to his apostles, ^ifl^ xxvii. ] 8, go, teach all nations 
 
 and baptize them. He that believethandis baptized, Sec Hence 
 
 Peter said immediately to those pricked to the heart, repenty 
 and be baptized. They well knew it to be the commission of 
 their Lord, for it is written, Jesus made and baptized more dis- 
 ciples than John. John iii. 26. 
 
 Theoph. But why did John baptize ? 
 
 Phila. Because, Christ, as the true Messiah, was to be 
 made manifest to Israel by baptism, as John sailh, John i. 3 1, 
 
26 
 
 But that he should be made manifest to Israel, am I come, bap" 
 tizing zc'ith water : and he is from liis office emphatically cal-* 
 led John the baptist, because he thereby (as the prophet Esaias 
 saith) prepared the way of the Lord, and made straight his 
 paths, Isa. xl. S. Ltike iii. 3, 4. 
 
 Theoph. But wherein did the baptism of John manifest 
 Christ to be the true Messiah to Israel ? 
 
 Phi LA. ft was a manifestation of the truth of it to himself. 
 John i. 32, 33, and John bare record^ sai/ing, I sazc the Spirit 
 descending like a dove, and it abode upon him — and I knew him 
 not ; but he that sent me to baptize zeith zcater, said unto me, up- 
 on whom thon shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on 
 him, the same is he. — Which was exactly fulfilled in Christ, 
 when he came from Galilee, to John, to be baptized of him, 
 which isa living testimony of the truth of his Messiahship, 
 Matt. iii. 13, 17, "Then comcth Jesus from Galilee to Jor- 
 dan, to John, to be baptized of liim, — but John forbid him, 
 and said, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest 
 thou to mef — and Jesus answering, said unto him, Suffer it 
 to be so now, for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteous- 
 ness ; then he suffered him. — And Jesus, when he was bap- 
 tized, went straightway up out of the water; and lo! the 
 heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God 
 descending like a dove, and lighting upon him : and lo ! 
 a voice from heaven, saying, this is iny beloved Sou, in whom 
 I am well pleased." 
 
 • Here, dear Theophilns, you sec how exactly the prophetic 
 views that John had, and what Jehovah had said unto him 
 concerning the Messiah, were accomplished in him ; this was 
 a satisfaction to John of the glory of his person, and the 
 dignity of his ollice, John i. 30, this is he of zchom I said, 
 after me comcth a man zahich is prefer red before me, for he za^as 
 before me. IsazQ and bare record that thisisthe Son of God — But 
 was this satisfaction for John alone .' no, no, it was that the 
 Messiah might be made manifest to Israel; therefore came 
 he baptizing with water, — as il is writteu, John iii. ^23, and 
 
John also zcas baptizing in ILnon, near to Salem, because there 
 was much water, rivers, or confluence of water. 
 
 Now the \vorcl baptism is well known, by all the learned in 
 the Latin, Greek, Hebrew, and English languages, to signify, 
 according to its true etymology, to dip, immerse, or over- 
 whelm : 1 remember that Leigh, that great Grecian, who 
 wrote so much upon the scriptures, as a critic, — says truly in 
 his Critica Sacra, that its native and proper signijication, is to 
 dip into water, or to plunge under water ; and cites the scriptures 
 zchere it was so used. But why need I go to human witnesses, 
 when we have clouds of better witnesses than these, — for it is 
 evident that John himself so understood it, from his choice of 
 the place where he administrated this ordinance. John iii. 
 Q3,a}id John teas baptizing in Enon, near Sahni, because there 
 was much water there ; and it is evident that the Jews them- 
 selves so understood it, who were to be baptized, as it is written, 
 and they came to him and were baptized; and the manner how, 
 is as clear as the sun beams. Mark i. 5, and icerc all baptized 
 of him IS the river Jordan, confessing their sins; and it is re- 
 markable and ought never to be forgot by the followers of 
 Jesus, that he so understood it, who hath left us an exampl;e 
 that we should follow his steps. Mark i. 9. ylnd it cattie to 
 pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth, in Galilee, 
 and was baptized of John m Jordan, not at or near, but in 
 Jordan : therefore it is added, and straighticay coming up out 
 of the water. Thus truth shines so bright, ihat to add ar- 
 gunfents to prove it, is like attempting to add light to the 
 sun; only I would just observe, that the disciples and those 
 who came to Jerusalem to worship, understood it in the same 
 light, without the least doubt, that when Philip preached 
 unto the eunuch (who had been at Jerusalem to worship 
 Jesus,) what fruit and effect it had upon him is plain, /lets 
 \iii. 36, 38. And as they went on their way, (hey came to a 
 certain water, and the eunuch said. See, here is water ! what 
 doth hinder me to be baptized ? And Philip said^ if thou be- 
 lievest with all thine heart, thou mayest : and he said, I be- 
 
28 
 
 lieve that Jesus Christ is the Son of God: j'ou see with 
 the heart he beheved unto righteousness, and with his mouth 
 he made confession unto salvation. And he commanded 
 the chariot to stand still, and they went down both into 
 the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized 
 him. 
 
 Theoph. Sir, the Majesty and the Power of the scriptures 
 I must own are too powerful for my prejudice, the scales be- 
 gin to fall from mine eyes ; but granting you that baptism 
 was only administered, according to the gospel, by immer- 
 sion, wherein doth this manifest Christ to Israel. 
 
 Phila. Ihumbly apprehend that it is a manifestation of 
 Christ in his person, as he dwelt in the bosom of his Fa- 
 ther's love, — in his own love to his people, — in his sufferings 
 for them, — and in its being a standing memorial of his love 
 to them. 
 
 First, as baptism signifies to immerse into, put under, or 
 cover over with water; and as water is particularly a scrip- 
 ture emblem of the love of God ; and John came baptizing 
 yi'ixh. water, that Christ might be manifest to Israel, namely, 
 in the love that he, as the King and head of the church, and 
 mediator had, with the Father before the world was ; for he 
 was, in a spiritual sense, baptized in the love of the Father, 
 as one put into and immersed in his love, with the highest 
 complacency and delight. This, says he, is my beloved Son, 
 in whom I am well pleased, my delight, mine elect, my cho- 
 sen, my anointed one, in whom my soul delightcth, — hence 
 it is written, the Father loveth the Son, and hath given all 
 things into his hands. And, says Christ, thou lovetlst me 
 before the foundation of the world. Again, John i. 18. No 
 man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, 
 which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him : 
 — ^Thus John came baptizing with water, that Christ might 
 be manifest to Israel, in the glory that he had in the 
 Father's love, as the divine Jesus. 
 
 Secondly, he was likewise made manifest thereby in the 
 
29 
 
 glory of his own love to Israel ; for he was as one baptized, 
 or immersed in love to poor sinners, — insomuch, that he calls 
 them the desire of his heart, and the delight of his eyes : 
 that when sacrifices, and offerings, and burnt-offerings, thou 
 wouldest not, and in these, said he to his Father, thou hadst 
 no pleasure, then said he, lo ! 1 came, in the volume of the 
 book, it is written of me to do thy will. Oh ! my God : that 
 when he saw that sin, ^ death, and hell ; that men and devils 
 were set against him, as the Lord's anointed. What then, 
 why all his lieart and thoughts were baptized, and immersed 
 in love to his people ; therefore, he says, Hos. xiii. 14, / will 
 ransom them from the power of the grave; I mil redeem them 
 from death. O death, I will be thy plagues : O grave, I will be 
 thy destruction ; repeyitance shall be hid from mine eyes, for the 
 day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed 
 is come. Isa. Ixii. 4. And when he took a view of the suf- 
 ferings of his soul for them, that he must live for them, that 
 he must die for them, that he must rise for them, that he must 
 conquer sin, death, and hell, for them ; in a word, that he 
 must go through the swellings of Jordan, and bear their sins, 
 their crimes, and the wrath of God for them : such was his 
 love to them, he did not withdraw, but gave his back to the 
 smiter, and his clieeks to them that plucked off the hair ; be- 
 cause his love to them, was such that waters could not 
 quench it, nor floods drown. — Tlius John came baptizing 
 with water, that he (that is, the Messiah) might be manifest 
 to Israel in the glory of his own love to them, for he says, 
 as the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you. 
 
 But, thirdly, it was likewise that he might manifest his love 
 in the sufferings of his soul for them, — for he poured out his 
 soul unto death, and made his soul an offering for sin ; being 
 as one baptized, immersed, or overwhelmed in soul and body 
 for them : O how moving, melting, and as one overwhelmed 
 does he express his sorrows ! Now is my soul, says he, ex- 
 ceeding sorrowful, even unto death ; and being in an agony, he 
 prayed the more earnestly, and his sweat was as the drops of 
 
30 
 
 blood falling to the ground. — Father, save me from this 
 hour ; but for this end was I born, and for this end came I 
 into the world. I am a worm, and no man; reproach has 
 broken my heart, I am full of heaviness : I looked for some 
 to take pit}^ but there was none; and for comforters, but I 
 found none ; the sorrows of death have taken hold upon me; 
 1 am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; 
 my heart is hke wax, it is melted in the midst of my bowels ; 
 my strength is like a potsherd ; my tongue cleaveth to my 
 jaws, and thou hast brought me to the dust of death : — for 
 dogs have compassed me; the assembl}' of the wicked have 
 enclosed me, they pierced my hands and my feet: 1 may tell 
 all my bones; they look and stare upoii me; they part my 
 garments among them, and cast lots for my vesture : but be 
 thou not far from me, O Lord ! O my strength, make haste 
 to help me. But under these overwhelming sorrows, does 
 he forget his church, his bride? no, for he says, help me, 
 deliver my soul from the sword, my darling from the 
 dog; that is his church, his bride, his spouse, which he 
 here calls his soul, from her near union with him, and relation 
 to him, they were not twain but one : he loved her as his own 
 soul ; his life was bound up in her life ; therefore he saj's, de- 
 liver my soul from the sword, no punishment must light upon 
 her; no sword must pierce her; she is my soul, my 
 darling, my only one, my choice on« ; therefore my darling 
 must be delivered from the dog, that is, from Satan-. Though 
 Christ fore-knew all these sufferings, and saw the sorrows of 
 his soul, which he was to endure for his people; yet so im- 
 mersed was his heart in love to them, or, if you please, baptized 
 in love for them, that he said, lo ! I come: O amazing love ! 
 Well may the church cry out with wonder, Who is this that 
 comcth from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah, this 
 that is glorious in his apparel : 1, says lie, that speak in 
 righteousness, mighty to save. But, to show you that his 
 love was stronger than death, he says, when he saw the de- 
 cree gone forth, which was, awake, O sword^ and smite the 
 
51 
 
 man. Well, says he, if 3'e seek me, let these go their way, — 
 and he set his face to go up to- Jerusalem, and said, I have a 
 baptism to be baptized with, and how am I straitened till it 
 be accomplished ! The cup that my Father hath given me to 
 drink, shall I not drink it. 
 
 O boundless, boundless love, beyond degree. 
 The offended dies — to set the ojfTenders free. 
 Thus, Theophi/us, you see that John came baptizing with 
 water, that the sufterings of CnRigT's soul might be made 
 manifest to Israel. 
 
 But the grand design of the whole of John's baptism, ap- 
 pears to be this, viz. that it may be a standing ordinance in 
 the church of God ; whereby Christ might be made mani- 
 fest to his Israel, in all ages of the church, in his love to thenv 
 and in his sufferings, death, and resurrection for them, anc'of 
 their love and obedience to him:~that the baptisi^ of 
 Christ, is a lively figure of his sufferings, death, andresur- 
 rection, is so clear^ that it will not admit of a doubt;, and is 
 called his death and resurrection, in the same sense that the 
 bread and wine in the Lord's supper is called hi? body and 
 his blood : the bread that we brake, is it not, Scays the apos- 
 tle, the communion of the body of Christ!" and the cup 
 which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of 
 Christ ? so we may say of baptism, is it not the emblem, the 
 figure, the representation of our communion with Christ, in 
 his sufferings, death, and resurrection : hence, says the apos- 
 tle, Rom. vi. 3, 4. Kfiozo yc not that so many if us as Zvcre 
 baptized into Jesus CJiiist, zeere baptized into his death; that 
 is, we were immersed by the Holy Ghost, through the ope- 
 ration of faith, into the sufferings, death, and atonement of 
 the Lord Jesus, as the only foundation of our hope for par- 
 don, peace, and salvation; therefore the apostle adds, we are 
 buried with him by baptism into death : for as the high 
 priest, under the law, upon the day of atonement, went into 
 the holy of holies with the names of the cliilijren of Israel. 
 Exodus xxviii. 29. And Aaron shall bear the names of the. 
 
32 
 
 children of Israel^ in the breast-plate . of judgment, upon his 
 heart, when he goelh into the hoh/ place, for a memorial before 
 the Lord continually. So that when Aaron stood before the 
 Lord, you see, Theophilus, that the people stood with him, 
 tho' not personally, yet relatively, for he was their high-priest; 
 and representatively, for he had their names upon his breast- 
 plate; and above all affectionately, as their names weie upon 
 his heart; so that when the Lord saw Aaron he saw 
 the people in him, but all this was only a shadow or figure of 
 him that was to come. For the Lord Jesus Christ, upon 
 the great day of atonement, when he poured out his soul un- 
 to death, he had the names of his people upon his heart; 
 that when he was baptized, or overwheln:ied in sufferings for 
 ^hem even unto death, or as one buried in death, they were 
 thtn buried with him in the same baptism unto death, for 
 the Lord saw all the sufferings of his people in the sufferings 
 of tht Messiah; which denotes our relative union to him, 
 and oir fellowship with him in all theblessingsof his suffer- 
 ings : for being buried with him, denotes, that all our sins 
 were buritd in his death ; and as his death came by his being 
 baptized in tlie sorrows of his soul, and in the sufferings of 
 his own blood, and we buried in him by that baptism; it de- 
 notes our washing, cleansing, and salvation thereby, it being 
 such a lively figure thereof, as saith the apostle Peter, the like 
 figure whereunto even baptism doth save us ; not the put- 
 ting away the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good 
 conscience towards God, by the resurrection of Jesus 
 Christ. 
 
 Theoph. Dear Philagathns, you not only persuade me, 
 but as it were command me, to believe— the Majesty of 
 the scriptures; the glory of the command, the brightness of 
 the example, and above all the glorious end designed there- 
 by, that I feel the same rapture the eunuch did, when he said, 
 see here is water ! what doth hinder me that I may not be 
 baptized ? but are there any more spiritual glories contained 
 in this Ordinance ? 
 
33 
 
 ' pHii-A. Yes, for it is not only a representatiou of his suf- 
 ferings, death, and burial, but of his resurrection from the 
 dead; for as Christ was overwhelmed in suft'trings, buried 
 in die grave, and then rose from the dead ; — so the belieVer, 
 when he is brought to see the [)lace where the l-ord lay, he 
 views the ordinances as an emblem of the death, grave and 
 resurrection of Jesujs, therefore, s,ays the apostle, — bring 
 planted together, that is in baptism,, as ajigure, i/i the likeness 
 of hisdeatht kc shall mUo he v» the lilicness of lus resurrec- 
 iioin, that as Christ was risen hy t[\e glQiy of the Father, 
 we should henceforth icatlt in neuness of life. Jn a word, 
 or to hold forth the word of life, baptism, according 
 to the pure rev el ado 11 of truth, the command oflGqi), ,th<? 
 example of Chiiist, and the practice of tlie Aposijes, is a 
 most glorioJiis emblem of the whole of salvation, even fro^ 
 regeuejiation to that of glorification 5 hence, said 4-u.aiiias to 
 Paul, Jcti XX ii. U). iVoriJ why tarriest thou? arise, and be 
 bapti;:ed; washing away thy sins: calling on the name of the 
 Lord: — Not to wash them away meritoriously, that is 
 the blood of Christ; or influeniially, tliat is liie spirit of 
 Christ ; hut representatively, as baptism is an embleiji of 
 Christ's death, and resurrection; or it is manifestly a 
 washing away of sin hefore men and angels, as it gives at; 
 evidence to them of the truth of our faith in his death, for 
 the washing away of our sins ; of the truth of our love to his 
 person, being baptized in his name, of our obedience to his 
 comnianda. Go^ says he, i.each aU nations, baptizing thetfi; 
 which ordinance all th^ primitive saiiUs bt'beld wifh sj^ch 
 beauty, privilege, and saiisfacti.gn, ih^t tiiey all with joy em- 
 braced it ; no one that ever f. rci^d qf, had ever the least ob- 
 jection U) it ; no soonef \ye^e they called by grace, than they 
 declared the truth of tl>e.ir faith, by bejng baptized in the 
 name of J esvs, for tlie remissio)} of sins. 
 
 This was the case of the first gospel, or ^ew Testament 
 church, that ever was settled ; for when they we;-e pricked to 
 tiie heart for what they hud done to the Lor<il ,of life arjci, 
 
 F 
 
34 
 
 glory, tliey said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, 
 Men and brethren, what shall tee do ? and Peter said unto them, 
 Repent and be baptized, every one of you> in the name 
 of Jesus, for the remission of sin ; ns though he had said, 
 if ye will prove to us, to ourselves and to the brethren, 
 the sincerity of your repentance, and the truth of your faith 
 and love to the Messiah whom ye have crucified and slain ; 
 §how it by pbeying his commands, who sent us to teach and 
 to baptize all tiations. Acts ii. 41. Then thetf that gladly re- 
 ceived the word were baptized: And this was the case of the 
 Eunuch, Aii^ts \\\\. 3Q._Jnd the Eunuch said, See here is water} 
 what doth hinder me to be hqptized'? And V\\\Yi^ said, if than 
 believest with all thine heart, thou mayest ; and he said, J be- 
 lieve that Jesus Christ is the Son oj God; and he commanded 
 the chariot to stand still, and they zvent down both into the water, 
 both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him: — And so sa^ 
 tisfied was Paul of the truth of this, that when Ananias said 
 unto you, (him) arise, and be baptized, why tarriest thou ? it 
 is said, Acts ix. JO. And he arose, and was baptized. This 
 shows that every appointment of Christ, and every ordi? 
 nance which bears his name, his stamp, and authority, are dear 
 to the«i that love him, not only as means which lead to glory, 
 but as p?»rt of their glory in the house of their pilgrimage. 
 
 Theopii. But, dear sir, was this the practice of all the 
 New Testament churches ? 
 
 Phi LA. Yqu may well ask the question, when you take a 
 view of the divisions of the churches at this d^y ; and how 
 fond and zealous they are for the infant tradition of their 
 fathers: but, Theophilus, as your satisfaction is my joy, let 
 us go to the testimony of Truth, which canot err, and like 
 the npble Bereans, let us search the scriptures whether the 
 things spoken are so or not. 
 
 First, the church of Jerusalem; which was the first gospej 
 church that was planted, where, we find, that neither the 
 Apostles', nor yet Peter's hearers, were at any difficulty or 
 doubt respecting the formation of the church, or the visible 
 
35 
 
 membei-3 of h, which undoubtedly they learnt being Jews, 
 from John's uiinistiy, who came baptizing with uater, that 
 Christ might be made manifest to Israel; they came to be 
 baptized of hinj, as you have it in Matt. iii. 5. &,c. Theu 
 went to him all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan, 
 - — and were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. 
 This is the first place we have the word ba[)tism mentioned; 
 and her« we have the light of truth as clear as the noon-day 
 respecting the subjects of it, that they were such as confessed 
 their sins; and the administration of it, that it was by immer- 
 sion in Jordan, not at Jordan, nor upon the banks of Jor- 
 dan, but IN Jordan : but there were two sorts of people that 
 came to him, the one confessing their sins — and another 
 which did not; to these what did John say ? but when he saw 
 many of the Pharisees and Saducees come to his baptism, he 
 said unto them. Oh, generation of vipers ! who has warned 
 you to flee from the wrath to come? from these words it 
 plainly appears, that John, whose name signifies the grace 
 ©f Goi), that he preached the grace of God and the salvation 
 by the Messiah ; which was particularly made manifest to 
 Israel by baptism ; for, I ask, TheophUus, what do you think 
 could induce the inhabit;ints of Jerusalem and of Judea, to 
 come confessing their sins, and to be baptized, unless they 
 saw a blessing propounded to them thereby, which appears 
 plain ; for it is here called a fleeing from the wrath to come, 
 which must be understood not of their fleeing to. John, for 
 he was no Saviour, nor to Jordan, for that could not 
 really wash away sin ; therefore, they must have some- 
 thing much higher in view, which was faith in the 
 Messiah, by John's baptism; because it was a lively figure 
 of his sufl'ering, death, grave, and resurrection, Rom. vi. 3, 
 4. And in this sense only they could be said to flee from the 
 wrath to come. But, John seeing some come to him whom 
 he knew, as a prophet, that had no faith in the Messiah, or 
 love to him ; these he calls a generation of vipers, because of 
 that poison of enmity that lurked in them to Christ ; to these 
 he says, who warned you? did God ? no 1 did your con- 
 
36 
 
 sciences? no! did I? no! — therefore, go bring forth fruifg 
 rtieet for repentance, that is, let the fruits which attend re-* 
 pentance be first seen, which is love to the Messiah, — as 
 though he had said, do you think to enjoy a right to baptism, 
 a^ you do the temple-worship by being Abraham's seed? 
 think not to say within yourselves we have Abraham to 
 our Father, for whatever right it gave you under the law, 
 it gives vou none under the gospel ; for God is able of 
 these stones, to raise up- children to Abraham : denot- 
 ing, by way of irony, that the stones had as much right 
 to a gospel ordinance, as they had, ©r that any one can have, 
 by saying tliey have such an one or such- an orve to their Fa- 
 ther; for if Abraham, who was the father oi the faithful, 
 could give them no right as children, — what right can those 
 children have, I wonder, by virtue of their parents, who 
 have not such a father to boast of? and the reason is plain ; 
 for snys John, the ax is laid to the root of the trees, namely,, 
 the trees that were planted in the temple from Abraham ; not 
 one is spared', therefore erery tree which bringeth forth not 
 "ood fruit, namely, the fruit of love to- the Messiah, is cut 
 down bv the gospel dispensation ; for irone bwt lively stones, 
 believers' spiritual souls, were taken into the cburch; and 
 therefore when Peter said to his Jerusalem hearers, repent 
 and be bapli/ed : It was the same as John said,— bring forth 
 fruits meet for repentance; for obedience is the true fruit of 
 rc|>entancc ; and the ajjostles understood it to be the same, 
 and ?o did the hearers, for it is written. Acts ii. 41. T/ieii they 
 that glad/t/ reci'lced the awd were baptized. From these were 
 formed, or organized a gospel church; therefore it is- said, 
 the same day there were added to them— that is, the disciples 
 (mentioned '^r/v i 15.) three thoiiwnd soiih,— and thei/ confi- 
 witdstedf'astli/ in the Jpostloi doctrine, iufe/huship, m break- 
 imr of bread, and in prajfers. You see heic is first receiving 
 the word "Indly,— then baptized, — then church fdlowsh-ip, 
 ccnlinuiut: strdfastly in the A|)ostlcs' doctrine, in breaking 
 of bread and in prayers. Thus, you see, that the first Ne\v 
 Trsinment church, of the Jerusalem church, called by sow c 
 
37 
 
 the mother church, was formed of Baptist, or baptized be- 
 lievers in Christ. 
 
 Theoph. Was the same order observed in all the New 
 Testament churches ? 
 
 Phila. Yes, see Second (the church of Christ at Sa- 
 maria) of whom it is said, Acts, viii. 4, 5, 6,3)C. Therefore thetf 
 that were scattered abroad wt nt every zahere preaching the 
 Kord — then Philip went down to the citif of Samaria, and 
 preached Christ unto them ; and the people with one accord gave 
 heed unto those things zchich Philip spake, and there was great 
 joy in that citt/. When they believed Philip preaching the 
 things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus 
 Christy they were baptized both men and women. 
 
 Thirdly, the church at Cesarea ; which 3'ou will find was 
 formed originally from John's ministry and baptism, Jets x. 
 24, &)C. And the morrow after they entered Cesarea, and Cor- 
 nelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and 
 near friends : now therefore zie are all here present before God, 
 to hear all things that are commanded thee of God. Then Peter 
 opened his month, and said, the word zchich God sent unto ike 
 children of Israel preaching peace by Jems, he i^ Lord of all — that 
 Ziord you knozc which was published throughout all Judea, and 
 began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached — 
 Hozc God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost ; and 
 zee are zcitnesscs of all things ichich he did both in the land of the 
 Jezt'S and in Jerusalem, whom they slczi^ and hanged on a tree, 
 him hath God raised up and showed him openly ; not to all the 
 people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us who 
 did eat and drink zcith him after he rose from the dead — and he 
 commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it 
 is he tchich was ordained of God to be the Judge both of the 
 <juiek and dead: — to him give all the prophets zcilness, that 
 Howsoever belieicth in his name shall receive the remission of 
 sins. JVhik Peter spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell upon 
 all them zchich heard the word; then answ>ered Peter^ Can any 
 man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, seeing the;/ 
 
38 
 
 have received the Holy Ghost as well as zee ? and he commandtd 
 them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. But, 
 
 Fourthly, the church of Christ at Philippi ; which was 
 formed, or united together, upon the same order, as the church 
 at Jerusalem, Acts xvi. 12, — 15. Paul, speaking of his travels, 
 tays, And from thence (namely from Neapolis) to Philippi, which 
 is the chief cit)/ of that part of Macedonia, and a colony: and 
 %ce were in that city, abiding certain days; and on the Sabbath 
 tue went out of the city by a river side, rchere prayer icas wont 
 to be made ; and we sat down and spake unto the women which 
 resorted thither; — and a certain woman, named Lydia, a seller 
 of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard 
 ■us, zihose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto things 
 which were spoken of Paul ; and when she was baptized and her' 
 household, she besought us, saying, Jf ye have judged me to be 
 faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and she constrained us. 
 The consequence of which was more disciples to Christ, 
 more spiritual stones in the church-building. Vcr. 30,, — 34, 
 And they spake unto him the zcord of the Lord, and unto all that 
 'were in the house ; and he took them the same hour of the Night, 
 and washed their stripes, and was baptized, he and all his, straight- 
 ijoay: — And when lie had brought them into his house, he set meat 
 before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house. 
 
 Theoph. The j)ower of Scripture, and the example of the 
 saints, commands my attention ; give me leave, dear Philaga^ 
 thus, to go through the churches, -was the church at Corinth 
 formed upon the Jerusalem plan ? 
 
 Phila. It is remarkably observed of (he church of Corinth, 
 1 Cor. xi. 2. That they kept the Ordinances as Paul had deli- 
 vered them. Who they were that kept the ordinances of the 
 Lord, Paul himself tells you, that they were the church of 
 God, and what they were composed of, 1 Cor. i. 2. Unto the 
 church of God, which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified 
 in Chrisi Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place 
 call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and 
 ours. — And how these Corinthians came manifestly to be 
 4 
 
39 
 
 lanctified and to be saints, he tells you. Acts xvi. 1, &c. Arid 
 after these thhigs Paul departed from Athens, and came to Co* 
 rinth,—and entered into a certain man's ho7xse, iiained Justus, 
 one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the ^m 
 nagogue; and Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed 
 on the Lord, with all his house; — and many of the Corinthian^ 
 hearing, believed, and were baptized. These, Paul calls the 
 church of God, tiie saints at Corinth, — and he tells you that 
 he himself baptized Crispus and Gaius, and the household of 
 Stephanus. 
 
 Time would fail me to tell you of the church of Christ at 
 Kome; only I would just hint that they were all baptized 
 believers in Christ, Rom. vi. 3. Know ye not, says Paul, 
 that as many of us as were baptized unto Jesus Christ were 
 baptized into his death — buried, says he, zoith him in baptism into 
 his death. — And upon their love to the Lord Jesus, and obe- 
 dience to him, who commanded the apostles to teach them, and 
 to baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son^ 
 and of the Holy Ghost. He thus writes to them as such, 
 Horn. i. 7. To all that be in Rome, beloved of God,, called ia be 
 saints, grace to you, and peace from God our Father, and the 
 Lord Jesus Christ : / thank my God, through Jesus Christ, for 
 you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. 
 — ^Thus you see, Theophilus, that all the churches were formed, 
 or were united together, according as the Lord had com- 
 manded them. Matt, xxvii. 19' 
 
 Theoph. What, were the churches of Galatia, the diurch 
 at Ephesus, and the church at Colosse, all formed of baptized 
 believers in the apostles' days ? 
 
 Phila. Yes, sure; for the apostles have but one pattern, 
 one example, one faith, one Lori>, one baptism> and one 
 command ; therefore the apostle says to the church at Gala- 
 tia, 1 Gal. iii. 26, 27- " For ye are all the children of God 
 ^y ftiith in, Christ Jesus, and then |)oints out where the 
 truth of their faith appeared ; for as many of you as have 
 been baptized in Christy have put on Christ, 
 
40 
 
 To the church at Colosse he thus writes, CoL i.2. To the 
 saints and faithful brethren in Chnst, zchich are at Co- 
 losse, grace be unto i/ou and peace from God the Father^ 
 and the Lord Jesus Christ, — We give thanks to God and 
 the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you* 
 since we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the 
 love which ye have to all the saints. And wherein their faith 
 appeared in Christ he tells you, chap. ii. 12. Buried with 
 him by Baptism, wherein ye also are risen with him through 
 the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from 
 the dead. 
 
 Of die church of Ephesus it is thus declared, ylcls xix. 1, 
 ^ — 4, 5. Paul having passed through the up[)er coast to 
 Ephesus, and finding certain disciples. Then said Paul, John 
 verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the 
 people, that they should believe on him who should come after 
 him, that is, on Christ Jesus. On which account he calls ihcm 
 the saints which are at Ephesus, i^nd the faithful in CinuiT 
 Jesus, Eph. i. 1. And those who were ihc gifted brethren 
 among them, he calls them the ciders of the church at Ephe- 
 sus, Acts XX. 17. — In a uord, al] the bishops and pastors, 
 overseers, and elders, deacon:/ and members, they were all 
 ■what we now call Baptists, or the Scripture calls baptized 
 believers, who in those days were called Christians, from their 
 being followers of CmusT, Jets x\. ?6. 
 
 TnEOPn. Dear Sir, whatl was there no pjeebyteriap 
 church, no independent church, no episcopal church, no se- 
 ceder, no sandemanian churches, in the apostles' davij ? 
 
 Phila. No, no, not one ; no, jiot ope. 
 
 Theovh. Dear Sir, where h^ive I been, or rather, where 
 has my bible been? that I have been so pleasingly carried 
 away with superstition, traditions and inventions of mcn^ 
 especially to be so exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my 
 fathers, that I thought I could lay dpwn my life for them r 1 
 f^ta lost with astonishment ! I am confounded with silence? 
 
 PiiiLA. This is often the case, Thcophilus, of those who 
 
41 
 
 believe and receive things as they are handed down to them 
 by men, taking all for granted ihat such and such say, and 
 are like a vapour carried away by the faith of others ; or in 
 the familiar phrase, their faith is pinned upon the sleeves of 
 others, and so they rather believe what others believe, than 
 what God himself declares, — for ignorant zeal is so ardent in 
 its pursuit of religion, in the path of its forefathers, that it is 
 like hunger, it will break through a stone wall : this was Paul's 
 case, who was exceedingly zealous, but, says he, I did it igno- 
 rantly ; and this was the case of Israel, of whom says the apostle, 
 " I bare them record that they have a zeal for God, but not 
 according to knowledge," that is, not according to the know- 
 ledge of the truth as it is in Jesus. 
 
 Theoph. If this be the case, how precious is the advice 
 of our dear Lord, where he says, " Search the Scriptures, 
 for in them ye think ye have eternal life." How noble were 
 the Bereans, who searched the Scriptures daily, whether the 
 things spoken by Paul were so or not !— But^ sUre sir, the 
 persons you have been describing as the primitive saints, as 
 baptized believers in the name of Jesus, cannot be the per- 
 sons, whom we so frequently hear called, by way of reproach, 
 by the name of Anabaptist ? 
 
 Phi LA. Yes, they are successively the same people, who 
 are followers of the same example, obedient to the same com- 
 mand, and walk by the same rule ; but they are, to the shame 
 of Christians be it spoke, who either ignorantly, enviously, or 
 traditionally call them anabaptist, most ignorantly not know- 
 ing the Scriptures concerning them ; some enviously, for if 
 the Baptists are right, it tells them that they are wrong, and 
 therefore they speak enviously of them, and many call them so 
 traditionally, because they hear others call them so, but they 
 can't tell for why they call them so ; but the more understand- 
 ing part of mankind call them Baptists, from their profession of 
 baptism, belonging to none but those who have faith in Ch rist, 
 and to be administrated by immersion. As to the appellation 
 
42 
 
 of Anabaptist it is a name of reproach given them by softie 
 ignorant people, or envious people, who suppose them to re- 
 baptize, when they neither holdnor practise any such thing; 
 for as Christ was baptized but once, and as the disciples 
 baptized but once, so they own and practise but one baptism; 
 — agreeable to what the apostle says, one faith, one Lord, 
 one baptism, n 
 
 Theoph. Alas! alas! how are even those who profess to 
 know their bible imposed upon, even by those who bear the 
 name of teachers in Israel; we complain of the church of 
 Rome, keeping their people in ignorance, and (hereby keep- 
 ing them ignorantly zealous of their superstition, but hovr 
 near akin we are I will not say, — only I would just ask my 
 dea.r Philagathus, if baptized believers in Jesus have conti- 
 nued ever since the apostles' days,— or in a more familiar 
 phrase, if there has always been a people called baptists since 
 the apostles' days ? 
 
 Phila. There is no doubt to be made respecting all the 
 churches after the apostles' days being settled, according to 
 the order of the gospel baptist church at Jerusalem; for you 
 see the church at Samaria, Cesaria, Philippi, Corinth, Gala- 
 tia, Colosse, Ephesus, were all believers, baptized in the name 
 of the Lord Jesus: and since them, throughout all ages of 
 the church, there have been people of the same faith of be- 
 liever's baptism, and of the same order respecting the 
 administration of it, though perhaps not under the name of 
 baptist, for in Paul's time they were not called baptists, but 
 Christians, or disciples of Christ. 
 
 But since the apostles' days the church of God has gone 
 through amazing scenes of persecution, and thereby have 
 been scattered throughout all nations, that we find even in 
 Peter's time, that the saints were much scattered in provi- 
 dence,' therefore he directs his epistle to the saints scattered 
 abroad throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, Bylhi- 
 nia, &.C.— And among these, and from these primitive be- 
 
43 
 
 Jievers there has been a succession of them to the present day ; 
 thougli, as I hinted, perhaps not called by the name of bap- 
 tists, as they are now, but by the name of some one eminent 
 among them ; as the followers of Calvin in his doctrine are 
 called Calvinists; and others are called Lutherans from being- 
 followers of Luther, though they both agree respecting the 
 foundation of the Christian's hope, being the righteousness 
 and resurrection of Christ. 
 
 Theoph. Sir, if the succession of the baptists appear to be 
 from the apostles' time, it will much revive their ancient glory, 
 and give a singular satisfaction to those who love to honour 
 the truth. 
 
 Phila. I will allow that the persecutions of the church, 
 and the scattered state of the saints through afflictions, may 
 render it a little obscure, yet I think not so obscure as to be 
 questioned as to the truth of it ;— however this may be, I think 
 there are no fools nor ignoramuses so great as to attempt to 
 prove an independent church, an episcoparian church, a 
 Presbyterian church, a Seceder church, or a Sandimanian 
 church, from the apostles' time; nor any since but by the 
 mingling the pure ordinances of God wiih the inventions of 
 man : And as all the churches in the apostles' days were, with- 
 out doubt, what we now call baptists' churches, but then chris- 
 tian churches, so I think it eas}^ to prove they have continued 
 ever since, though at times under obscurity, through violent 
 persecution ; yet the Lord had always his thousands by him 
 who had not bowed the knee to Baal. From among our 
 own countrymen, the ancient Britons, some rays of the gos- 
 pel may appear to shine even from the apostles' days ; and 
 though little is to be found from their own writers, nor for 
 some ages after Christ's death, being a rude and barbarous 
 people, and an island so distant from the continent where arts 
 and sciences were first known ; though J rather think that 
 the ancient Britons had a method of preserving the memory 
 of things, as well as other nations, but that it was destroyed 
 by Gregory, bishop of Borne ; by the cruel asrencv of 
 
44 
 
 one Austin, *a monk, and his minister, Ethelfred, as may ap- 
 pear. 
 
 The first account we have of the ancient Britons is from 
 the Romans, their first conquerors, in which it appears very 
 probable that they were a people of some fame and prosperity 
 in some respect, or it would never have induced the Romans 
 to have attempted a conquest : — Speed, that ancient historian, 
 tells us, in his history, that the Romans found them a barbarous, 
 savage people, with naked bodies and painted skins ; from 
 whence their name came, Brit paint — Tain a region, hence 
 called Britons; that they were heathenish idolators, undoubt- 
 edly like the rest of the heathen nations round about. 
 
 But it is remarkable, that, so powerful an operation had 
 the gospel of Christ, when it was first preached to them, 
 that the zeal and life of it continued many ages, that when 
 they were successively conquered in their turns, first, by the 
 Romans, then by the Saxons, then by the Danes, and lastly, 
 by the JNormans, that they were able to conquer their con- 
 querors by the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God ; 
 I mean to bring many of their enemies (under each conquest) 
 over to the faith of the gospel. The first account we have of 
 the entrance of the gospel of Christ into Britain, is by our 
 countryman, one Gildas, the most authentic of all our an- 
 cient British historians, who in his book called, De Victoria 
 Aurelii Ambrossi, affirmeth that the Britons received the gos- 
 pel under Tiberius, the emperor, under whom Christ suf- 
 fered ; and that many evangelists were sent from the apostles 
 into this nation, who were the first planters of the gospel, 
 which in another book, he says, remained with them untij 
 the cruel persecution of Dioclesian the emperor, about 290 
 years, in the third century. 
 
 Out of an ancient book, of the antiquities of England, Mr. 
 Fox tells us, page 139, pait 1st, that we find the epistle of 
 Eleutherius written to Lucius, the king of Britain, in the year 
 169, by which it is plain that Lucius had embraced the faith 
 of Christ, and thai he had wrote to Eleutherius, for the Roman 
 laws to govern by ;— in answer to which Eleutherius, in his 
 
46 
 
 pistle says, *' You have received, through God's mercy, in the 
 realm of Britany, the law and faith of Christ; you have 
 with you both the parts of the scripture, out of them, by 
 God's grace, with the council of your realm, take ye a law, 
 and by that law, by God's sufferance, rule your kingdom of 
 Britain." 
 
 So early an author as Tertullian, says, in his book contra 
 Judaeus, " that there are places in Britain, which were inac- 
 cessible to the Romans, but were subdued to Christ," that 
 is, by the power of his banner, which is love. 
 
 Origen, in his fourth Hom. on Ezek. says, " the power of 
 God our Saviour is even with them, which in Britain are di- 
 vided from the world." As Britain is an island surrounded 
 with water, it may be said to be divided, as it is separated 
 from the continent, which was the seat of learning and know- 
 ledge. It may be said to be separated or divided from the 
 world, and this appears to be a fulfilment of the prophecy of 
 the Redeemer's glory in Britain, I&a, xlii. 4. " He shall not 
 fail 7ior be diseouraged till he hath set judgment in the earth, 
 and the Isles shall wait for his law. Ver. 10. Sing unto the 
 Lord a new song, and his praise from the ends of the earth, ye 
 that go down to the sea, all that is therein, the Isles and the in- 
 habitants thereof" 
 
 Barleus, in Cent. 1. Fol. 37, says, " That the British 
 church received the faith, whence it was that Chrysostom 
 and otheis, of the Greek fathers, make such frequent and 
 great mention of the British isles, their reception of the gos- 
 pel, and the divine sense they had of the power thereof, that 
 the churches were exactly constituted according to Christ's 
 pattern." 
 
 Jeffery, of Monmouth, in his book De BretannorumGestis, 
 Cap. 4, tellsus, " Thatin the country of the Britains, Christian- 
 ity flourished even from the apostles' time, among whom was 
 the preaching of the gospel, sincere doctrine, and living faith, 
 and such form of worship as was delivered to the churchei 
 by the apostles." 
 
46 
 
 Theoph. As the history of our ancestors affords a pe- 
 culiar pleasure respecting their genealogy and pedigree, 
 how much more an account of the ancientness of their 
 faith and order in the gospel ; how long did they enjoy this 
 privilege ? 
 
 Phila. Till the conquest of the Saxons ; for, as the 
 same historian says, " That while the British churches pos- 
 sessed the country, they kept themselves sound in the faith, 
 and pure in the worship, order, and discipline of Christ, 
 as it was delivered to them from the Apostles by the Evan- 
 gelists. 
 
 " But, in the year 448, the English Saxons began to possess 
 Britany, and in about the year 593, made nearly a complete 
 conquest of the Britons ; then they began to settle their form 
 of government or heptarchy: about . three years after this, 
 Gregory, Bishop of Rome, sent one Austin, the monk, into 
 Britain, to bring the Saxons into a conformity to the church 
 of Rome, — and the Britons with them ; but at this time the 
 ancient Britons, for peace and security, as there were con- 
 tinual invasions upon their rights, since the descent of Julius 
 Csesar, retired and dwelt in Wales ; hence it is that the Welch 
 bear the name of the ancient Britons ; here they had two 
 principal seats for religion, one at Bangor, on the north, and 
 one at Cair Leon, on the South. In Bangor was a college 
 for learning, containing above two thousand Christians, who 
 dedicated themselves to the Lort>, to serve him in the mi- 
 nistry as they became capable ; hence they were called by the 
 Saxons the Monks of Bangor, not that they gave themselves 
 this name, for they were zealous opposers of the Popish 
 Monks ; neither were they ever reduced to any ecclesiastical 
 order, for they were fw the most part, Laymen, who labour- 
 ed with tlieir hands, married, and followed their lawful call- 
 ings in business. 
 
 But some of them, in a particular manner, whose spirits 
 the Lord fitted and inclined to his more immediate service ; 
 these devoted themselves to the study of the scriptures, that 
 
47 
 
 they might understand the scriptures in order for the work of 
 the ministry." O! how happy had it been, if the churches 
 had never departed from this gospel rule;— then we should 
 have men mighty in the scriptures, in the work of the minis- 
 try, instead of which we have many men mighty in learning, 
 but ignorant of the scriptures, think, vainly think, they have 
 aright to the ministry, when, alas ! they have no understatid- 
 ing in the visions or truth of God's word; therefore, the pro- 
 phecy of the prophet Isaiah says to them, Isa. xxix. 11. 
 j/^nd the vision of all is become to you as the words of a book 
 that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, 
 read this, I pray thee, and he saith I cannot, for it is sealed.'* 
 But to return, as I hinted, that Gregory, bishop of Rome, 
 had sent Austin, a monk, to reduce the Britons as well as 
 Saxons to the obedience of the church of Rome, he, a few 
 years after he came, kept a council near Worcestershire, 
 where he invited these ancient British ministers, as Barleus 
 observes, to which some came, when he invited them to em- 
 brace the rites and ceremonies of the church of Rome, and 
 to join with him in preaching and in administrating in the 
 same way ; — but they zealously refused and became great 
 opposers of Austin, as their ancient bard, Taliossyn, in his 
 Welch verses, records, which is recorded in the chronicles' of 
 Wales, page 254; and translated by Fuller in his Ecclesias- 
 tical History, book 1. Though they have not the beauties of 
 poetry, yet, as they have the true spirit of zeal and 
 piety, which to our purpose is far better, I will mention 
 them : 
 
 Wo be unto the priest ! unborn. 
 That will not cleanly weed his corn. 
 
 And preach his flock among : 
 Wo be to that shepherd ! I say. 
 That will not watch his fold away, 
 
 As to his office dpthbelopg : 
 
48 
 
 Wo be to HIM ! who doth not keep 
 from Roman wolves his sheep, 
 '* With staff and weapon strong : 
 
 But upon the ancient Britons refusing to hearken to Austin^ 
 he then began to be more moderate, and to draw them by de- 
 grees : he said to them, as Robert Fabian, in his history re- 
 lates, since ye will not assent to my best generals, assent you 
 to me, especially in three things: first, in keeping Easter-day 
 ill the form and time as it is ordered : second, that you give 
 Christendom to children : third, that you preach to the 
 Saxons as I have ordered you, and all the other disputes I 
 shall suffer you to amend and reform among yourselves. But 
 they would not hearken to him, nor give the least counten- 
 ance to his proposals, for which, as our author observes, 
 Austin said to them, that if they would not, he would bring 
 upon them the revenge of death by their enemies, which he 
 accomplished accordingly, by exciting the Saxons against 
 them to their dispersion, and in a great measure to iheir ruin, 
 as to that purity, harmony, and simplicity, which then appear- 
 ed among them. 
 
 Theoph. Was their college at Bangor destroyed ? 
 
 Phila. Yes, that ancient repository of Christians was des- 
 troyed, and these ancient Britons driven further into Wales, 
 among the mountains, for safety : The relation of it you have 
 from Humphry Lloyd, that learned Welch Antiquarian, in 
 his Breviary of Britain, page 70. 
 
 In Denbighshire, says he, near the Castle of Holt, is seen 
 the rubbish and relicks of the monastery of Bangor; while 
 the glory of the Britons flourished, in the same were above' 
 two thousand monks (a name of reproach, which, probably, 
 the Saxons gave them : Or, if not by reproach, it was a name 
 in custom among them from Rome, for men devoted to re- 
 ligion :) These men, says our author, were very well ordered, 
 and learned in the scriptures, divided into seven parts, daily 
 
49 
 
 serving God : among whom those who were simple and un- 
 learned, by their hard labour provided meat and drink and 
 apparel for the learned, and such who applied themselves 
 to their studies; and if any thing was remaining, to be given 
 to the poor. This place sent forth, as our author observes, 
 many hundred excellent men : but by the envy and malice 
 of Austin, that arrogant monk, and the cruel execution of 
 his minister Ethelfred, those ancient Christians and worthy 
 men were destroyed, even the whole house, from the founda- 
 tion, with their library, by fire and the sword. Thus far the 
 ancient Britons, who suffered this bloody tribulation from the 
 church of Rome for their zeal to truth, and conforming to 
 the primitive pattern of the New Testament churches, as 
 they had received it from the apostles. 
 
 Theoph. Did these ancient Britons practise the baptism 
 of believers ? 
 
 Phila. I think there cannot remain a doubt of it when 
 we consider how early they received the Gospel, even in the 
 reign of Tiberius, and from the evangelists sent by the apos- 
 tles; and that one cause of their cruel persecution by Austin, 
 stirring up the Saxons against them, w^as their refusing to 
 administer baptism to infants in the seventh century, be- 
 cause they had no command nor example for it in the book 
 of God. 
 
 Another reason that infant baptism was in no sense in prac- 
 tice among the ancient Britons, is plain from Constantine the 
 Great, the son of Constantius, the Emperor, and who was 
 born in Britain, in the year 305, yet was not baptized till he 
 professed faith to Chuist, and love to his name, nor for long 
 after, as is declared by Hugo Grotius in his annotations on 
 Matt. xix. 14, who saith, it was no small evidence that 
 the baptizing of infants many hundred years after Christ, 
 was not in the Greek church ; because not only Constantine 
 the Great, the Son of Helena, a zealous Christian, yet Con- 
 stantine, her son, was not baptized till he was far advanced 
 in years, which is a clear proof that the ancient Britons did 
 
 H 
 
50 
 
 not practise tlie baptizing of infants; for if any infant ou 
 earth had a right to baptism, Constantiiie must, seeing that 
 his father, Constantius, called by some Constance, the em- 
 peror, and his mother, Helena, were Christians ; and Helena 
 is supposed to be a daughter of Coil, king of the Cnmbrian 
 Britons, and said to be one of the brightest ornaments of the 
 island. 
 
 Likewise the unity and correspondence that there was be- 
 tween the ancient Britons and the Gauls, or French Christi- 
 ans, who were afterwards called Waldenses. These Christi- 
 ans, or Waldenses, had, like the ancient Britons, erected col- 
 leges, or places, where they united and lived in large bodies 
 ar assemblies, among whom many were appointed to teach 
 and preach the gospel. So that wheri Pelagius appeared, 
 and spread his Pelagian error of man's natural free will to 
 good, instead of God inclining by his power and grace, the 
 ■will to thai which is good, Psal. ex. 3, the ancient Britons, 
 to suppress this error, sent to their brethren in France, who 
 sent them Germanus and Lupus who were mighty in the scrip- 
 ture; and were not only serviceable to suppress the error, 
 but were very useful in the conversion (an ancient phrase for 
 regeneration) of many; and they baptized great multitudes^, 
 upon a confession of faith, in a river near Chester. 
 
 Another incontestable proof is, from Austin the monk, the 
 pope's legate, and their cruel enemy, who was so ignorant of 
 the rite of baptism to infants when he first came to Britain 
 (and because he could not find it in his bible), that he wrote 
 to Pope Gregory to be resolved in it: see his tenth interroga- 
 tory Ex. Decreto. Greg. Lib. L Council Tom. H. 
 
 Another instance of the ancient Britons' practice, we have 
 in the seventh century after they were so distressed by the 
 Saxons, that the son of the kin? of Britain was baptized up- 
 on his embracing the ihrislian faith ; and that Paulinus, who 
 appears to be an English prelate, baptized in the river Trent 
 both men and women at noon-day ; Bede, L. ii. C. xvi. 
 Cent. vii. 145. ^ 
 
51 
 
 Thus you see that the beauty of the primitive p'actice of the 
 apostles, contiDued amoug the ancient Britons ; and as they 
 were drove by their cruel enemies the Romans, Saxons, 
 Danes, and Normans, to reside among the mountains in 
 W'ales for their safety, no doubt, but they, as far as they had 
 liberty, eontir>ued the ordinances of the Lord, as they re- 
 ceived them ; — and what is still more, we find there was a 
 christian unity and correspondence between them and the 
 ancient Christians in France, who were afterwards called 
 Waldenses, these are said by Morland (in his preface to the 
 French bible, the first bible that ever was printed) " To 
 bave always had the full enjoyment of the heavenly truth 
 contained in the holy scriptures, ever since they were enriched 
 with the same by the apostles themselves, having in fair ma- 
 nuscripts preserved the bible entire in their own tongue, Mori. 
 His. page 14." 
 
 Another writer says, that the Lord Jesus had his choice 
 church visibly existing among the chosen and holy genera- 
 lion of people called Waldenses, inhabitants of the valleys of 
 the Alps, and other parts of France and the continent; and 
 from thence they, with their followers, who were many, had 
 their free recourse from France, Holland, and Germany, as 
 the English chronicles make manifest ; for in the time of 
 William the Conqueror, and his son, William Rufus, it ap- 
 pears that the Waldenses did abound in England, as Bishop 
 Usher tells us in his book of the state and succession of the 
 church, page 242. Nay, he further adds, that not only the 
 weak people in the country villages, but the nobilty and gen- 
 try in the chief towns and cities, were infected with the doc- 
 trine of the Waldenses; nay, so far had their doctrine spread, 
 that one Lanfranc, who was archbishop of Canterbury, in 
 the time of William, and Rufus, his son, undertook to write a 
 book against them : — and in Henry the First's time the bi- 
 shop tells us, that the Waldenses, of Aquitain, did, about the 
 year 1100, spread the doctrine all Europe over, and in Eng- 
 land in particular; and from these Waldenses sprung the 
 
5-Z 
 
 Lollards^ from one Walter Lollard, a great preacher among 
 them in England, in Edward the Third's time, from whom 
 sprung the famous English morning star in the ministry, 
 John WicklifF, who was a graduate in Merton college, Ox- 
 ford, and a baptist, and taught in Edward the Third's reign, 
 in the year 1371, that believers, after the example of Christ, 
 should be baptized in pure water; and that it wasnot lawful for 
 believers, who had received the baptism of the Spirit, to neg- 
 lect the baptism of water, Fla. Illyricus Catal. Test, page 
 403, from whom Bishop Usher begins the English Reforma- 
 tion. As he translated the bible out of the Latin into En- 
 glish, which is the first English bible we have, he taught, that 
 no rule or ceremony ought to be received into the church, 
 which is not plainly confirmed by the word of God. Fuller, 
 page 132. 
 
 Joseph Vicecomes, in his De Rit. Bapt. Lib. ii. chap-, i. 
 says, as to believers' baptism, nooneeverdoubted thereof, wit- 
 ness the monuments or writings of the fathers, as well as 
 the scriptures, especially the Acts of the apostles ; but as for 
 infant baptism, he tells us, among many more of the fathers, 
 that John Wickliff witnessed against it : — and Bishop Burnet 
 says, it was pursuing this principle that gave rise (the prelate 
 should have said revival) to the baptists in Germany, for 
 there were many there before; — however, this is certain, that 
 there wTre among the followers of this great man, both 
 in Bohemia and in England, many baptists, sometimes called 
 Wickliffites, but most commonly Lollards, as WicklifF sprung 
 from them. 
 
 Theopii. Dear sir, as your knowledge and declaration of 
 truth claims and commands my whole attention, give me leave 
 to ask, how was it that Wickhff, being our English star and 
 reformer, could spread the reformation in Bohemia ? 
 
 Phtla. Some have thought that he fled for safety to Bo- 
 hemia, to escape the rage of the English clergy, who had con- 
 spired together to take away his life. But it is remarkable, 
 that after their designs and plots, he lived a long time without 
 
53 
 
 death, bonds, banishment, or imprisonment; w^rlting, teach- 
 ing, preaching openly, drawing both prince and people, 
 scholars, and the unlearned, nay, almost all. after him. He 
 began to defend his opinions when young, and continued till 
 he was very old, constantly retaining and maintaining the 
 same, some few excepted, which he refined more and more 
 as he grew in years ; — therefore the reformation in Bohemia 
 seems not to be from his going there, but rather as Mr. Fox 
 tells us a gentleman being at Oxford, upon his return back 
 to the university of Prague, took with him many of WickliiF's 
 books," and communicated them to Mr. John Huss, who was 
 an eminent preacher there, who, by reading them, embraced 
 the sentiments of WicklifF, and became a zealous defender 
 of them, and so became a great reformer, whose followers 
 were called Hussites. — Though others think, and not impro- 
 bably, that as Queen Ann, the wife of Richard the second, 
 was a Bohemian, the sister of the king of Bohemia, who 
 brought many Bohemians with her as servants^ who were in 
 profession Waldenses ; these persons, being the same in prin- 
 ciples as WicklifF, conveyed many of WicklifF's works to 
 Prague, by which means so much light and truth was pro- 
 moted in Prague and Bohemia. 
 
 But the followers of Wickhff were, as was hinted before, 
 called Lollards from Walter Lollard, their preacher, and 
 were so much persecuted, that the prison they were sent to 
 in London was called Lollards' tower : yet, at times, they had 
 much favour with their prince and the court, particularly 
 in the reign of Richard the second and Edward the third, 
 in one of their reigns, as Mr. Fox tells us, that a book of con- 
 clusions for reformation was exhibited to parliament by the 
 Lollards. 
 
 But in the reign of Henry the fourth, they were cruelly 
 persecuted, because they would not (having no command 
 or example) baptize their new-born infants, Duch. Mart. 
 fol. 774. 
 
 In the reign of Henry the fifth, they were cruelly used, be- 
 
54 
 
 ing first, namely Lord Cobham and tbirty-elglit more, hung 
 up in chains, and then burnt : hence the place is, to this day, 
 called Tyburn, from tying them up, and then burning them 
 after. Fuller's Eccles. Hint. 
 
 In the reign of Henry the sixth, four hundred of them suf- 
 fered great hardships, many of them death, for slighting in- 
 fant baptism, and saying, that the children of believing pa- 
 rents, or baptized believers, need not be baptized, and if they 
 died without baptism they might be saved : the same the 
 Baptists hold now, in opposition to the church of Rome, which 
 holds that they cannot be saved without baptism ; for this, 
 and more popish tenets, which they denied, they suffered 
 greatly. Fox's Jets, Page 867, 868, 869, and 9 18. 
 
 In Edward the fourth's reign, the Lollards suflercd death; 
 and likewise in Henry the seventh's reign, their sufferings 
 were much increased. 
 
 In the reign of Henry the eighth, the persecution of the 
 Baptists was at particular limes very fierce, through the insti- 
 gation of the Popish party : and it was no wonder at all, for 
 the Pope, namely Pope Innocent, had appointed infant bap- 
 tism, and enjoined it as absolutely necessary; for, without 
 it, says the Komish church, they cannot be saved. Now the 
 Baptists denied it, because Christ had not commanded it, 
 and said they may be saved without it; for it was never ap- 
 pointed for them, much less to save them : but for this and 
 other Popish tenets, which they denied, they had warrants 
 issued out against them, convocations met, and orders were 
 given to suppress all books that helped to explain the scrip- 
 tures, especially Wickliff's, Frith's, and Tindal's because 
 they contained the principles of the old Lollards, or the new- 
 reformers, or, as the Papists called them by way of reproach, 
 Anabaptists. In this Papist, Protestant king's reign, for so 
 I call him, many suffered in 15'28, seven Baptists came over 
 from Holland, were apprehended and imprisoned ; two of 
 them were burnt in Smithfield, Stozo's Chron. 57ii. In 1535, 
 twenty-two Baptists were apprehended, and ten put to death, 
 
5b 
 
 Vox's Acts, vol. ii. p. 315. And in 1639, sixteen men, and 
 fifteen women were banished for opposing infant baptism, and 
 what was more they going to Delph in Holland were pursued 
 and prosecuted for being baptists, as tliey reproachfully called 
 them Anabaptists, and put to death for the same; the men 
 were beheaded, and the women drowned, for holding no other 
 things than what Ciikist taught and the apostles did write; 
 — for which twenty-eight persons were put to death the 
 year before, Duch. MnrtyroL lib. ii. p. 123. 
 
 But in the reign of Edward the sixth, who was, though very 
 young, a glorious patron to the gospel, and restored the know- 
 ledge of the Scriptures in their mother tongue, yet there was 
 about his court too much remains of a popish persecuting 
 spirit, both in Ridley and in Cranmer too ; though tlie ba- 
 nished Baptists returned home, and those who were recluse 
 then appeared and published their doctrine; and though there 
 was in Edward's time an act of general pardon, yet the bi- 
 gotted party got the poor Baptists excepted, and indeed, se- 
 veral of their chief men were convened the 2d of April, 1549, 
 to appear in Paul's church, before the bishop of Canterbury, 
 and others, where some were admonished, and others sen- 
 tenced to a punishment. Heyliris Hist. p. 73.— And Hugh 
 Latimer says in his Lent Sermons, that many Baptists 
 were burnt in divers towns in England, and died mar- 
 tyrs cheerfully, and makes mention of one town where 
 were more than five hundred of them dwelling; indeed 
 at this time they were pretty numerous, and the power 
 of the clergy were very low, as to their support: in^oraucht 
 that the bishop of Ely showed at court, that unless a better 
 reward and encouragement for iheir labour was given 
 them, they could not continue in their pastoral function, 
 but must turn to some other employment, for there were 
 many clergymen who had been obliged to take an occupa- 
 tion, some were taylors some were carpenters, and some 
 kept alehouses, His. Pref. part 2, hb. p. 202. This I mention 
 
56 
 
 because it is so often cast upon the Baptists that their teacher* 
 are tradesmen and mechanics : so it was once with the 
 church of England ; and so with the church of Rome; and 
 so it was with Paul, that his own hand ministered to 
 his necessities, and this is the honour of every teacher in 
 Israel, where there is a necessity, — but this is by the bye, 
 — ^yet I can't help observing, that, in Edward's reign, when 
 some were put to death for heresy, even by Protestant 
 bishops, which was not only astonishing, but a cruel shame 
 to them ; for why do they so much complain of the Papists 
 burning for what they call heresy, and they do the same r — 
 However it happened that a poor ignorant woman was con- 
 demned: Cranmer and Ridley persuaded the king to. sign 
 the death warrant, which he long refused, and when he did 
 it was with tears, saying to Cranmer that if he did wrong, 
 it was in submission to his authority, and that he should an- 
 swer for it before God, which struck the archbishop with 
 terror, and he was unwilling to execute the sentence, but lo! 
 after a long confinement, she was executed, which it seems 
 was owing to Mr, John Rogers, the divinity reader in St. 
 Paul's church, to whom a friend, supposed to be Mr. Fox 
 himself, who begged him to use his interest with the bishop 
 to save her life, urging that she affected few with her opinion, 
 but if she died for it many would be thinking of it; besides 
 the cruelty of it, and coming so near the torments of the 
 papists, and so contrary to the mercy and gentleness pre- 
 scribed in the gospel: to which Mr. Rogers said, " Burning 
 alive was no cruel death, but easy enough." To which Mr. 
 Fox said, with great vehemence (striking Rogers's hand, wliich 
 in a friendly manner he held), " Perhaps it may so happen, 
 that you yourself shall have your liands full of this mild burn- 
 ing." And so it came to pass, for Hogers was the first man 
 that was burnt in Queen Mary's bloody reign,— though a 
 good man, yet a just rebuke for his unchristian zeal— but 
 we have a good deal of such zeal as this in our good men 
 j30w-u-days. — This, I speak to their shame. 
 
57 
 
 Theoph. What account have we of the Baptists in 
 bloody Mary's reign? 
 
 Phi LA. The Baptists appear to be many in Mary's time, 
 and were in the year 1557 imprisoned for first preaching 
 against infant baptism, because it was antiscriptural, secondly, 
 because it was first commanded by the Pope, — thirdly, be- 
 cause Christ commanded teaching to go before baptism. 
 Fox's Acts, vol. iii. p. 6o6. In this bloody reign, in the 
 two first years, were eight hundred persons put to death for 
 religion, and many of them Baptists, for it cannot be ima- 
 gined that the Papists, who had in this reign the ascending 
 power, would favour those who had stood as a bulwark 
 against them in all ages: and this appears plain in the exa- 
 mination of Mr. Woodman, before the Bishop of Winches- 
 ter, in the church of St. Mary, Overy's, Souihwark. Thus 
 the bishop said, " Hold him a book, if he refuse to swear, he 
 is (as he was pleased lo call him b}' way of reproach) an ana- 
 baptist, and shall, says he be excommunicated. Fox, p. 1578, 
 first edit. 
 
 In Queen Elizabeth's reign, though upon the whole called 
 a good queen, yet unhappily for her and her subjects, she 
 retained many in her privy council who were privy counsel- 
 lors in Mary's reign, and there appeared too much despotic 
 power in her over the lives and consciences of her people, 
 for Dr. Wall says, " About the l6th year of Queen Elizabeth** 
 reign, a congregation of Dutch Anabaptists were discovered 
 without A Id gate, London, whereof twenty-seven were taken 
 and imprisoned, and the next month one man and ten wo- 
 men were condemned. But to reprieve them from so cruel a 
 death, Mr. Fox wrote a moving melting letter to the queen, 
 mentioning much the milchiess of the church of Christ, but 
 though she used to call Mr. Fox father, she was an unduli- 
 fol child — for she denied him the favour as to their lives ; for 
 the writ, De Heretico, Gomhureudo, which for severjteen years 
 had hung only up in terrorem, was taken down and put in 
 execution upon two Baptists who were burnt at Smjthfield; 
 \ 
 
and by the instigation of Dr. Some, a man of note, who by 
 his art, and false representation of the puritans, as a people 
 dangerous to the state, to the queen's honour, to the church, 
 to the universities, and that it was time to look into it; with 
 these black bugbears he frightens the court into the persecu- 
 ting spirit of Mary's reign : 3nd the queen by a proclama- 
 tion orders all baptists, or, as they reproachfully call them, 
 anabaptists and heretjcks to depart the land, whether fo- 
 reigners or natives^, under the penalty of imprisonment and 
 loss of goods, 
 
 Upon this many of the dissenters, puritans, and baptists 
 went abroad, so that there was at this time but very few dis- 
 senters of any denomination that dared to appear; perhaps 
 there jiad not been fewer baptists in England, at one time for 
 a thousand yfars before, — for it is evident that in King 
 James's reign, in the beginning of it, though there were some 
 baptist churches, yet but few, but in l608, in the sixth year 
 of James's reign, one Clapham thug writes in his book called 
 Errors on theKight Hand, that the baptists taught that repentT 
 ance must precede baptism; and that when ^ny one joini 
 them, the baptist says, the dew of tleaven he upon thee, 
 And that when any one says, 1 am of opinion that there is 
 no true baptism on earth, the baptist is said to reply, " Say 
 not so, my son, the congregation I am of can and doth ad- 
 minister true baptism." Tliis shows that there wpre some 
 congregations professing apostolick bi^ptism. 
 
 Besides, in the iGth year of James's reign, there was an 
 excellent piece published in the Dutch language, A plain and 
 well grounded Treatise on Baptism, that with so much clear- 
 pess and authority both from scripture and antiquity, proves 
 the baptizing of believers, and disproves of that of infants, 
 that it was printed in English; but as in this reign those who 
 refused to conform to the church of England were called pu- 
 ritans, and sjuffered as such ; and the baptists under that name 
 shared the same persecution with the rest ; that many, both 
 puritans and baptists, were objiged to fly to America fox 
 
69 
 
 ihe sake bf peace : but there was one thing particularly hap- 
 pened in this distracted situation near the close of it, which I 
 will relate if not burdensome to Theopliilus. 
 
 Theoph. By rio meatis burdensome, as every means 
 which Providence h^s taken for the continuation of the truth 
 will be delightful. 
 
 Phi LA. It is this : Mr. Hutchinsoh tells us, that the profes- 
 sors of religion at this time being wearied with the yoke of 
 superstitious ceremonies and traditions of men, and corrupt 
 mixtures in the \Vord and worship of God : it pleased the 
 Lord to break these yokes by a strong impulse upon the hearts 
 of his people, to convince them of the absolute necessity of a 
 reformation in the worship of God; upon this many godly 
 people met together, to seek the Lord by fasting and pray- 
 er, that he would show them the pattern of his house, the go- 
 ing out, and the coming in thereof ;~and were resolved by 
 the grace of God not to receive or' practise any piece of 
 positive worship, which had not precept or example in the 
 Word of GoD ;— and infant Baptism coming of course under 
 consideration after long search and many debates among them 
 (for they were not Baptists) it was found to have no place in 
 the Scriptures, the only rule and standard to try doctrines by ; 
 but on the contrary, a mere innovation, yea, the profanation 
 of an ordinance of God ;but seeing so many godly men were 
 of a different persuasion, it was proposed not to be insisted 
 upon, but. Oh ! what fears, tremblings, and temptations, did 
 attend them lest they should he mistaken, and thereupon they 
 would gladly have had their brethren gone along with them 
 in following the ordinance purely, as God in his word directed 
 them ; but when they saw there was nohopes, they concluded 
 that a Christian's faith did not stand in the wisdom of men, 
 and that every one must give an account of himself to God; 
 therefore they resolved to practise accordingly as they had re- 
 ceived the truth from the word of God. 
 
 Mr. William Kiffin's account, who lived in those times, 
 and was a leader among those of that persuasion, strengthens 
 4 
 
60 
 
 this ; his words are, that many sober and pious persons, be- 
 longing to the congregations of the dissenters about London, 
 were convinced that believers were the proper subjects of 
 baptism; and that it ought to be administered by immersion 
 or dipping the whole body into the water, in resemblance of 
 the burial and resurrection of Christ according to Rom. 
 vi.3. 4. Col. ri. 12. And that they often met together to 
 pray and consult about this matter, and what method 
 they should take to enjoy this ordinance in its primitive 
 purity : for though there were at this time many baptists in 
 judgment, yet through the troubles of the time, and many 
 going to America, the practice of it by immersion was rather 
 rare; therefore they sent to an ancient congregation of bap- 
 tists in the Netherlands, Mr. John Batte, their minister, who 
 was baptized by immersion, upon his return, baptized Mr. 
 Samuel Blacklock, another minister, and these two baptized 
 the whole flock, being fifty-three ; and they continued in the 
 apostles' doctrine, in fellowship, in breaking of bread, and iu 
 prayer, though the judicious baptists, in England, thought 
 it a needless journey respecting their going abroad to receive 
 baptism. 
 
 At this time King James, seeing that a fierce persecution, 
 and especially death, would not promote his interest, nor the 
 affections of the people, because Mr. Fox had, in his Mar- 
 tyrology, so exposed the papists for this kind of cruelty ; he 
 therefore chose to seize upon their estates, upon which many 
 of the dissenters, puritans, and baptists fled to America, 
 though, let it be remarked, that the first and last martyre, 
 who were burnt alive in England, were baptists; and it is re- 
 markable that the presbyterians, independents, and puritans, 
 who fled to America from persecution, yet when they came 
 there they unhappily began to persecute both the quakers 
 and to oppress the baptists. Colter Mather's History of New 
 Eng. Lib. i. C ii. But at length the baptists had churches 
 settled there, so that believers* baptism is as ancient there as 
 Christianity itself; and it is very remarkable that after the 
 
61 
 
 congrcgationalists liad practised infant baptism for some 
 lime, that it was the pleasure of the' Lord to convert many 
 of the Indians at Nantucket ; then they had the bible translat-' 
 ed in their own language, and when, as Mr. Benj. Keach 
 «ays, they read the New Testament, they found no direction 
 to baptize infants, nor any instance of any such practice; 
 therefore they inquired of the English teachers the ground 
 of it, but finding they could give them no example in the scrip- 
 tures they rejected it. And, indeed, the baptist churches 
 are now upon a respectable footing in America, and not a 
 few. 
 
 But, to return to the English baptists ; in James's time, in 
 the year l6l5, they printed a book, entitled. Persecution 
 fudged and condemned ; in which, after showing their prin- 
 ciples, and how near prelatical power came to the bloody 
 power of the Roman Catholics, they petition his Majesty 
 that he would not give his power, that is, to the bishops or 
 spiritual courts, to force his faithful subjects to believe as 
 they believed, or to the power of persecution, as it was a. 
 tender case to a tender conscience, though it was no small 
 persecution to lie many years in filthy prisons (a practice iu 
 James's time) in hunger, cold, divided from their wives, fa- 
 milies, and callings, so that death would have been a less 
 persecution than this, but their sufferings continued, and in 
 the year I6I8, there catne forth a book vindicating the prin- 
 ciples of believers' baptism from the command of Christ, 
 —from the practice of the apostles, —from the obedience of 
 the New Testament saints, — from the continuation of the 
 first primitive fathers,— from the end d<ssigned in baptism,— r- 
 and that the baptizing of infants and sucklings is a cere- 
 mony of men brought into the church after the apostles' time, 
 and was commanded by councils, popes, and emperors, and 
 not by the word of God ; since then, the baptists' interest ha^ 
 so increased and flourished in every king's reign ; there has 
 not, perhaps, been less than an hundred authors who have 
 defended this truth; the truth being so plain, in the scrip- 
 
^ures, that the meanest ploughman has always been more (htfo 
 a match for great divines, which was once hmestlv acknow- 
 ledged in familiar oonversationj near a hundred \ ears ago, 
 by a grave independent minister, who said to the baptist 
 teacher, Sir, 1 must own (being talking about baptism) that 
 you have plain scripture proof for your practice, but as for 
 us we must be obliged to go round to the covenant, to circum- 
 cision, and consequences for our practice. 
 
 Thus, I hope, I have given my dear Theophiliis, perhaps 
 an unexpected satisfaction of the rise of the baptists from 
 John the baptist, by the command of Christ, through the 
 channel of the apostles even in Britain } throtigh the reign of 
 every king to the present day ; and, I think, it will be no dif- 
 ficult matter to prove, that the original rise, progress, and. 
 spread of religion, not only in Britain, but in every part of the 
 world, had its source from the people called baptists; and 
 they have been the chief people, though under diflerent names, 
 who have been the cloud of witnesses to the primitive truth, 
 and suffered martyrdom for it in all ages of the church siiice 
 the apostles' days. (See the Appendix.) 
 
 Theoph. Dear Fhilagathus, you astonish me with the re- 
 lation you have already given me, tiiat a people whom we 
 have so much despised and thought so little of, should be the 
 first that embraced the truth, that suffered for' it, and trahs^- 
 mitted it to us; but that they should be the first "fruits of 
 the gospel to (he world, and so little laved and so little 
 known, this is wonderful ; be astonished, Oh heavens I at this; 
 Oh the darkness of our understanding ! the power of preju- 
 dice! and the blind zeal and love that we have to the traditi- 
 ons of our fathers ! But, wherein does this appear.? — Can so 
 many great -and good men be mistaken in so important a 
 point as a positive institution of Christ, both with respect 
 to the subjects and the manner of its administration ? 
 
 Phi LA. What, Theophilus ! after all, you are inclined to 
 put the matter upon trial ? Well, let it be so ; only this I 
 must insist upon, that the plain word of Go » (a rule which 
 
63 
 
 eunnot err) be set up as our only standard and rule, guide 
 and directory, to determine the truth by : to the law and to 
 the testimony, if they speak not according to these, it is be- 
 cause there is no light in them. 
 
 Theoph. Dear sir, I did not bring the matter to trial for 
 want of conviction of the truth of what you have said, aa a 
 truth, nor for want of force and energy, from Scripture, to 
 support it as such ; but, surely (as there are so many opposers 
 of ii) the baptists cannot have the original import of the 
 word, — the command of God,— The example of Christ, 
 — the practice of the apostles, as the ground of their 
 faith,— and the obedience of the primitive churches, down to 
 the present day, as the example of their continued pbedje«ce 
 thereto. 
 
 Phi LA. Why, Theophilus, by calling this in question, you 
 call all in question ; but since you are inclined to go 
 through the dispute, I will venture to say they have all this 
 on their side, and much more,— their enemies themselves be- 
 ing judges. 
 
 Theoph. Wherein does this appear? 
 
 Phi LA. That lies upon me to prove, which I shall at- 
 tempt, first from the proper and genuine signification of the 
 word so well agreeing with the ends and use of baptism, the 
 shadow to the substance, sign to the thing signified. 
 
 The word we call baptism, and the Latins baptismus, is no 
 other than the Greek word B««rT»<7/^of (being so retained all 
 along, as Gonarus observes in the Latin church) and in plain 
 English is nothing else but to dip, plunge, or cover all over, 
 jind should have been so translated. 
 
 The truth whereof, will more fully appear from our best 
 Greek Lexicons, and by the observation of our most eminent 
 critics, and the scripture-use of the words. 
 
 Scapula and Stephens, two as great masters of the GreeH 
 tongue as we have (and also great defenders of infants' bap- 
 tism) tell us in their lexicons, that ^ccau^u, from BatsTTA-, sig- 
 nifies mergo, immergo, submerge, obruo ; item, tingo, quod 
 
6i 
 
 fit immergendo, inficere, imbuere, viz. To dip, plunge, oyer- 
 whelm, put under, cover over, to dye in colour, which is done 
 by plunging. 
 
 Grotius tells us it signifies lo dip over head and ears. 
 
 Pasor, an immersion, dipping, or submersion. 
 
 Vossius, that it implieth a washing the whole body. 
 
 Mincaeus, in his Dictionary, that BawTi«r/x« a Bwwti^*;, is in 
 the Latin baptismus, in the Dutch doopsel or doopen, 
 English, baptism or baptime, viz. to dip in water, and the 
 same with the Hebrew word tabal, to dip. 
 
 Leigh, in his Critica Sacra, saith, its native and proper 
 signification is to dip into water, or to plunge under water ; 
 for which he cites these scriptures, where so used, viz. Mat. 
 iii. 6. Acts viii. 38. And that it is taken from di/ers' fat, and 
 imports a dying, or giving afresh colour, and not a hare wash- 
 ing only. Rev. xix. 13. And for which he quotes Casaubon, 
 Bucan, BuUinger, Zanchy, Spanhemius. He saith withal, 
 ** That some would have it signify washing, and which since 
 Erasmus, he saith, opposed, affirming, that it was not other- 
 wise so, than by consequence; for the proper signification 
 was such a dipping or plunging as dyers use for dying of 
 clothes." 
 
 Casaubon, in his annotations upon Mat. iii, annexed to the 
 J^ew Testament, set forth by Stephens, saith, " That im- 
 mersing was the proper rile in baptism, which the word 
 itself (he saith) sufficiently declares, which as it signifies not 
 ivnn, a going down to the bottom without any ascending ; 
 so not fw»7roX«^«i», a swimming like a cork above the water ; 
 but Qamri^im, a going down, and coming up again." 
 
 Beza, on Mat. iii. 1 1, saith, " The word Sot.'m'Tr^ay signifies 
 to dye by dipping or washing, and differs from the word 
 iv»a\, signifying to drown, or go down to the bottom, as a 
 stone." 
 
 Selden, De Jure Nat. &c. 1. 2. c. 2. saith, " That the 
 Jews (from whom this rite is conceived to come) took the 
 baptism wherein the whole body was not baptized, to be void. 
 
65 
 
 Mr. Daniel Rogers, in his Treatise of Sacraments, part 1. 
 c. viii. p. 177, saith, "That the minister is to clip in water, as 
 the ifleetest act ; the word Ba-cs-Ti^w notes it; for the Greeks 
 wanted not other words to express any other act, besides dip- 
 ping, if the institution could bear it. What resemblance of 
 the burial or resurrection of Christ is in sprinkling ? All an- 
 tiquity and Scripture, saith he, confirm that way. To dip 
 therefore, is exceeding material to the ordinance ; which was 
 the usage of old, without exception of countries hot or cold." 
 Dr. Taylor, in his Rule of Consc. 1. iii. c. 4. If you would 
 attend to the proper signification of tlie word. Baptism sig- 
 nifies plunging in water, or dipping with washing." 
 
 Mr. Joseph Mede, in his Diatribe on Titus iii. 2, saith, 
 *' That thei-e was no such thing as sprinkling or rantism 
 used in baptism, in the apostles' days, nor many ages after 
 them." 
 
 Chamler, Pan. Cathol, torn. iv. 1. 5. c. ii. Ser. 6. "^ The 
 ancient use of baptism was to dip the whole body into the 
 element, which is the force of rSS'atirTt^ay, therefore did John, 
 baptize in a river i which is nevertheless changed into asper- 
 sion, though uncertain when and from whence that custom 
 was taken." 
 
 [ might add many more, but shall conclude with that ob- 
 servable remark that Dr. Hammond gives us in his Annota- 
 tions upon John xiii. 10. telling us ' Tliat BawTij-^o? signifies 
 an immersion or washing the whole body, and which answer- 
 eth to the Hebrew word used for dipping in the Old Testa- 
 ment : and therefore upon Matt. iii. 1. tells us, that John 
 baptized in a river, viz. Jordan, Mark i. 5. In a confluence 
 of much water, as Enon, John iii. 23. Because it is added 
 there was much water, upon which account he saiih, that as 
 the Greeks called the lakes where they used to wash KoXy^- 
 g-^o-dCa?; so the ancients called them their baptisterions ; call- 
 V ed now by the Baptists, Baptistries, which they have now in 
 their meeting-houses, or in suitable places, containing water 
 for the administration of the ordinance of baptism, accord- 
 
6$ 
 
 ing to the practice of the apostles, and the primiiive 
 churches." 
 
 1 have carefully examined all the places in the Old Testa- 
 ment, where the word dipping or baptizing is mentioned, and 
 find it is expressed by the Hebrew word, Tabal, as Mincaeus 
 and Dr. Hammond observe. The Septuagint render the 
 word Tabal in the Hebrev.^, hy '^wmrl^u -^ and which all the 
 translators, viz. the Latin, Dutch, Italian, French and Eng- 
 lish do translate, to dip; and which always signifies to dip 
 (the word rendered washing being by another w^ord) as the 
 following Scriptures will inform you. Gen. xxxvii. 31. Exod. 
 xii. 22. Lev. iv. 6. & xvii. 14, and vi. l6, 61. Lev. ix. 9« 
 Deut xxxiii. 24. John iii. 5. Num. xiv. 18. 2 Ki7igs v. 14. 
 which are all the places I can find the word used in, in the Old 
 Testament. 
 
 Which signification and sense of the word, is emphatically 
 confirmed to us by the several metaphors used by the Holy 
 Spirit in Scripture, in allusion hereto ; viz. for. persons to be 
 plunged into great sufferings, they are said to be baptized 
 therein, Matk k. 38, and so for persons who were endued with 
 a great measure of the spirit, they are said to be baptized 
 therewith, Jets i. 5. The children of Israel being encom- 
 passed with the cloud over their head, and the divided sea 
 on both sides, were said to be baptized in the cloud, 1 Cor. x. 
 And baptized persons are said to be dead and buried, in allu- 
 sion to putting men into the earth, and covering them there- 
 with; none of which can hold good by sprinkling. 
 
 Secondly, the truth of this appears from the practice we 
 find in Scripture, and the opinion of the learned upon it. 
 
 First, in Christ's baptism, we read. Matt. iii. 5. That 
 Jesus camefiom Galike to Jordan unto John, to he baptized of 
 him, V. H). And when he was baptized, he went up straightway 
 Out of the water. 
 
 Tlie learned Cajetan upon the place, saith, Christ as- 
 cended out of the water; therefore Christ was baptized by 
 John, not by sprinkling, or by pouring water upon him, 
 1 
 
67 
 
 but by immersion, that is, by dipping or plunging in the 
 water. 
 
 Mnsculus, on Mat. iii. calls Baptism dippiiig, and saith, 
 " The parties baptized were dipped not sprinkled." 
 
 A second Scripture is that of John iii. 23. yind John was 
 baptizing in Enon near Salem (and the reason why he pitched 
 upon this place is given) because there was much water 
 there. 
 
 Piscator upon this passage says, " l^ocra. Tro^Xa signifies many 
 rivers, as v^iL^ in the singular number, signifies the river of Jor- 
 dan; this," saith he, '' is mentioned to signify the ceremony of 
 baptism which John used in dipping or plunging the whole 
 body of man standing in the river;" whence he saith, 
 " Christ being baptized by John in Jordan, is said to as- 
 cend out of the water." 
 
 Calvin, upon these words, saith, " that from this place you 
 may gather that John and Christ administered baptism by 
 plunging the whole body into the water." 
 
 A third Scripture worthy our notice, is Acts viii. SQ — 38. 
 As they went on their way, they came unto a certain water ; and 
 the eunuch said, See, here is water ; and they both went down 
 into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him, 
 and Ziehen they were come up out of the water: upon which pas- 
 sage, 
 
 Calvin saith, " We see what fashion the ancients had to 
 administer baptism,* for they plunged the whole body into 
 the water : the use is now," saith he, " that the minister casts 
 a few drops of water only upon the body, or upon the head." 
 A fourth Scripture we shall mention is, Rom. vi. 4. Bu- 
 ried with him in Baptism : where the apostle elegantly alludes- 
 to the figure of baptising in our death and resurrection with 
 Christ. 
 
 Cajetan upon this passage, saith, " thus we are buried with 
 him by baptism into death : by our burying he declares our 
 death from )he ordinance of Baptism ; because he who is bap- 
 tized, is put under the water, and this carries a similitude of 
 
68 
 
 hiiii that is buried, who is put under the earth. Now because 
 none are buried but dead men, from this very thing that 
 we are buried in baptism, we are rjssimilated to Christ's 
 deaih ; buried when he was buried, namely into his death." 
 
 Keckerman, Syst. Tlieol. 1. 3. c. viii. says, ' that immersion, 
 'not aspersion was the first institution of baptism, as it doth 
 plainly appear from Rom.\\. 3. 
 
 Diodat. Annot. on Rom. vi. 4. Grotius on the same. Da- 
 venant. Col. ii, 12. do own dipping to have been the rite in 
 Christ's time. 
 
 Tilenus, in his Disputation, p. 886, 889, 890, wlio was £( 
 learned Protestant writer, gives a most remarkable testimony 
 in the case. " Baptism, saith he, is the first ordinance of the 
 New Testament instituted by Christ, in which with the most 
 pat and exact analogy between the sign and the thing signified, 
 those that are in covenant, are by the minister, baptized in 
 water. The outward rite in baptism is threefold : 1. Immer- 
 sion into the water. 2. Abiding under the water. 3. Resur- 
 rection out of the water: the form of baptism, viz^ internal 
 and essential, is no other than the analogical proportion which 
 the signs keep with the things signified thereby ; for the pro- 
 perties of the water in washing away the defilements of the 
 body, does in a most suitable similitude set forth the efiicacy 
 of Christ's blood in blotting out oisins; so dipping into 
 the water, doth in the most lively similitude set forth the 
 mortification or death of the old man ; and rising out of the 
 water, the vivification of the new. The same plunging into 
 the water, holds forth to us that horrible gulf of divine jus- 
 tice, in which Christ for our sins' sake (which he took upon 
 him) was for a while in a manner swallowed up or over- 
 whelmed ; his abiding under the water (how little a while 
 soever) denotes his descent into the grave, even the very 
 deepest of death, while lying io the sealed and guarded se- 
 pulchre, he was accounted as one dead. Rising out of the 
 water, holds out to us a lively similitude of that conquest 
 which this dead man, even Christ, got over death, which 
 
69 
 
 Jie vanquished in his own den, (as it were) that is,-in the grave. 
 In like manner, therefore (saiih he) it is meet, that we beinfy 
 baptized into his death, and buried with him, should rise 
 also wifb him, and so go on in a new lite, Rom. vj. 3, 4, 
 Col. ii. 12. 
 
 Mr. Leigh in his Annotat. upon Rom. vi. 4. [Buried with 
 him in Baptism unto death] " Baptism," said he, " is an ordi- 
 nance not only of ihj death with Christ, which is thekilhng 
 of sin, but also of thy burial with him, which is a perpetual 
 mortification, or abiding under that death He alludes tQ 
 the manner in which Baptism was then administered, which 
 >vas to plunge them in the water; the plunging of them into 
 Fater which were baptized, was a sign of their death and bu- 
 rial with Christ." 
 
 The Assembly's Annotations upon the sime passage says, 
 that in this phrase the apostle seemeth to allude to the an- 
 cient manner of baptizing, which was, to dip the party bap- 
 tized, and as it were to bury them under water for a while, 
 and then to raise them up again out of it, to represent the 
 burial of the old man, and our resurrection to newness of 
 life." The hkc saith Piscator and Diodati upon the pas- 
 sage. 
 
 Dr. Gave, a great searcher into antiquity, in his late 
 book called Primitive Christianity, saith, p. 320, '^ that the 
 party baptized was wholly immerged, or put under water; 
 which was the common, constant, and universal custom of 
 those times, whereby they did most notably and significantly 
 express the great end and effects of baptism : for, as in 
 immerging there are in a naanner, three several acts, the put- 
 ting the person into water, his abiding there for some time, 
 and his rising up again; thereby representing Christ's 
 death, burial, and resurrection; and in conformity thereto, 
 our dying unto sin, the destruction of its power, and our re- 
 surrection to a new course of life. By the person's being 
 put in water, is lively represented the putting off ^he body of 
 
70 
 
 the sins of the flesh, and being washed from the fikh 
 and pollution of them. By his being under it, which is 
 a kind of burial into water, his entering into a state of mor- 
 tification ; like as Christ remained for some time under the 
 state or power of death ; therefore it is said, as many as are 
 baptized into Christ, are baptized into his death, 8cc. And 
 then by his emersion or rising up out of the water, is signified 
 his entering upon the new course of life, that like as Christ 
 was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we 
 should walk in newness of life." 
 
 Bishop Jewel, in his Apology, p. 308, brings the council of 
 Worms, determining the manner of baptism, viz. " that the 
 dipping into the water is the going down into the grave, and 
 that the coming out of the water, is the resurrection, that is, 
 representatively." 
 
 And most remarkable is the testimony that Mr. Baxter him- 
 self gives to this truth, in these words, viz. " It is commonly 
 confessed by us to the Baptists (as our commentators declare) 
 that in the apostles' lime the baptized were dipped over head 
 in water ; and this signifieth their profession both of believing 
 the burial and resurrection of Christ, and of their own pre- 
 sent renouncing the world and flesh, or dying to sin, and liv- 
 ing to Christ, or rising again to newness of life, or being 
 buried and risen again with Christ, as the apostle expound- 
 eth baptism in Col. ii. 12. and Rom. vi. 4. And though, 
 saith he, we have thought it lawful to disuse the manner of 
 dipping, and to use less water, yet we presume not to change 
 the use and signification of it; so then he that signally pro- 
 fesseth to die, and rise again in baptism with Christ, doth 
 signally profess saving faith and repentance ; but this do all 
 they that are baptized according to the apostle's prac- 
 tice. 
 
 Daille, on the fathers, 1. ii. p. 148, saith, " that it was a 
 •uslom heretofore in the ancient church, to plunge those 
 t^ey baptized over head and ears in the water ; as, saith he, 
 
71 
 
 Tertullian, in his third book De Cor. Mil. Cyprian in his se- 
 venth Ep. p. 211. Epiplianius, Pan. 30. p. 128, and others 
 testify : and this, saith he, is still the practice both of the 
 Greek and Russian church at this day ; as Cassander de Bapt. 
 p. 193 ; and yet, saith he, notwithstanding this custom, which 
 is both so ancient and so universal, is now abolished by the 
 church of Rome ; and this is the reason, saith he, that the - 
 Muscovites say that the Latins .are not rightly and duly 
 baptized." 
 
 Walfridus Strabo, de Reb. Eccles. tells us, " that we must 
 know at the first believers were baptized simply in floods and 
 fountains." 
 
 Mr. Fox tells us in his Acts and Monuments, pan i. p. 138. 
 out of Fabian, c. cxix. p. 120. '* That Austin and Paulinus 
 did, in the seventh century, baptize, here in England, great 
 multitudes in the river Trent, and the river Swol ; where, 
 note, by the way, saith Mr. Fox, it followed there was no use of 
 fonts. The like also, as you'll hereafter find, Germanius and 
 Lupus, the two French Evangelists, did, in the fifth cen- 
 tury, baptize multitudes in the river near Chester." 
 
 Hieremias, Patr. of Constantinople, ad Theol. Whiteber- 
 genscs Resp. ii. c. 4. saith, " the ancients baptized not by 
 sprinkling the baptized with w^ater with their hands, but by 
 immersion, following the Evangelist, who came up out of 
 the water, therefore did he descend, which must needs be 
 immersion, and not aspersion." 
 
 Zepperus De Sacramentis, " from the annotation and Ety- 
 mology of the word, it doth appear, what was of old the 
 custom of administering baptism, which though we have 
 changed into rantizing or sprinkling." 
 
 Dr. Taylor, in his Rule of Conscience, 1. iii. c. iv. p. 644, 
 645, says, " the ancient Church did not in her Baptism 
 sprinkle with water with their hand, but did immerge; and 
 therefore we find it in the Records of the Church." 
 
 And that Chrysostom said, " that the old Maa is in this fi- 
 
gnre buried and drowned in the immersion under water; and 
 when the baptized person is afterwards raised up from the wa- 
 ter, it represents the rcsurrtction of tne new man ro newness 
 ef life, as it is a figure of the death of sin and the life of 
 grace. 
 
 And therefore concludes, " that the contrary custom, being 
 not only against ec^ lesiastcal law, but against the analogy 
 and mystical signification of the ordinance, is not to be corai- 
 plied with." 
 
 The church of Rome confesseth by a learned pen, the 
 Marquis of Worcester, in his Ceitam. Relig. " that she 
 changed dipping the party baptized over head into sprinkling 
 upon the face.' 
 
 That, until the third century, we find not any, upon any 
 consideration, did admit of sprinkling: The first we meet 
 with is Cyprian, in his Epistle to Magnus, L. iv. F-p. vii. 
 where he pleads " for the baptizing of the sick by sprinkling, 
 and not by dipping or pouring, called the Clinical Baptism, 
 Mag Cent. iii. C. vi. P. 126. As also for the sprinkling of 
 new-converted prisoners in the prison-house." And which, 
 bv degrees afterwards, they brought in use for sick children 
 also, and then afterwards all children. 
 
 Here you see from whom infant sprinkling came, viz. from 
 the church of Rome, when it came, and for what low end 
 it' came to answ€t': Oh! how is fine gold b^ame dim, and 
 the pure gold chapged, when men lay aside the commands of 
 God, and follow the traditions of men, which appear from 
 the genuine sense of the word, nature of the ordinance, usage 
 of the ancients, which were excellently inculcated by the 
 learned Dr. Tillotson, in a Sermon pi^ached at his Lectures 
 in St. Michael's, Cornhill, London, April 15, 1673, from 
 Rom. vi. 4. " therefore we are buried with him by baptism 
 into death ; proving from thence, that dipping or plunging 
 was the proper ceremony and rite in the ordinance; and 
 fiow naturally arguments did arise from believers' baptism. 
 
73 
 
 to enforce holiness and mortification, the thing signified 
 thereby. 
 
 Theoph. But the word b«otti^w, which 3'ou so much stand 
 upon, signifies, if not to sprinkle, yet not only to dip and 
 overwhelm, but also 10 wash, as Mark vii. 4. The washing 
 of hands, cups, pots, vessels, beds, and tables, which, we 
 hope, you will grant may be done without dipping or plung- 
 ing in water ? 
 
 Phila. That baptism, in a sense, is washing, I noways 
 doubt; for you cannot dip a thing but you may be said to 
 wash it; therefore, in allusion hereto, *tis said. Jets xxii. 
 Arise and be baptized, and wash army thy sins: And Tit. in. 
 the washing of regeneration: And Heb. x. bodies wash- 
 ed with pure water : And in dipping of clothes they wash 
 them : and so here, by dipping of unclean hands, pots, 
 cups, vessels, and beds ; for tables are not there, the word 
 being xXii-^, which as in your margin, signifies a bed, but 
 never a table (as a learned critic observes) they are also washed. 
 Theoph. But hands, cups, vessels, and beds may be 
 washed, though not dipt. 
 
 PniLA. It is true they may (though not proved from this 
 fcripture) for though all dipping is washing, yet all washing 
 is not dipping in a proper sense (for water sprinkled or poured 
 upon a thing, may be so called in an improper sense) though 
 it is a very unusual thing so to wash unclean hands, beds, or 
 vessels: And, I presume, you will account her but a slut 
 and give her no thanks for her pains, that having unclean 
 hands, vessels, beds, or clothes, to wash, doth only sprinkle or 
 pour a little water upon them, as though that would serve the 
 turn: And doth not our familiar experience tell us, that to dip 
 our hands in water, rincing them, is the most effectual way to 
 wash them. Therefore are we to take washing here {Mark 
 vii. 4.) to be dipping, in a proper sense, as the word imports, 
 and as most agreeable to known custom and use; for neither 
 the word ^a«, to wash, nor %£w, to pour, C«m^<y, to sprinkle, are 
 
74 
 
 ever taken to dip or baptize; nor the word Cawri^o;, simply 
 taken for washing, by pouring or sprinkling, that I can find. 
 
 The divers washings, mentioned Heb. ix. 10. may be well 
 explained from Lev. i. 9, 1,3, and vi. 27, 28, and xv. 5. 6. 
 Exod. XXX. 19, to be such as was done by baptizing in water, 
 not sprinkling with, nor pouring water upon. 
 
 Ainswortli upon Lev. xv. 5. *' to baptize or wash his flesh," 
 as is expressed v. 13, 16. meaning his whole body ; and so the 
 Greek translateth, " shall wash his body. "The Hebrews say, 
 '' every place where it is said in the law of bathing the flesh, 
 and washing the clothes of the unclean, it is not meant but of 
 baptizing the whole body in water, Maim in Makraoth, c. i. 
 s. 2. figuring out our signification by Christ and his spirit, 
 by whom we draw near to God, having hearts sprinkled 
 from an evil conscience, and bodies washed with pure 
 water, Heb. x. 22. ver. 11. If a man be baptized all over, 
 saving the tip of his little finger, he is yet in his uncleanness: 
 And if clay, or any such thing, cleave to the flesh of man, it 
 is unclean still as it was, and the baptizing profiteth them 
 nothing," c. i. ser. 2. 7, 13. and v. 12. about the washing of 
 vessels the Jews have these rules, " that nothing must part the 
 vessel, or any part of it, and the water, as pitch, clay, or the 
 like, that cleaveth to the vessel ; that if the vessel be turned 
 the mouth downward, and be baptized, it is as if it were 
 not baptized, because the water so comes not to all parts of 
 it : Likewise, a vessel full of any liquor, except water, and 
 baptized, is as if it were not baptized." Maim in Makraoth, 
 c.iii. ser. 1, 12, 18. i 
 
 And in 2 Kings v. 10, the Prophet h\dsNaamango and wash 
 in Jordan seven times; and accordingly, v. 14. 'tis said in 
 obedience hereto, and in explanatiou of that kind of wash- 
 ing the Prophet intended, he went and baptized hitmelf seven 
 times in Jordan, or dipped, which is the same. 
 
 Therefore, for any to shun the proper true genuine senscj 
 and build a practice upon an uncouth, indirect, unusual, and 
 \ 
 
75 
 
 at best an allegorical sense, is no other than as the Proverb is, 
 to leave the King's highwatf, and to take hedge and ditch. 
 
 And besides, if you will follow the allusion, do you not 
 wash all that is unclean, the whole man is all unclean, every 
 member, and every part ; therefore all and every part ought 
 to be washed, and not the head and face only, as you expect 
 to have all your sins washed away, and every member 
 cleansed by faith in Christ's blood, pointed forth in this 
 figure ; to represent that as every member hath lived to sin, 
 shoiild here also die, be buried, raised, and quickened spiritu- 
 ally with Christ, in firm assurance of Christ's resurrection, 
 and confident expectation of the whole man's being to be raised 
 and glorified in the resurrection of the just. And to which 
 purpose we have Dr. Goodwin, in his Support of faith, p. 54, 
 very excellently, viz. *' That the eminent thing signified and 
 represented in baptism, is not simply the blood of Christ, 
 as it washeth us from our sins ; but there is a farther repre- 
 sentation therein of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection 
 in the baptized being first buried under water, and then 
 rising out of it; and this is not in a bare conformity to 
 Christ, but is a representation of a communion with Christ 
 in his death and resurrection: Therefore it is said, we are 
 buried with him in baptism, and wherein vye are risen with 
 him, 8cc. And moreover, here it is that the answer of a good 
 conscience, which is made the inward effect of this ordi- 
 nance of baptism, 1 Pet. iii. 21. is there also attributed to 
 Christ's resurrection, as the thing fignified and represented 
 in baptism, and as the cause of that answer of a good con- 
 science, even baptism doth now also save us, as it is a figure 
 of salvation by Christ. 
 
 Therefore to alter this rite from dipping to sprinkling, 
 spoils the ordinance, and makes it quite another thing; and 
 you may as well take a wafer-cake, to represent Christ's 
 broken body, as sprinkle ai little water to figure out his and our 
 death, burial, and resurrection thereby. 
 
 Thus you see Theophihis, that the baptists have not only 
 
76 
 
 every Greek Lexicographer of note, such as Constantino, 
 Biidaeus, and those of Adrian, Junius, Plantinus, Scapula, 
 Schrevelius, and Stockiiis, all which render the word baptize, 
 bein^ a Greek word— in its first and primary sense, by mergo 
 immergo, to di|), or plunge into, and never by perfundo or 
 aspergo, to pour or sprinkle, — and indeed our great EngUsh 
 Linguist— Benjamin Martin, in his Dictionary, says, that the 
 true etymology of the word baptism, signifies to immerse, 
 plunge, or overwhelm — and indeed these persons were but fevr 
 of them baptists, yet so clear is the truth, that they freely 
 own it. 
 
 Theoph. I confess that your arguments overpower me — - 
 but give me leave to ask you, do you think that the Apostle» 
 understood it in this light, and that there are witnesses to the 
 truth of it in every century to the present time? 
 
 Phila. You a little surprise me when you ask me if 1 
 think the Apostles so understood it — but perhaps your repeat- 
 ing this inquiry may be owing to the quickness of your un- 
 derstanding — seeing that the whole truth hinges there. Here 
 Theophiius interrupted Philagathus for a moment, and said, 
 eir, that is the case; then Philagathus replied, that it was the 
 judgment of the Apostles, and the manner they practised it 
 is without doubt; and that there are witnesses (even great 
 men in Isiael) to the truth of this in every century to the 
 present time, is without disputation — which is affirmed by the 
 best authors, and related by the most authentic historians. 
 
 That it was the command of God, (which is the sole au- 
 thority of all) see John i. 33. He that sent me to baptize. 
 
 That it was the example of Christ, see Matt. iii. 1(). 
 jdtid Jesus when he was baptized, went up struighticay out of the 
 water ^ 
 
 That it was the commission of Christ, see Matt, xxviii. 
 19. Go therefore teaching all Tuitions, baptizing them. 
 
 That it was the practice of the Apostles, and what the 
 New Testament Saints were found in obedience (without a 
 Diurmuring word) unto, see Acts ii. 41. 
 
77 
 
 jicfs u. 41. Then they that gladly received his word were 
 baptized. 
 
 Jlctsyu'i. 1€. But when tkei/ believed Philip preaching the 
 things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus 
 Christ, they were baptized both men and women, verse 37, 38. 
 jind Philip said, if thou believest with all thy heart, thou 
 mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ 
 is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand 
 still, and they went dozen into the water, both Philip and the 
 Eunuch, and he baptized him. 
 
 Acts xviii. 8. And Crispus the chief ruler of the synagogue 
 believed on the Lord with all his house, and many of the Corin- 
 thians hearing, believed, and were baptized. 
 
 Acts xxii. 14. And Ananias said unto Paul, the God 
 of our fathers hath chosen thte, that thou shouldest know his 
 will, and see the Just one, and shouldest hear the voice of 
 his mouth. And now why tarriest thou f Arise, and be 
 baptized^ and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of 
 the Lord. Acts ix. 18. And he arose forthwith and was 
 baptized. 
 
 Which also is confirmed by the following testimonies. 
 
 Luther de Sacrament. Tom. 3. fol. l68. saith, "That in 
 times past it was thus, that the ordinance of baptism was ad- 
 ministered to none, except it were to those, that acknow- 
 ledged and confessed their faith, and knew how to rehearse 
 the same, and that it was necessary to be done, because the 
 ordinance was constituted externally to be used, that the 
 faith be confessed and made known to the church." See 2 
 Cor. viii. 5. 
 
 Bullinger in his housebook, sermon 48, saith, " That bap- 
 tism hath no prescribed time by the LoRn, and therefore it 
 is left to the free choice of the faithful. Those that believed 
 at the preaching of Peter upon the day of peotecost, as also 
 the eunuch, whom Philip baptized, Cornelius the captain, 
 Paul the Apostle at Damascus, Lydia the seller of purple, a 
 woman that feared God, the keeper of the prison at Philippi, 
 
•78 
 
 anrl others, both men and women, so soon as they tasted th6 
 gifts of Christ, and beheved his word, presently desired to 
 be baptized. 
 
 Mr. Baxter, in his sixteenth argument against Mr. Blake, 
 in the second disputation, p. 149- (saith most significantly) 
 " If there can be no example given in scripture of any one, 
 that was baptized without the profession of a saving faith, nor 
 any precept for so doing, then mustvre not baptize any with- 
 out it." 
 
 But the antecedent is true, therefore so is the consequents 
 Jn proof whereof he produces the several scripture examples 
 of persons that were baptized, which (saith he) might afford 
 us so many several arguments, but I shall mention them to- 
 gether, viz. 
 
 " First, John, as I have showed you, required the profession 
 of true repentance, and that his baptism v^as for the remis- 
 sion of sins." Matt. iii. 6. 
 
 " Secondly,When Christ layeth down the apostolical com' 
 mission, the nature and order of the apostles' work, is first to 
 make them disciples, by teaching them the way of salvation 
 by Christ, and then to baptize them in the name of the 
 Father, Son, and Holy Ghost." Matt, xxvii. IQ, 20. 
 
 " Thirdly, That it was saving faith that was required of 
 the Jews, and professed by them (Jets ii. 38.) is plain in the 
 text." 
 
 ** Fourthly, The Samaritans believed and had great joy, 
 and w^ere baptized into the name of Jesus Christ, Jets viii. 
 12. whereby it appeareth, that it was both the understand- 
 ing and will that were both changed, and that they had the 
 profession even of a saving faith, yea, even from Simon him- 
 self." V. 37. 
 
 *' Fifthly, The condition upon which the eunuch must be 
 baptized was, if he believed with all his heart, which he pro- 
 fessed to do, and that was the evidence Philip expected." 
 Acts \ni. 37. 
 
" Paul was baptized after his true conversion." Actt 
 i.v. 18. 
 
 " The Holy Qhost fell on the Gentiles before they were 
 baptized." Acts x, 44. 
 
 " Sixthl}^, Lydia's heart was opened before she was 
 baptized; and she was one the Apostles judged faithful to 
 the Lord, and offered to them the evidence of her faith." 
 Acts xvi. 30. 
 
 '* Theexample also of the Gaoler is very full to the resolution 
 of the question in hand : he first asketh, " What shall he do 
 to be saved ?" The Apostle answereth liim, ♦'Believe in the 
 Lord Jesus, and thou shall be saved, and thy house." So 
 that it was a saving faith that is here mentioned. " He re- 
 joiced and believed with all his house, and was baptized the 
 same hour of the night, or straightway." 
 
 '* Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the 
 Lord, with all his house. 
 
 " And many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were bap- 
 tized, Acts xviii. 8. 
 
 " Philip, in Acts viii. 37, is determining the question, and 
 giveth this in as the decision ; if thou believest mth all thine 
 heart, thou mayest. And to say that this is but de bene esse, 
 meaning that it includes not the negative, otherwise thou 
 mayest not, is to make Philip to have deluded, and not de- 
 cided or resolved. 
 
 " In a word," saith he, " I know of no one word in scripture, 
 that giveth us the least intimation, that ever man was bapti- 
 zed without the profession of a saving, faith." 
 
 Thus far Mr. Richard Baxter, a pastor of a church in 
 Kidderminster, in Worcestershire, who was a bitter enemy 
 to the baptists in his day; but when the light of pure truth 
 (I mean the scriptures) was before him, and his mind free 
 from prejudice, see how freely and fully he acknowledges the 
 truth, that I scarce know a better advocate for believers' bap- 
 tism, among all the baptists, than Mr. Baxter has been : 
 Though, lamentable it is, that now there is a great congre- 
 
80 
 
 gation of dissenters at the same place, yet scarce any that 
 know their right hand from the left in this matter, so pleased 
 are they in being priest cheated. 
 
 But, as you are so desirous, Theophilus, of the concurrent 
 testimonies of the fore-fathers, we will take a concise circuit, 
 through the ages of antiquity and every century, and see 
 what they say ; though, by the way, let it be observed, that 
 they are wrongly called the fathers of the church ; for, in 
 this respect, there are none fathers but the Apostles, so these, 
 at best, are but elder sons, and some of them very dark in 
 many things, for the first-born heirs. But, as it is a matter 
 so much boasted of, we will see what they say of it ? what 
 is said by them, as well as of them : we will begin with the 
 *ncient Magdeburgenses, whose history is well reported for 
 its authenticity. 
 
 In the first century, they say, that in this age they find that 
 they baptized only the adult or aged, whether they were Jewt 
 or Gentiles ; where, say they, we have instances in the se- 
 cond, eighth, tenth, sixteenth, and nineteenth chapters of the 
 Acts; but as to baptizing of infants, we read of no ex- 
 ample. See de Infantibus Baptizatis Exempla, non legunt, 
 Magdiburg, Cent. i. L. ii. P. 496, of the Edit, of Basil, in 
 7 Tomes, 
 
 Then, secondly, they point out the administrator of 
 baptism, which, they say, we find that other ministers 
 besides the Apostles did baptize, and in after ages it came 
 to be fixed upon bishops, overseers, pastors, or teaching 
 elders. 
 
 Thirdly, As to the place, they find it was as occasion 
 offered, where rivers, fountains, and other conveniencies 
 for baptizing were, which was as well done privately, by 
 Philip and the eunuch, as in the great congregation, Jets 
 ii. 42. 
 
 Fourthly, The time, which was, say they, at any fit time 
 
81 
 
 ot season, when the parties baptized did freely come and of" 
 fer themselves to be baptized upon a profession of their faith 
 and love to Christ. 
 
 Fifthly, The manner of baptizing was by dipping or im- 
 mersing in water, in the name of the Father, of the Son, 
 and of the Holy Ghost ; which was as they observe, not only 
 agreeable to the sense of the word, which signifies immersion 
 in water ; but to the allegory of death, burial, and resurrec- 
 tion, whicii the Apostles Peter, Paul, and Ananias so pro- 
 perly allude to, Jcls ii. 38. — andxxii. l6. — likewise in Rom, 
 vi. 3, 4. — 1 Peter iii. 21.— see Magdeburg His. Cent. i. L. ii. 
 Chap, page 496, 497. 
 
 And in this first century Clemens asserts who they are that 
 are the right subjects of Baptism, that they are such who 
 have passed through an examination and received instruction. 
 See Jacob Morningus in his His. of Baptism, page 2. out of 
 Clement's Epistle ; also Dutch Marty rology. 
 
 Ignatius, in his discourses upon baptism, affirms, that it 
 ought to be accompanied with faith, love, and patience after 
 preaching, see his letters to Polycarp, and his Letters to the 
 Saints at Philadelphia, for which see H. Montamus page 45; 
 — and Jacob du Bois, page l6 to 22. — and the Dutch Mar- 
 tyrology, cent. i. 
 
 Likewise those antient followers of Christ, the Waldenses, 
 profess and practise believers' baptism in this century, see D. 
 Balthazer Lidius, in his Treatise of the church, page 2, col. 
 $, out of Renarius: as also did the antient Britons who 
 received the gospel in the reign of Tiberius, by an 
 Evangelist sent by the Apostles ; and some say, that 
 Simon Peter was in Britain, see that antient historian our 
 countryman Gildas, his book called de Victoria Aurelii Am- 
 brosii. 
 
 Century the second, in which there seems to be no varia- 
 tion from the former. 
 
 Justin Martyr says, in his second Apology Ant. Pius, the 
 
 M 
 
82 
 
 emperor, I will declare unto you how we ofTer up ourselves ta 
 God, after that we are received through Christ: those 
 among us are instructed in the faith, are brought to the water; 
 then they are baptized therein, in the name of the Father, 
 and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost 5 then we bring the 
 person, thus washed or baptized, to the brethren, where the 
 assembhes are, that we may pray both for ourselves and the 
 new illuminated person, that We may be found, by doctrine, 
 and good works, worthy observers and keepers of the com- 
 Uiandraents; then bread and wine being brought to the chief 
 brother (so they called their chief minister) he taketh it and 
 ofFereth praise and thanksgiving to the Father, in the name of 
 the Son, and the Holy Ghost. After prayer and thanksgiving, 
 the whole assembly saith Amen. When thanksgiving is ended 
 by the chief guide and theconsent of the whole people the Dea- 
 cons (as we call ihem) give to every one present, part of the 
 bread and wine, over which thanks is given; — this we call the 
 Eucharist, to which no man is admitted, but he that believeth 
 the truth of the doctrine, and lives as Christ has taught. 
 
 You see, Tlieophilus, that there is a scripture beauty in all 
 this ; and how happy would it have been, if the churches had 
 kept to this example of the primitive pattern. 
 
 Justin Martyr appears to have been converted to Christ 
 about thirty years after the apostle John, when many that 
 were witnesses of the Apostle's preaching and practice were 
 living, when he was beheaded by Verus the emperor, sec 
 Baxter's Saints' Rest. c. viii. sect. 5. 
 
 VValafrid, in his Ecclesiastical History, says, that in this 
 Hge none but understanding persons were baptized, and that 
 upon a profession of their faith. 
 
 Third century, which in practice continued the same, though 
 in opinion some corruption appeared. — But Mr. Baxter is 
 ploaged to give us tliis further account respecting baptim: that 
 Tertullian, Origen, and Cyprian, who lived in the second and 
 third centuries, do aliirm, that in the primitive times none 
 
85 
 
 were baptized but such as engaged themselves to obey hm, 
 Saints' Rest, P. i. c. viii. sect. 5. 
 
 Fourth century. We find, that in this age Jerom upon Mat. 
 xxvii. 19, 20. says, the Lord commanded his Apostlesihat 
 they should first instruct and teach all nations, and afterwards 
 should baptize those that were instructed in the mysteries of 
 the faith; for it cannot be, saiih he, that the body should re- 
 ceive the ordinance of baptism, before the soul h:is received 
 the true faith. 
 
 Athauasius, in his third sermon against the i\rians, says, 
 our Saviour hath not simply commanded to baptize, but first 
 said teach, then baptize; because true faith proceeds from 
 teaching, and baptism then rightly follows faith, see jNIorning 
 Book, part ii. page 370. 
 
 Epiphaniiis, bishop of Cyprus, was baptized upon a pro- 
 fession of his faith; and did afterwards assert for doctrine that 
 none ought to be baptized but such, see jMetaphrastes, L. i. 
 c. 30. and Merning, page S66. 
 
 And, it is worthy observation, that about this time there 
 were many councils and synods. There was the council of 
 Carthage, — of Laodicea, — and of Neocesaria, who all agree in 
 this, that whosoever were baptized should give in their names; 
 and then, after due examination, they should be baptized. 
 And, what is more remarkable, that not only great men and 
 Princes, but even those born of believing parents, were not 
 baptized till aged and capable of declaring their Faith in the 
 ^Messiah, viz. Basil, Gregory Nazianzen, Ambrose, Chry- 
 sostom, Jerom, Austin, Constanline, and Theodosius. 
 
 Basil, the great son of Basil, bishop of Nicene, was bap- 
 tized in Jordan when far advanced in years. 
 
 Gregory, the son of Gregory, bishop of Nazianzen, was bap- 
 tized at the age of 20, see Osiandcr's book^ Cent. iv. L. 3. 
 chap. xlji. Ixiii. page 371, 380. 
 
 Constantine the Great, who was a Briton born, and king 
 of England, ai>d son of Helena, a zealous Christian, was far 
 
84 
 
 advanced in age when he was baptized ; in whose reign it h 
 remarked, that most of his British troops were Christians, 
 though in so early an age as 320. 
 
 Ambrose remained instructed in the faith till he was chosen 
 bishop of Milan, before he was baptized, see PauUnus in Vita 
 Ambrosii. 
 
 Hugo Grotius, upon Matt. xix. says, that Chrysostom was 
 born of believing parents, and was educated by Melitius, a bishop; 
 yet not baptized till the age of 21; and further adds, that 
 many of the Greeks, in every age to this day, keep the custom 
 of deferring the baptism of their little ones, till they make a 
 confession of their faith. 
 
 Erasmus testifies that Jerom was born in the city of Shydon, 
 of Christian parents, was brought up in the Christian religion, 
 and was baptized in the 30th year of his age. 
 
 Nauclerus, Generat. An. SQl, says, that Austin, the son of 
 the virtuous (an expression then used for gracious) Monica, 
 being instructed in the faith, was not baptized till near the 
 age of 30. And Vossius affirms, that Nectarius was made bi- 
 shop of Constantinople before he was baptized. And Histo- 
 ria Tripartita tells us, that Theodosius the emperor, was born 
 in Spain, and his parents were both Christians ; that he was 
 instructed in the Cluistian faith, who falling sick at Thessalo- 
 nica was by Achalio baptized. 
 
 To the same purpose writes that learned Frenchman and 
 great searcher into antiquity Monsieur Daille, and our coun- 
 tryman Dr. Field, and Dr. Taylor in his Lib. Proph. page 
 239. And particularly Dr. Barlow, who was Doctor of the 
 chair at Oxford, a man eminent for his learning, says in a 
 letter, " I do believe and know that there is neither precept 
 nor example for infant baptism, nor any just evidence for it, 
 for above 200 years after Christ, that Tertullian condemns 
 it as an unwarrantable practice, and he adds, 1 have read 
 what my learned friends Dr. Hammond and Mr. Baxter 
 ^pd others say in the defence of itj and 1 confess 1 wonder 
 
85 
 
 not a little that men of such great parts should say so much 
 to so little purpose, for I have not as yet seen any thing like 
 an argument for it." Thus far Dr, Barlow. 
 
 TiiEOPH. But if this be the case, how did infant baptism 
 come into the church ? 
 
 PriiLA. This may be matter of further inquiry — only [ 
 would just observe here, that about the end of the third cen- 
 tury, a corruption prevailed among the African churches con- 
 cerning the taking away of original sin, and lest any of them 
 should die without the means of grace, they were for having 
 them baptized, but there was much opposition to it by Ter- 
 tuUian and others, that it does not appear to be brought 
 into practice till about the end of the fourth century, and 
 was afterwards in the fifth century confirmed by Popes and 
 councils, partieularly by the Millitant council, a provincial 
 town in Africa- — who in their ignorant zeal anathematized or 
 cursed all those who did not baptize their new-born infants, 
 to save them from original sin. — This was occasioned by Pe- 
 lagius denying original sin, and Austin a popish monk, who 
 to confirm it, maintained baptism as necessary to cleanse and 
 save infants from the guilt of it, which he afterwards got con- 
 firmed by many bishops, and particularly by Pope Innocent 
 the first, see Austin's Decreta Epistle at large, page 822, 825, 
 ' — who was the first pope that aimed at heing universal bishop, 
 and having a supremacy over all the churches, he introduced 
 traditions, he established blasphemy, denied marriage, settled 
 confirmation to bishops, appointed the Lord's supper to in- 
 fants, banished the emperor, expelled the Christians, and this 
 is the innocent creature who was the first great patron, 
 confirmer (if not the introducer) and establisher of infant 
 baptism, to whom that corrupt council of Carthage joined, as 
 it is confirmed to us by Wilfred Strabo, who tells us that 
 children were now baptized according to the decree of the coun- 
 cil of Carthage for the taking away original sin, which afore 
 time was not practised. 
 
 Luther, that great champion for truth, says that infant 
 
86 
 
 bnptism was not determined til! Pope Innocentius ; and Gro- 
 tius, in his Annotations on Matt. IQ, says, " It was not en^ 
 joined till the council of Carthage.'* 
 
 Which canons of Pope Innocent were confirmed by Popr 
 Zosimus, his successor, and afterwards by Pope Boniface, and 
 so has continued to be a part and pillar of Popery, in all ao-es 
 to the present time: for what is the church of England's bap- 
 tism of infants, their sureties, their odd-fathers, and their 
 odd-mothers, their cross in baptism, and their saying that 
 they make the infant, by baptism, a child of God, a member 
 of Christ, an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven, but a re- 
 ligious lie, taken from the church of Rome, and put in their 
 mouths by Pope Innocent. When the priest has the daring 
 assurance (not to say ignorance) to lie unto God, when he 
 says, we yield thee hearty thanks that it has pleased thee 
 to regenerate this infant with thy Holy Spirit. Is there 
 then not a lie in his right hand when he says this ? let his 
 own conscience judge ; or if his conscience is at a loss how- 
 to judge, let the life of the infant (if it lives) witness between 
 God and his own soul, whether he did not lie to God when 
 he thanked God heartily that it had pleased him to regenerate 
 it with his Holy Spirit, when only the fruits of sin and the 
 devil appear in the child's life: and indeed Mr. John Wesley, 
 who calls himself a son of the church of England, maintains 
 the primitive faith of Pope Innocent, nay, he rather exceeds, 
 for he says, " As infants are guilty of original sin, it cannot 
 be washed away but by baptism." Again he says, " it is ne- 
 cessary to salvation," — nay he ascribes salvation to it, and 
 says, '' by baptism we who were by nature the children of 
 wrath, are made tlws children of God." Nay but he goes fur- 
 ther, and you must believe him, 7'A(.'o/)//i/M.s, for a man that 
 talks so much of perfection, and is so near infallil)ilil3' t'annot 
 sure mistake, when he (oh! astonishing ignorance) savs, 
 " That by the water of baptisn), we are born again or re"-c- 
 nerated." See his Preservative, page 146. And he has had 
 the assurance to saj*, " thai in saying (his, he ascribes no 
 
87 
 
 greater virtue to baptism than Christ himself -has done/'' 
 Surely he must be a man without conscience, as well as with-* 
 out truth ; for 1 never read before, except in popish hooka 
 (books that I have reason to fear he is too well acquainted 
 with) that ever Christ ascribed any virtue at all to baptism ; 
 though he has that daring and deceitful assurance to tell his 
 people, that in water baptism " a principle of grace is infused 
 which will not be wholly taken away, unless we quench the 
 Holy Spirit of God by long continued wickednesses." How 
 a man dares thus to lie for God, is enough to make one 
 tremble. He says thereby a principle of grace is infused, I 
 deny it ; let him prove it: — He says that " the principle of 
 grace infused will not be wholly taken away, unless we 
 quench the Spirit of God by long continued wicked- 
 ness." — It should then seem that some measure of wicked- 
 ness is safe ; but a long measure, or continued wickedness, is 
 the danger. — What childish ignorance is here ! an allwv- 
 ance of some sin, but danger of much sin, as though 
 God could forbear with some iniquity, but not adeal, as though 
 sin was more powerful to destroy us, than God is to save us ; 
 Oh, wretched doctrine! for, if this be true, what must become 
 of those poor infants, who die unbaptized ? What ! lost for 
 want of a little water, a few drops ? O, amazing ! that such 
 ignorance still continues among the people. 
 
 But methinks, the danger lies here; if the poor infant has a 
 principle of grace infused in baptism, fts Mr. John Weslej/ says 
 it has; and I am sure he ought to know, as he has been 
 attempting to be a teacher in Israel so many 3^ears; then, 
 methinks, the danger lies here at first; for if the poor dear 
 infant has grace infused, we can hardly suppose that it has 
 more drops of grace than there are drops of water in its 
 baptism. Now the infant always shews, if not by crying, yet 
 by frowning, a frovvardness and rebellion against this ordi- 
 nance, and the priest does it of his own will; so that here is 
 rebellion in the child, rebellion in the priest, rebellion in the 
 parents, and rebellion in the people; for it is all of their own 
 
 3 
 
88 
 
 i-ebellious will against the will of God, except the poonr. 
 obliged obedient infant. Queie, whether there is not more 
 rebellion against the will of God, than there is grace given 
 to tha infant? If so, the poor infant, according to Mr. Weslei/s 
 doctrine, is in great danger of being lost at the first onset. 
 But, why should I confiae it to Mr. Wesley's doctrine in this 
 point ? Is it not the same ignorance in the church of England, 
 in the church of Scotland, — and in all the Presbyterian 
 and Inde pendant churches in the kingdom? The church 
 of England comes nearest of any, for if the poor infant 
 be ill or like to die, it admits of its being only half bap- 
 tized. — Now there is great ignorance and great cruelty in 
 this: — great ignorance to think that a half can do so well 
 as the whole, when, they say, the whole is necessary to salva- 
 tion : — great cruelty to the infant, for if the whole is necessary 
 to save it, as they ignorantly say it is, then the poor infant 
 is but half saved, for a half cause can but have a half effect; 
 besides, it is cruelty to the child, for if grace be given, as 
 Mr. Wesley sa^s, in baptismj then it must be cruel to with- 
 hold any part of the ordinance from the child; for conse- 
 quently so much of the ordinance (if we may be allowed to 
 call it so) that is withheld, so much grace is withheld ; but 
 this smells rank of Popery as well as cruelty. 
 
 The church of Scotland says, that the baptism of in- 
 fants, as they call it, seals the covenant of grace ; and that 
 the children are put into the bond of the covenant by it. — 
 Hence it is that we read in their w orks so much of their bap- 
 tismal vows, and baptismal covenant ; one cannot help pity- 
 ing them, for surely, in this point, they ore, with all their 
 knowledge, as ignorant of the Scriptures as Hottentots, for I 
 never read of Baptism being a seal of the covenant of grace, 
 that is only the death of Christ; nor did I ever read in 
 my bible of parents putting their children into the bond of 
 the salvation covenant ; I always thought it was an act of 
 God's grace in Christ before the world began, and not 
 (blessed be God) left to the creature to do. But oh 1 the stu- 
 
pidness of ihem to attempt to forge such igrwrance upon us 
 as to believe in baptismal vows, and baptismal covenants, es^ 
 pecially of thepoor infant's making at eightda3's,oiat furthest 
 a month old, in the name of wonder whence came these? 
 And yet how often does the zealous, traditional preacher call 
 upon them to renew their baptismal vows, and seal at the Lord's 
 supper their baptismal covenant ! was ever such ignorance 
 imposed upon a people of natural understanding, to renew a 
 vow they never made, and to seal a covenant they never heard 
 of in the book of God. 
 
 And in short, the ignorance of the Presbyterians and Inde- 
 pendants (unless they know better than what they practise) 
 is not a hair's breadth short of this ; for if the child be ill at 
 any time before the month be expired, they soon cry out, 
 " Fetch ! O, fetch Mr. such a one, let the child be' baptized, 
 for I am afraid it will die." O ! they would not have their 
 dear little bairn die without being baptized for the whole 
 world, lest it should miss of a safe passage to heaven. Ah ! 
 poor deluded, but pleased ignorant creatures, for what is this 
 but believing in the doctrine of the church of Rome, that 
 baptism or rather sprinkling of an infant is absolutely neces- 
 sary to salvation; but, poor creatures, they are to be pitied, 
 and their priest is to be blamed, who has handled the word 
 of God, upon this point deceitfully to them, insomuch that 
 they have the long path of ignorance, and the wall of pre- 
 judice to get through, before they can come at the truth; 
 or, like the noble Bereans, search the Scriptures, whether 
 the things spoken be so or not. 
 
 Theoph. Surely, Sir, the child must receive some great 
 blessing in baptism, or why do every denomination (except 
 the Baptists) so earnestly contend for it? Nay, I remember 
 Mr. Wesley says, in one of his Journals, that he was ten 
 years old before he sinned away the grace which he received in 
 baptism. 
 
 Pmila. As to the pt;ople of every denomination so earnest- 
 ly contending for it, it is not to be wondered at at all, since 
 they have (received it from the pope and have) been taught 
 
90 
 
 It by their priests that it is necessary to salvation, that it is a 
 seal of the covenant, and that they put their dear bairns 
 thereby into the covenant ; this is the priestcraft of near four 
 thousand ministers of the church of Scotland, and the minis- 
 ters of the church of England, though not such great bigots, 
 yet equally as great cheats ; for they without any nibbling* 
 of conscience, except among a few, put a barefaced religious 
 lie in the mouth of the children, by teaching them to say, in 
 their catechism, that in their baptism they were made a mem- 
 ber of Christ, a child of God, and an inheritor of the king- 
 dom of heaven. And as to Mr. Wesley saying that he was 
 ten years old before he sinned away the grace that he re- 
 ceived in baptism, this puts me in mitid of something hu- 
 morous that happened one evening : being at supper with 
 two gentlemen, one a doctor and the other a tradesman, re- 
 ligion chanced to be the subject of the conversation, upon 
 which, 1 remember, the tradesman told the doctor, " that if 
 he was to change his religion he would turn Roman Catho- 
 lic.*' — ^To which the doctor replied,—" You change your re- 
 ligion ! 'tis impossible for you, Sir, to change your religion ;" 
 — upon which the tradesman was for a minute, as it were, 
 stunned, then recovering himself, very solemnly said to the 
 doctor,—" Sir, I suppose you think I have none to change;" 
 " that's the very case," said the doctor. So may I say of Mr". 
 Wesley's sinning away at ten years old the grace he received 
 in baptism ; for he bad not then, nor I think he has none in 
 a true sense now; and my reasons for it, perhaps, may sur- 
 prise him and the world too another time. — However, if he 
 liad any grace, as he tells us, he had in his baptism, if so, he 
 was an exceeding wicked boy at ten years old ; for he tells us, 
 page 139, i» bis Preservative, " that this grace is in baptism 
 not wholly taken away, but by continued wickedness."— Ah, 
 wicked boy! to be so wicked so young, as to sin away the 
 grace of his baptism, as he tells you in his Journal, he began 
 to fall from grace early indeed. 
 
 But this is like Mr. Wesley, and will well account to him 
 for his doctrine of falling away from grace; for it is 
 
91 
 
 €asy to fall from such grace as this; but to fall from 
 everlasting arms, from ahnighty power, and unchanging 
 love, is what will try him to prove; but it is like his 
 ignorant stuff, that he would fain impose upon us coticern- 
 ing the sureties for the infant in baptism, when he tells us, 
 *' that when the sponsors, who are called by the church of 
 England (however ignorantly yet surely blasphemously) god- 
 fathers and godmotliQi's, that these who in the most sacred 
 and solemn manner, promise and vow three things : first, 
 " that the child shall renounce the devil and all his works;" 
 secondly, ** that it shall constantly believe Goo's holy word;" 
 thirdly, " and obediently keep his commandments." When 
 they solemnly engage this for the child, by saying before 
 God " I will," yet Mr. Wesley has the daring assurance to tell 
 us, page 137, in his Preservative, '* that they promise nothing 
 at all, that they engage for nothing, it is another person that 
 promises all this." And who do ye think, Theophilus, this 
 person is that promises all this, can you judge ? 
 
 Theoph. Sit, I cannot, unless he means the priest; but 
 that he cannot do. 
 
 Phi LA. JSo, amazing ignorance! he tells you, " that 
 whatever is then promised or undevtciken, is not by them but 
 by the child." 
 
 Theovh. O astonishing ! can Mr. Wesley let down him- 
 self so low to maintain a Popish tradition, as to be the subject 
 of lahghter? What can the child of a month old promise or 
 vow ? Does he think to impose such absurd stuff, that is void 
 of reason, sense or truth, upon mankind? If he does, he will 
 only render himself despised by persons of understanding, 
 however he may engross the affections and impose upon the 
 understanding of an ignorant people. 
 
 Phi LA. But, is it not time, dear Theophilus, that we had 
 done with this digression, and proceed to trace believers' bap- 
 tism through every century to the present age ? 
 
 Fifth century : — In this age believers' baptism was asserted 
 *nd defended by many eminent writers. 
 
 Chrysostom says, that the time of grace or conversion was 
 
9^ 
 
 the only fit time for baptism, ** which (says he) was the sea^ 
 son in which the three thousand in Acts ii. and others after- 
 wards were baptized,'* And again he says, " the princi[)al 
 thing in baptism to be looked after is the spirit," see Magd. 
 Cent. V. p. 363. 
 
 Faustus Regiensis, a bishop in France, taught in this age, 
 that the will and desire of the party that comes to be baptized 
 is necessary. 
 
 Evegrius says, '^'^that they who have been instructed in the 
 word of God, were the proper subjects of baptism," see Mem- 
 ing, page 421, 425. 
 
 Century the sixth : — In this age believers were baptized 
 upon a profession of their faith is evident. Gregory say^, 
 " in baptism the elect reoeive the gift of the spirit, whereby 
 also their understandings are enlightened fin the Scriptures, 
 and that by faith in the death of Christ by baptism their 
 sins are forgiven." In this century the council of Agaihen 
 decreed, that the articles of faith be first preached to the per- 
 sons to be baptized, before they are baptized, see Vicecome's 
 History of Baptism, page 482. 
 
 Century the seventh : — In this age we find that the Bra- 
 carens council, in Spain, decreed, that no adult person but such 
 who had been well instructed and examined should be baptized. 
 
 The council of Tolitanus express the same import ; and we 
 find that Paulinus baptized in the river Trent, in England, a 
 great number both of men and women. See Bede, 1. 2. chap. 
 l6. cent. 7, page 145; and in Egypt, it is said, that the Chris- 
 tians departed from the faith and practice of the church of 
 Rome, placing it upon the Apostolical foundation, that the 
 person should first believe before he is baptized, VicecomeSj 
 1. 9. chap. 3. 
 
 Century the eighth ;— In this age we find that the learned 
 Bede says, page 2'20, " That men were first to be instructed in 
 the knowledge of the truth, then to be baptized as Christ 
 has taught, because that withopt faith it is impossjble to 
 please God." altn> ynuiu ^vi b-iiiuo': >;■> i 4 
 
 The learned Haime, upon Matt. xKsiii. 19, says, *' in these 
 
03 
 
 words is set down the rule how to baptize, that- is, that teach- 
 ino- should go before baptism, for he saitli, that Christ 
 says, teach all nations, then baptize ; for he that is to be bap- 
 tized must first be instructed to believe what he in baptism 
 shall receive." 
 
 Likewise the council of Paris, and that of Laodicea decreed, 
 Uiat those who are baptized ought first to be instructed in the 
 faith, and to make ^confession thereof. 
 
 Century the ninth : — In this age we find that Rabanus, in 
 chap. 4, says, " That the catechism, which is the doctrine 
 of faith, must go before baptism, to the intent that he that 
 is to be baptized may first learn the mysteries of faith, 
 and likewise observes, the Lord Christ anointed the eyes 
 of him that was born blind, with clay made of spittle, before 
 he sent him to the waters of Shiloah, to signify that he that 
 is to be baptized, must first see or be instructed in the faith, 
 concerning the incarnation of Christ, when he that is in- 
 structed doth believe, then he is to be admitted to bnptism, 
 that he might know whom he afterwards ought and in duty is 
 bound to serve." 
 
 Albinus says, " Three things are visible in baptism, the 
 body, the water, and the administrator ; and three things in- 
 visible, the soul, faith, and the Spirit of God, which are all 
 joined by the word of God," cent. 8, page 220. 
 
 Rabanus likewise observes, " that the adult were first to be 
 instructed in the faith, and duly examined before they were 
 baptized; and that as Noah ^nd his family werse saved by 
 water and the ark; so the faithful are saved by Christ and 
 baptism," — cent. 8, page 144. 
 
 Century the tenth :— In this age we find that Smaragdo, 
 on Matt. xxvi. 19, says, " Men are to be taught in the faith, 
 then after to be baptized therein ; for it is not enough that 
 the body be baptized, but that the soul by faith first received 
 the truth thereof," page 187. 
 
 Century eleventh :— Anlsem says, " That believers are bap- 
 tized into the death of Christ ; that believing his death, 
 
94 
 
 and confonnitig tlieieto, may as dying with him live also with 
 him," cent. 11, page IG9. — And again he says," the baptism 
 of Christ is the washing of water into the word of life ; take 
 away either the water or the word, ba|)tism ceaselh," And 
 he has anotlier pious thouglit upon it, when he says, " Who- 
 ever is baptized hath heaven opened to him, and knows that 
 God is tliere above ready to receive him, which, as by the 
 steps of a bidder, he must from his baptism ascend to him, 
 for Solomon says, the way of life is above to the wise," 
 page 1 16. 
 
 It appears that in this age the baptism of believers was as- 
 serted and practised by the Waldenses, and the Albigenses, . 
 Twisk Chron. lib. 1 1, upon the year 1 100, page 423. Likewise 
 Peter Bruis, a learned author in Thoulouse, in France, and 
 his followers, who were not a few, were zealous assertors and 
 practisers of baptism after faith and repentance, see the Dutch 
 Martyrology, cent. U. 
 
 Century the twelth :—Alburtus Magnus says, " The laver 
 of baptism is not proper but to the illuminated and called, 
 who can draw virtue from the death of Christ, and his re- 
 surrection, cent. "i3, page 413. 
 
 Likewise Thomas Aquinas says, "That in baptism God 
 works inwardly, as he dispenseth the ordinance outwardly, that 
 there is not only a consecration of the soul to God but the 
 body, because the whole man by baptism is dedicated to God, 
 for by baptism we die to the life of sin, and begin to live a 
 new life of grace," page 424. — " And in this century there 
 was a great spread of those who practised believers' baptism." 
 see Twisk Chron. 1. 13, page 528, 529. 
 
 Century the thirteenth :— in which we find that Jacob Mer- 
 ningussays, " That he had in his hand, in the German tongue, 
 aconfessionof the faith of the baptists, called Waldenses, whick 
 asserts, that in the beginning of Christianity there was no 
 such thing as baptizing of infants, and that their forefathers 
 practised no such thing, as Johamrus Bohemius writes in his 
 second book ; and Meringus's History of Baptism, part % page 
 
9o ^ 
 
 738. — And it is likewise observed, '' that this faitli and prac- 
 tice made a prodigious spread through Poland, Lombardy 
 Germany, and Holland," see Mering upon cent. IS, page 
 737. And Montantiis, page 86. 
 
 Century the fourteenth : — In which we find that Carious, 
 bishop of Meyland, did exhort the ministers under his charge, 
 that they should first teach the faith; and that only upon a 
 confession of faith, and a good conversation, they should ad- 
 minister baptism, Mering, page 740. 
 
 In this century the baptists were many, especially in Bohe- 
 mia, which the confession of the Tbaborites, in the year 1431, 
 confirms, who say we do from our hearts acknowledge that the 
 ordinance of baptism is a washing which is performed with 
 water, wdiich according to Christ's words, doth hold out 
 (that is in a figure) the washing of the soul from sin, accord- 
 ing to Christ's command, Matt, xxviii. IQ, and his practice, 
 being himself before baptized in Jordan, see Mering's History 
 of Baptism, page 743, 744. 
 
 CeiHury the fifteenth ; — Jn which Meringus tells us, page 
 772, " That there was more increase than ever of the doctrine 
 of baptizing believers." 
 
 And Twisk says, in his Chronology, page 930, " that in the 
 year 1507, the Waldenses, who were baptists, were much 
 spread in Hungary." — And as a satisfaction that these Wal- 
 denses were baptists, Montantus, in his impress the second, 
 says, " that the Waldenses in the public declarations of their 
 faith to the French king, in the year 152 J, assert in the 
 strongest terms, the baptizing of believers, and denying that 
 of infants." 
 
 And Balthazer Lydias testifies, " That at this time there 
 were several churches in Thessalonica, in Greece, supposed 
 to continue successively from the Apostles' time, agreeing 
 with the faith of the Waldenses." See Balthazer Lydias, in 
 his third treatise of the Waldenses. And Meringus likewise 
 observes, '* that two persons were sent from the churches in 
 Thessalonica to find some of the same faith with themselves. 
 
90 
 
 and coining into Switzerland they were taken prisoners, anc! 
 put into the Castle of Passau, who declared to many that 
 they had in their care (meaning I suppose, at Ttiessalonica) 
 the original of Paul's Epistles, which he sent to them." See 
 Meringus's History of Baptism, page 739. 
 
 Century the sixteenth : — In this age we find that Jacob de 
 Roor, a prisoner, in Bruges, in Flanders, stedfastly owned 
 and maintained that baptism that Christ had commanded, 
 after teaching and believing, " This (says he) the apostles 
 practised, and must needs be after believing, because it is 
 for the burying of sin, the bath or evidence of regeneration, 
 the covenant of a Christian's life, the putting on the body of 
 Christ, and planting into the true olive tree Christ Jesus, 
 and for the right entrance into the spiritual ark, whereof 
 Christ Jesus is the builder." See Dutch Martyrology, 
 page 15- 
 
 Erasmus Is very particular in his paraphrase upon Matt„ 
 xxviii. 19, who says, " When you have taught them the 
 word of God, if they then believe and receive it, and are 
 ready and willing to embrace the doctrine of the gospel, then 
 let them be baptized with water, in the name of the Father, 
 and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, that they may be 
 written among the number (I suppose he meant among the 
 number of the brethren in the church) who trusted in Christ, 
 and were, through the merits of bis death, freed and washed 
 from their sins, and received to be the children of GoD." 
 
 The great Beza, who wrote a translation and notes upon 
 the Bible, says upon 1 Cor. vii. 14. " that to permit children 
 to be baptized, was unheard of in the primitive church, where 
 every one ought to be instructed in the faith before he i» 
 baptized." 
 
 And Bucer, that great man of God, says, " that in the con- 
 gregation of God, confession of sin is always first before bap- 
 tism; and that in the beginning of the church, no man wa» 
 baptized and received into the congregation but those, who 
 through hearing the word, wholly gave themselves over t» 
 
97 
 
 CHRist, see his book entitled "The Ground Work and 
 Cause," &c. 
 
 And Luther, that great champion for God, says of old, 
 " The ordinance of baptism was administrated to none, ex- 
 cept to those who acknowledged and confessed their faith." 
 And of the same judgment were Grotiiis, Zuinglius, BuHinger, 
 M elancthon, Chaucer, Hammond, and Field ; but above all 
 the fiealous Mr. Baxter, who was, in his day, a noted enemy 
 to the Baptists; yet, when simple truth was before him, and 
 prejudice did not overcome him, to his own honour and to 
 the honour of truth, he says, when treating upon Philip bap- 
 tizing the eunuch, " that the constant order of the gospel is, 
 that baptism- must follow faith ;'^ nay, he adds (which is re- 
 markable, but is no more than the truth) " that it is no better 
 than an impious profanation of the ordinance, if it go with- 
 out faith ; that is (says he) if the party seek it without faith, 
 or if the pastor administrate it without a profession of faith." 
 If then this be the case, how self condemned must every 
 Pedobaptist be; and hfereby you see, Theophilus, that God 
 does not only out of the mouth of babes ordain strength, but 
 out of the mouth of enemies to believers' baptism, ordain a 
 glory to his name in the truth of his ordinance. 
 
 Phi LA. Theophilus, as it was your desire to hear again 
 wiiat the great men in Israel had said upon this truth, you 
 will pardon my freedom with presenting you afresh, with an 
 army of the champions in Israel all slain by their own sword, 
 acknowledging the truth, but not practising it. This weak- 
 ness (not lo say wickedness) but wavering from the truth in 
 their own conscience, I would not have exposed, was it not 
 that I find, that the ignorance and prejudice of both minis- 
 ters and people, are established thereby; that they will not 
 believe that their Goliahs are all slain, unless you show them 
 their heads cut off with their own sword. 
 
 Casaubon, " The manner of baptizing was to plunge or 
 dip into the water, as even the word B«7r7»^«» itself plainly 
 enough shev^s," On Matt. iii. 6. 
 o 
 
98 
 
 Zanchlus, " It signifies properly to plunge, dip. — So the 
 antient church used to dip those that were baptized, so 
 Christ descended into Jordan and was baptized; and so 
 others were baptized by John/' In vol. ii. on Eph. p. 217- 
 
 Calvin, " The very word baptizing signifies to dipr; and 
 it is certain, that the rite of dipping was observed of the an- 
 cient church." Just, lib, iv. chap. xv. sect. 19. 
 
 Luther, " Baptism is a Greek word, and mtiy be translated 
 a dipping, when we dip something in water, that it may be 
 covered with water, and though it be for the most part al- 
 most altogether abolished, for neither do they dip the whole 
 children, but only sprinkle them with a little water; they 
 ought nevertheless to be wholly dipped and presently drawn 
 out again, for that the etymology of the word seems to re- 
 quire. — I would have those that are to be baptized, to be 
 wholl}' dipped into the water, as the word imports, and the 
 mystery doth signify," torn. 1 de Baptism, fol. 71, and torn. ii. 
 fol. 19. 
 
 Dr. Hammond, " B«7rIt«r/i*o? signifies an immersion, or 
 washing the whole body/' Annot. on John xiii. 10. 
 
 Bishop Taylor, " If you would attend to the proper signifi- 
 cation of the word baptism, it signifies plunging in water, or 
 dipping with washing. Rule of Conscience, 3, c. 4. 
 
 Dr. Owen, " For the original and natural signification of 
 it, it signifies to dip, to plunge, \o dye, to wash, to cleanse— 
 " That no honest man who understands the Greek tongue, can 
 deny the word tO' signify to dip." Posthumous Works, 
 p 681. 
 
 Chambers, "The word baptism is formed from the Greek 
 BaTrTi^a;, of Bfiplo, I dip or plunge. — That, in the primitive 
 times, this ceremony was performed by immersion, as it is to 
 this day in the Oriental churches, according to the original 
 signifit^ation of the word. 
 
 All the best lexicographers and critics render it as synoni- 
 mous with its primitive B«7r1w,- and such as call it a dirninu- 
 tive, have not proved it so. Our learned translators thus ren- 
 1 
 
99 
 
 tier the word, Luke xvi. £4, John xiii. 26, Rev. xix. 13, Luke 
 xi. 38, Mark vii. 4, where baptism is not intended ; but in no 
 place to pour or sprinkle. And though pouring and sprink- 
 ling do often occur in the Old Testament, the Seventy, who 
 no doubt were masters ol" the Greek, if not of the Hebrew, 
 do not once use the word to express either ; but often to dip, 
 as a distinct rite from pouring or sprinkling; and also Job ix. 
 31, to plunge. Nor have Grecian writers (as Mr. John 
 Brovvn observes, in his Treatise upon baptism) used the words 
 as expressive of pouring or sprinkling : that it is evident our 
 Lord's commission was to dip and not to pour or sprinkle. 
 And if we may recede the letter of the word, which expresses 
 the mode of a positive institution, it can be no certain rule for 
 our faith and practice ; such a liberty is denied with regard to 
 Christian doctrines, nor ought it to be granted as to 
 Christian worship. And as we believe no set of men have a 
 power to alter the mode of a divine ordinance, or substitute 
 one of their own invention in its room, we choose to adhere 
 to the letter of the word, and the primitive practice of 
 the church; knowing it must be an high affront to stamp di- 
 vine authority, in so solemn a manner, on modes of worship of 
 our own devising. 
 
 2dly, Wherever washing is mentioned in the New Testa- 
 ment, as having the least allusion to baptism, it is expressed 
 by ^s« and its compound xttoXhu, Heh. x. 22, which signifies 
 no less than bathing or washing the whole body ; so that 
 pouring or sprinkling" is not baptism, but washing by immer- 
 sion. It is strongly pleaded B«7rli{w signifies, to wash as well 
 as to dip ; we freely own it does washing by dipping, as a 
 consequence thereof: and indeed had our translators been 
 so ingenuous as to have given us the native meaning of 
 the word in English, which is to dip, there would never 
 have been any disputation upon this sacred ordinance of 
 Christ. 
 
 Grotius, " They were more solicitous to cleanse themselves 
 from the defilement they had contracted in the market} and 
 
100 
 
 therefore, they not only washed their hands, but immersed 
 their whole body." Annot. on Matt. vii. 4. 
 
 Likewise Mr. Brown rightly observes, " that the places 
 chosen fox baptism, and the particular circumstances on di- 
 vine record respecting both the persons baptizing and those 
 baptized, confirm us, that pouring or sprinkling is not bap-r 
 tism. We ought to be satisfied with the proper and natural 
 sigiiificjvtion pf the letter of the word, as to the mode of an 
 ordinance. If we act according to its real sense, we are sure 
 to be right. Nor are we left to the sense of a single word, 
 but the precise meaning of it you see is explained by another 
 that signifies the bathing or dipping of the whole body. And 
 further, for the satisfaction of sincere and unprejudiced 
 minds, that baptism is an immersion or dipping, and not a 
 pouring or sprinkling, the word informs us of the places where 
 and several particular circumstances of the administration of 
 baptism. John made choice of the river Jordan ; he baptized 
 in {Mat. iii. l6. Mark i. 5, 9, 10.) the river, and not on the 
 banks side or shore of it. So our Lord was baptized 
 by John in Jordan ; and when he was baptized, went 
 straightway out of the water, as both evangelists, Matthew 
 and Mark, testily; and not from the river-side, or shore only, 
 up the banks of tlie river. It cannot rationally be supposed, 
 th^t John and our Lord would have gone into the river, for 
 one to pour or sprinkle a little water on the other. The most 
 strenuous espousers of that practice will not do so, lest they 
 should be thought ridiculous. John also chose {John iii. 23.) 
 Enon near Salem to baptize in, and the reason is assigned, 
 because there was much water there. Whether there were 
 many waters, a deep river, or a conflux of many rivulets, or 
 springs of water, need not to be disputed, as the mode of 
 pouring or sprinkling requires none of these ; a little quan- 
 tity would have been sufficient : but it is evident much water 
 is mentioned, denoting thereby, it was a suitable place to im- 
 merse or dip persons in." 
 
 Witsius says, ** thaf the immehion into the water reprc- 
 
iOi 
 
 cents to us that tremendous abyss of divine justice in which 
 Christ was plunged. — An immersion of this kind, deprives 
 us of the benefit of the light, and the other enjoyments of this 
 world ; so it is a very fit representation of the death of Christ. 
 The continuing how short soever, under the water, represents 
 his burial. — The immersion or coming out of the water, gives 
 us some resemblance of his resurrection. — Baptism also sig-, 
 nifies fellowship in the death, burial, and resurrection of 
 Christ.'' 
 
 The principal desigii of baptism, is to represent the death, 
 burial, and resurrection of Christ, and the fellowship of be- 
 lievers with him therein, which further confirms the mode to 
 be immersion, and not pouring or sprinkling. Some warm 
 advocates for sprinkling deny this, because their mode af- 
 fords no resemblance of a burial or resurrection ; and rather 
 than give up their favourite opinion, are for eclipsing the 
 glory of this ordinance of Jesus Christ, by asserting, 
 water baptism is not intended in those texts that speak of 
 our being buried with Christ, (Rom. vi. 4. Col. ii. 12.) &c. 
 yet these same persons will bring the Colossian text, as 
 the only one, to prove that water baptism came in the 
 yoom of circumcision. How unfair are such reasoners ! 
 but judicious and learned pedobaptists freely own, that water 
 baptism is intended as performed by immersion, in Ro?n. 
 yi. 4. 
 
 Grotius saith, " Not only these words, but the forms of 
 baptism dq intimate thus much; i. e. a death to sin : for the 
 total immersion of the body so far under water as to be for 
 a while covered from sight, carries an image of that burial 
 which is given to the dead." 
 
 Piscator, " It seems to respect the antient rite, when as 
 the whole body was dipt into the water, and so ^s it were 
 buried, and presently again drawn out as out of the grave." 
 Annot. on Rom. vi. 4. Col. ii. J 2. 
 
 Mastricht, " It alludes to baptism, as it was wont to be 
 administered in the time of Chuist and his Apostle, not by 
 
^ 102 
 
 aprinkling, but immersion, bj which the baptized was as 
 buried in water/' Theologia, p. 917. 
 
 Dr. Hammond, " It is a thing that every Christian knows, 
 that the immersion in baptism refers to the death of Christ ; 
 the putting the person baptized into the water, denotes and 
 proclaims the death and burial of Ch R ist." Annot. in Rom, vi. 4. 
 
 Burkitt, ** The Apostle alludes, no doubt, to the ancient 
 manner and way of baptizing persons in those hot coun- 
 tries, which was by immersion, or putting them underwater 
 for a time and then raising them again out of the water." 
 Expos. Rom. vi. 4, 
 
 Dr. Manton, '^Baptism signifieth the death and burial of 
 Christ, for immersion under water is a kind of figure of 
 death and burial — the putting the baptized person into the 
 water, denoteth and proclaimeth the burial of Christ ; 
 and we, by submitting to it, are baptized with him, or 
 profess to be dead to sin, for none but the dead are buried ; 
 so that it signifieth Christ's death for sin, and our dying 
 to sin — as a significant emblem, for the going up out of the 
 water is a kind of a resurrection ; so it signifieth Christ's re- 
 surrection and ours." Expos. Rom. vi. 4. 
 
 It would be imposing upon your understanding as well as 
 your patience, to proceed to the last century, when you can- 
 not but know how many great men in Israel have, from a 
 consciousness of the truth, embraced the believers' baptism. 
 —Mr. Smith, Mr. Tombes, brought up at the University of 
 Oxford, of whom Dr. Calamy says all the world must own 
 him to be a considerable man, and an eminent scholar. 
 • — Nelson says, he was a person of incomparable parts; Mr. 
 Wall, though an enemy to the baptists, says, " Mr. Tombeu 
 was a man of the best parts in the nation." And he adds, 
 *' perhaps in any other." He wrote 28 books, and was pas- 
 tor of a small baptist churcli, at Bewdley in Worcestershire, 
 where he practised baptism by immersion, and had the joy 
 to see tluee eminent ministers raised up in the church, Mr. 
 Adams, Mr. Eccles, Mr. Baylston, 
 
103 
 
 There was Mr, Henry Denne, wlio was broirght up at the 
 univeisity of Cambridge, he was committed to prison for 
 preaching against infant baptism ; and while in prison he 
 wrote a judicious treatise, entitled, the foundation of chil- 
 dren's baptism discovered and raised. He wrote six books; 
 the last is called a contention for truth, upon which, a neigh- 
 bouring clergyman puts this epitaph upon his grave, which 
 was, 
 
 To tell his goodness, wisdom, learning unto men, 
 I need say no more-^but here lies Henry Denne. 
 
 Another eminent for his learning, tenderness of conscience, 
 zeal )"or truth, and love to unity, peace and concord was Mr. 
 Henry Jessey, educated at Sr. John's College, Cambridge, he 
 wrote seven books. 
 
 Likewise Mr. William Dell, who was a famous preacher 
 in his day, brought up at Cambridge, and was chaplain 
 to the army under Sir Thomas Fairfax. — He wrote five 
 books. 
 
 Besides, there was Mr. Hanseed, who had a liberal edu- 
 cation, brought up at Cambridge, was a Graduate and a Pres- 
 byter of the church of England, but afterwards, for truth's 
 sake, embraced believers' baptisin, and gathe'red a baptist 
 ,church in St. Helen's London, and was a prosperous preacher. 
 — His journeys were many, his trials great, his faith strong, 
 his patience remarkable, and his death triumphant. He wrote 
 twelve books. 
 
 Mr. Francis Cornwel was likewise another eminent man for 
 God. He was brought up at Cambridgr-, and was student 
 at Immanuel's college, and master of arts. He enjoyed a 
 living in Kent, but (what is remarkable) upon his searching 
 the scriptures, respecting the truth and antiquity of baptism, 
 he cries out, "O! that the learned English ministry would 
 inform me, lest my blood, like Abel's, cry aloud for ven*- 
 geance, for not satisfying a troubled conscience. How shall 
 I admit, or believe the infant of a believer to be made a visible 
 member of a visible church or fit to be baptized, before it 
 be able to make confession of faith and repentance ?*' Upon 
 
104 
 
 which he writes a book called the "Royal commission of 
 King Jesus. He resigned his church Hving, and gathered 
 a baptist people in Kent, and was succeeded by his son in 
 the ministry. 
 
 Another great and worthy man was Mr. Benjamin Cox, a 
 man of no mean figure in learning and birth; he was a 
 bishop's son, a Graduate in the University, and a zealous 
 minister for a time in the church of England ; but when 
 he became so humble as to take his religion from the scrip- 
 tures, he soon became a great defender of believers* baptism, 
 and a leading minister among the baptist churches in 
 London. 
 
 Mr. Daniel Dyke was likewise another great preacher in 
 Israel, who had his education at Cambridge, was chaplain 
 to Oliver Cromwell, when Lord Protector of England, who 
 was chosen and ordained co-pastor with Mr. Kiffin to the 
 congregation of baptists at Devonshire-square, London, and 
 continued a faithful labourer to his death ; a man of great hu- 
 mility, modesty, and learning. 
 
 Mr. Fisher, who was well known for his knowledge in Elo 
 quence, Rhetoric, Poetry, Greek, and Latin; he had a pa- 
 rochial living of 5001. a year in Kent, which he freely resign- 
 ed for the love of truth, and joined with a baptist congrega- 
 tion at Ashford in Kent, wheie he continued in the ministry, 
 became before thousands a zealous defender of the truth, and 
 baptized many hundreds : he was an ornament to the truth 
 in life and death. — He wrote a book, which is often lobe 
 seen, intituled B-by Baptism mere Babism, a severe irony, 
 but through preachers' ignorance or prejudice, not more se- 
 vere than true; for if people will remain so ignorant, and 
 will not barken to the word of God, but will teach for doc- 
 trine the commandments of men, or rather the institution of 
 the Pope, they must expect to be told of it who has required 
 this at your hands. 
 
 We might likewise mention the pious Mr. Francis Bramfield, 
 a man of birth and great learning, having an University edu- 
 cation, he was first ordained a Deacon, then a Presbyter of 
 
105 
 
 the church of England. He had a license from under the 
 hands of two Kings, and the Protector of England to preach, 
 which was obtained by friends for him. He was the first that 
 set up separate meetings. He gathered a congregation in 
 London, and went through much sufferings; was often car- 
 ried from his meeting to prison, where he ceaaed not to preach 
 in the name of Jesus, and gathered there a few people to 
 the truth, where he died. He wrote nine books, and some 
 of his works are very extraordinary. 
 
 We may likewise mention that great man of God, Vavasor 
 Powel, being of a noble ancient family. He was brought up 
 ascholar, and was a man (after God called him by his grace) 
 of uncommon zeal in religion, and his labours and perils were 
 more abundant than any of his brethren. He left the na* 
 tional church, and joined to u congregational church at Dart- 
 ford, in Kent ; from thence he went to his native country 
 Wales, where he was a zealous labourer in the gospel, and 
 settled near twenty churches there, or rather the Lord ga- 
 thered them and planted them by him. He wrote nine books ; 
 many things in them are excellent. 
 
 And here we should not forget the pious Mr. Edward Sten- 
 net, who greatly suffered in his circumstances for the sake 
 of truth and a good conscience. His residence was a safety 
 to his person, being in a castle at Wallingford, where no 
 warrant could enter but of a lord chief justice, which was once 
 through malice, issued out against him, but Providence won- 
 derfully appeared for his deliverance. He had two sons, mi- 
 nisters ; Benjamin, who died young, and Joseph, who wrote 
 a judicious defence of believers' baptism; his works are many, 
 and praise him much. He was a zealous Christian, an affec- 
 tionate preacher, a warm lover of the sacred name of Jesus, 
 a favourite at court, and a faithful friend to the dissenters. 
 His son, whose name is, at this day, affectionately engraved 
 in the breasts of many, shone with superior lustre in all the 
 glories of the father, as a minister, as a Christian, as a scholar, 
 as a gentleman, and a favourite at court ; as a father, as a 
 p 
 
106 
 
 friend, and a patron of that which was amiable, lovely, and 
 of good report. He had a tender heart and a relieving hand 
 to those in distress. His qualifications as a minister were not 
 small, but particularly affectionate ; and towards his latter 
 end, was more evangelical and deep in the gospel. His son, 
 who succeeds him, has an affectionate heart, but too armini- 
 anized understanding, at present, ever to arise to the honours 
 of his progenitors in the gospel. He has arrived at some 
 heights, but nothing like to those worthies before mentioned in 
 Israel ; for at present his shoe-latchets are scarce wet in the 
 waters of the sanctuary. But why mention I this, when it 
 is as far as most of the genteel gentlemen preachers go ? For 
 they all seem to me to worship God rather like strangers in 
 Israel, than like citizens and children in Zion ; for they seem 
 to know little of that hfe, love, union, and fellowship with 
 God, as children with a father in the temple, which God 
 has pitched and not man. 
 
 There is the great Doctor Gill, whose understanding is 
 great, and is one of the best scholars in the kingdom. He 
 has wrote several pieces in defence of believers' baptism. He 
 has been a zealous defender of many truths of the gospel, par- 
 ticularly God's everlasting love to his elect, eternal union 
 with Christ, free justification, the glory of Christ's righte- 
 ousness, efficacious grace, and believers' final perseverance ; 
 in these he has excelled many who have gone before him ; 
 but had his writings been less prolix and more spiritual, they 
 would have been far more profitable ; but the marrow of his 
 works lies in his Exposition on the Song of Songs, and God's 
 everlasting love to his elect. — Of late he has strangely erred 
 both in his spirit and in understanding ; — inspirit as to his 
 polemical writings, in showing rather the strength of anger 
 than that of argument; and especially in lately cutting off a 
 member from his church, purely to please his froward will, 
 without ever sending a church member to him to admonish 
 him, or admit him to come before the church or his accusers; 
 nay, he was by letter threatened with a prosecution, if lie at- 
 tempted to take his place in the church. 
 
107 
 
 Theoph. Sir, T have heard with pleasure the united chain 
 and testimonies of the truth of believers*^ baptism, through 
 every age and century to the present time ; but, surely, sir, 
 there must be something particular in the Doctor's member, 
 that could cause him and the church to use him so unlike 
 Christians, and so contrary to the rule of Christ? 
 
 Phila. The case was particular; the person, who was the 
 Doctor's member, is Mr. Isaac Harmon, that is his name, for 
 it is no secret. See a letter published and addressed to the 
 Doctor as Pastor of the church. See likewise the eternal ge- 
 neration Creed published by Mr. Harmon himself, being a 
 creed without credit. 
 
 The case was this : Mr. Isaac Harmon has, for more than 
 these sixteen years, believed that the Lord Jesus Christ, in 
 his DIVINE Nature, Person, Being, or Existence, ever 
 was independent, eternal, self-existent, and enjoys essentially 
 every divine perfection, and is as such the object of glory, 
 and to him is ascribed every divine property, and therefore 
 he is the God of glory ; and every divine name being given 
 him, such as Jah Jehovah, Jehovah Elohim, Mighty God, 
 everlasting Father, therefore he must exist of and from him- 
 self; whereas the Doctor always in his preaching and in his 
 writing, describes the Lord Jesus in his divine person, as 
 being begotten by an eternal generation ; and has this daring 
 (pardon me if I say blasphemous) expression in his book up- 
 on the Trinity, page 176, we believe that Jesus Christ is 
 hegotten as God, and a thousand more such like expressions 
 run through his works, which Mr. Harmon justly and very 
 spiritedly observed, that such expressions were without truth, 
 sense, or scripture ; destructive to the essential and primor- 
 dial glory of Christ ; that they were the pillar of Arianism, 
 and as such he could be no more the object of worship and 
 adoration than any other creature, or an idol of gojd, silver, 
 wood, or stone; for this (though he was willing to dispute the 
 point with the Doctor) he was, by the arbitrary power of his 
 judge, without ajury of his peers, cut off. -. 
 
108 
 
 Theoph. What answer can the Doctor give to this ? 
 
 Phila. He never attempts but one, which is this, that the 
 divine nature of Christ is not begotten, but his divine per- 
 son. — To this he has been asked again and again, if the di- 
 vine nature of Christ ever did, or ever could exist, or be 
 without his divine person; if it could, his divine glory is 
 prior to his personal glory ; but to end this, is not the essen- 
 tial glory of Christ, his personal glory? — if ic is said, yes, then 
 it follows that his personal glory, and his essential or natural 
 
 glory is ONE self-existing glory : he has likewise been 
 
 asked, is the personalglory of the Father natural or essential, 
 yes! and he affirms, that the glory of Christ is the same 
 with the Father; but how can this be, if the one be essen- 
 tial, and the other only begotten. O amazing, that this dear, 
 this great man in Israel, has so veiled and eclipsed the glory 
 of Him that is the glory of Heaven, the glory of Saints, the 
 glory of the church, the glory of God, or as the Apostle ex- 
 presseth it, " who is the brightness of his glory, and the ex- 
 press image of his person." Here I could almost make use 
 of Mary's melting expression, They have taken away my 
 Lord and I know not where they have laid him. Can Om- 
 nipotence, or he that is the omnipresent God be begotten ? 
 can the Creator be begotten? can Jehovah Shallom, Jeho- 
 vah Jireh, Jehovah Shammah be begotten? can he that 
 was without beginning be begotten? can he whose dwelling 
 ever was in etei nity be begotten, whose nature is glory, and 
 whose name is the King eternal, &,c. All these questions must 
 be answered before I dare believe it. For, does not the di- 
 vine Emanuel say. Rev. ii. 8. I am the first, I am that I 
 AM > And does not the Holy Ghost say. From everlasting to 
 everlasting thou art God: and again. When he could swear by 
 no greater, he szcare by himself. — Now, can that being that is 
 essentially the first; or can God that has every divine per- 
 fection and glory in himself, and Irom himself, which the 
 Hebrew word I am signifies, be begotten? can that being 
 which is in its own essence from everlasting be begotten,. o^ 
 
109 
 
 He that could swear by no greater than himself exist by ge- 
 neration? Be astonished^ O Heavens ! at this. Yet so dark 
 is this great man in Israel, and so stubbornly confident in this 
 soul trembling error, in denying the essential personal glory 
 of the Lord Jesus Christ, that he daringly says, and is fre- 
 quently in his preaching and writing attempting to prove, 
 that the Lord Jesus has no existence as a divine person ; but 
 as he is begotten by what he calls eternal generation, that he 
 has made it an article of faith, for every one of his members, 
 in the presence of God, to declare, before he will receive them 
 into his church communion, a thing never heard of in this 
 world before. — And indeed in his late writings he has, upon 
 this subject, let himself down so low, that we are obliged to 
 him rather for the spirit of anger than argument. Is it not 
 something below the Christian, the scholar, or the gentleman, 
 when he calls his antagonists, ignorant scribblers, and rotten 
 hearts; as to ignorant scribblers, the epithet is as unjust as 
 it is low and mean ; for 1 don't see (without any disparage- 
 ment to the Doctor) but they understand the scriptures as 
 well as himself, for is there any truth but what they under- 
 stand? — Bat if, by ignorant, he means ignorant of the origi- 
 nal languages, perhaps some of them know more of these 
 than he is aware of: but is the knowledge of the original or 
 Oriental languages necessary to understand the word of God, 
 if it be truly Iranslatei ? then surely, every Christian, who 
 can read his Bible, reads the original sense of it ; and it was 
 an humble, a beautiful, and an honest acknowledgment of 
 that lively man of God Mr. John Ryland, who lately said, 
 that all his learning had never helped him to one spiritual 
 idea of the word of God. — As to the rottenness of heart, let 
 hearts be weighed in the balance of the sanctuary, and see 
 who has the most rottea heart. He that believes contrary to 
 truth or scripture, that Christ, as a divine person is begot- 
 ten, or he that believes in his heart that Christ, in Jiis di- 
 vine person, is unbegotten, uncreated, unoriginated, self- 
 existent, and eternal, in all the glory of his nature, and per- 
 
110 
 
 fectlon of person. — Now let men or angels judge who has 
 the rotten heart, for who can honour the Son as they ho- 
 nour the Father, while they by tradition and the imposition 
 of men, believe, as the Doctor teaches, one divine person to 
 be self-existent, and the other to be begotten, judge, O! 
 Theophilus. 
 
 Theoph. Sir, I stand amazed. Oh! how are the mighty 
 in Israel fallen. Methinks I could now, was the Doctor 
 present, say unto him with some power and pathos of soul, 
 and not without some of the same fervour of affection, as 
 Mary said unto her Lord, Sir, If thou hast borne him. 
 hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I v/ill take him 
 away. 
 
 Phi LA. Dear Theophilus, is this your love, I am glad to see 
 it so fervent to your dying Lord and God ; the request be- 
 speaks the affection of the heart, and not at all the imperti- 
 nence of the lips, because the Doctor has already told you 
 where he has laid him. 
 
 Theoph. Oh! where? 
 
 Phi LA. AVhy, in his body of divinity, where I own I have 
 sought him sorrowing, not only for three days, but for more 
 than three months, but I have not found him whom my soul 
 loveth. 
 
 Theoph. Why not found him ? 
 
 Phil A. I assure you, sir, I would fain have seen the place 
 where the Lord lay. I sought earnestly with tears to find 
 him in the essential and full glory of his divine person. I 
 sought him, but I found him not; though the Doctor told 
 me much about him, and, that he was in this generation, in 
 that generation, and the other generation ; I do not mean ge- 
 neration of ages, but what the Doctor means, metaphysical 
 generation, inanimate generation of vegetables, and the ge- 
 iTSration of human beings, — here I sought him, but 1 could 
 not find him, neither could I see the place where the Lord 
 lay, every thing appeared to me like Paul's voyage without 
 sun or stars. I thought sometimes, that the disciples must 
 
Ill 
 
 hav« come and stole him away while the Doctor slept, and I 
 should have rested in this opinion had I not found the Doc- 
 tor since very poshive that my Lord in his divine personal 
 glory was there: 1 therefore sought him again very carefully, 
 and when I had made search and researches through all the 
 shades of his metaphysical generation, every branch of it, 
 said again, he is not here; then I searched through the inani- 
 mate generation, every part spake aloud, and said, He is not 
 here; then I entered the dark sepulchre of the human 
 generation, to see where the Lord lay, but here I confess, 
 so dark are the Doctor's representations, so destructive of his 
 essential glory, as a divine person, and withal (to say the 
 best of it) so indelicate, that made not only nature to shud- 
 der, but ready to dissolve. I wonder for my part how the 
 Doctor dares to die with such an idea in his heart, that He 
 who is the glory of God, the glory of Heaven, the glory of 
 the Saints, has only his personal glory and existence by ge- 
 neration : does the Doctor think such stuff as this will pass 
 in Israel ? Nay, but if a kind Providence should spare his 
 life, let him expect to see it razed, — razed to the foundation 
 thereof. It was a noble and spirited saying of John Ryland, 
 that man of God, when lately preaching in the Doctor's 
 meeting-house, — ^speaking of the glory of Christ's spiritual 
 reign, and of the knowledge of Christ then covering the 
 
 earth, as the waters cover the sea, then says he, spiritual 
 
 knowledge will be so clear, the understanding so bright, that 
 though now you think much of your Doctor Gill, but then 
 we shall think nothing of your Doctor Gills, nothing of your 
 Doctor Gills. — And upon this point, Theoplulus, we think 
 nothing of him already. 
 
 Theoph. Why is the Doctor so earnest (I could almost 
 say with the Apostle) to crucify the Lord of life and glory 
 afresh^ and put him to open shame? 
 
 Phii<a. Because he thinks that the distinction of the first, 
 second and third person in the Godhead, as we have been 
 ignorantly taught, cannot be maintained without it, but un- 
 
112 
 
 happy it is for the Doctor, nor with it ; for wc have not so 
 learned Christ by tradition from the fathers, but from the 
 scriptures we know and beheve, not as the Doctor teaches, 
 that a first, second, and a third person e.xisteth, the one 
 by nature, the other by being begotten, — and the other by 
 procession; such an idea as tliis of theexistenceof God, we 
 think is unworthy his name, his nature, and perfection, and 
 contrary to the declaration of the truth of Christ> who says, 
 I AM, I am the first; as though he had said, I am of myself, 
 and derive neither essential nor personal glory from none, — 
 therefore it is that we believe according to the sweel simpli- 
 city of the scriptures, that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, 
 the sacred three that bare record in Heaven, self-exist in 
 every glory and perfection of the divine nature, whether es- 
 sential or personal as the triune God, and that the personal 
 glory of this God whom we adore, is only in the man Christ, 
 who is called in scripture, the brightness of God's glory, 
 and the express image of his person. 
 
 Theoph. But what does the Doctor charge his adversaries 
 with holding ? 
 
 Phila. As we believe that God is the God of glory in his 
 nature, so we believe that Christ is the object of Jehovah's 
 love and glory. The object of Ids love, as he is his deUght, 
 his elect, his beloved one ; the object of his glory, as all his es- 
 sential glory resides in him, and shines forth from him, call- 
 ed the likeness or shining of the glory of the Lord, and (he 
 brightness of his glory; therefore we believe him to be the 
 brightness of the glory of Jehovah's love to the church — to 
 angels,tomen intheircreation,totheSaints intheirredemption, 
 and to be the glory of his Jove to them in tlieir regeneration, in 
 every blessing,in every promise, in all their consolation, and the 
 whole of their glorific<ition; and we likewise believe that the 
 Saints' or the church's glory will be so great, that it will be 
 nothing less than that same glory that Christ had with the 
 Father, before the world was— and as we see from the word 
 of truth, that this glory is not in the future tense, nor of some 
 3 
 
lis 
 
 |)ast date, such as 1700 years ago, but that it is as early as 
 &ny revelation we have of Jehovah's love, that love could 
 not be earlier than the object, nor without the object loved 5 
 the bosom was prepared for the object, and the object for 
 the bosom of his love, called the Son, which is in the bosom 
 of the Father : for as Jehovah's love is said to be from ever- 
 lasting, Jer. xxxi. 3. so is the object, Prov. viii. 23. Mic. v. 2. 
 John xvii. £3* And the glory being of the same date with the ob- 
 ject and with the love to the object, as he stands in relation to 
 Gojj, he is called his first-born ; and as in relation to us, the first 
 born among many brethren, and therefore he says, John xvii.5. 
 And nozo, Father ! glorify thou me with thine ozcnselj] with 
 the glory that I had with thee before the world was. You see 
 plainly that the glory here prayed for was the same that 
 Christ had enjoyed and possessed in full inheritance or con- 
 summation with the Father before the world was, — which 
 glory is the same that the Saints have a right tinto and enjoy 
 in him^ — and behold in him as their glory and their all, hence 
 Ihe says. The glory which thou gavest me have I given thent^ 
 that they may he one, even as we are one : I in them, and thou 
 in me; thai they may be made perfect in one, and that the 
 world may know that thou hast seiit me, and hast loved them, 
 as thou hast loved me. — Father, I will that they also whom 
 thou hast given me, be with me where I am, that they may he- 
 hold my glory which thou hast given me. — I^^ow we see plain- 
 ly that this glory was not the glory of the Deity, which is 
 essential to Christ, but is a given glory, and it was a glory 
 given to him as man, which was enjoyed by him before the 
 world began, John xvii. 5. — And because we believe this 
 early and ancient glory of Christ as the object of Jeho- 
 vah's delight, according to the word of truth before the world 
 was. 
 
 The Doctor says, we believe in an eternal Creature, when 
 
 we no more believe in an eternal Creature, than he believes 
 
 that there was an eternal sinner. — Surely we can distinguish 
 
 between the eternal essence of God, and the outgoing of that 
 
 S 
 
114 
 
 divine essence in a way of love to an object, believing t1i« 
 object to be before the foundation of the world, vvhirh is 
 what Christ affirms, Johi xvii. 5. And what the poet 
 sweetly sings of, speaking of the song of Angels, adoring the 
 man in God, in all the glory of his Sonship, before the 
 world was, Prov. viii. 22, — 30. 
 
 1. 
 
 There the dear man, my Saviour sits. 
 
 The God, how bright he shines j 
 And scatters infinite delights. 
 
 On all the happy minds. 
 
 Seraphs with elevated siraini. 
 
 Circle the throne around; 
 And move and charm the starry plains. 
 
 With an immortal sound. 
 
 3. 
 Jesus, the Lord, their harps employ, 
 
 Jsstjs, my LoRDf, they sing ; 
 Jesus, — the name of both our joy. 
 
 Sounds sweet from every string. 
 
 4. 
 
 Hark, how beyond the narrow bounds 
 Of time and space they run ; 
 
 And speak in most majestic sounds, 
 The Godhead of the Son. 
 
 5. 
 Mow on the Father's breast he lay. 
 
 The darling of his soul ; 
 Infinite years before the day. 
 
 Or Heaven began to roll. 
 
116 
 
 Insomuch that the world was made for the glory of that 
 object, or rather by that object for his own glory, John i. 
 i, 2. 
 
 Likewise, the Doctor says, " that we deny that his media- 
 torial office flows from his Sonship." — ^This is somehow a mis- 
 take of the Doctor's ; for we as much beUeve that his office 
 flows from his sonship, as we believe that pardon of sin flows 
 from his death ; for surely the office of a Sufl^erer, Saviour, and 
 Redeemer, must inchide a nature that could suffer, satisfy, and 
 redeem ; and this nature renders him Jesus Christ the Son 
 of God. For we believe that Christ being, as the Scrip- 
 ture says, the First-born of every creature, created purely to 
 be the object of Jehovah's love and delight in his own bo- 
 som, John i. 18. and the object of his glory to men and an- 
 gels, that in all things he might have the pre-eminence; that 
 this object or Christ was taken into the most sublime inti- 
 mate and consummate union with the divine nature called the 
 bosom of the Father, in which union he became acquainted 
 with all the designs of grace, thoughts of leve, and councils 
 of glory, therefore he could not but love the object the Father 
 loved with the same love that God loves his church, called 
 the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, see Mark i. 1. 
 Therefore he says. All mine are thine, and thine are mine, and 
 I am glorified in them, John xvii. 10. And from this union, 
 which constitutes him the Son of God, flows all his grace, 
 offices, and glory in his relations to the spouse; for as our 
 glory hes in our union with Christ in his love to us, so 
 Christ's glory, as a Son, lies in his union with the Father in 
 the bosom of his love to him, which glory is nothing less 
 than the glory of God in the man, consummaied in the 
 perfect union of love to us, see John xvii. 22, 23. 
 
 Theoph. Sir, I hope you will pardon my freedom ; 
 but was not that expression too bold when you said, 
 " you wondered how the Doctor dared to die with the 
 idea in his heart of Christ being begotten aa a divine per* 
 son ?" 
 
116 
 
 Phila. I did say so, nor do I recede from what I said;* 
 for you are here, Theopkilus, to consider, that Christ, as a 
 divine person, is the object of my glory, the delight of ray 
 affections, the centre of my joy, the foundation of my hope 
 for life, for pardon, for peace, for victory, and for glor}'. 
 And therefore, if he is not self-existent in all the glories of 
 his divine person, my soul, I think, can never be saved ; for 
 can that Being (or to come close to the point) that divine 
 Person that has its highest existence by generation save an- 
 other ? For, if begotten, can he be any more than an exalted 
 creature? And does not this idea cut through (as it were with 
 the Arian and Socinian sword) all the glories of Christ's 
 person, the merit of his blood, the conquest of his resurrec- 
 tion, and the power of his intercession ? Let men or angels 
 iudge, though I verily believe that the Doctor has a better 
 heart here, than understanding, for, you know, Theopkilus, 
 that we all know but in part,- and says James, " in m^ny 
 things we all offend :" And in this the Doctor has offended 
 not only many of his own people, whom he is dear unto, but 
 many thousands more in Israel. But no doubt but the Doc- 
 tor is forgiven this as well as all his other crimes, for we have 
 all sinned; and is he in any wise better than another? No, 
 in no wise ; i^nd J know one who has received a pardon for 
 a greater sin (if a greater can be) but beheves that he is freely 
 loved, freely forgiven, freely justified, and will be freely glo- 
 rified; though thus happy, yet while he tunes his gojden hurp 
 as a chief singer upon the song for ever new, he expects to 
 wear a blush of heavenly humility before the throne for what 
 he has done ; and can the Doctor expect any thing less, when 
 he has taken away my Lord, in his personal glory, and I 
 know not where he has laid him ? 
 
 Theoph. Arc all the rest of the Baptist ministers of the 
 Doctor's judgment in this point? 
 
 Phila. Mo, Heaven forbid they should ! yet there are 
 some few who are so weak, in the things of God, that 
 make a kind of an oracle of the Doctor, that what he says 
 
117 
 
 ceems to be set up as a standard among the people, rather 
 than thus saith the Lord. 
 
 There is Mr. Craner, who, in this point, seems to sleep in 
 .the Doctor's bosom, but in many other points he is great; 
 and one would think, though he is so heavy a preacher, that 
 to hear him at times he was very great upon the ancient 
 glory of Christ, as the man in Gon, and with God, before 
 the world was, and that all glory and grace was settled upon 
 the church in him, as existing with the Father ; bjit he means 
 not so, for he only means a glory in designation, not in 
 possession, which mars all ; for in sense Paul was glorified 
 when his forefather Benjamin was born: besides Christ 
 says, the glory that I had with thine ownself before the world 
 began, John xvii. .5. not to have, but had. He has wrote a 
 good thing called a Scripture Manual, and lately a little po- 
 litical piece in which there is more flattery than faithfulness. 
 Had he less of the pride of the priest, he would be far more 
 lovely in his office. 
 
 There is Mr. Mac Gowan, a man of good parts, of an evan^ 
 gelical understanding, a good writer, rather a dull preacher, 
 but his spirit is rather quick and his judgment too harsh. 
 
 There is Mr. Wallin, a man of pompous flourish, some- 
 times very spiritual, his understanding in the deep of the gos- 
 pel but shallow. Had he less pride and more tenderness and 
 forgiveness, he would be more respectable, but his care over 
 his people is lovely. There are many things which he has 
 wrote worthy of reading, but none better than that of unity 
 among the churches. 
 
 Mr. Booth is likewise a man of popularity, and of a lively 
 spirit, but his understanding in the ministry will not amount 
 to any thing more, at present, than a west country Cal- 
 vinist. 
 
 Likewise Mr. Hall is a man of pretty solid judgment, pf 
 a good understanding in many things, taught much by af- 
 fliction, rather dull in his deUvery, and upon some points it 
 has been often wished that he was more evangelical. 
 
116 
 
 There is Mr. Richards, a man of bright parlSj very inge- 
 nious, pretty, but not great, in things spiritual. 
 
 Likewise there is Mr. Stevens, a man weighed in sorrows, 
 and preserved by the brine of affliction ; a great debtor to 
 free grace, and at times speaks much of it, and in a humble 
 spirit. His abilities are very acceptable, and has been profit- 
 able to many. 
 
 There is Mr. Hughes, a man of spirit and courage, of good 
 understanding in most things, but too much like a wave of 
 the sea, when he speaks of the ancient and pre-existent glo- 
 ries of Christ; and has a large latitude of love, for his 
 church doors are many inches wider than the doors of the 
 ancient church at Jerusalem, by which means many are slipt 
 into Zion, who have no gospel right there. 
 
 Tliere is the Doctor Giffard, a man of little stature, but of 
 great zeal, spirit, an^ affection ; offers much grace, which 
 inclines many weak hearers to hear him ; aims much at po- 
 pularity, he is carried away with creature affections; his judg- 
 ment, in the deep things of God, is but small, and often 
 wavering ; his preaching is much of a piece with the Method- 
 ists, which is often an uncertain sound, much of the grace of 
 Cheist, of promises, of blessings, he. — And much of Moses, 
 of the law, of works, of free-will, of doings, and commands. 
 These things are so piously and so zealously mixed together, 
 without their proper distinctions, that it all goes down for 
 pure gospel with the people, like a nest of young birds, if yoo 
 give them bread and milk it goes down; and if you give them 
 a stone in the milk, it goes down for the sake of the milk ; 
 and this is often the case of God's children, that when they 
 ask bread they give them a stoue.— The Doctor is reckoned 
 yery pitiful and compassionate to the poor, but he is too par- 
 tial, and much swayed by persuasion therein, for I knew hira 
 to suffer his servant, in his own presence, to turn a minister 
 in distress away from his door, without speaking one word to 
 him, but, doubtless, he little thought that he was then touch*- 
 ing the apple of Chiiist's eye, 
 
no 
 
 There is Mr. Mercer, a man of much piety, zeal and affec- 
 tion. His preaching is lively, affectionate, and successful, 
 AVas his understanding more deep in the deep things of God, 
 and more evangelical in the elucidation of them, it would to 
 many be more acceptable, lie has been taught much by a 
 train of afflictions, from which he appears to be a man of com- 
 passion, but he lately forgot the afflictions of Joseph. 
 
 There is Mr. Dowars, a man of good abilities, great in his 
 understanding in the deep things of God, — lively in his mi- 
 nistry, — unnumbered in his particulars, — and singular in his 
 address ; but such a swell of pride runs through the man, that 
 spoils it all, for I have known him, though he has not been 
 without his sore trials, tomeet Ephraimindistress, yet scorn to 
 look at him, 2 Sam. xvi. 17- Is this thy kindness to thy friend ^ 
 
 There is Mr. L d, a man very affectionate and lively 
 
 in his zeal; one whom God has done wonders for both in 
 graceand providence. — He has a two-leaved doortohiscluuch, 
 aad many come thereat. 
 
 There is Mr. Clark, whom I have known these eighteen 
 years. He was a solid youth, of a pious turn of mind, and 
 grace has given him great improvements; but more especially 
 of late his mind appears to be more fertile and fruitful in the 
 field of God's everlasting love. Was he kept more from af- 
 fectation, ivee in his spirit, and njore forgiving in his heart, 
 to those, who, through infirmity, have offended him, his mi- 
 nistry would be more acceptable. 
 
 There is Mr. Br n who has a good appearance, and a 
 
 good address. He says much but means little; for, after many 
 years hearing of him, it is liard to say whether he means sal- 
 vation by grace or by works, by Moses or by Christ, by 
 the law or by the gospel, by Christ's righteousness or by the 
 creature's, — so linsy woolsy is the garment, and well it may, 
 when his abilities or understanding in the gospel is so small, 
 that some time ago he told one of his hearers, that it would 
 take seven years to open that text which she desired him to 
 preach from, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. 
 
120 
 
 "fhere is Mr. Potts, though not a baptist, yet a man of g6o(l 
 ministerial abilities; but scarce a ray of them appears but 
 when upon the ministerial throne j whom I lately heard from 
 thence, when, I must confess, I thought that there was dearth 
 in the pot, though it was for a Christmas dinner. He was 
 discoursing upon those words, It may he they will reverence 
 him; in which he took notice, that Christ was the merito- 
 rious cause of the covenant, but reverence and obedience 
 were the conditions of \t. Was not this strange, amazing 
 strange ! for a teacher in Israel thus to express himself, where 
 he cannot but know that there can be no cause to the coven- 
 ant of grace but the love of Goi>; and that Christ is not 
 the meritorious cause of the covenant but his person, as God- 
 man is the covenant itself; and his fulness is the blessings 
 and promises of the covenant, and reverence and obedience 
 are so far from being the conditions, they are the fruit 
 for blessings of the covenant, that the promise (in Jer, 
 xxxi. 33.) may be sure to all the seed. But what astonished 
 me more, was to hear him, in a kind of rapture, blessing God 
 that ail the masters of the academies and schools tor the mi- 
 nistry, taught the young ministers to preach the offers of 
 grace ; and, what was worse, he added, it was for want of 
 this that there was no more prosperity in the churches. Alas?- 
 alas! thought 1, how^ dared the man thus speak ? What ! had 
 he forgot the name of his great predecessor Mr. AVilliam 
 Bently, who is dear to many in Israel ? who had a more sue- 
 cessful church in London, nay, in the kingdom, for his time, 
 than he had? but did he preach offers of grace ; nay, but did 
 he not preach the gifts of grace, the communications of grace, 
 and the blessings of grace? that he preached grace, free- 
 grace, the riches and treasures of grace is well known ; but 
 then it was grace in God settled upon us in Christ, and 
 given (not offered by any creature) but communicated to ua 
 by the Spirit of God. — And who had in all Israel, a more 
 flourishing church than the great Mr. Joseph Hussey, who 
 was champion for God and truth, who battered down the 
 
121 
 
 Armlnian offers of grace to the ground, and established the 
 operations and communications of the grace of the gospel 
 in the work of the ministry. Can Mr. Poits remember the 
 names or the tombs of these great men, and not blush for 
 what he then said to his people ? 
 
 Besides, what is worst of ail is, what he said, though from 
 the pulpit, yet it is not trutlj, for the cause of the deadness 
 of the saints isnot for wont of the preacher mocking the peo- 
 ple, with offering that grace to them he has not to give; but 
 for want of light, hfe, love, peace, and joy in their souls, 
 flowing from a living union with Christ and communion 
 with him in all his glory, graciousness, and salvation, by the 
 sealings of the Holy Ghost. And if the Nicodemuses^ in the 
 pulpit, are such strangers in Israel, as to teach their young 
 pupils whom they have made ministers (who are, by the way 
 in general more fit for gentlemen and tradesmen, than mi- 
 nisters) to preach offers of grace to the people, I would ad- 
 vise them to be kind to poor sinners and liberal hearted, and 
 offer them at once electing grace, predestination grace, jus- 
 tifying grace, as well as the grace of faith and repentance. 
 Indeed I have heard some of these hot-bred mushroom minis- 
 ters, seemingly very kind, crying out upon the close of the 
 sermon, " Here I offer you Christ, take him now — take him 
 to night — don't go away without him." I wonder they are 
 not ashamed of such stuff, to mock poor souls at such a rate, 
 will they never see the beauty and distinction between preach- 
 ing Christ as the author of faith, the object of faith, the 
 foundation of hope, the way of life, the bread of life, the 
 water of life, the living life, and the channel of all grace 
 and glory; and the offers of that to the people they cannot 
 give, nor the people receive, till God himself gives it; 
 — but, lo ! this is the Neanominian and Arminian stuff 
 ■we have from almost all the Presbyterian and Independent 
 ministers in the kingdom, and from some few of the bap- 
 tists. Oh ! how is their gold become dim, and their fine 
 gold changed ! 
 
122 
 
 Theoph. But are there no more baptist ministers ? 
 
 Phila. O, yes! many, very ranny, for ihere is scarce a 
 town of any report, especially in the east, south, and west 
 parts of England, as well as in the north, in the borders of 
 Yorkshire, and Lancashire, but what there is a Baptist minis- 
 ter there, and in some towns there are several. 
 
 In Bristol there is Mr. Evans, a man of long standing in 
 the ministry; a good scholar, and of great abilities ; a lover 
 of Christ, and a preacher of the truth, except in some 
 points which he seems not to be led into ; and he is particu- 
 larly one of those masters in Israel, who has loaded the young 
 Academic gentlemen (who are designed for the ministry) with 
 such weights of traditional rust, of one sort or other, that some 
 of them have acknowledged that they have been seven years 
 of getting bright again ; and others have been so rusty, 
 that they have died with it not only on their backs, but 
 on their heaits. 
 
 One thing is remarkable of Mr. Evans, he keeps a con- 
 cubine, I don't mean literally nor personally, but I mean 
 that he is joined to or administers the ordinance of the Lord's 
 supper to two people, the one a Baptist church, and the other 
 an Independent people; and what is this in a gospel sense 
 but keeping a concubine ? And there are a few more minis- 
 ters that do the same, viz. Doctor St 1 and soine others; 
 
 but then it is to two Baptist people, the one holding the first 
 day Sabbath, and the other the seventh day Sabbath ; but 
 how they reconcile this to the word of God and their con- 
 sciences, I have never yet heard. 
 
 There is Mr. Thomas, a man of a sweet temper of mind, 
 much of a gentleman, great as a minister ; whose talents are 
 spiritual, heavenly, and successful in the ministry, a man 
 lovely, and of good report. 
 
 There is young Mr. Evans, who is rather too stiff and af- 
 fected, but is spritely, of a good genius and parts, lively in 
 the ministry, and when more refined from his London and 
 Bristol academical rust, may make a shining star iu Israel. 
 
123 
 
 There is Mr. H s, a man of long standing in the mi- 
 nistry, of good understanding in the Scriptures, and a zealous 
 preacher. 
 
 Likewise there is Mr. P s, a man whom God has 
 
 eminently appeared for in grace, in providence, and in the 
 ministry, — he is affectionate and lively, and his abilities are 
 not small, considering that he lives in the west. 
 
 There is likewise Mr. Ryland, a man of as much minis- 
 terial fire, zeal, and affection as any that I know of; — he is a 
 good scholar, a zealous Christian, and a lively minister; he 
 has his peculiar flights and oddities, but with a good design, 
 and often answers a good end, — for I had rather hear twenty 
 little blunders from a minister, than see (in their very metho- 
 dical and orderly way) the words of life drop like ice from 
 their frozen li|)s. — He has great success in the ministry, and 
 God has done wonders for him as a God of providence, as 
 well as a God of grace; it is true he keeps two-leaved gates to 
 his church doors. — He is much of the gentleman, and of a 
 very compassionate mind to poor ministers in distress, which 
 is lovely. 
 
 There is Mr. J — n B — th, a man of sympath}^ solid in his 
 judgment, of good abilities, lively and spiritual in the mini- 
 stry, and has been successful, but like many others borne down 
 with indispositions, and many tribulations. 
 
 There is his brother J s, whose temper is very spritely, 
 
 whose fancy is very fruitful, whose ideas upon the scriptures 
 very beautiful, but not successful, being too much mixed 
 -with dry philosophy,— he aims to be popular, but his unhap- 
 piness is, that he is already too popular; a few years in the 
 secret chamber^ is the only remedy for his lively fancy, the 
 only place to rub off his philosophical ru^t, and when that is 
 gone he will come like Moses from the mount, with his coun- 
 tenance shining with the divine glorj'. 
 
 There is Mr. Pointing, who has through grace been long 
 pointing at the truth, and aiming right has succeeded; his 
 disposition is rather dull, and his delivery flat, but his ideas 
 
124 
 
 in the gospel are truly great, especially upon public occa- 
 sions, which he is remarked for. 
 
 There is Mr. Turner, a man of much improved abilities, 
 of good understanding in the gospel, and of success in the 
 ministry, but of too great flow of spirits, too violent in his 
 temper, and too condemning in those who have offended him, 
 which much hurts his usefulness; — he has had many afflic- 
 tions, to teach him sympathy, but oh ! how hard it is to learn 
 to forgive one another, as God for Christ's sake has for- 
 given us ! 
 
 There is Mr. H 1, a man of life, spirit, and soul, in 
 
 the ministry, great in his ideas, rich in his experience, spiri- 
 tual in the work of God, and successful in the ministry. 
 
 There is Mr. Ev — s, — a man of weak constituiion, who has 
 had courage to labour under many and great discourage-r 
 menls for many years, but afier all (O who would not with 
 patience wait) the Lord has given him many seals of his 
 ministry, who shall be his joy and crown of rejoicing in the 
 day of the Lord. 
 
 There is Mr. Brown, a man of good abilities, who has been 
 long led into the deep truths of God, has boldly preached 
 and defended them, and the Loud has given him not only in 
 providence, but in grace, and in the ministry great success. 
 
 Likewise there is Mr. Bed — m, a man who more than 
 twenty years ago came forth a champion for the Lord of 
 Hosts, in the work of the ministry : he is a great scholar, a 
 man of profound understanding in the Scriptures, of piercing 
 • address, of spiritual matter, and very successful in the minis- 
 try ; yet this great man has his fears, his tears, his great sor- 
 rows, and his piercing cries; my heart has often bled for 
 him, but having received mercy — he faints not. 
 
 There is Mr. Frances, a man of fine spirit, of a free con- 
 versation, of a spiritual understanding, an afiectionate minis- 
 ter, and a lively and successful preacher. 
 
 Time would fail me to tell you of all, but there is at Seven 
 Oaks, in Kent, a little preacher, the least of stature 1 ever saw, 
 
^25 
 
 but a great soul, and of a good understanding, and has fine 
 ministerial abilities. 
 
 There is Mr. F — r, a man, who is much respected and 
 
 reverenced among his people, he has a discerning judgment, 
 a copious understanding, and a lively delivery, and the Lord 
 has made him a fisher of men, and [ ihink tluit he is one 
 who docs not drink into that dreadful idea of God's decreeing 
 sin. 
 
 There is Mr. Tr 1, a man of some standing in the mi- 
 nistry, much zeal, remarkable for his spiriiualiiy, and good 
 understanding in the gospel, and has been successful 
 therein. 
 
 There is Mr. Co — e, a man of much zeal and affection, he 
 is spiritual and lively, but does not enjoy that nearness to 
 God, in worshipping of him, as some of his brethren do,— he 
 seems to worship at the bottom of the mount, but God has 
 made him successful in the work of the ministry. 
 
 But above all, as a man of God, as a champion for truth, 
 as a minister in the pulpit, as a Christian in conversation, as 
 a teacher in Israel, there is Mr. Johnson, who surely is the 
 greatest man tiiis day in Israel. 1 know of but one thing 
 that he misseth it in, and that is, when he says, " that love 
 cannot be before the object loved, and that the object must 
 be coeval with the love fixed upon the object, which object, 
 says he, is Christ." In this he is surely right, for we know 
 that the love of God is from everlasting, Jer. xxxi. S. And 
 that Christ, as the object of this love, is^from everlasting, 
 Frov. viii. 23, Mk. v. 2. — And that this love is from before 
 the foundation of the world, John xvii. 23. — And that the 
 object was before the world was, John xvii. 5. — Therefore 
 the love and the object being inseparable, why does this great 
 man in Israel place the love from everlasting, and the actual 
 existence of the object, not till many thousand years after, 
 this is astonishing to men of solid understanding iu the 
 things of God. 
 
 For is it not astonishing that Mr. Johnson says, that love 
 could not be prior to the object, nor without the object loved; 
 
126 
 
 yet he tells us, in liis Divine Truth, page 28, that the object 
 was ahvays before the Father in his counsel (so is the ultimate 
 glory of the saints^; but Christ says, then was I with him; 
 not before him.— Again he says, the glory that Jesus now 
 possesses, and will possess, personally \vi;h the church, is no 
 other than what he had with the Father (then he adds, by way 
 of parenthesis, in the counsels of his bosom); but why so 
 wise, to mar the texts : for Jesus does not say in tlie coun- 
 sel of his bosom, as though this glory was only in some future 
 view, for it was in personal possession ; therefore he says, that 
 I had with thee, not was to have, not in council, but with thine 
 own self, as the text runs, John xvii, 5. And now, Father, glo- 
 rify thou me with thine own self, with the glory that 1 had with 
 thee, before the world was: for if love cannot be without the 
 object, then certainly the object must as actually exist as the 
 love, and this is the language of Scripture, wherein we find 
 that the object, the glory given to that object, and the love 
 fixed upon that object is of one and the same date, existence, 
 enjoyment, and possession, Prov. viii. 23, — 30. Jer. xxxi.3. 
 John xvii. 5,-23. And all the glory of grace to the elect is 
 nothing else but the treasures of Jehovah's love to his be- 
 loved image, his beloved one, his Christ unfolded, revealed, 
 and communicated to them ; for as Adam loved Eve in her 
 first beauty, with one undivided love, as his own image, be- 
 intr fle!^h of his tkbh, therefore not twain but one; so there 
 is the same union of nature and love between Christ and 
 his church. Hence says Christ, that the love wherewith 
 thou hast loved me, might be in them, being not twain but 
 one. Now Christ, as the hridegroom, was the church's re- 
 presentative as the object of love, of glory, and of compla- 
 cency ; for she had the same union, and existence, as part 
 of Christ, as Eve had with Adam, before she had her open 
 existence from him; and if Jehovah was at rest in his love, 
 and took up his delight of love, and Christ rejoiced in this 
 love before the world was : then as surely as he now existeth, 
 so he then existed as the object of it, and in the enjoyment 
 of it— or we are finally at a loss how to understand his own 
 
127 
 
 words; for what language can be more emphatical, or words 
 more strong. P/ov. viii. 30. Then was I by him as one 
 brought up with him : I was daily his delight , rejoicing always 
 before him, and my delights were with the Sons of Men. Like- 
 wise see John xvii. 5. 
 
 Thus you see, Theophihis (if I have not been so unhappy 
 as to put your patience to pain) I have given you a concise 
 account of the people called Baptists, taking their rise from 
 John the Baptist, from the example of Christ, from' the 
 practice of the apostles, from the testimonies of the ancients 
 through every age, through every king's reign, through every 
 century to the present day; and the same testimonies are 
 now continued by many Baptist teachers in Israel, whom 
 God has counted faithful, and put them into the ministry, 
 who are not ashamed to own or defend the cause, being set 
 for defence of the gospel. 
 
 Theopii. Dear Philagathus, your narration has been so far 
 from being painful to my patience, as you term it, that it is 
 delightful, like the garden of Ecien, or like the avenue that 
 leads to the flowery path, that yields more and more sweets 
 unto the perfect day. Surely as the Baptists have such an 
 original as the command of God, the example of Christ, 
 the practice of the apostles, the order of the primitive churches, 
 then what a happy people must they be ! 
 
 Phi LA. One would be ready to think so, Theophilus, for 
 it is the best cause, and most near the primitive beauty of the 
 gospel; hut, alas ! they are, through conformity, want of zeal, 
 and understanding, in most of their churches, departed from 
 their primitive love, and their primitive order. 
 
 From their primitive love to Christ, as the object of love, 
 of life, and of joy. For if the holy One of Israel is as a 
 fire and a flame to any one of his ministering servants, and 
 he preaches Christ in his essential, personal, relative, and 
 metaphorical glory, as the head, the chief, the life, and the all 
 in all, leaving nothing out, but make him the Alpha and 
 
128 
 
 Omega, the beginning and the end, viz. the glory of 
 God, the gioiy of the saints, the glory of love, the glory of 
 life, the glory of faith, the glory of hope, the glory of 
 strength, the glory of succour, the glory of conquest, the glory 
 of victor}', the saints' glorious inheritance, the glorious por- 
 tion, enjoying all in him, and all from him ; as their God, their 
 glory, and their all; though this honour have all the saints. 
 Oh! what has God wrought, yet the poor Baptists, as well 
 as other <;hurches, having left their first love, live now like 
 strangers in Israel, instead of child reti in their Father's house; 
 nay, so dark is their understanding, and so weak, being be- 
 set with prejudice, that they cry out against this as antino- 
 minianism, and why so, because it condemns them for their 
 legal walk, their legal talk, and strips them of their legal 
 frames for comfort ; and this they cannot bear; for being 
 taught to go to heaven by inward marks and signs of their 
 love to Christ, and interest in him, they cannot bear to hear 
 Christ, and the rcsurection from the dead, as the living 
 life, the solid hope, and continual comfort of the soul : this 
 takes away their inward gods, and what have they more— 
 they give it a bad name, and cry out against it, as the people 
 of old did against Paul. But like Paul, we say, shall we sin, 
 that grace may abound, God forbid! for surely, the more I 
 see of the glory of the object that saves me, the more I shall 
 love him, and the more I love him, surely the more 1 shall 
 obey him, and adore him in all his commandments and ordi- 
 nances. 
 
 They are likewise much fallen from the primitive gospel 
 love one to another. The beauty of the gospel is to consider 
 one another, to put on as the elect of God, bowels of love, to 
 be kind one to another, to be tender hearted, to love as bre- 
 thren, to consider one another, as being in the body ; and, if 
 a brother is fallen, to tell him alone to restore such a one in 
 the spirit of meekness. — For the fruits of the spirit is love j 
 but instead of which, how often have I heard them exag- 
 2 
 
gerate a brother's fault ; and in the room of binding up the 
 broken in heart and restoring the feet of the lame, they have 
 ript open afresh daily the wounds of a poor broken-hearted 
 bleeding- backslider. — This I speak to their shame. 
 
 I remember a case once that was not only enough to make 
 nature to shudder, but even nature to dissolve. It was a Chris- 
 tian, who being disquieted in his own mind, under the weight 
 of troubles that lay upon him, went down from Jerusalem to 
 Jerico, and there he fell among thieves, who stripped and 
 wounded him, and left him as half dead. At this time there 
 chanced to come by a Christian, noted for the licence of his 
 tongue and the liberty of his pen, and having with him a 
 whole quiver of the arrows of death, when he saw the poor 
 man stripped, wounded, and half dead, instead of pouring in 
 oil and wine into his wounds, he shot every arrow from his 
 quiver into his bleeding heart, and there he left him, which 
 was not all neither. This, among the heathens, would have 
 been accounted cruelty and barbarism, but he called it zeal, 
 and thought he did God good service. O! where is 
 the primitive beauty of Christian affection, or the bowels of 
 Love ! 
 
 Another time a Deacon of a church, who above all persons 
 should have compassion upon the poor, and especially one who 
 had so many poor distracted creatures under his care, Mr. 
 
 Ma n, yet when he saw a brother in sorrow, anguish, and 
 
 deep distress, when Jacob was given for a season into the 
 hands of the robbers, and Israel to the spoilers, yet he had no 
 more compassion than a soft adamant, nor no more tender 
 sympathy for the affliction of Joseph, than a melting mill- 
 stone. O ! tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets 
 of Askelon. And whatever was the cause of the affliction, 
 whether God's Sovereignty, temptation, infirmity, or cor- 
 ruption, it could be no excuse to them, while they believe 
 that dreadful idea that God fore-ordained the being, exist- 
 ence, afflictions, and sinful actions of the creature for his 
 own glory ; how dared they then be angry with Ephraim 
 
130 
 
 who wns mourning when they saw, upon their own principle; 
 the decrees of Gou fulfilled for his own glory^ I own I once 
 thought so as Well as them, but now I hate that black and 
 dishonourable idea of God; for what is this but making God 
 the author of every evil, by decreeing sin, by such a permis- 
 sive decree, as is impossible for the creature to prevent sin, 
 and then to punish his creatures for it, which idea I hate 
 not only because of its cruelty, but because I am sure it is 
 contrary to the nature, name, perfection, and love of that 
 God whom I adore. Can love decree enmity? Can purity 
 decree impurity? Can holiness decree unholiness ? Do not 
 err, my beloved brethren, can the same fountain of all mercy, 
 grace, light, and love, send forth bitter and sweet waters? O ! 
 it is high time that this dreadful idea was finally erazed out of 
 the minds of God's people. Will they never see that all good 
 is of God, and that all evil is of the devil, who sinned from 
 the beginning ; and that God's decrees are not decrees of sin, 
 but decrees of punishing sin, and of destroying the works of 
 sin, by the death and resurrection of Christ, who came to 
 put away sin by the sacrifice of himself? 
 
 Theoph. But are there not some Baptist churches who 
 enjoy the primitive unity, harmony, love, and tenderness 
 among themselves as christians? 
 
 Phila. Though the Baptist churches are the nearest to 
 the beauty of the primitive churches, yet, in this respect, 
 they stand in need of much refining and purification; the 
 old leaven of pride conforming to the world and Anti-chris- 
 tian chtirches ; in superiority and tale-bearing amoug them-' 
 selves, and an unforgiving spirit, wants much to be purged 
 out from among them; purge yc out the old leaven; yet 
 there are some who have held fast Christ's name and have 
 not denied the faith, who are saying, walk about Zion 
 and go round about her, tell the towers thereof, mark yc 
 well her bulwarks that ye may tell it to the generation follow- 
 ing, for this God is our God for ever and ever, and will be 
 our guide unto death. And among all the Baptist churches 
 3 
 
there are many of the members who are praying and longing 
 for that happy time when the Lord shall revive his churches 
 with his own power, presence, and glory ; when Elders or 
 Bishops shall be ordained in every city, with faithful Dea- 
 cons — spiritual members — divine ordinances — possessing a 
 lively zeal — bowels of love — a tender sympathy — union of 
 heiirt— love to the truth — a holy watchfulness — a readiness 
 to forgive — a humble walk — a filial fear — a ready mind to 
 shew forth the praise? of him who has called them out of 
 darkness into his marvellous light; — and I hope these breath- 
 ings are the dawning of a bright gospel day, not only among 
 the Baptists, but among many preachers of the church of 
 England, whom I know enjoy some bright beams of the 
 morning star shining among them, who begin to preach and 
 pray spiritually and evangelically, as did many of their fore- 
 fathers. 
 
 Theoph. But, Sir, what think you of the Sandemanian 
 church, w|io so frequently represent their church and prac • 
 tice as perfect according to the plan of the scriptures ? 
 
 Phila. That there are many things among them beautiful, 
 must injustice be acknowledged ;— and that they have had the 
 courage to throw away much of the traditional rubbish that 
 still continues among the Presbyterian and Independant 
 churches: They are clear in the justification of a sinner, by 
 the righteousness and resurrection of Jesus;— and many 
 things arc beautiful in their order in the House of God; 
 but as to their saying their practice is jierfect according to 
 the plan of the scriptures, or the pattern of the Jerusalem 
 church, I wonder they don't blush at the thought, mu«li 
 more at the expression, when they cannot but know that it is 
 well known that they have not so much as the spirit of the 
 gospel — the ordinances of the gospel — nor the love of the 
 gospel, among them ; there is a wretched spirit of lightness, 
 levity, and vanity among them, though tliey are nice as to 
 their ceremonies and outward form of things — being fond of 
 the exactness of the shadow — but as to the life, the spirit, the 
 
134 
 
 power of religion, as it consisteth in full communion with 
 God, in the bosom of his love— and the sweets of appropria- 
 tion, crying, Abba, Father, they are in this respect the great- 
 est strangers in Israel, and the most ignorant people I know. 
 They have the same enmity against the full assurance of sal- 
 vation by Christ, as the Pharisees ever had to the person of 
 Christ, and speak as contemptibly of it — though they are 
 seemingly zealous of salvation by Christ with fears and 
 tremblings, as though there was some doubt of Christ's 
 ■willingness and power, or of their own right to be saved; 
 they worship Gou at a great distance, like strangers in Israel, 
 and therefore it is no wonder that their enmity is so great 
 against Paul's full assurance of faith, saying, " who loved 
 me, and gave himself for me, I know in whom I have be- 
 lieved/'— they are of a dreadful, condemning, censorious 
 spirit to others — much of their religion consisteth in being 
 zealous for Mint, Ty the, Annis and Cummim: I mean like 
 the Pharisees, for the shadow of things — thanking God they 
 are not as others are, '' Come not nigh, for I am holier than 
 thou." This I saw lately exemplified by one of their 
 elders in his unchristian contemptible carriage to a poor 
 backslider in Israel, even in the very street of the city ; as to 
 the ordinance of baptism they have it not. 
 
 It is true they are ready to relieve the afflicted members ; 
 in this they excel their brethren, and in this they are praise- 
 worthy ;— but yet they are equally as cruel to their poor fallen 
 brethren, for if they offend twice, mercy is no more among 
 them, O tell it not in Gath ! 
 
 Theoph. As we are now upon the subject of zealous 
 
 persons for religion, pray, what think you of Mr. Wh d's 
 
 zeal. 
 
 Phila. That Mr. Wh d has been a man remarkable 
 
 zealous for God, and I believe a good man, yet I think little 
 of all his zeal and stir — because it is mixed with so much art, 
 and with so much ignorance; mixt with so much art, (which 
 is too natural to him) to raise the passions of the people by 
 
333 
 
 his rhapsodies, seeming raptures and extasies — and the poor 
 people are carried away with him, as though they were 
 drinking wine of the kingdom — thinking it is all heavenly 
 rapture in tlie dear man, when there is often no more fire of 
 love in his heart than there is in a millstone, for it is what is 
 natural to him, and he much improves it ; for if he fails by 
 attitudes of body and seeming raptures of mind — then he 
 tell his people such a train of pretty stories, what Paul calls 
 Old Wives Fables, many of them very moving to the pas- 
 sions — some of them very tragical ; what is this but a zealous 
 art to move upon the passions of the people, while their un- 
 derstanding in the gospel is exceeding dark, as is too evident 
 by conversing with them. 
 
 It was a shrewd observation of one of his hearers (when 
 he was in the country a preaching); one man said to the 
 
 other, " Well, how did you like Mr. Wh d's preaching?" 
 
 Well, saj^s the other, " I believe the man could preach, if he 
 would stay a (ew days first, hut as it is, he goes about so 
 much — and gets so many tales and stories to tell, that the 
 man cannot go on." Let him see Titus ii. 7, 8. 
 
 And what is it but zealous art, to be conformable as a dis- 
 senter at one end of the town — and conformable as a church- 
 man at the other; though by the way let hiai remember 
 that as a Dissenter he got his Tottenham Court Liberty — but 
 if the Lord be God let him follow him, and if Baal be God 
 then follow him, for it is a shame for a teacher in Israel to 
 halt thus between two opinions. 
 
 Though I believe that there is some good thing in Mr. 
 
 Wh d to the Lord God of Israel, yet how often has he 
 
 afflicted my soul by so ignorantly (bare with the expression, 
 for there is nothing like plainness and honesty) t say so igno- 
 rantly, for is it not ignorance in the highest degree for him 
 to say the people, " Here I offer you Christ, here take 
 him, take him now, take him lo-nighr, or else you may be 
 damned before the morning." — What can he mean by such ig- 
 norant stuff? Is Christ at his Disposal, or at the creatures 
 
134 
 
 power to receive — or is the salvation of the soul limited to a 
 night or an hour? Where are his thoughts of election and 
 everlasting love; did Paul ever preach after this manner, does 
 he not say, " We preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a 
 stumbling block, and to the Greeks foolishness : but unto 
 them that are saved,. Christ, the power of God, an^ 
 Christ, the wisdom of God; the power of God in com- 
 municating and giving the blessings of his love ; — and the wis- 
 dom of God respecting the time when, and the manner 
 how the blessings shall be received, and not left to the crea- 
 ture to offer them, and mock the people with what they have 
 not to give, nor the creature any power to receive. 
 
 Mr. Wh d is a man of much zeal, but his understand- 
 ing in the great things of God is but small, and much I 
 think departed from the former stedfastness he enjoyed, when 
 he wrote his letter to Mr. Wesley on the beauties and bless- 
 ings of electing love, in which 1 am at a loss to say whe- 
 ther faithfulness or affection, truth or zeal shines most bright. 
 I could wish that the same harmony, zeal, truth, affection, 
 and consistency run through his sermons, but, alas ! it does 
 not, he is afraid it will preach his people away, and he has 
 too much art to maintain his popularity — had he more humi- 
 lity — mor familiarity, more feeling sympathy, and readiness 
 to relieve those who are in distress, w^ithout that priestly 
 pride, and those worthless formalities of access, he would 
 be more praise-worthy. 
 
 Theoph. What think you. Sir, of Mr. W y, who 
 
 is remarkable for his humility, freedom of access, great- 
 ness of zeal, jind being more abundantly in labours than 
 them all. 
 
 Phila. Here I would be exceeding tender, and express 
 my thoughts with much sympathy and affection, while they 
 are connected with plainness and sincerity, least I should 
 make the hearts of those sad whom God would not have 
 sad ; for I believe that Mr. Wesley has many godly preachers 
 under his care, and many weak gracious souls among his so- 
 
135 
 
 cieties, but they are exceeding weak in the Faith, and very 
 dark in the gospel ;— these are to be pitied and prayed for, 
 and that their knowledge of Christ may be encreased, their 
 faith in him strengthened ; that their love may be enflamed, 
 that their freedom may be enjoyed, that their privileges may 
 be believed, that their comforts may be encreased, that they 
 may be no longer strangers in Israel. I shall use plainness 
 of speech, not with a spirit to offend them, but with a spirit 
 of love to them, and concern for them, for my heart's de- 
 sire and prayer to God is, that they may be saved from their 
 present bondage and darkness. 
 
 My thoughts of Mr. Wesley as a gentleman, and as a 
 scholar are very respectable, and what I believe he is worthy 
 of — that he is a man of surprizing parts, a great historian, 
 and is as enterprizing as he is great ; his natural temper is 
 warm ; and his genius taking a turn for rehgion, he has been 
 like the Pharisees of old, very zealous, being in labours more 
 abundant; compassing, like them, both sea and land to 
 make Proselytes, and much good I believe he has done by 
 way of order and economy among the people ; that he has 
 civilized many hundreds, if not thousands, in the kingdom, 
 and brought them into a very orderly and regular way ef 
 living, in which respect they are become better subjects, bet- 
 ter masters, better neighbours, and better servants : — in this 
 respect I believe Mr. Wesley has done a greal deal of good — 
 but as to Mr. Wesley being a Christian, I dare not, Theo- 
 philus, attempt to deceive him or you in thinking so. 
 
 Theoph. O Sir! What, Mr. Wesley not a Christian? 
 What, a man of such labour, and such universal love, not a 
 Christian ? O, Sir ! 
 
 Plila. Dear Theophilns, let not your zeal, like the zeal of 
 many, cany you to an extreme ; for do you not know, that, 
 that charity that is not grounded upon truth is not charity, 
 but a delusion, and therefore mistake me not; here I do not 
 say but that there are many well meaning weak preacher* 
 under Mr. Wesley's care, and many weak, dark and igno- 
 
ISO 
 
 rant Christians among his societies — biit(.as to Mr. Wesley^ 
 by all the sermons he has preached, and by all the writings 
 he hjis wrote, if we compare one part with the othw faith- 
 fully, 1 see no scripture ground to beheve that he is a real 
 Christian, or a true lover of Christ, and salvation alone in 
 his name. —I don't say that Mr. Wesley may not be saved— 
 God only knows what turn of heart his grace may give him; 
 but this I say, nay I will affirm and maintain it from the 
 word of God (and let him deny it if he dares), that if the 
 scriptures be true, it is impossible for him to be saved in the 
 state he is in, or upon all he has done, or upon the faith he 
 has confessed to the world. 
 
 Theoph. O Sir! what! a man that has done so much 
 good, and so many great things in Christ's name, not 
 saved r 
 
 Phi LA. Dear Theophilus, his doing many great things in 
 Christ's name, is no real evidence at all of his being in a 
 ^aved state; Lord! Lord! have we not prophesied in thy 
 name, and in thy name done many wondrous works, and yet 
 not in a safe state? Were not the Pharisees of old as religi- 
 ous as Mr. Wesley? Where they not for fastings and pray- 
 ing as well as him? Were they not as honest men as Mr. 
 Wesley ? Did they not pay tithe of all they possessed ? Were 
 they not as zealous as Mr. Wesley ; for did they not, like 
 him, compass sea and land to make Proselytes ? And what 
 does Paul say of them with all their zeal, but as strangers to 
 God, and unacquainted with the true way of salvation ? 
 Rom. X. 3. / bare them record that they have zeal for God, 
 but not according to knowledge, going about to establish a 
 righteousness of their own. Having not submitted themselves 
 to the righteousness of God, and therefore what was all 
 their Pharisaical religion but a pious way to hell ? And what 
 is Mr. Wesley's more than theirs, of whom Christ says, \ 
 know you (notwithstanding all their zeal), that ye have not 
 the love of God in you. 
 
 For my part, Theophilus, I am astonished (and am not 
 
137 
 
 ashamed to declare it) how you, or any other soul, whose 
 hopes are built purely and alone upon the person, righteous- 
 ness, and blcod of Jbsus for salvation, can be so deceived, 
 or rather (pardon my freedom) so unfaithful to Mr. Wesley 
 or to his people, as to think he can possibly be saved upon 
 his own principles ; for is there any one truth, I repeat it, I 
 8ay any one single truth in the word God, that salvation is 
 grounded upon that he believes ; 1 call upon him, or any of 
 his. to answer me in this if they can. 1 am too well ac- 
 quainted with Mr. Wesley's preaching and principles to re- 
 cede from what I say ; so far from receding, that 1 affirm 
 Mr. Wesley is so far from believing the truth, that there is 
 not one single truth upon which salvation depends, but he 
 with the utmost art and enmity now opposeth ; insomuch, 
 that I question if there ever was a greater enemy to the 
 glory of God, the glory of his sovereign grace, and the 
 true comfort of poor souls ever since the world began, except 
 it was Pelcigias, Arminias, or John Goodwin, his forefather; so 
 if a Pelagian or an Armenian, or a self-righteous Pharisee 
 can be saved, then may Mr. John Wesley have hope, but not 
 else; for it is written, he that believeth not shall be damned. 
 
 Theoph. Sir, you astonish me! 
 
 Phila. Sir, it may be 1 do astonish you and some others 
 at the first View, but why it should astonish you or any other 
 I am amazed. Let Mr. Wesley be his own judge; what 
 would he desiie more ; Let his own writings prove whether 
 what I have said is not true. I have said there is no hope 
 that Mr. Wesley can be saved upon his own principles, and 
 this I speak out of love to him ; and my reason is this, be- 
 cause there is not a truth upon which salvation depends but 
 he opposes with the greatest art and enmity: Let us there- 
 fore come close to the point, does not salvation depend 
 upon God's everlasting or electing love to the object? 
 Eph. i. 1, 2, 3. 
 
 Theoph. Yes sure, for the apostle says, Chosen in him, 
 
 T 
 
138 
 
 before the foundation of tlie world. Elect according to the 
 fore-knowledge of God. — Nor can I see how any soul can be 
 saved, unless it be loved with electing everlasting love, Jer. 
 xxxi. 3. 
 
 Phila. Well then if this be the case then Mr. Wesley has 
 no jusf ground to expect to be saved, — for it is well known 
 (and I will defy any to prove a like example) that there ever 
 was a man upon the earth that haled and opposed everlasting 
 love, and absolute election as Mr, Wesley has, calling it (to 
 frighten poor souls from embracing it) by the blackest and 
 most blasphemous names that he could think of, — as the doc- 
 trine of hell, — the decree of Moloch, see his blasphemous 
 poem on God's everlasting love ; — now can a man have any 
 enjoyment of that love that he has such an enmity against ? 
 
 Theoph. What in life can fill his mind with such bitter- 
 ness against the glory of the bible; against a doctrine so 
 rich, so sweet, and so comfortable to the children of God. 
 
 Phila. It must surely be for want of a spiritual inider- 
 standing in the Scriptures, or the enmity of his corrupt nature, 
 or his unacquaintedness with the principles of those who hold 
 electing love, thinking, as he mistakenly says, that absolute 
 election {.-annot be held without the decree of sin and reproba- 
 tion — when we believe that electing love has no more con- 
 nection with reprobation — than the laws of England has with 
 the laws of France ; and as to the decree of sin, that falls upon 
 himself, we believe no such horrible doctrine. — You wonder, 
 Theophi/us, what can fill his mind with such enmity to Gon's 
 electing hope, which is the ground of all our hope, and from 
 whence springs our regeneration, redemption, and salvation. 
 — Then I ask you, what you do think of the continuation of 
 his enmity against this doctrine for more than thirty years, 
 for he often speaks with the same bitterness and blasphemy 
 against it as ever, for he calls it an act fit for a Turk, see his 
 Preservative, page 225, and has taught many of his poor ig- 
 norant preachers, who are to be pitied, to do the same; does 
 
159 
 
 not this bespeak him not only a stranger ia Israel, but that he 
 is in an unregenercite state, as it is written, the carnal mind is 
 at enmity against God. 
 
 Theoph. But does not Mr. Wesley own election in no 
 , sense? 
 
 Phi LA. Yes, in a most cruel sense, (with all his love) for 
 it is in a sense that not a single soul can be saved by it, see 
 his Preservative, page 180, — where he tells you, "that God 
 from the foundation of the world foreknew all men, believing 
 or .not believing; and, accordiiig to his foreknowledge, he 
 chose or elected all obedient believers, as such to salvation, 
 and refused or reprobated all disobedient unbelievers, as such 
 to damnation." Now upon the foundation of this confession 
 of faith not one single soul can ever be saved, for you see that 
 he makes our obedience the cause, as such, of God's electing 
 or chusing of us to salvation ; but if there be no such cause, 
 then consequently there can be no such effect 5 and therefore 
 upon this unscriptural Arminian scheme of J\Jr. Wesley's not 
 a soul can be saved. Let us go to the law, and to the testi 
 motiy. And in the Erst place we will suppose with many 
 greater men in Israel than Mr. \A^esley, that God chose his 
 people in their perfection of inuocency and creatureship 
 prior to their fall in Adam. — then their obedience of Faith in 
 Christ, could not be necessary as a cause to be seen in them, 
 why they should be chosen; for in sense they were not sin- 
 ners any more tliaii the angels in heaven are, therefore stood 
 in no need of a Saviour; and in this sense Mr. Wesley's hope 
 of salvation ceases. 
 
 2dly, Let us suppose that God chose his people in the fall, 
 (which, by the way, \i not agreeable to truth ;) however upon 
 this foundation he maintains and abides by it, that our obe- 
 dience as such is the cause ofaur being chosen to salvation, 
 which is contrary to truth-.— to scripture — and to experience, 
 — Contrary to truth, for there is no such thing as faith in 
 Christ and obedience to him, as we stand in relation to 
 Adam; — lor as we stand in relation to Adam as ouv ftist pa-^ 
 
uo 
 
 rent— our federal head— onr root and representative of na- 
 ture, he sinned ; then from union of nature, we all became sin- 
 ners, receiving enmity from liis enmity, darkness of mind from 
 his darkness, disobedience from his disobedience, corruption 
 from his corruption, and all as the fruit of union to 
 him as our first parent ; —iherefore in this view God could 
 not foresee any thing in us but sin, considered under the fall 
 from the first to the last view of it, as God himself testifies. 
 Gen. vi. 5. And God saw that the wickedness of man was great 
 in the earth, and that every imagination of ihe thoughts of hit 
 heart were evil and that continually. This is the reverse of 
 seeing faith or obedience in them, as the cause of his chusing 
 them. Likewise see what view God takes of his people as 
 fallen, Ezek. xvi. 1, 2, 3, whether there appears any such 
 thing, as foreviewed obedience in them, to move him to 
 chuse them, judge you again, take a view of man in his ac- 
 tual exisienee; behold, says David (one whom God chose) 
 I was shapen in iniquity, if so, then not in faith and obe- 
 dience. And says Paul, It is written there is none righteous, 
 no, not one! There is none that doeth good, no, not one! 
 And yet Mr. Wesley says that their faith and obedience is 
 the cause of God's chusing them, when you see that in Adam, 
 in their birth, and in their open being, the Scripture concludes 
 them all under sin, Rom. iii. 9. And therefore to say that 
 our Obedience is the cause of God's chusing us to salvation 
 is, plain English, a lie, and no lie is of the truth. — Besides, it 
 is contrary to the express testimony of Heaven. Kom. ix. 11. 
 For the children being not yet born, neither having dotie any 
 good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might 
 stand, not of zc'oiks.— Nay, but ?ays Mr. Wesley, it is of works, 
 and purely as such, as obedient believers, that God chuse* 
 them to salvation ; but soys Paul, It is not of works, neither 
 good works nor bad works, but an act of sovereign giace, 
 without any motive in the creature, or taken from the crea- 
 ture, either good or bad; not of works, says Paul, least any 
 man boast, nay, but says John Wesley, " it is of works of 
 
obedience, as such, that is the cause," — but whether it be 
 right in the sight of God to obey men more than God, judge 
 ye. — Likewise, it is contrary to the experience of all I ever 
 knew, for I never found any one so bold, — except Mr. John 
 Wesley, as to dare to say that God foresaw how obedient 
 they would be, and therefore chose them to salvation — nor do 
 know any that will venture their salvation upon it, except 
 Mr. Wesley, and let himself be weighed in the balance of the 
 sanctuary; let all his obedience be put in one scale, and his 
 disobedience to God in another, — I fear he would find the 
 wrong scale turn up, — and that he would find Tikel, written, 
 Thou art wnghed, and art foufid wanting. For upon his own 
 principle if God chose us upon the foundation of our obedience, 
 and refuses upon the foundation of our disobedience, then con- 
 sequently he having more disobedience than obedience, then, 
 upon his own Arminian bottom, he has no chance of being 
 saved at all, or at least no more than the pharisees had,— 
 for is he in any wise better than they ; no, in no wise. 
 
 Likewise Mr. Wesley says, Preservative, page l60. " That 
 God predestinates or fore-appoints all disobedient unbelievers 
 to damnation." 
 
 O Theophilus! it is happy for you and I that there is, in 
 this respect, a lie in his right hand, for if this was a truth 
 what must have become of your soul and mine, and indeed of 
 every soul upon the earth; for are we not by nature diso> 
 bedient, enemies in our minds by wicked works, and has not 
 God concluded us all in unbelief. And if God had, as Mr^ 
 Wesley says, fore-appointed all disobedient unbelievers to 
 damnation, then what must become of us all, —for nothing 
 can alter his appointments, for his counsels and appoint- 
 ments, says the Scripture, shall stand, and what he desireth 
 that he doth. Then David what must have become of thee ; 
 — then Solomon what must have become of thee; — Manasseh 
 •what must have become of thee;— or Peter what would have 
 become of thee;— or Paul what must have become of thee; 
 for all these by nature were disobedient unbelievers, till God 
 
142 
 
 changed their hearts; and how comes it, if this is true as Mv. 
 Wesley says, that the Ephesians were not all damned, for they 
 were all disobedient unbelievers, called particularly the chil- 
 dren of disobedience, Eph. ii. 2. How was it then (if Mr. 
 Wesley speaks truth) that they were not damned, did God 
 change his mind, appoint one thing, and then sufler another 
 thing to come to pass, that cannot be, for he is of one mind, 
 and none can turn him : well then, to be plain, if God be true, 
 Mr. Wesley must be a liar, when he says, that God has fore- 
 appointed and has [)redesiinated every disobedient unbeliever 
 lo damnation." When the apostle stares him in the face and 
 says, 1 Thess. v. 8, God hath not appointed us unto wrath, but 
 to obtain salvation bi/ our Lord Jesus Christ, who were by na- 
 ture, children of disobedience, worshippers of idols; among 
 whom says the apostle, we all had our conversation in times 
 past, in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh, 
 and of the mind. What greater disobedience than this can 
 there possibly be, and according to Mr. Wesley's doctrine 
 there remained no hope for them,— and indeed every poor 
 pinner who is now in a state of unbelief and disobedience, 
 must, if Mr. Wesley speaks truth, be lost; for, according to 
 his own words and ideas of predestination, '' God has afore 
 prepared them all to damnation." O cruel idea,— and shock- 
 ing rejiresentation of the God of love whom we adore, yet 
 this is the man that has run up and down the world for these 
 thirty years crying out against the doctrine of absolute pre- 
 destination as a cruel doctrine,— when of all the preachers I 
 ever heard, and of all the writers I ever read, 1 never found, 
 and I defy any one to find such another cruel and severe pre- 
 dcslinarian as Mr. John Wesley is, John Calvin, Martin Lu- 
 ther, Melancthon, and Bucer were strong predestinarians, and 
 some expressions in their writings rather harsh,— but John 
 Wesley exceeds them all, as far as a sun exceeds a candle, 
 or a man of war a cock-boat, for John Wesley says, (I don't 
 change his words) " that God chooses or elects all obedient 
 
143 
 
 believers to salvation," making their obedience the moving 
 cause of God's choice; for he adds, \' It is a cause without 
 which God elects none to glory." Now it happens that 
 there never was any obedient believers, either in -Adam, or in 
 their birth, or in their life for God to choose, for in Adam 
 they were sinners like him in their birth ; or being brought 
 forth in iniquity, in their lives, children of disobedience, Eph. 
 ii. 2. None righleous, no, not one. And therefore, accord- 
 ing to Mr. Webley's Arminian idea of election, not one sin- 
 ner could be chosen, nor one soul saved, nor he himself can 
 have no hope upon this. bottom according to the Scriptures. 
 Theoi'H. But Sir, are there not obedient believers ? 
 Phi LA. Yes, Sir, blessed be God! a number that no m.an 
 can number out of every kindred, tongue, people, and lan- 
 guage; but sure, Theophi/us, you cannot but see the wide dif- 
 ference that there is between God loving an object, and then 
 communicating his love to the heart of the object, to engage 
 and draw the object to obedience, then to love and choose 
 the object lor foreseen obedience when there was none? In 
 the one God loves the object, and as the fruit of his love, 
 gives the object the blessings of the covenant to make it obe- 
 dient to him ; or as the fruit of his own pleasure he loves the 
 object, chooses it, blesses it, writes the law of his own love in 
 the object's heart, then as the fruit and power of this love the 
 object cannot but be obedient ; whereas Gon cannot love or 
 fore-appoint one single soul to glory for, its fore-seen obe- 
 dience, because it has none, see 2 Tim. i. 9, till God gives it 
 them, and surely his gifts are the fruits of his lov^ and not 
 the cause, Rom. ix. 11. Besides, this idea of Mr. Wesley 
 pleases the pharisaical pride of the creature, that God has 
 chosen him for being better, and more obedient than another, 
 it destroys the glory of divine grace, it robs God of his ho- 
 nour, and the gospel of every truth. — Hold ! where am I 
 going? JDid 1 say it does all this? Nay, but it does none of 
 this, because there is no truth in what Mr. Wesley has said, 
 and I defy him to prove it. Let God be true, who has said. 
 
144 
 
 "Sot for thy righteousness, or the uprightness of thine heart ;-^ 
 not by works of righteousness which we hate done, Titus iii. 5. — 
 not according to our works, 2 Tim. i. g.— not of works lest any 
 man boost, but Mr. Wesley says it is, therefore I may venture 
 to say in Scripture language. What shall be done unto thee, 
 O, thou lying tongue! 
 
 Theoph. Sir, wherein does Mr. Wesley appear to be a 
 greater or a more harsh Predestinarian than John Calvin? 
 
 Phila. By far ; for Mr. Calvin only says, that God did 
 choose and absolutely fore-appoint his elect to glory, with- 
 out considering them as obedient or disobedient, but as the 
 objects of his love, and from this love he fore-appoints means 
 suitable to bring them to and to give them the blessings of the 
 means to bring them to the glory ; — and the means which 
 God has fore-appointed is Christ in his person and glory, 
 as the foundation of our faith, the sanctification of the spirit 
 in Christ as our meetness, and the belief of the gospel as 
 the truth of it agreeable to the apostle's definition, God hath 
 chosen us to salvation through sanctification of the spirit 
 and the belief of the truth. Here you see the means that 
 Gon has fore-appointed and given to bring his elect to glory, 
 salvation is the end given; sanctification in the person and 
 death of Christ, by the spirit of God is the blessing given 
 to them, to give them a knowledge of this glory, and to pre- 
 pare ihem for the enjoyment of it. Faith in the gospel is 
 given them lo believe the truth of it, and to evidence their 
 love of it. Now in John Calvin's way of salvation by pre- 
 destination or election, there is the beauty of truth, the pro- 
 priety of the gospel, the prosperity of the soul, and a doctrine 
 sweet and comfortable, as the seventeenth article of the church 
 England says. 
 
 W hereas as John Wesley says. Preservative, p. 180, '* That 
 God predestinates or fore-appoints all disobedient unbelievers 
 to damnation ;" nay he adds, which is more shocking, and 
 the most cruel doctrine 1 ever heard drop from the lips, or 
 pen of any man ; — his words are these : *' that GoD, from his 
 
 4 
 
fore-knowledge, refused or reprobated all disobedient un- 
 believers as such to damnation. I then ask him solemnly. 
 Who then shall be saved? If he say, those whom God gives 
 faith to believe the gospel,— why, this proves that they were 
 not as unbelievers appointed to damnation, but appointed, 
 though they were unbelievers to become believers, and be 
 saved by divine grace;— but, if he says, agreeably to his Pe- 
 lagian principle, those shall be saved, that improve the grace 
 that God has given them. — What disappoint God— has not 
 Mr. Wesley told us that all unbelievers as such, are fore-ap- 
 pointed to damnation ; so that you see that Gon must be (ac- 
 cording to Mr. Wesley's opinion) mistaken, or the sinner 
 cannot be saved. O cruel doctrine ! is this his loving heart 
 — his universal love to mankind. — Oh ! poor deluded souls; 
 what ! does salvation depend upon their improving grace. 
 When the}' have none to improve, can they improve what 
 they have not got? can they reap where God has not sown, 
 or gather where he has not strawed, and yet be damned if 
 they do it not ? O ! cruel doctrine : O ! what a cruel teacher 
 art thou ! Is not this the very vein of all his preaching, the 
 very substance of all his writings ? Yet he cries out against 
 others who hold predestination, in a gospel sense, as full of 
 comfort to a poor sinner, and prejudices his people against 
 those who hold it ; — whilst he himself holds it in such a cruel 
 sense as to affirm, that God has reprobated all unbelievers 
 as such to damnation. If this is the case, then where is 
 God's universal love to every object alike, as he talks so 
 much of; blush, Mr. Wesley, for shame : For what has God 
 prepared Christ to save, his blood to pardon, his righteous- 
 ness to justify, his spirit to sanctify, his power to redeem 
 sinners, and his gospel to declare it? And yet has God 
 fore-ordained every unbeliever, as such to be damned, 
 — is this the gospel of Christ, God forbid! for is not 
 Christ as much engaged to save the souls of unbelievers 
 from their unbelief, by giving them faith, as he was to 
 
 save Mary Magdalen, or the thief upon the cross ? Sure 
 
 u 
 
146 
 
 Mr. Wesley, rtor his preachers, nor his people, will ever dare 
 again to betray their ignorance, or expose their prejudice by 
 crying out against those who hold predestination, according 
 to the gospel, in the comforts of it; declaring that it pro- 
 vides salvation for the enjoyment of the object ;^that it has 
 provided Christ to save the soul from wrath ; — his blood to 
 pardon it, his righteousness to justify it, his spirit to sanctify 
 it,— and his power to keep it safe to salvation; in a word, 
 every blessing of the covenant, every promise in the volume 
 of the book to comfort and engage it to love, obedience, 
 praise, and thankfulness, — having, says the apostle, pre- 
 destinated us to the adoption of children to himself, (not 
 according to our obedience) but the good pleasure of his 
 will ; to the praise of the glory of his grace (not our 
 obedience) wherein he has made us accepted in the beloved, 
 Eph. i. 5, 6. 
 
 Theoph. But does not Mr. Wesley tell us in his Preserva- 
 tive, page 181, " That Faith in Christ producing obedience 
 to him is a cause witliout which God electeth none to glory. 
 
 Phi LA. Mr. Wesley has not only mentioned our obedience 
 as the cause of our glory, but in the same page and the two 
 next, has by a number of sophistical Syllogisms (which is an 
 unfair way of reasoning things, too natural to him) darken- 
 ing our minds with clouds of causes ; while they are all 
 effects of the love of Gon, and not the cause of it, which 
 he mentions; besides, let him be told, that the person of 
 Christ, the death of Christ, the gift of the spirit, the 
 preaching of the gospel — and faith and obedience, that they 
 are no causes of the love of God — but the happy fruits^ 
 gifts or effects of it, John, iii. 1(5. Though he has the assur- 
 ance to come forth, like the Arminian, champion of the 
 uncircumcised Philistians", and to defy the armies of the liv- 
 ing Gob, by saying, page 183, " Our obeying Cmhist is 
 the cause of his giving us eternal life." Though Paul has 
 said, It is not of works, for if ii be of works then it is no 
 inore of grace. But it seems Mr. Wesley does not mind 
 
i47 
 
 much what Paul says.^ — however let us keep to the point. 
 "If our obeyiniJ Christ is the cause of hia giving us eter- 
 nal life," then 1 ask what kind of obedience will be suffi- 
 cient for eternal life ; for I would fain enjoy eternal life ; if it 
 be said perfect obedience, then I have no hope, for I have 
 not a perfect nature, and therefore cannot yield a perfect 
 obedience; therefore his doctrine leaves nie no hope of eter- 
 nal life, nor Mr. Wesley either, for he was born in sin, and 
 when he was ten years old he was a great sinner; for he telU 
 us in his Journal he had then sinned away the grace he had 
 received in his baptism ; and it is well known, in a greater or 
 less degree, that he has been a transgressor ever since to the 
 present lime, for we have all sinned and come short of the 
 glory of God ; and in many things we all offend as well as 
 Mr. Wesley ; but then we dare not venture our hope for eter- 
 nal life where Mr. Wesley ventures his. Our hope is fixed for 
 eternal life upon the gift of God, through the perfect obe- 
 dience of the person, and perfect atonement of the blood of 
 Jesus, as it is written. The gift of God is eternal life through 
 Jesus Christ our Lord, Rom. vi. 23; whereas Mr. Wesley 
 fixes his hope upon his obedience, and says (to speak in the 
 singular number) " That his obedience is the cause why 
 Christ gives him eternal life ;" and what hope is this but 
 the hope of the hypocrite, or, at best, the hope of the Pha- 
 risee, like the house that is built upon the sands? And what 
 is this but deceiving souls, and paving, by perverting the 
 scriptures, a devout way to hell for them ? For had this been 
 the case, that our obedience is the cause of Christ givini^ 
 us eternal life, how did the thief upou the cross get to 
 heaven? What ! did he get the eficot whhout the cause? O, 
 happy thief! We see then it is possible to have eternal lift- 
 without Mr. Wesley's cause of it, but I do not know either "if 
 we take Mr. Wesley's comment; for it is but a few years ago 
 that he told a very public auditory, that if we thought that 
 when Christ said unto the thief upon the cross, This day 
 shalt thou be witk me in Paradise, that he was in heaven^ we 
 
 4 
 
148 
 
 ■were mistaken, for he was only in a state of purgation; 
 j)oor man! perhaps he is there still; for if our obeying 
 Christ is the cause of his giving us eternal life, how much 
 purgation may be necessary where there was the want of this 
 obedience who can tell? " Ah, Sir ! you had like to have put 
 your head too far here; you had like to have fully dis- 
 covered whose mother's son you are ; this would not do here, 
 though it might have done v ell in the city of Rome. You 
 know, or if you know not, I know, that many of your own 
 people walked no more with you after this, though you had 
 the art, not to say assurance, very lately upon the very same 
 spot of ground, and to many of the same people, more than 
 hint at the same purgutory, purgation doctrine." Again, 
 shall I remind you of what you said, mt thinks I hear you say, 
 It is enough, and well it may be enough, when we turn our 
 eye, and see what you have said in your sermon upon the 
 scripture way of salvation, page 13 and 14, where you say, 
 " that repentance is necessary to our justification, which if 
 we willingly neglect we cannot rea>onably expect to be justi- 
 fied at all." Ah ! what a dry worthless popish doctrine is here! 
 what! is my repentance — my fears — my sorrows necessary to 
 save my soul — to blot out my sins — to make my peace with 
 God? Ah! but what if I have no repentance, what must 
 I do then ? Let us see if we can be saved by the doctrine 
 of the church of Rome or no ? what if I have no heart to re- 
 pent, nor no will to repent, what must I do then ? — you must 
 strive — what! against my will, that is hard work too? what' 
 and my justification depend upon it, that is harder still ? and 
 yet Mr. Wesley tells me, that if I willingly neglect it I can- 
 not expect to be justified at all ; but, alas! Sir, if 1 have no 
 will, what must I do then? what! no hope? Ah, cruel doc- 
 trine ! and well it may, ibr it comes from a cruel church, in- 
 somuch, that I must go to Hell, for all the comfort it pro- 
 vides for me, it makes me think. Sir, of that unjust reflection 
 you charged dear Mr. Hervey with, where you say, " what! 
 must I be sent to hell because I cannot reach heaven with 
 
149- 
 
 my hands ?" Why, Sir, you see, according to your doctrine, 
 we must. Is this not cruel? yet this is the doctrine you have 
 taught me and many thousands more. 
 
 But from the scriptures 1 have been taught that God gives 
 me grace, wiUingness, and repentance, not as necessary to 
 myjustification or to being received into his favour, but as 
 the fruit of his favour and love to me; therefore upon this 
 bottom there is a sure hope of being saved, but upon yours 
 there is none : for you have ventured — nay, dared to add, in 
 the same page, " that both repentance, and fruits meet for re- 
 pentance are, in some sense, necessary to justification." Why, 
 Sir, it v.ould be just as comtbrtable to us ihai it is, in some 
 sense, necessary for us to go up to the third heavens to see 
 Paul there ; or for you to go to the poor confined condemned 
 malefactors in their doleful cells— and tell them that you have 
 an universal love to them — tliat your bowels yearn over them, 
 and that it is, in some sense, necessary. — You need tell 
 them in what sense, whether in a meritorious or conditional 
 sense — whether in an allegorical or in anagngelical sense— 
 whether in a literal or a spiritual sense — whether in a 
 physical or metaphysical sense; — only tell them what will 
 do, that it is, in some sense, necessary for their pardon and 
 deliverance ; — that they get off those irons that bind them, 
 that they break those bars that secure them, that they in 
 some sense open the door and locks that keep them in, and 
 that they are careful that their enemies don't catch them for 
 the future; — what thanks would you deserve for all this love 
 to them ? do you not think they would be ready to laugh at 
 your ignorance ; or, if they used prison language, use you worse 
 for your kindness ?v— so contemptuous, so ignorant, in the eyes 
 of discerning Christians, is your doctrine of repentance, and 
 the fruits of repentance being in some sense necesary to our 
 justification, when I already know of nothing in the scrij)ture 
 necessary to our justification, before God, but the perfection 
 of Christ's person, obedience, and atonement, nor of justi- 
 fication in our own conscience, but the belief of this truth 
 
150 
 
 by the gift of faith from God himself, Rom. v. 1. — Though 
 Sir, you have the daring assurance to come like Goliah, and 
 defy the armies of the living God, by telling us, page 184, 
 ** thai there is as much necessity of our keeping the com- 
 mandments of God, as there was of God sending his Son into 
 the world, or of Christ's dying for our sins." — This, Sir, 
 is a home thrust, for according to this, our obedience is ai 
 necessary to save us as Christ's merits, death, sufferings, 
 and atonement. Is not this shocking language, would the 
 most daring popish priest in the kingdom have ventured to 
 have thus depreciated the merits of Christ, by putting them 
 upon a level with our obedience, it makes me think of what 
 Luther says of a Popish Monk who girded himself with an 
 hempen girdle, when he went a pilgrimage, to show how 
 humble he was, and how much he deserved divine mercy, 
 and for which, says Luther, '' he ought rather to have been 
 sent to Hell for his pride in putting an hempen girdle in the 
 room of Christ's merits."— And not very impertinent to our 
 purpose is a remark that was made by a kind of an ever- 
 lasting curate, upon seeing a clergyman in an exalted sphere 
 in life, said to his friend, ' See, Sir, how some persons 
 rise in life.' To which he was answered, ' Well, Sir,^ 
 persons are rewarded according to their merits.' * Oh !" said 
 he, ' if that was the case, I should have been a Bishop before 
 now.' — and what is remarkable, he is a man of very poor 
 abilities as a preacher. But thus you see how great was the 
 pride of his poor heart, and what proud thoughts proud 
 worms have of their obedience, though but a worm, there is a 
 little Pope in the pride of every man's heart. 
 
 And what less was it, Sir, of you in a sermon not 100 miles 
 from the north, when you told the people of your labours 
 moreabundant ; of your preaching at five o'clock in the morn- 
 ing, and then administering (what you and the church of 
 Rome call the sacrament, but what the scripture calls when 
 rightly administrated the Lord's supper) to thousands, I 
 believe you meant hundreds, that after this you wa» sent fot 
 
151 
 
 to visit the sick, or to go to some person in distress ; this you 
 said that flesh and blood thought hard, and would fain ease 
 itself, and take rest, but oh ! when you thought of the reward 
 in heaven, and of the increasing reward, that you could not 
 but go, — Oh ! fie, is this, Sir, your motive, what labour for re- 
 ward, what, call Jehovah to account for what you do for 
 him, could any Popish priest have said more, what, not only 
 obey as you say for eternal life, but for eternal reward, if 
 this is not the Kssence of Popery, I know not what it is. — • 
 I am amazed. Sir, that you should think of going to heaven ^ 
 what would you do there ; the angels will not keep you com- 
 pany, they know nothing of rewards in heaven ; the saints 
 will not keep you company, for they sing the song for 
 ever new, saying. To him that has loved us, and washed 
 us from our sins, in his own blood, to him, be glory, now 
 and for ever. When your song (if you are consistent in 
 heaven) must be, " unto me who have obeyed for eternal 
 life, and have laboured for eternal rewards." — How awkward 
 would this sound in heaven ! but however there is no danger 
 of your coming there at present, you have received your re- 
 ward; for as a good old minister used to observe, *' The 
 Lord has put a new lock upon the gate of Heaven, that the 
 old key of obedience will not unlock it." — Besides, I would 
 just remark to you, that it is impossible that there should be 
 any rewards of grace or glory in heaven, or the ultimate hap- 
 piness of the saints, whatever rewards of grace (not of debt) 
 there may be in the Millinarian state, before their ultimate 
 glory. — I have known. Sir, some persons as fervent in their 
 love as Mr. John Wesley, and as" ardent in their labours for 
 the Lord, yet despise that base, low, and sellish principle 
 of expecting a reward, and a greater reward for what they 
 do; — and though they are fervent in spirit, serving the 
 Lord, yet what they do is out of a pure principle of love» 
 having already received, through grace, iheir exceeding 
 great reward, viz. the gift of God himself, which is eternal, 
 life; and seeing that God is their glory, can that be in- 
 creased, augmented or enlarged, therefore they say ivith 
 
Jacob, It is enough. And with Paul, I am content ; having 
 nothing, yet possess all things. Though, Sir, such was your 
 enmity to this rich doctrine of grace, that you could not 
 help both distressing and deceiving your own people. 
 You distressed them by telling them, " that they must 
 all stand before God, to be judged according to their 
 works." Nay, so daringly bold was you, that you defied any 
 predestinarian to evade the force of it: — If this, Sir, be the 
 case, I solemnly a^k you once more, who then can be saved ? 
 not Mr. Wesley, who tells us, in his Preservative, page 215, 
 " that he obeys in order to his final acceptance." — If so, then, 
 Sir, your final acceptance cannot be determined till your 
 final obedience is ended ; and if God sliould be then strict 
 to mark iniquity, how do you then think to stand ? Weigh 
 the matter, it is an affair of infinite importance, your salvation, 
 according to your own concession, depends upon it, — if you 
 miss here you are undone for ever, " you obey in order to 
 your final acceptance." Is your obedience answerable to the 
 law of God, his commands are exceeding broad, holy, spi- 
 ritual, just, and good, — these are the characteristics of the 
 lavv of God, — perfect righteousness, or a sinless nature, have 
 you that. Sir? perfect holiness, or a sinless life, have you that. 
 Sir? perfect continuation therein to death, can you boast of 
 that, Sir ? Spiritual in every thought, in every desire, in 
 overy motion, in every aim, in every design, in every end, 
 come close to the point, Sir, don't be afraid, Rom. x. 3. 
 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, 
 the man that doth these things shall live by them. Just, as 
 it is a display of the righteousness and holiness of God's na- 
 ture, or tlje equity and justice of his command, and what he 
 had a just right unto from his creatures, as their Maker, Crea- 
 tor, and Law-giver, that as he created them in Adam, perfect, 
 sinless, and holy, undoubtedly he had a right of a perfect, 
 sinless, and holy obedience to his law, — another character of 
 which is good, — good in its nature, as it came from the 
 Author and Object of all good,— good in its design, as it 
 was given for the good of man, that by keeping it Ite might 
 
153 
 
 possess and enjoy all that was good:— well, Sir, have you 
 kept this law in every point i Paul says, we have all sinned, 
 Rom. iii. 23. Dare you say with the mistaken, presump- 
 tuous young man, all these have J kept from my youth, what 
 lack I yet ? well. Sir, I will tell you what you lack, it is what 
 I lack, and all mankind lack as well as you, — whijch is a sin- 
 less nature, a sinless heart, a sinless life, and perfect obe- 
 dience : for want of this the law condemns us, and stops our 
 mouth from any plea of acceptance, by our obedience, — 
 mind, Sir, what Paul says, don't flee from the point, Rom. 
 iii. 19. Note we know that what things soever the law saith, is 
 said to them that are under the law, that every mouth may he 
 stopped; if stopped, then where is your obedience to it for 
 your final acceptance ? — if stopped, then how cruel was it of 
 you (with all your loving heart, and universal love) to tell your 
 people that they must stand before God, and be judged ac- 
 cording to their works, — what, will the promise of God, the 
 person of Christ, the righteousness of Christ, the blood 
 of Christ, the resurrection of Christ, the intercession of 
 Christ, stand for nothing at that day, — what a solemn 
 nothing, as it did that day with you, — sure you forget Paul's 
 champion challenge, as indeed you generally do, — who shall 
 lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect ? it is God that 
 justifies ; who is he that condemns, it is Christ that died, 
 yea, rather that is risen again. — But if they are, as you say, to 
 be judged according to their works, then what will become of 
 them, for the law saith, that every mouth may be stopped, 
 and all the world becomes guilty before God. If guilty, then 
 condemned, and if condemned, where is the sinner's hope : 
 for it follows from the lips of the inspired writer, therefore 
 by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight • 
 therefore well may your own people be distressed with such 
 doctrine, and leave you, as many hundreds have, and it is 
 hoped many thousands more will, for by this means you will 
 preach them all away from you : for it is written, " What- 
 soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law/ 
 
 X 
 
154 
 
 And what that is Paul tells you. Gaf. iVi. 10, As many as 
 are of the works of the laze, are under the curse, and the rea- 
 son of their being under the curse, James tells you, he that 
 offendeth in one point is guilty of all.— If the sacred oracles 
 then be true, then there is no hope of that soul that obeys 
 in order to his final acceptance, or that he is to be judged 
 according to his works. — Therefore a stranger in Israel, out 
 of pilv to the people whom you had left in distress, soon let 
 many of them know that the t^xt had no more to do with 
 the judgment of the Saints, than you had to do with the laws 
 of Persia, for it only speaks of the resurrection of the wicked, 
 who lived under the law, died under the law, and were risen 
 from the dead under the law. These were judged according 
 to the things which were written in the books, every man ac- 
 cordino- to his works : but as to the resurrection of the saints, 
 whose resurrection will be a thousand years before the resur- 
 rection of the wicked, Rev. xx. .5. these will never rise to 
 be brought to judgment, for there is nothing to condemn 
 them, nor any accusation to be brought against them; nei- 
 ther sin, nor Satan, nor death, nor hell can do it. Who shall 
 lay any thing to the charge of God's elect ? not sin, for that 
 is put away ; not Satan, for he is overcome by the blood of 
 the Lamb,; not death, for it is swallowed up in victory; not 
 hell, for Christ has triumphed over its power; and there- 
 fore where there is no accusation, there can be no condem- 
 nation, for who shall condemn, if there be none to accuse ? 
 who shall condemn, says the Apostle, it is Cubist that died : 
 — As tnough he said, the honour of his death, the glory of 
 his person, ihe dignity of his righteousness, the merit of his 
 blood, the victory of his resurrection, the power of his inter- 
 cession, si.incis as the bulwark of heaven, to save, secure, 
 and justify iJiose for whom he die<l, who will come a second 
 time without sin unto salvation, not to bring them to judg- 
 ment, but to be glorified in his saintsi, and admired in all 
 those who believe. And therefore you forgot that while the 
 books of death were open to the wicked, and they were cast 
 1 
 
155 
 
 into the lake of fire, which is the second death ; — that there 
 was another book opened, which was the book of life, this 
 was opened to the saints, which we find contained their hfe, 
 their safety and security, ver. lo, but not a word of this Sir, 
 from you : but in a Popish sense, that if they would come and 
 believe God would write their names in the book of life, as 
 though God waited for the creature to do something first, be- 
 fore he could or would do any thing for them, when the scrip- 
 ture tell us, It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that run- 
 neth, but of God that showeth mercy. What, is the power 
 of the creature to bind or bias the will of the Almighty, and 
 rule his counsels and designs, O! Sir, the world is weary of this 
 stuif ; I wonder you are not weary of it, for I don't find, 
 upon inquiry, that your ministry is ever blessed to the people; 
 they have indeed your person in admiration, but as to your 
 doctrine, many, very many of them have it, to my know- 
 ledge, in very low esteem. — I should not. Sir, have been so 
 free and so faithful to you, had I not had a real love for you, 
 and compassion for your people; but seeing you upon the 
 pinnacle of religious destruction ; blinded through enmity 
 and prejudice against the pure truth, and your people in such 
 darkness and distress, through your clouds of ignorance, that 
 love compelled me thus lo speak ; and now 1 have drawn the 
 sword, I expect you will come forth to battle, and then let it 
 be like a man of war from your youth, and stand for the truth, 
 if you have got any of your side, dispute it inch by inch, and 
 don't give way like a French coward, by bold and daring as- 
 sertions, and positive denials, and then leave the field, with- 
 out any strength of argument, or scripture to prove what 
 you have said ; thus you have served dear Mr, Hervey, and 
 several others, but I will not be so served, — ^^^'ou shall either 
 defend what you have said, or with humility acknowledge 
 with an honourable shame what you have spoken, for in 
 scripture language. Job. xi. 3, should thy hes, or as it is in 
 the margin, thy devices, make men hold their peace ; and 
 when thou mocketh, — that is at truth, shall no man make 
 
156 
 
 thee ashamed, — suffer me a little and I will show thee that I 
 have yet to speak on God's behalf. 
 
 Theoph. Sir, while you have been more immediately 
 turning your thoughts and subject to Mr. Wesley, curiosity 
 has led me to peruse his Preservative and his Leiter to Mr. 
 Hervey, in which I find many things that astoiiisli me; but 
 particularly his attempt to overthrow eternal election — his 
 enmity against imputed righteousness — his aim to prove that 
 Christ died for those that perish — and his hard speeches 
 against those that hold electing love, and final persever- 
 ance. 
 
 Phila. What attempts does he make to overthrow eter- 
 nal election, which is so clear, that one would think, he may 
 as well attempt to eclipse the sun in the summit of the hea- 
 vens, as to eclipse the glory of eternal electing love, which 
 shines so bright in the horizon of the scri[)tures; but what 
 says Mr. Wesley r 
 
 Theoph. In page 179, he says, that the saints are not 
 elected till they believe. Now the Apostle tells us, Eph. i. 
 2. That we were chosen in Christ before the foundation of 
 the world. How are these two authors to be reconciled with 
 each other. 
 
 Phila. What argument does Mr. Wesley bring to prove 
 election to commence upon the act of believing.^ 
 
 Theoph. Why, he brings Rom.'w.ll. ^As it is ivritteu, 
 I have made thee a father of mam/ nalions, before him whoni 
 he believed, even God who quickened the dead, and calleth 
 things that are not as though they were: concluding, that 
 things are not what they are called in scripture, or at least 
 it may be they may be so till many thousand years after, if 
 ever at all. 
 
 Phila. Oh ! what a treacherous way of wresting the scrip- 
 tures and arguing is this ! when it is plain, if Mr. Wesley under- 
 stood hisbible,thal Abraham was both figuratively and literally 
 the father of many nations: figuratively — as he was a figure 
 of Christ; for as God established his covenant to be a God 
 
157 
 
 to him, and to his seed after him, Gen. xvii. 7- which seed 
 we find is distiiiiijuished in scripiure tVom those of the flesh, 
 called the children of the promise, which children of the pro- 
 mise, says the Apostle, are counted for tiie seed, Ro)n. ix. 
 viii. And tiiat the promise of grace and giory might he sure 
 to ail the seed, he tells you whose seed th-se are — If ye are 
 Christ's then are ye Abraham's seed and heirs according to 
 the promise. In this Abraham is called the father of the 
 faithful: and as there aath be<-n a iailhlul people, or a peo- 
 ple blessed with the faith ol' Abraliam in ail nations, in all 
 ages and generations, in this respect he is the father of many 
 nations, and as such lie was a type of Christ, who is a father 
 to Israel — an everlasting father by whom ail the family in 
 Heaven and earth is named — of whom it is said, men shall be 
 blessed in him — All nations shall call him blessed; being the 
 desire of all nations, because his redeeming love extends to 
 every kindred, tongue, nation, and people; and as Christ's 
 seed and Abraham's seed are one, as it is written, in Isaac 
 shall thy seed be called ; and as Isaac was, so are we, children 
 of the promise ; and in this sense Abraham was, figuratively, 
 the father of many nations as he was a type of Christ and 
 his seed, which is the great end the scriptures point forth in 
 describing Abraham as the i'atlier of the faithful; for they 
 are not all Israel which are of Israel. 
 
 Likevyise, Abraham was, literally, the father of many na- 
 tions; not only the nations of the Ismalites, but the twelve 
 tribes of Israel sprung from him, — but I am aware of the de- 
 sign of Mr. Wesley, for by God calling Abraham the father 
 of many nations, before the nations existed, or the people 
 were born, calling things that are not, as though (hey were, 
 from hence he concludes, that though election is mentioned 
 as taking place from eternity, it is only God calling things 
 that are not, as though they were ; and therefore by this 
 sophistical art he would elude absolute and eternal election, 
 as the fruit of God's sovereign pleasure, and make it to be- 
 come conditional, as the fruit of our faith and obedience : — 
 
158 
 
 to this I answer, when God said to Abraham, [ have made 
 thee a father of many nations, he said no more than he had 
 done, for when God created Adam, he created or made him 
 the parent or father of all mankind, though at that time man- 
 kind did not exist, — and therefore when it is said, that God 
 called things that are not as though they were; it does not 
 mean that ihey were not to him, before whom all things exist, 
 but that they were not in being tons; and the plain and tme 
 sense is God calling things which are not to us by the same 
 names, by which they exist to him, as though they really ex- 
 isted before us, so Mr. Wesley's art (not to say argument) 
 bears no weight with it against eternal election ; neither will 
 it ever have any authority with me, while the apostle, with lan- 
 guage so far superior, with argument so strong, with love so 
 triumphant, exults in the glory of its ancientness ami anti- 
 quity, Eph i. 2. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in 
 heavenlt/ places, in Christ Jesus, according as he has chosen us 
 
 IN HIM BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD. But 
 
 says Mr. John Wesley, not till believing. It makes me think 
 of Ahab's words to Michaiah, which I think are not, upon 
 this occasion, very unapplicable to Mr, John Wesley, how 
 many times shall J adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but 
 that which is truer 
 
 Phila. Wherein does Mr. Wesley's enmity against the 
 imputed righteousness of Christ appear ? 
 
 Theoph. In many respects ; in the first place Mr. Wesley 
 3ays, " That the active obedience of Christ, his fulfilling 
 the moral law, was never intended by Go n to be that righte- 
 ousness wherewith we are justified." Nay he adds, "There- 
 fore it cannot be imputed to any other man for his righte- 
 ousness." 
 
 Phila. This shows from his own hps what I have often 
 said, that Mr. Wesley is no more a believer in the righteous- 
 ness of Jesus, than the Scribes were in Christ's person; or 
 that he has more real love to the rigliteousness of Christ, as 
 
159 
 
 the full and sole matter of his justification before GoD, than 
 the Pharisees had to the person of Christ as the true Mes- 
 siah: for he says, " It was never intended by God to be that 
 righteousness wherewith we are justified." Then I solemnly 
 ask him what righteousness is there appointed of God to 
 justify us? If not Christ's righteousness, then surely it must 
 be our own ; and if so, then we are undoubtedly under the 
 works of the law, and as many as are of the works of the law, 
 are under the curse ; and if so, it is impossible for the law, 
 which for our breaches of it curses us, to justify us. And 
 therefore if it is as Mr. Wesley says, that God never intend- 
 ed the obedience of Christ to be that righteousness where- 
 with we are justified, than we are all undone, and not a single 
 soul can be saved; for it is written, by the deeds of the law 
 -shall no flesh living be justified in his sight. Furthermore, 
 I call upon Mr. Wesley before God, before the world, and 
 before the bar of his own conscience, to answer for what he has 
 said, " That God never intended the active obedience of 
 Christ, or his fulfilling the moral law, to be that righteous- 
 ness wherewith we are justified." When it is written in the 
 volume of the book, " By the obedience of one shall many 
 be made righteous, that grace reigns through his righteous- 
 ness, God has made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin ; 
 that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." 
 Who of God is made unto us, wisdom, righteousness, sancti- 
 fication, and redemption. — -What! does the capital name of 
 Jesus stand for a cypher with him This is the name 
 whereby he shall be called, the Loed our righteousness. 
 Does the word of Jesus, that spake as never man spake, 
 bear no authority upon his soul. And their righteousness is of 
 me, saith the Lord ? if it does, then how dares he before God 
 and the world to say, " A third reason against the imputation 
 of Christ's righteousness is — that there is no necessity or 
 occasion for it." — Nay, to add, *' God doth not require of 
 us the righteousness of Christ for our justification." See 
 his Treatise on Jus. page 1 1, page 60. Shall a man thus 
 
160 
 
 daringly lie for God. — O shall men hold their peace when 
 he saps the foundation of our hope, the very stones will cry 
 out, for upon this foundation, as Luther says, the church 
 stands or falls, — was not this the glory, the pillar, the bul- 
 wark, and citadel of the Reformatiion ? give up this and all is 
 gone, your title to liberty, your title to life, your title to 
 pardon, your title to peace, your title to Heaven, your title 
 to all is gone; for if the foundation be destroyed, what must 
 the righteous do. Give up this — and your bible is only a 
 blotted blank; your faith is vain; Christ is dead in vain, 
 and you are yet in your sins. 
 
 But what is most astonishing to me is, that so many great 
 and good men have been in their disputation with Mr. Wes- 
 ley treating; him, not only in the character of a gentleman, 
 and a philosopher (which I have no objection to), but as a 
 believer; this is astonishing, how they can deceive him and 
 the people too. Can that man be a Christian, a lover of 
 Christ, and a behever in the name of Jesus for the whole 
 of salvation, and tell the world for these thirty years, " that 
 the obedience of Christ, to the moral law, was never in- 
 tended by God to be that righteousness whereby we are jus- 
 tified ; that it cannot be imputed, that it is not necessary, 
 that God does not require of us the righteousness of Christ 
 for our justification." — Can a man have the spirit of Christ, 
 and despise the glory of Christ? can a man really love 
 Christ, and despise tho obedience of the love of Christ.^ it 
 is impossible; for if Mr. Wesley be a believer then may an 
 heathen, an infidel be a believer. And indeed among such 
 believers, that heathens and infidels may be, he seems to 
 glory, O mournful thought ? My soul come not thou into 
 his secret, for he says, Preservative, page 232, " That tliere 
 are hundreds, yea thousands of true believers who never once 
 thought one way or otljerof Christ's fulfilling all righteous- 
 ness in thtir stead. I personally know many to this hour, 
 tvho have no idea of it." AVhat, sir, and true believers, — I 
 deny it, — and defy you to prove it. What, believers in 
 
161 
 
 Christ, for life, peace, and salvation, and have no idea of 
 his fulfilling all righteousness for thetn, this is a faith without 
 an object, a hope without a bottom, a building without a 
 foundation,— How are they to get to Heaven. -=^A way, I 
 never heard of; what, without a right, without a title, with- 
 out a promise,, witliout a foundation. These hundreds and 
 these thousands are Mr. John Wesley's disciples, they are 
 not Jesus's disciples. — Such believers, heathens, infidels, 
 papists, and enthusiasts may be, but they who have obtained 
 like precious faith with us, through the righteousness of God 
 our Saviour, have not so learned Christ. 
 
 Theoph. But this is not all, for he proceeds to such 
 lengths that never before were named among the most vio- 
 lent enemies of the Redeemer, he says in his Preservative, 
 page 212, (though I think the title of the book should have 
 been Putrifective) "Then for Christ's sake, and for the 
 sake of immortal souls which he has purchased with his 
 blood, do not dispute for that particular phrase. The imput- 
 ed righteousness of Christ ; it is not scriptural, it is not ne- 
 cessary; it has done immense Hurt.'* And in page 226, he 
 says, " Ir is always dangerous, often fatal." Is not this storm- 
 ing the very foundation of our hope, the life and (iitadei of 
 the Christian's refuge ? 
 
 Phi LA. It surely is ; but yet there may be a truth in all 
 Mr. W^esley here says, unless it be in the first sentence, that 
 is not scriptural, for this he ought never to be forgiven in 
 this world, whatever he may in the next. To say it is not 
 scriptural is looking Paw/ very hard in the face, and tacitly 
 giving him the lie, who has said, Rom. iv. 6. Even David 
 also describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God im- 
 put eth riglueousness without works, ver. 11. That righteousness 
 might be imputed to them also, ver. 22. And therefore it was 
 imputed to him for righteousness, ver. 23, 24. Now it was not 
 written, for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him, but /or 
 us also, to whom it shall be imputtd. Now for Mr. Wesley 
 to say it is not scriptural, when the Holy Ghost so 
 
162 
 
 strongly testifies the truth of it,— be astonished, oh, heavens ! 
 at this. 
 
 Theoph. Mr. Wesley says, it is faith that is imputed, and 
 not the righteousness of Christ. 
 
 Phil A. I know M r. Wesley is for arvy thing save the right- 
 eousness or obedience of Christ, as the sole cause and mat- 
 ter of our justification before God, he has the same enmity 
 to it as the Pharisees ever had to Christ being liie true 
 Messiah; and so great is his enmity to this standing, im- 
 pregnable hope and rock of our salvation, that he has at^ 
 tempted, by no less than sixty objections, to erase it from the 
 scriptures, in his Letter to Mr. Hervey, printed in his Pre- 
 servative. — And one objection is enough (if it were pos- 
 sible) to make all heaven shudder. Mr. Hervey, in his usual 
 style, speaking of the righteousness of Christ, in its dignity 
 and exalted glory, calls h, agreeable to the scripture, the 
 righteousness of God, " And that it means such a righteous- 
 ness as may justly challenge his acceptance." This Mr. Wesley 
 calls a cafiital mistake, and says, he cannot allow it at all. 
 What, the righteousness of God acapital mistake, by which a 
 sinner is accepted, justified, pardoned, and beloved ; could any 
 one upon earth, I had almost said in hell, have had the daring 
 assurance to have said thus, except it had been Mr, AVesley, 
 when Christ had said, Lo ! I come to do thy will, Oh ! my 
 God. — I have finished the work thou gavest me to do. — And 
 the Father has said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well 
 pleased. However, to use his own phrase, 1 would follow him 
 step by step : he says, " it is faith that is imputed for right- 
 eousness." — I ask, what the act, instead of the object ? let him 
 consider the absurdity of it, supposing a person invited to a 
 feast, and he believes that there is a plenteous provision made 
 for him ; now let this belief or faith of his be imputed to him, 
 or reckoned to him instead of the feast, would it satisfy him, 
 would not his soul be exceeding hungry, notwithstanding such 
 an imputation r — but if the whole feast be made over to him, 
 imputed to him, set apart for hia>> and reckoned his, for him 
 1 
 
1(53 
 
 to feast and satiate his soul therewith, there would appear 
 kindness in the giver, and life in the receiver; whereas Mr. 
 Wesley's imputation leaves the soul as empty as it finds it. 
 But if it be, as Mr. Wesley says, that it is the first act of faith 
 that is imputed for rigliteousness; for as soon as the soul be- 
 lieves, he says, it is that moment justified, why not the second, 
 and if the second, why not the third, — and so the soul, acord- 
 ing to this, may have as many righteousnesses as it has acts of 
 faith. 
 
 Theoph. But, Sir, Mr. Wesley does here what is very ut*- 
 conjmon for him to do, viz. he brings scripture to prove what 
 he affirms, Rom. iv. 6, it should be the 5th verse, To him that 
 believeth on him, thatjustifieth the ungodly, faith is imputed for 
 righteousness. 
 
 Phi LA. I wish Mr. Wesle}-^ would learn to be honest, and 
 quote the scriptures word for word, as the Holy Ghost has 
 penned them. 
 
 It is not said barely, faith is imputed for righteousness; but 
 it is said, his faith, &C. which I shall explain, but as this is 
 so momentous a point, upon which our hope; life, and salva- 
 tion depends, let u* just take notice of the two preceding 
 verses. For what saith the scripture, Abraham believed God, 
 and it was counted to him for righteousness, that is, Imraa- 
 nuel, God-man in whom he believed, was in all the perfection 
 of his nature, life, and death counted to him as the righteous* 
 ness of his soul., 
 
 Now to him that worketh, is the reward not reckoned of 
 grace, but of debt ; showing plainly, that if our act of faith, 
 which is a work, be imputed for righteousness, then the im- 
 putation is no act of grace, but a debt to us, — which is the 
 sum total of Mr. Wesley's opinion, and design to support ; 
 but the design of the Holy Ghost is to overthrow this, as 
 it is written, but unto him that worketh not, but believeth on 
 him who justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for light- 
 eousness,— whose faith, the person that believes? that is im- 
 possible, for the believer's fai I h has nothing to give, by way of 
 
164 
 
 obedience to justify, or to bestow, by way of atonement, to 
 satisfy. — Faith receives the blessing of justification, and 
 therefore cannot be the blessing itself; the hand receives the 
 gift the donor gives, but the hand is not the gift. — An insol- 
 vent debtor may believe that he has a friend that will pay the 
 debt he owes for him, but his belief does not justify him in a 
 law sense from the debt ; but if his friend pays the debt for 
 him, and imputes the payment to him, then he is justified; 
 not that his belief of payment was imputed, no it is the 
 payment itself that is reckoned his; the application is clear; 
 besides, the faith here spoken is the faith of Christ, who 
 justifies, for he as really beheved for us, as he died for us. I 
 am really astonished how many great men in Israel have 
 seemed in their description of faith to fall short here, when 
 it is said, ha. xlix. 8. In an acceptable time have I heard thee, 
 andin a day of salvation have I succoured thee. And the Apostle 
 speaks the same language : He was heard, in that he feared. 
 And the Holy Ghost says, This poor man cried unto the 
 Lord, and he heard him, and delivered him out of all his 
 troubles. And the Lord Jesus Christ himself says to his 
 Father, Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou 
 suffer thine holy one to see corruption. And the Father said 
 concerning him. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and 
 be satisfied: from hence it is evident that Christ was the 
 GREAT BELIEVER, as Well as the great sacrifice for the people, 
 and this is so far from rendering faith unnecessary in us, that 
 it is the life, source, and fountain from whence it springs ; 
 for whatever life and blessing is in Christ, the living head, 
 it is communicated by the Holy Ghost to the soul, as the sap 
 from the root extends to every branch of the vine; and we have 
 as surely faith fi om his faith, as well as every other blessing : 
 and what is faith but a sure knowledge that God will do what 
 he has promised ?— and by this faith we are justified, Isa. liii. 
 By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many ; that 
 is, by his " knowledge of my delight to acquit and justify by 
 his blood and obedience, by his knowledge of the perfec« 
 
16.5 
 
 tion of his obedience, and the consuminate atonement of 
 his death, he shall justify many thereby from all condemna- 
 tion." Now this in Scripture is called the faith of Christ, 
 by which we are said to be justified. And wliat is counted 
 to us for righteousness, see what the Apostle says, Gal. ii. 
 16, "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of 
 the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ ;" that is, by that 
 pure life of faith which he lived for us ;" a point too little 
 thought of; hence it follows with such clearness, evidence, 
 ■ and life, " that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, 
 and not by the works of the law :" On this account it is that 
 justification is so frequently ascribed to faith, and salvation 
 to faith, when it is the person of Christ, and the faith of 
 Christ that is meant; as faith is frequently put for the ob- 
 ject of faith, see Gal. iii. 23, hence says the Apostle (who 
 well knew what the Christian life meant) *' The life that I 
 live in the flesh is by the faith of the Son of God." De- 
 noting that Christ's life of faith and obedience was the 
 living life of his soul ; and did this lead Paul *> licentious- 
 ness, and to commit all uncleanness with greediness, as Mr. 
 Wesley basely, says the doctrine of Christ's imputed right- 
 eousness does ? — Judge, let men judge, let angels judge, let 
 Paul's life determine, not Mr, Wesley, he must not be upon 
 the jury, for his judgment is corrupt : But let Paul speak, 
 who says, " we henceforth live not unto ourselves, but unto 
 Him that died and rose again, that whether living or dying 
 weare the Lord's." — Thus you see that Mr. Wesley's popish 
 doctrine of imputed faith, obedience, and holiness, in the 
 room of the glorious righteousness of Jesus, has no being in 
 the oracles of God. 
 
 Theoph. But, Sir, what think you of Mr. Wesley saying, 
 " It has done immense hurt ?" Sin and Satan can do no more 
 than immense hurt. 
 
 Phila. True, Sir, they can do no more than immense 
 hurt. This seems to be more cruel to the Redeemer, than 
 Joab was to Abner, when he took him aside in the gate to 
 «peak with him quietly, and he smote him tliere under the 
 
]6G 
 
 fifth rib, that he died. But undoubtedly Mr. Wesley spoke 
 what he felt. He has said, it has done immense hurt; and 
 without doubt he has found that it has ; and can we be angr}' 
 for his speaking truth, for lie hath been more than thirty 
 years in establishing self-righteousness and sinless perfection, 
 in the room of ihe rii^hteousness of Jesus. And tells his 
 people " that they must obey, in order to their final accept- 
 ance, that they all at last must be judged by their works, 
 and that there is no necessity for the righteousness of Christ; 
 and that God never intended it for their justification," &c. 
 All this and more he says in his Preservative. But lo ! a 
 champion for the Lord of Hosts comes forth, the dear, the 
 great Mr. Hervey, who has established the perfection of 
 Christ's obedience to the law of God, as our only righte- 
 ousness, jaftification and salvation : That our faith or obe- 
 dience has no more part or share in our justification, than 
 Mr. Wesley has a part or share of the stars of Heaven in 
 his hand. But the righteousness of Jesus as the ark of the 
 covenant, being placed before Mr. Wesley's Dagon of self- 
 rightcousness and sinless perfection, Lo ! Dagon is fallen 
 to the earth before the ark of the Lord. And though Mr. 
 Wesley has took up Dagon and set him in his place again, 
 yet lo ! Dagon is fallen again, and there is nothing but the 
 stump of Dagon left. Do you think then, TlieophUns, that 
 Mr. Wesley may not well say that the imputed righteousness 
 of Christ has done immense hurt, it gives him so much 
 troubl»and pains to jnake Dagon and the ark stand together, 
 and he cannot do it, though he has been trying these thirty 
 years; — he can make Dagon stand well otjough without the 
 ark, but when the ark, 1 mean the righteousness of Jesus, 
 is brought in-as the fonndntion, cause, and condition of our 
 salvation, then his sinless perfection, like Dagon, falls down 
 before the ark. It takes away his gods, and what has he 
 more? Ahd can any one complain of his saying that it has 
 done immense hurt.? l-or don't you think, Theophilus, it was 
 doing immense hurt when God destroyed the lower of Ba- 
 bel ; that the people had laboured to build for so many years. 
 
>\ith such a great end, to make tVieniselves a great name, and 
 tlie top thereof to reach the Heaven. And can Mr. 
 Wesley do less than complain of immense hurt, when lo! 
 his building is destroyed thnt he has been longer erecting rtian 
 Solomon's Temple was: But as he says, the imputation of 
 Christ's righteousness has done immenst' hurt, then let me 
 retort his own expressions, and with the same spirit and pa 
 thos, " For Christ's sake, and for the sake of immortal 
 souls, which he has purchased with his blood, have nothing 
 to do with it." Matt, Kxvii. 19. Have thou rwthing to do 
 uith that just man. 
 
 As to INlr. Wesley saying it is unnecessary, dangerous, and 
 often fatal, though shocking and destructive to the life and 
 comfort of the soul, yet it is no wonder to hear such expres"- 
 sions from his lips and from his pen. For if our dependence 
 is upon our sinless obedience, and we are to be judged at last 
 according to our works, then the righteousness of another 
 must be unnecessary; for to make mention, as David did, of 
 Christ's righteousness and of his only, must be dangerous 
 indeed of destroying all hope upon Mr. Wesley's inherent 
 righteousness, and the consequence of it must be fatal to 
 him; like the man who built his house upon the sands^ and 
 the rains descended, and the floods came and beat upon the 
 house, and it fell, and great was the fall thereof: Or like the 
 guest that had not on the wedding garment. Matt. xxii. II. 
 &c. " And when the King came in to see the guests, he saw 
 there a man not having the wedding garmei.t^ — and he said 
 unto him. Friend, how camest thou in hither, not having a 
 wedding garment,— and he was speechless, —then said the 
 King unto his servants, bind him hand and foot, and take 
 him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be 
 weeping and gnashing of teeth." 
 
 Theoph. Sir, what think you of Mr. Wesley's doctrine 
 of Christ dying for all men, even for those who are in 
 Hell? 
 
168 
 
 Phila. I think as little of it as I do of the unscriptural So- 
 cinian doctrine, ihat says, "Christ died for none at all." 
 But as for them and the Arians it is no wonder, for they leave 
 Christ out in every thing; and as to his person, hia blood, 
 his atonement, his righteousness, his resurrection, and his 
 intercession, they only make a solemn nothing of it, — and 
 therefore it is impossible for a single soul of them to be saved. 
 The people are much to be pitied, and the priests are mucli to 
 be blamed, for as they do not understand the Godhead of 
 Christ, the glory of his person, the merit of his obedience, 
 the atonement of his death, the conquest of his resurrection, 
 aad the efficacy of his intercession ; it would be honest in 
 them to lay aside their employment, and not deceive poor 
 souls: How shall they preach, except they be sent? and no 
 other foundation can any man lay than that which is laid, 
 which is Christ Jesus the Lord. And though it is said, 
 There is no other name under heaven given among men 
 whereby we must be saved. And yet these gentlemen are con- 
 stantly, in all their sermons, preaching a way of salvation 
 without a Saviour, and often not so much as to make men- 
 tion of his name, though it is said, *' In his name the Gen- 
 tiles trust, their understanding is very dark of the scriptures,, 
 and of Paul's ministry, who was determined to know nothing 
 else but Jesus Christ, and him crucified; the Alpha and 
 Omega, the beginning and the end. But as to Mr. Wesley, 
 who pretends to so much zeal and knowledge, it is strange 
 for him to say that Christ died for all men, and for those 
 who are in hell, when he cannot but know that the word all 
 is not to be taken in an universal sense, neither can it be, 
 as for instance, it is said. Matt. iii. 5. Then went to him 
 (viz. John) Jerusalem and all Judea, and alt the regions round 
 about Jordan. Now can we reasonably suppose that all the 
 persons, or every individual of Jerusalem, or all the regions 
 of Judea, or that every person round ab(>ut Jordan came to 
 John to be baptized, when it is evident it was only such who 
 ftoufesied their sins. Besides, speaking of Christ it is said. 
 
i69 
 
 Mark'i. 37, All men seek for thee; now there never was a 
 time when every man sought for Jesus is too evident. And 
 again it is written, Mark v. 20, And he departed, and began 
 to publish in Decapolis hozo great things Jesushad done for him, 
 and all mtn did marvel. The word all signifies only to whom 
 he h:id published what great things Jesus had done for him ; 
 need I mention the woman of Samaria, who said, " Come 
 see a man that told me all things that ever I did; when 
 it is evident Chkist did not tell her every individual thing 
 that she did or had done, hut only the case respecting her 
 husbands, and him whom she then had was not her husband : 
 So that the word all is not a proof at all that Christ died for 
 every man. — And when it is said, that Christ tasted death 
 for every man, and that he is the Saviour of all men, it means 
 for our comfort, that he tasted death for every one who be- 
 lieves, and that he is the Saviour of all men that trust in 
 Him. — But as to Mr. Wesley saying, " that Christ obtained 
 a possibility of salvation for all men, and that he died for 
 those who are now in hell." — What, the power of God, the 
 wisdom of God, the counsels of God, the oath of God, the 
 person of Christ, the blood of Christ, the resurrection and 
 intercession of Christ, all laid out, all engaged, what to do, 
 sure it must be for some glorious end, some great design to 
 accomplish ! Why, Mr. Wesley says, " to obtain a possibility 
 of all men being saved, — then consequently a possibility ofall 
 men being damned ; for by the same rule, that one is lost, 
 all may be lost : But how is this consistent with the oracles of 
 Heaven, which says, " Israel shall (not may) be saved in the 
 Lord with an everlasting salvation, and shall never be con- 
 founded, world without end." 
 
 But if Christ only obtained a possibility of salvation, I 
 ask how that possibility is to be made effectual ? If it be saiji 
 by my improvement, — Improvement I — of what — my enmity, 
 my darkness, my rebellion, my wickedness, for this all I have 
 by nature to improve. — No, it must be a religious improve- 
 ment : what, must it be then by works at last? But Paul says 
 
 2 
 
17© 
 
 '•' it is not of works, lest any man boast." "No, it must be 
 by Christ's power, here we are agreed ; but observe the con- 
 nexion of this, "and don't mix the creature's power with 
 Cheist; for if it be by Christ's power, then it is not barely 
 a possibility of salvation, but a real certainty of salvation ; 
 for he says, " I give unto my sheep eternal life, and they 
 shall never perish." Mr. Wesley, says, " they may perish," 
 but Christ says, " they never shall perish." Now either 
 Christ or Mr. Wesley must be mistaken ; which it is, judge 
 ye, for Christ adds, neither shall any be able to pluck them 
 out of his hands. 
 
 As to Mr. Wesley saying that Christ died for those who 
 are in hell, — whnt, die for their sins, and yet suffer their sins 
 to damn them, — what, pay their debt for them, and yet send 
 them to punishment; — what, love them so as to die for them, 
 and yet suffer them to go to hell; what, conquer Satan, and 
 suffer Satan to conquer them ;what, had sin more power to des- 
 troy them than Christ had to save them .? what, had Christ 
 power to save them, and died in love for them, and yet did 
 not save thetn ? then where is his love, — this doctrine will not 
 do, for it has neither truth, sense, nor scripture with it. — 
 Suppose I was in a pit of deep mire, as the Psalmist says, 
 where there was no standing, and a friend, who has power 
 to get me out, came to me, and says, " O! I am concerned 
 for you, I greatly love you, my heart aches for you! 
 come out, ccune out:" To whom I say, why, I cannot 
 come out, unless it be by your strength and power, then I 
 can: Oh ! but I don't choose to do that, says he, or if he does 
 not say the same in words he goes away and leaves me sink- 
 ing there till I am lost, without exerting either his love or his 
 power to save me; — what should I think of such a friend ? 
 should I not have u right to think that all his testified affec- 
 tion for me was nothing: And is not Mr. Wesley's doctrine 
 the same when he says, " that Christ died for those who 
 are in hell?" Is not this making Christ insincere in his love ; 
 leaving the soul in a hopeless state, and making the death of 
 
171 
 
 Christ, to use once more Mr. Wesley's own words, "to 
 
 obtain a solemn nothing ?" 
 
 Theoph. Sir, but Mr. Wesley in order to prove this, fre- 
 quently brings in the scripture phrase, " ilie world, the 
 whole world, who is a propitiation for our sins, and not 
 for ours only but for the sins of the whole world: And 
 as to the world of believers, a term frequently used by 
 some writers, he says, '^ it has no countenance in scrip- 
 ture." 
 
 Phila. Sir, 1 have read Mr. Wesley's thoughts on pre- 
 destination and election, in which I must confess that Mr. 
 Wesley has, by an art which is peculiar to himself, proved 
 as clearly that Christ died for no man, as that he died for 
 every man ; it is very difficult to sfiy which he best proves : 
 — As to the word. World, Mr. Wesley must know that it is 
 never once used in the scriptures respecting either salvation 
 or condemnation, in an universal sense, or to mean everv in- 
 dividual person upon the earth ; as for instance, when it is 
 spoken of salvation, God so loved the world, 8cc. No, this 
 cannot be meant of every individual person in the world, — 
 for if so then every individual person must, as the conse- 
 quence of this love, be saved, for God is at rest in his love, 
 he is of one mind and none can turn him. But did he love 
 Esau as he loved Jacob, let the oracles of heaven speak, Jacob 
 have I loved, Esau have I hated : did he love the sons of 
 Belial, sons of wickedness, with the same love that he loved 
 David and Solomon? did he loveJudaswith the samelovethat 
 he loved Paul ? again, when it is said, " Behold the Lamb of 
 God that taketh away the sins of the world ;" now it is evident 
 that it does not mean the sins of every individual person in 
 the world, for if so, then every man must surely be saved; 
 for if their sins are taken away there can be no punishment, 
 for where there is no sin to charge, there can be no wrath 
 to punish. But did he take away the sin of Judas, if so, how 
 came it upon him again r hard indeed to be saved once, and 
 damned after ! did he take awav the sins of the Pharisees, 
 
372 
 
 and yet ask them, Matt, xxiii. 33, How they could escape the 
 damnation of Hell? There would have been no occasion for 
 our Lord to have asked them this question, ifhe had taken 
 away their sins ; neither would he have called them, " a ge- 
 neration of vipers and serpents ;" or have said, " AVoe unta 
 you, ye scribes and Pharisees," if he had so loved them as to 
 take their sins away from them. Thus yon see, Theophilus, 
 that the phrase, world, does no mean every individual person, 
 neither when it is used of condemnation does it mean that all 
 are condemned, — as for instance, it is said in John v. 19, 
 The whole world lieth in zoickedness; now the phrase world, 
 and whole world cannot be meant of every individual person, 
 for there never was a time since the creation but what the 
 Lord had a people whom he had formed for his praise, these 
 did not lie in wickedness, but in the bosom of his love. 
 Again it is said, *' all the world went a wandering after the 
 beast ;" when at the same time the Lord had his seven thou- 
 sands, if not his seventy times tcven thousand, who had not 
 bowed their knee unto Baal. 
 
 Theoph. In what sense are we then to take the word, world, 
 in scripture.'' for to call them, whom Christ died for, 
 the world of believers is what Mr. W^esley says, the scriptures 
 never countenance ? 
 
 Phi LA. Mr. Wesley has for many years taken leave to say 
 what he pleases, but hardly ever proves what he says, for it is 
 evident that the word. World, is used in scripture with a di- 
 rect reference and connexion with believers ; for the Apostle 
 speaking of the fall of the Jews, says, '^ through their fall 
 salvation is come to the Gentiles." And adds, " if the fall of 
 them (that is, of the Jews) be the riches of the world :" what 
 world could the apostle here mean but the Gentiles, and what 
 part of these Gentiles are called the world is plainly pointed 
 out, viz. to those to whom salvation came : — And to strengthen 
 this the Apostle adds, " for if the casting away of them be 
 the reconciling of the world :" now what world could this be 
 but the believing Gentiles, to whom the word of reconcilia- 
 
173 
 
 tion was sent, as you have it Acts xiii. 48, Jnd when the 
 Gentiles heard this they zcere glad, and glorijied the word of 
 the Lord, and as many as were ordained unto eternal life believ" 
 ed." And it is worthy to be remarked, Theophilus, tliat the 
 word. World, is used particularly by the Holy Ghost, to 
 distinguish the Gentiles from the Jews, for as the Jews were 
 called a holy nation, a peculiar people; and the Lord, to 
 distinguish them as the people of his love, calls them his 
 chosen people ; but as to the Gentiles, they are called the 
 Heathen, or the world round about : in this sense there is a 
 beauty and propriety in the word, World, even when used 
 in reference to the death and atonement of Christ, who was, 
 says John, " being a Jew, a propitiation for our sins." But 
 when he viewed the extent of his death, that in his name the 
 Gentiles trust, he adds, " not for ours only, but for the sins 
 of the whole world ;" and who those are, and for what end 
 the gospel is revealed, Paul tells us, Rom. ix. 23, &c. That he 
 might make known the riches of his glory, on the vessels of mercy , 
 rvhom he had afore prepared iinto glory; even us whom he hath 
 called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles." — Ashe 
 saith also, I will call them my people, which are not my people: 
 and her beloved zchich was not beloved. And it shall come to 
 pass that in the place where it was said unto them ye are not my 
 people: There shall they be called the children of the living God. 
 So that by the world is meant the children of God, scattered 
 abroad throughout the world, see John xi. 50, 51, 52, '*■ And 
 in this sense, Christ says, he came not to condemn the 
 world, but that the world through him might be saved :" 
 agreeable to this Christ says, " Look unto rae all ye ends 
 of the earth, and be ye saved." 
 
 Theoph. Sir, your arguments from scripture communicate 
 light, life, and satisfaction to my mind, respecting the glo- 
 rious design of Emmanuel's death; but what think you of 
 Mr. Wesley's saying, "what becomes ofal! other people, 
 they must inevitably perish for ever ; the die was cast or ever 
 tliey were in being; the doctrine to pass them by has con- 
 
 3 
 
174 
 
 signed their unborn souls to Hell, and damned them from 
 iheir mother's womb." And that nineteen out of twenty will 
 be lost, let them do what they will. 
 
 Phi LA. These are horrible ideas, and were they just, they 
 would deserve a serious considcraticm : but whom does Mr. 
 Wesley charge these terrible things unto? not unto us I hope, 
 for I assure him we believe no such cruel doctrine ; so far 
 from it, that we affirm that God never created any man to 
 damn him, nor ever decreed sin to be the cause of damnation^ 
 for neither sin nor condemnation ariseth from God, but from 
 the creature, therefore it is dreadful in Mr, Wesley to repre- 
 sent us as making the Almighty a tyrant, as his unjust phrase 
 is, when we believe him to be the essence of love, 1 John iii. 
 16. " And therefore this reproach is rolled away, and like 
 smoke it vanisheth before the wind, and like the darkness of 
 the bottomless pit, it is chased away by the bright rising of 
 the star of Jacob." 
 
 As to Mr. VA'^esley saying in a short abstract which is lately 
 published, of electing love, and distinguishing grace, "that 
 if this be true then nineteen out of twenty must perish, let 
 ihera do what they Mill :" Here he talks like a stranger in 
 Israel, for who ever talks of God's electing love under such 
 narrow limits and bounds, as one in twenty. O fie, Mr. Wes- 
 ley, this was done to cast an odium and reproach on electing 
 grace and those that hold it, in order to embitter the minds 
 of vour people against embracing of it, or believing what 
 Paul says, " The election hath obtained it, and the rest are 
 blinded ;" for wc are so far from thinking, preaching or print- 
 ing such narrow ideas of electing love, that we declare that 
 they are a number which no man can number, more in num- 
 ber than the sandsupon the sea shore, that not one single soul 
 shall ever perish, that is made willing to be saved in God's 
 own way, by faith in the obedience, death and resurrection 
 of Jesus; and that this extends to every kindred, people, na- 
 tion, and language. " He thatseeth the Son and believeth on 
 him, hath everlasting Ufe. Whosoever will, let him come 
 
175 
 
 and take of the waters of life freely; that if thou shalt confess 
 with thy mouth the Lckd Jesus, and shalt believe in thy 
 heart, that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt 
 BE SAVED :" and what can a poor soul, that is desirous of its 
 salvation, desire more : hence it appears that the reproach 
 that Mr. Wesley has been for these thirty years charging 
 electing love, is rolled away by the power and glory of ihe 
 scriptures. 
 
 Theoph. But Mv. Wesley intimates, if election be true 
 then there can be but one in twenty saved, let them do 
 what they will. 
 
 Phila. I would only here observe, that if the fallen race 
 are left to do what they will, not only one in twenty, but not 
 one in twenty thousand will be saved, for every man by na- 
 ture willeth his own destruction, by loving darkness rather 
 than light, and therefore upon Mr. Wesley's foundation of 
 salvation being left to every man upon the fnedom of his 
 will, every man must be lost, because his will is by nature 
 reverse to God's will and vvay of salvation, ye will not come 
 unto me that ye may have life. But if God makes them a 
 willing people in the day of his power, by giving them a nevr 
 nature, called in scripture a new heart, and consequently a 
 new will; and therefore it is not mankind's doing what they 
 will that saves them or has the least influence in their salva- 
 tion, but it is God fullilling his will, and the work of faith 
 with power that saves them ; not only one in twenty, as Mr. 
 Wesley would reproachfully represent it, but to an innume- 
 rable number which no man can number, even to as many 
 as receive Christ, to them he gives power to become the sons 
 of God, even to as many as believe on his name. 
 
 Theoph. But Mr. Wesley says, to say that Christ died 
 for the elect, as elect, is absolute nonsense and confusion. 
 Preservative, page 187. 
 
 Phila. Here I am amazed, that Mr, Wesley (a person of 
 so much knowledge) should stoop so low, as to degrade his 
 
176 
 
 understanding, by calling it nonsense; if by nonsense he 
 means, according to the etymology of the word, ungrammati- 
 cal; what connexion has this with it, any more than a star 
 has with a clod of earth ? Grammar is the beauty or pro- 
 priety of speech, but it is evidence that proves matters of fact, 
 and not Mr. Wesley's denials and bold assertions — But if by 
 nonsense he means (according to the general acceptation of 
 the word) a trifle, a mere trifle ! something very insignificant 
 not worth a hearing ! This is alarming indeed ! what ! the cross 
 of Christ a trifle? what! his death, his wounds, his groans, 
 his tears, a trifle ? what! his atonement, his blood, his resur- 
 rection a trifle ? what, an absolute trifle, not worth a hearing ? 
 • — what ! the salvation of thousands of thousands, of ten 
 thousands times ten thousands, and a number which no man 
 can number, not worth a hearing ! — This in Mr. Wesley's ears 
 is absolute nonsense: O amazing! that because Christ did 
 not die for all, even for those who are in hell, or that may for 
 rebellion hear the solemn sound. Depart, it must be a trifling 
 aflfair, that he died for the unnumbered number of every kin- 
 dred, nation, and language whom the Father had given him, 
 " Thine, says Christ, they were, and thou gavest them me : 
 all that the Father has given me, I have lost none ; I am the 
 good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine : 
 as the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father ; and 
 I lay down my life for the sheep." And yet all this a trifling af- 
 fair, absolute nonsense ! But what is more amazing, be astonish- 
 ed, O Heavens! at this, he adds, " and confusion :" words 
 which bear so hard upon blasphemy, that they scarce de- 
 serve a reply. What, the death of Christ for the elect, as 
 elect, confusion! O astonishing! the very centre of all the 
 divine perfections, where wisdom, mercy, love, peace, and ho- 
 liness shine with such harmony, that all Heaven adores, 
 every angel wonders, and every Saint admires, — in him mercy 
 and truth have met together, righteousness and peace kiss 
 each other; it is here the soul meets with Heaven, and Hea- 
 
177 
 
 ven meets with the soul ; here it enjoys peace on earth ; m 
 this sanctuary, iu this safe retreat, the soul loves, adores, and 
 praises God for ever and ever. 
 
 Theoph. Mr. Wesley seems to allovv that the elect were 
 sinners, but not as they are elect in Christ, but as they are 
 out of Christ. 
 
 Phila. Unhappy for Mr. Wesley it happens according to 
 the counsel of Jehovah's will, that the elect never were out 
 of Christ, from everlasting they were chosen in him, Eph. 
 1, 2, and to everlasting they will have a being in him ; and 
 though they were thus chosen in Christ, and were as 
 such the object of the same everlasting love, wherewith 
 Christ was loved, John xvii. 23, yet this did not prevent 
 their being sinners, nay their being dead in trespasses and 
 sins, as they stood in relation to Adam, as the natural sinning 
 head, and parent of all mankind, Eph. ii. 2. And as such or 
 in such a relation, they were lost, were captives, were L!;-'J!ist, 
 ■were guilty, and therefore stood in an absolute need of the 
 death and atonement of Christ, to bring them in away of 
 honour to the divine perfections, not to be interested in the 
 love of God, but to the inheritance and enjoyment of his 
 love, which by election and choice of them, they were in- 
 terested in, Jer. xxxi. 3, As it is written, because ye are Sons, 
 God hath sent forth the Sjyirit of his Son into your hearts, 
 crying, Abba Father. 
 
 There is one egregious mistake of Mr. Wesley's, and it 
 seems to be his capital mistake, which chiefly leads him into 
 all others, which is, he says in this Preservative, Page 192, 
 " We believe that in the moment Adam fell, he had no free- 
 dom of will left, but that God when of his own free grace he 
 gave the promise of a Saviour to him and to his posterity 
 graciously restored to mankind a liberty and power to accept 
 of proffered salvation." I verily believe this is Mr. Wesley's 
 creed, as his name is prefixed to it, but as to what the world 
 has made much noise about, viz. the Apostles' creed, and 
 
17S 
 
 Athanasius's creed, I believe they knew nothing at all of tliem, 
 and as to Mr. Wesley's creed, it is a creed without credit 
 with me and many thousands more, because there is no truth 
 in it. — " We believe, says Mr. Wesley, that the moment 
 Adam fell he had no freedom of will left." On the contrary 
 we believe that from the moment Adam fell, that he had a 
 freedom of will left, and that this freedom was to every thing 
 which is evil, which evil bias or bent of the will is the source 
 of all the branches of sin described in near seventy particu- 
 lars in the scriptures, therefore he was the sinning head, the 
 sinning life to all mankind, as by one man's disobedience 
 many w^ere made sinners, and nothing but sinners by him and 
 from him, possessing the same freedom of will to every evil, 
 and bearing the same image and likeness that Adam did; and 
 therefore it must be exceeding" wrong of Mr. W'^esley to say, 
 " That God of his own free grace, when he gave the promise 
 of a Saviour to him and his posterity, graciously restored to 
 mankind a liberty and power to accept of proffered salvation." 
 This is not truth, we believe no such thing, and solemnly call 
 upon Mr. Wesley to prove it if he can, — so far from believing 
 it, that we affirm, and are as ready to prove as to affirm that 
 there is no such thing as proffisred salvation at all ; if there is 
 a proffered salvation it must be proffi^^red either by man or 
 God; not by God, for he does not proffer salvation to the 
 poor sensible sinner, and then leave him to struggle with the 
 mutability or rather forwardness of his will, whether he will 
 choose the salvation or not, but he gives, communicates, or 
 reveals his salvation to the soul, " I will give thee, (not proffer 
 thee) for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayost be mj 
 salvation to the ends of the earth : To as many as received 
 him, to them gave he power (not proffered ihcm power) to 
 become the sons of God, who called me by his grace, (not 
 ]noffeied me his grace) and revealed his Son in me, not prof- 
 fered his Son to me. 
 
 Now as this salvation is not proffered by God, upon any 
 
 4 
 
179 
 
 condition in the creature, but given freely, and the blessing 
 of faith to receive it as the fruit of his promise, power, and 
 ]ove; then I would ask Mr. Wesley or any other, who gave 
 them any authority to proffer, as they call it, grace and sal- 
 vation when they have neither the one Jior the oiher to "'we ? 
 what is this but soleimi mockery? besides, Mr. Wesley is ex- 
 ceeding wrong when he says, " that God has graciously re- 
 Stored to mankind a liberty and power to accept of the prof- 
 fered salvation, this Mr. Wesley affirms ; your proof, your 
 proof. Sir, — for this we absolutely deny, — and ask, what 
 power has enmity to love ? what power lias blindness to see, 
 or the dumb to speak, or the deat' to hear, or the dead to walk ? 
 try the experiment, JSir, take a walk among the solemn tombs, 
 go visit the mansions of the dead, and tell them that you 
 proffer them salvation, if they will but open their eyes to see 
 it, or rise up and embrace it; perhaps you are saying the 
 figure is too strong, but it is not, for the case of poor sinners 
 is more deplorable than the figure points them out, for they 
 are not only as weak and incapable as the dead in the grave, 
 to help themselves, but here let it be considered the dead have 
 no enmity against rising, though they have no life nor power 
 to rise, but the sinner has not only no power to receive the 
 proffered salvation as you call it, but has an enmity against 
 it; therefore, according, Sir, to your representation, every soul 
 must finally be lost, for it has no power to conquer its enmi- 
 ty, nor no will to love the object ; if not, then how is it possi- 
 ble that they can accept of a proffered salvation (as you call it) 
 by that object, whereas the salvation that the gospel pro- 
 claims declares that God gives love to conquer the enmity, 
 willingness to receive the object, and grace to make thankful 
 and obedient for having received the blessing of salvation, 
 according to his word, Isa. xxxv. 5, 6, T/ie eyes of the blind 
 shall be opentd, and the ears of the deaf shall be umt.pptd ; 
 then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the 
 dumb sing : for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and 
 streams in th« desert. 
 
But the grcat^ the capital mistake of all is Mr. Wesley 
 saying, "that God gave to every man in Adam the pro- 
 mise of a Saviour, power and liberty to accept of salvation," 
 when in fact God did no such thing, so far from giving it 
 to every man, that he gave it to no man in Adam ; grace was 
 given in Chkist, not in Adam ;so far was God from waiting 
 to see the fall of Adam before he gave grace to the people, 
 that he settled all his grace upon them in Christ, before Adam 
 had any being, see Eph. i. 2, 3, 2 Tim. i. 9. But Mr. Wesley's 
 supposition of God's giving to every man, power and liberty 
 in Adam, wholly sets aside Christ being the head of grace, 
 of influence, of life and power to the soul ; for as Adam is the 
 head, and being of death, darkness and corruption to all man- 
 kind, called his seed and offspring, so Christ is the head, 
 life, power and glory oF all grace, peace and salvation to all 
 his seed, for as Adam by his death and disobedience brought 
 death upon his posterity, so Christ by the perfection of his 
 obedience brought life and salvation to all his posterity, and 
 this is the beauty of the Apostle's reasoning between Adam as 
 he is the head of nature, and Christ as he is the head of 
 grace, Rom. v. 13, 21, and perhaps one of the best interpreta- 
 tions of the word all, " for as in Adam all died," tliat is 
 Adam's all, to whom he was a head of natural life, " so 
 in Christ shall all," that is, Christ's all, to whom he is 
 a head of grace and glory, be made alive: for the Apos- 
 tle is not there speaking of the resurrection of the wicked, 
 but only of the saints, and therefore the genuine sense ap- 
 pears to be this, that as sure as all mankind died by Adam's 
 death or disobedience, so sure shall all that are Christ's rise 
 in the resurrection of the just, " Christ the first fruits, and 
 they that are Christ's at his coming." 
 
 Theoph. But Mr. Wesley frequently inquires why all 
 mankind are not saved ; or at least, why they iDay not be saved. 
 Preservative, page 192. 
 
 Phi LA. The reason why is given in the oracles of 
 Heaven, which in his most bold attempt he has never yet been 
 
181 
 
 able to answer, see John x. 0.6. John xii. 39, 40. J?om. xi. 
 7, 8, 10. 
 
 Theoph. Sir, that beautiful remark of Mr. Hervey's, oc- 
 curs to my mind, *' that faith in the imputed righteousness of 
 Christ, is a fundamental principle of the gospel," if so, 
 says Mr. Wesley, " what becomes of all those wtio think no- 
 thing of the imputed righteousness of CimisT." 
 
 PiiiLA. Mr Wesley may see what becomes of them, Matt. 
 xxii. 1 1. And a hen the King came in to see the guests, he sazv there 
 a man which had not on the rcedding garment ; and he said unto 
 him, Friend, how earnest thou in hither, not having on a wed- 
 ding garment'^ Jnd the man teas speechless: Then said the King 
 to the servanh, bind him hand and foot, and take him awai/, 
 and cast him into utter darkness; there shall be weeping and 
 gnashing of teeth. 
 
 Thkoph. If this be the case, says Mr. Wesley, how many 
 who are lull of faith and love must perish everlasiiugiy ! 
 
 Phila. Yes, they must, and they justly deserve il, and 
 this was the case of the Pharisees, they were full of faith in 
 the law of Moses, John v. 45, and full of love to ih lir 
 prayers; fasting twice in the week, and giving tythe of all 
 they possess, and seeking righteousness by the works of the 
 law, and therefore those who are full of faith in their self-right- 
 eousness, and full of love with their own doings, to obtain 
 eternal life, must share in the same condemnation with tlie 
 Pharisees ; for I affirm that it is impossible to be full of faith 
 and love to Christ, and think nothing, nothing of his im- 
 puted lighteousnesss. 
 
 But as Mr. Wesley desired to know " what must become 
 of all those w ho think nothing about the imputed righteous- 
 ness of Christ ;" and having given a scri()ture answer to 
 the inquiry, I now ask Mr. Wesley what will become of those 
 who think much of imputed righteousness, who build their 
 immortal hopes of Heaven and salvation upon it if it does im- 
 mense hurt, if it is unnecessary, if it is dangerous and often 
 
182 
 
 falnl, what must then become of the souls that trust there- 
 in? if this be the case, 1 wish^ Sir^ yoiMvould solemnly in- 
 form us, but let us have no middle state, no invisible shades, 
 no paradise separate from Heaven, lest, Sir, you stay there 
 too long, notwithstanding the virtue of the double silver cross 
 upon the bible, or the more curious one upon the bosom, or 
 your solemn watclmights, your fastings twice in the week, 
 your intercessions on Fridays, your body-bands, your private 
 bands, your select bands, your love-feasts : will this heap of 
 popish stuff and trash do, why, Sir, are you so cruel to choke 
 the people with the black smoke of the bottomless pit ; where 
 read you of an invisible state between heaven and hell? 
 where read you of watch-nights, of directions to fast twice 
 in the week, of intercession on Fridays, of body-bands, of se- 
 lect bands, of private bands, of leaders of classes ? what is 
 this but refined popery, and English nurseries for nunneries? 
 For the Mystehy of Babylon the Great, The Mother 
 ofHaulots, and Abomination of the Earth. Rev, 
 xviii. 20, 21, " Rejoice over her, thou Heaven, and ye holy 
 Apostles and Proi)hets, for God hath revenged you on her. 
 And a mighty Angel took up a stone, and cast into the sea: 
 thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown 
 down, and shall be found no more." Tlierefore, Sir, as you 
 love your own soul, and as you so love precious and immortal 
 souls, come out of her, touch not the unclean thing, nor 
 worship the beast, nor the image of Babylon any more ; but 
 as you will preach, let it be not oidy in Christ's name, but 
 let it be the power of Christ to conquer the will, the grace 
 of Christ, to draw the heart, the person of Christ to en- 
 gage the affection ; the righteousness of Christ to justify 
 the soul, the blood of Christ to pardon our sins, the faith- 
 fulness of Christ to keep us, and the spirit and blessings of 
 Christ to engage us to love, praise and obedience, then may 
 \(m cxjiect to be great in Israel, and let us never any more 
 h ar of that [opish trash, unless you are determined against 
 
183 
 
 the Jaw of the land, the law of God, the light of the gospel, 
 and the light of }'our own conscience to estabhsh the popish 
 superstition of nunneries, especially for the female sex, by 
 telling them in a letter, directed to the single women in the 
 Methodists' Society, second edition, printed at Bristol, only 
 four years ago, where you say, page 4, " I will speak the 
 inmost seniiments of my h-^art," Aiid what these inmost 
 sentiments of your heart are to these single sisters, you tell us 
 freely, for you say in the same page, " My business with 
 you is only to guard you against those snares which Satan 
 will assuredly lay for our feet ; the first and indeed the most 
 dangerous snare he can throw in your way is any kind or de- 
 gree of intimacy with single men; indeed I would wish you 
 to be very sparing in your conversation with any man, but 
 more especially with those who are single; all familiarity with 
 these ought to be avoided ; even with the most devout, for the 
 most innocent ccnimerce with them, if it wounds not our 
 consciences leaves a stain on our reputation, and the smoke 
 blackens when the fire does not burn us." Can any one read 
 this paragraph without shuddering? Are these. Sir, the in- 
 most sentiments of your heart, I believe the_y are; what, the 
 most dangerous snare the Devil can throw in a young lady's 
 way, any kind or degree of intimacy with single men ! nature 
 starts at it ; what, born with a native love to them I what, made 
 by Heaven itself as an helpmate for man, to be a sharer of 
 all the sweets, the bliss, the joys of life, and yet forbid an in- 
 timacy, forbid the union of love! What, has nature phu cd 
 the most exalted thoughts, the most superlative affection to 
 some particular object, as it is written, Thy desire shall be 
 unto thy husband, and yet this desirable object must not be 
 admitted near, O cruel doctrine ! well may the Apostle call 
 it the doctrine of devils, 1 Tivi. iv. 1. 
 
 Here, Sir, I cannot forgive you ; what did God make Eve 
 for? was it not for an helpmate? what, and not come near 
 her? a strange helpmate! Why did the Lobd take Eve 
 
184 
 
 from so near Adam's heart, and not from his feet, that he 
 may trample upon or tyrannize over her, but from his heart? 
 Was it not to show how near, how dear, the object of our 
 affection should be unto us, even as our own heart, and yet 
 not come nigh them? O cruel thought ! from whence came 
 jI^ou ? — Wliy did God make Eve of Adam's bone, but to 
 show the man tliat in loving the object of his affections whom 
 he intends to make iiis wife, he only loves himself, his own 
 bone? and yei not come near her? What! no kind nor de- 
 cree of intimacy between them ? what, all familiarity with 
 them (you say) must he avoided, even with the most devout ? 
 Is not this as heart-breaking as those moving, melting, feel- 
 ino- accents which once dropped, I will not say from whom, 
 " O ! the desire of my eyes and the joy of my heart is taken 
 away with a stroke, and sacrificed to I. B." — Perhaps, Sir, 
 you know from whom they came? — But why did God pre- 
 sent the woman to the man? — What! to engage his affec- 
 tions, then to tease him, to distract him, to distress him, 
 which must unavoidably be the case, if your doctrine be true, 
 that there must be no intimacy with the single women, not 
 the most innocent, O Sir ! nature shakes, for surely God 
 presented the woman to the man to show us that single wo- 
 men are presented as the rich gifts of Providence to the men, 
 to command their affections, to unite their hearts, and engage 
 in them all the endearing ties of love, and the delights of 
 the mind. — Why did Adam say upon seeing the woman, 
 This is flesh of my flesh, and bone of my bone; why surely, 
 to show us that the women are made with the same tender pas- 
 sions, tender affections, love and complacency to the men, 
 as the men are made with to the women, and yet no intimacy 
 between them, O ! Sir, what heart can forgive you ? But 
 why did Eve become Adam's wife, and they be no longer 
 twain but one, why sure it was to show us that God ordained 
 the Marriage Union between Adam and Eve, as an em- 
 blem or rather a pattern of the marriage union (where there 
 
185 
 
 is a mutual love) between the man and the woman that they 
 should not be twain, but one in heart, one in union, one in 
 life, one in love, what, and all intimacy must be avoided ! O 
 Sir ! your doctrine is more cruel than the grave ; for it is 
 happier to be buried in the grave than for the object of our 
 affection to be buried from our sight. But, Sir, why did the 
 Lord say, It is not meet that man should dwell alone? 
 Surely, to show us that it is impossible for the man to be 
 happy without a suitable object for his affections, love and 
 complacency, or as the Jews express it, " Man alone is but 
 half blessed, and yet these objects must be forbid to have the 
 least intimacy with them, O fie I Sir, what can you mean? 
 Would you forbid the law of God and nature too, and all 
 this under the notion of religion and piety. O ! Sir, you 
 seem to be more than over the threshold of the door of a cer- 
 tain place; I do not choose to mention where, but would on- 
 ly say in scripture language, " Come out of her, that ye 
 be not partaker of her sins, that ye receive not of her 
 plagues." 
 
 But above all. Sir, never more represent union, commu- 
 nion and intimacy with women, " as irreligious, and a dan- 
 gerous snare, and that the most innocent commerce with 
 them leaves a stain upon our reputation." When the Holy 
 Ghost by this figure represents the whole glory of Christ's 
 love to the church, Eph. v. 25, Husbands, love your wives, 
 even as Cii^i ST also loved the church, and gave himself Jor it. 
 And the Apostle expressly calls Adam a figure of him that 
 was to come, showing that as it was not meet for man to dwell 
 alone without an helpmate, so it was not meet that the Man 
 Jesus should dwell alone in the glory he had in the bosom of 
 the Father's love, therefore the church was formed to be his 
 bride, spouse, and companion with him in the same love and 
 glory, and as Eve was taken from near Adam's heart, it 
 shows how near and dear the church is to Christ; likewise 
 as Eve was formed from the flesh and bone of Adam, it 
 shows that the church is Christ's body, so near as to be part 
 
 Bb 
 
186 
 
 of himself, as says the Apostle, We are flesh of his flesh, and 
 bone of his bone. And as Eve was formed from the beauty 
 and perfection of Adam, he therefore loved her as his own 
 image and beauty, so the church was formed in the womb of 
 God's love, or in the superlasarian or overfal way of grace, 
 from Christ's beauty and perfection, and therefore Christ 
 loves his church in his own loveliness and glory, with tlie 
 same love the Father loved him in all his glory, John xvii. 
 22, 23, John xv. 9. And as Adam and Eve were no longer 
 tuain but otf^f so Christ and his church are not tzcain hit 
 ONE, — one in union, onein nature, one inhce, one in spirit, 
 one in glory, — hut this is a great mysterij, hut I speak concern- 
 ing Christ and the church, Eph. v. 23 — 32. 
 
 Theoph. What think you of the doctrine of sinless per- 
 fection, which Mr. Wesley preaches to his people? 
 
 Phila. Mr. Wesley appears to me, to warit understand- 
 ing in those parts of scripture that speak of perfection : but 
 above all people Mr. John Wesley ought to be silent about 
 perfection; because, he has none in Christ, nor has he a 
 sinless perfection in himself: — and as to all his perfect peo- 
 ple, they seem to me, to know no more of perfection, than 
 the old woman did of the nature of a heavenly rapture, whea 
 hearing a popular field preacher at a great distance, a gentle- 
 man seeing her hands and eyes often lifted up to Heaven, said 
 to her, Good woman, you cannot hear the preacher at such a 
 distance; no, says she, but I can see his heavenly wig. As 
 to Mr. Wesley's perfection, 1 well know, it is like mine, by 
 far too imperfect, and far short of Paul's, who said, Not as 
 though I had already attained or were already perfect ; for he 
 says. When I would do good, evil is present with me. 
 Though Mr. Wesley has had more than once the assurance 
 to say, that Paul speaks here not in his own case as converted, 
 but the state of an unconverted person. — 1 have only this to 
 say, I choose to be one of Mr. Wesley's unconverted per- 
 sons; for, I think, they are much better: much better I did 
 I say ? It is a phrase too low, infinitely better than his con- 
 
187 
 
 verted ones, because they delight in the law of God after 
 the inward man, and serve him in newness of spirit, and 
 not in the oldness of the letter, Rom. vii. 6 — 22. 
 
 Theoph. What think you of Mr. Wesley's siiort method 
 to convert all the Roman Catholics in the kingdom of lie- 
 land ? 
 
 Phit.a. His universal conversion appears to me like his 
 universal salvation, without any foundation ; but the old adage 
 is the most suitable answer to him I can just think of, Physi- 
 cian, heal thyself. 
 
 Theoph. What think you of the sermon he preached upon 
 those words, The Lord our Righteousness? 
 
 Phila. Therein he handles the word of God deceitfully ; 
 the art of the Serpent twines through the whole ; the real 
 meaning of his heart he does not suffer to come out of his 
 lips. He says and he unsays; he affirms and then contra- 
 dicts. He had lost many hearers by what he had written to 
 Mr. Hervey against imputed righteousness; and in this ser- 
 mon, because there are many good expressions of the righte- 
 ousness of Christ, he would fain have us believe, that there 
 was no real difference between him and Mr. Hervey, and 
 others of the same sentiment. That the differeuce consisted 
 only in words, and not in any real meaning ; though the 
 one says, that the imputed righteousness of Christ is the sole 
 Foundation, Matter, Cause, Life and Condition of 
 our justification before God; and the other sajs, it is un- 
 necessary, and unscriptural; that is, has done immense hurt ; 
 that we must obey in order for our final acceptance, and at 
 lastbe judged for our works, and yet no diflference in mean- 
 ing, only in words. What! does Mr, Wesley think that 
 when our Lord shall urge the awful sentence. Depart from 
 me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire ! and pronounce the hap- 
 py joy, Come, ye blessed of my Father! does he think that 
 there is no real difference in meaning, but only in words. 
 Supposehe was to step down to the dark shades, and tell them 
 so 5 O ! this art and sophistry will not do, for the scripture* 
 
188 
 
 are so plain, that he that runneth may read ; yet Mr. Wes- 
 ley would fain have us to believe, that Bellarmine, that great 
 advocate for the church of Home, and of justification by self- 
 righteousness, attended with the works of charity, had a 
 share in the righteousness of Christ? What! just suxih a 
 share as to make up tlie deficiency of his own ? Ay, this is 
 the marrow of Mr. Wesley's heart, and too much the refined 
 Popery and current doctrine of the day. 1 would take this 
 sermon sentence by sentence and answer it, but, I re- 
 member, it is already answered with such an answer, that 
 Mr. Wesley has never been able to answer as I have ever 
 heard of. 
 
 But, there is one objection that I would take notice of, Mr. 
 Wesley says, they are afr^iid to use the expression, the impu- 
 ted righteousness of Christ, lesi any should abuse it; should 
 not Mr. Wesley forbid eating, lest any should abuse it, for 
 the same reason ? but he says, we have known this done a 
 thousand times, aiid particularizes wherein ; " A man has 
 been reproved, suppose for drunkenness, O ! said he, I pretend 
 to no righteousness of my own, Christ is my righteousness. 
 Another has been told, that the extortioner and unjhst shall 
 not inherit the kingdom of God, he replies with all assurance, 
 J am unjust in myself, but 1 have a spotless righteousness in 
 Christ." Now, this is what Mr. Wesley affirms, page 19, and 
 says, " We have known this done a thousand times." This I 
 deny, and call upon- Mr. Wesley, before God and the world, 
 to prove it; I charge him here to his face with an untruth 
 and insincerity. Lei him prove a thousand instances of 
 drunkards saying they have no righteousness of their own, 
 but that they have a righteousness in Christ; or of 
 unjust persons, or of extortioners saying thai they do 
 not pretend to have a righteousnoss of their own, but 
 they have a righteousness in Christ; nay, that they 
 reply, with all assurance, I am unjust in myself, but I have a 
 spotless righteousness in Christ. — Now this is a vile accusa- 
 tion anil a dark horror drawn over the imputation ol Christ's 
 
189 
 
 righteousness, and liiose that hold it, on purpose to degrade 
 the one and expose the other; for, hlessed be God! ^iature 
 has not the daring assurance to attempt -to prove such a 
 thing; and yet he tells the world he has seen a thousand in- 
 stances of it ; O ! Heaven forgive him. Where is tlie drunk- 
 ard, or the unjust person, or extortioner, that will dare to 
 say so ? your proofs, sir, are called for. O ! what enmity has 
 Mr. Wesley inhis^mind against imputed righteousness! but 
 what is all this to us? we hold no such doctrine ; nor coun- 
 tenance in the least respect any such persons, if any such 
 profane hardened sinners can be found; indeed, I have heard 
 some, who should know better, and to their shame be it 
 spoke, who have charged the baptists with preaching Antino- 
 niian doctrines, which has engaged me to hear them fre- 
 quently, and to search into their principles particularly; and 
 they appear to me to be ju^t such Antinominns as Paul and 
 Peter, as John and James; for they preach God's ever- 
 lasting love and the power of that love upon the mind, loving 
 him because he first loved them. They preach light and life, 
 peace and pardon, and plenleousness of redemption by the 
 Lord Jesus, and the influence of his grace upon the heart; 
 that in his light they see light; that from his Life they re- 
 ceive hfe ; that from his peace they in patience possess their 
 souls ; that from the rich atonement of his blood they have 
 peace with God, peace of conscience and joy in the Holy 
 Ghost; and from the plenteousness of redemption by the 
 Lord Jesus Christ, they rejoice in hope of the glory of 
 God, and are edified, and multiplied, and walk in the fear 
 of the Lord, and in the comforts of the Holy Ghost. — 
 They preach the povver, the life, and influence of the Holy 
 Ghost, in quickening, enlightening, reviving, sealing, and 
 comforting the saints ; in leading them to Jesus as their liv- 
 ing life, their living bread, their hving water, their living 
 strength, their living rock, their living righteousness, and. 
 their living hope for ever; to him as their all, to enjoy all 
 in him, and receive all from him ; who is their God, their 
 
J 90 
 
 glory, and their all ; seeing that his person, his glory, his 
 perfection, his promises, his power, his presence, his love, his 
 grace, his covenant, his oath, his faithfulness, and fulness are 
 all theirs ; and as the fruit of this inheritance and possession, 
 being in all things enriciied by him, they walk in union and 
 communion, in faith, hope, and love, in all the blessings and 
 privileges of the gospel ; in all the statutes, order, and ordi- 
 nances of the house of God, continuing in the Apostles' doc- 
 trine, in fellowship, in breaking of bread, and in prayer every 
 first day of the week, as the primitive disciples did, that they 
 may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even 
 Christ; being cemented together in the bonds of love, as 
 one body, one bread, one family, and one building; having 
 one faith, one Lord, one baptism ; and being bapti2ed into 
 one spirit they partake of all the marrow and fatness, blessing 
 ' and fulness of the covenant of grace, and treasures of glory ; 
 they sit like olive branches round their father's table, and en- 
 joy all the blessings of his love; not as strangers, servants and 
 slaves, but as children possessing the inheritance, and as 
 heirs of grace rejoicing in their portion, remembering the 
 love of Christ, which is better than wine; and being fol- 
 lowers of God as dear children, and walking in love as Christ 
 also has loved them and gave himself for them; they learn 
 to love as brethren, to love one another as Christ has loved 
 them; to be kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving 
 one another, as God, for Christ's sake, has forgiven them ; 
 that if any wander they restore such an one in the spirit of 
 meekness ; that if any are sick or in prison they visit them, 
 or if any are afflicted, they pray for them ; and if any 
 are in distress, they relieve them ; being ready to give and 
 to communicate, that they that want may know no lack 
 of any thing. Their desire is that no corrupt communica- 
 tion may come out of their mouth, but that which is good 
 to the use of edifying, that it may administer grace to the 
 hearers, tliat they may with one heart and with one mouth glo- 
 rify God, even our father, and the Lord Jesus ; to him be 
 
19J 
 
 glory in the cliurch throughout all ages, world without end. 
 Amen. 
 
 Now, these are the people, Theophi/us, whom not only Mr. 
 AVesley, but all the legal pharisaical professors of the age 
 among the Presbyterians (and Independents so called, butthert; 
 are very few of them in the kingdom) these, like the Pha- 
 risees of old, take an unchristian, unscriptural liberty to call 
 these people Aniinomians as the Pharisees did Paul, saying 
 shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? what an- 
 swer did Paul give them, God forbid ! and do they not with 
 the same heart and soul express the same language, Rom. 
 vi. 15. What then shall tee sin because we are not under the law, 
 but under grace? God forbid ! [ often blush and am ashamed 
 for the ignorance of most of the professors of the present day : 
 they seem in general to know no more of their bibles than the 
 church of England priest did of the seventh day sabbath, 
 who lately accused a certain godl^' man, who kept the seventh- 
 day sabbath, with profanation, because he kept not the first 
 day of the week for his sabbath; to whosn he said, Sir, it is 
 veiy strange you charge me with profaning the Sabbath, 
 when I keep that very sabbath you direct me to keep. Where 
 do you find it, said the clergyman ? Sir, said the other, wrote 
 over your altar-piece thus: Remember the seventh day to 
 keep it holy : for the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord 
 thy God. O ! said the clergyman, 1 never thought of that 
 before. And as ignorant are those professors who charge 
 the baptists of being Antinomians when they hold of the Jaw 
 in all its highest honours, not only as the royal law, but 
 as their rule of love, and as such the perfect law ofliber- 
 tv. However, they are content and count it their ho- 
 nour to be thus reviled, that the spirit of Christ and of 
 glory may rest upon them, as it is written. The people shall 
 dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations, 
 Num. xxiii, 9. 
 
 Theoph. Sir, your description amazes me ! attracts me! 
 yea, astonishes me ! to find by fresh proofs that these are the 
 
192 
 
 people whom we have so much reproached, and entertained 
 such depreciating ideas of ; to use the prophetic language of 
 the inspired Poet, "Their light rises out of ohscurity, and 
 their darkness is as the noonday." Well may the Prophet 
 say, Happy art thou, O, Israel! who is like uata thee ? O, 
 people, saved hy the Lord ! happy are the people that are 
 in such a case I 
 
 It not only amazes me, but attracts and engages my at- 
 tention ! and likewise astonishes me that the power of pre- 
 judice is so prevalent, the walls of bigotry so strong, and 
 the scales of ignorance like the bars of a castle upon weak 
 minds. 
 
 Phi LA. Dear Theophiliis, as the greatest prejudice you can 
 do to a friend, is to entertain too high expectations from him; 
 as you will then be apt to measure all his excellencies accord- 
 ing to the exalted height of your expectation, and not ac- 
 cording to their own intrinsic merit or value. — These people 
 do not pretend to perfection in the most perfect parts 
 of their conduct, but to come as near as possible to the pat- 
 tern given in the mount; for it sometimes fares with them as 
 it did with the primitive churches in Paul's days ; some tall 
 cedars in Zion like David drop; some flaming professors 
 like Solomon backslide; and zealous lovers of Christ like 
 Peter grow cold and become like lost sheep for a season, 
 but when the Loud restores their souls and turns their cap- 
 tivity like streams in the south ; heals all their backslidings, 
 and loves them freely ; then they make known to the sons of 
 men his mighty acts, and talk of his wonderful power, and 
 therefore these instances, tremendous as they are, ought to 
 keep professors silent, and their mouths in the dust; consi- 
 dering that they are in the body, and be not high minded, 
 but fear, and not dare charge the doctrines of grace or im- 
 puted righteousness with Antinomianism, for it is not grace 
 but corruption that is the cause of the saints' fall ; it is not 
 living upon Christ, and all life and fulness in him, but the 
 want of living upon him ; or only living by half or part upon 
 
J93 
 
 hiui, tliat is the cause of their fall ; for, it is hard to say, 
 where intinite wisdom,' power, and faithfulness shines most 
 bright, whether in regeneration, in restoration, £>r in the resur- 
 rection of the saints. — It was a mournful remarkable expres- 
 sion of Mr. P — ts, who made an excursion from Scotland 
 to London about twenty years since, upon his return said to 
 a familiar acquaintance, I have, said he, attended upon al- 
 most all the preachers in London, yet, had it not been for 
 the free grace of baptist preachers, said he, I should have 
 found no gospel ; though no baptist himself, I suppose he 
 meant no gospel to his mind ; however this may be, without 
 any attempt to a spirit of prophecy, it may be said that in 
 Christ's spiritual reign, when he shall destroy the man of 
 sin with the brightness of his glory; when he shall be as the 
 light of the morning, as a morning without clouds when the 
 sun ariselh, and reign before his ancients gloriously, and 
 make Zion the joy of the whole earth. Then Kphraim shall 
 no more vex Judah, nor Judah vex Ephraim ; but they shall 
 all see eye to eye ; then there will be a revival of the primi- 
 tive beauty, honour, and order of the churches according to 
 their first original and pattern of the baptist churches of 
 Christ settled 'by the Apostles at Jerusalem, at Corinth, 
 atPhilippi, Galaiia, Ephesus, and the seven churches in 
 Asia. 
 
 Theofii. Sir, my obligations are renewed to you for your 
 labour of love in opening the scriptures, in elucidating the 
 doctrines of grace, and clearing them from those dark glosses 
 of Mr. Wesley, and removing that art, sophistry, and Ar- 
 minian smoke in which the nation has been almost smothered 
 for these thirty years; but some I fear will think you have 
 been too hard upon him. 
 
 Phi LA. Such that think I have been too liard, must be 
 ▼ery soft people indeed ; for out of his own mouth, I do not 
 judge him, for he not only judges but condemns himself, for 
 he -says in his sermon upon the Lord our righteousness, page 
 5. " That the christian church stands or falls with it; it is 
 oc 
 
194 
 
 certainly the ground and pillar of that faith of which alone 
 cometh salvation, of that Catholic or universal faith which is 
 found in all the children of God, which unless a man keeps 
 whole and undefifed, without doubt he shall perish ever- 
 lastingly. 
 
 Now, let men, let angels, let Mr. A^'^csley's own conscience 
 judge if he has kept the righteousness of Christ whole ! has 
 he not been rending it these thirty years, and thereby more 
 cruel than the soldiers who crucified the Redeemer, who said 
 of his seamless garment, which was an emblem of the perfec- 
 tion of his righteousness, let us not rent it? but, has not Mr. 
 Wesley been rending it by saying, " it is unnecessary, un- 
 scriptural, that the scriptures no where countenanced any such 
 imputation of Christ's righteousness, wherehi thejustifier 
 and the justified, being both righteous with the self-same 
 righteousness. That the active obedience of Chuist, his ful- 
 filling the moral law, was never intended by God to be that 
 righteousness where by wearejustified." Again he says, "There- 
 fore it cannot be imputed to any man ibr his righteousness, 
 there is no necesshy or occasion for it." And adds, " God 
 does not require of us the righteousness of Christ for our 
 justification." Now, I call upon Mr. Wesley himself to judge 
 whether upon his own faith, if he has any right to go to heaven, 
 or any of his people, who believe in the same doctrine, for 
 he says, " if any man keep jujt the righteousness of Christ 
 Whole, without doubt hesluill perish everlastingly ; without 
 doubt this must be the case of those who do nor, Rom. ii. 
 21. Thou therefore lohkh teachcst anolher, teachest thou twt 
 thijxelf*^ 
 
 But further, lest any one may think that my thoughts are 
 luirsh ui)on Mr. Wesley, let them judge ©f the soft words 
 which proceed from his own lips; for he says, that a man, 
 except he keci) the righteousness of Christ, not only whole 
 but umU.li'lcd, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly.— 
 Nosv, if Gon has no more mercy upon Mr. Wesley than he 
 \ui, for himself ; let him be weighed in his own balance, and 
 ■f 
 
J 95 
 
 see if he is not wanting ; for let his own fiiends, the beat ixnd 
 the most perfect of them, judge whether Mr. Wesley has 
 kept the righteousness of Christ undefiled ? has he not in 
 his Preservative^ and in his Letter to Mr. Hervey, charged tlie 
 most black and base accusations to it ? has he not said there-. 
 in, page 212, that it is dangerous, often fatal, it has done 
 immense hurt ; that it has encouraged mankind to work all 
 iin cleanness with greediness ? 
 
 Again he says, " that imputed righteousness leads not to 
 repentance, but to licentiousness, this doctrine makes the 
 Holy One of God the minister of sin." Now let his friends 
 speak, let Mr. Wesley's own conscience speak, let ihem speak 
 if they have a word to say or forever be ashamed in eternal si- 
 lence : for surely if the angels for sinning deserved to be cast 
 out of heaven; if the devil for sinning deserved to be damned; 
 if the Pharisees for their enmity, deserved from our Lord 
 that interrogatory sentence, how can ye escape the damnation 
 of hell? What must that man deserve that has, in enmity to 
 the righteousness of Jesus, exceeded them all, when he says, 
 in answer to Mr. Hervey, where Mr. Hervey says, " I read 
 there is a righteousness which supplies all the creature needs." 
 This jNIr. Wesley calls (page 226) " Terrible, always danger- 
 ous, often fatal, and that if we allow this, viz. that Christ 
 fulfilled all the conditions of the covenant for us, antinomia- 
 nism comes in with a full tide," What is this but charging 
 Christ's love and obedience to the law for us, to be an open 
 floodgate of iniquity ; does not this exceed the Pharisees, 
 -who said to CHRisT,]thou easiest out devils by Belzebub, the 
 » prince of the devils. He calls it likewise a syren song 
 and pleasing sound to James Wheatley and James Reiley. 
 Whatever it be to them I know not, but it is certainly a 
 sweet song and a pleasing sound to the church of Goo, Isa. 
 Ixi. 10. I zcUl greathi rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be 
 joiffulinmy God, for lie hath clolhcd me icith the garments of 
 salvation, he has covered me zoith the robes ojlrtghteousness. And 
 here I would ask Mr. Wesley, and many others, how they 
 dare in their conscience (not pnly expose their ignorance) but 
 
195 
 
 endeavour to frighten [)eopleaga'nst the pure doctrines ot'rich 
 grace, by that fnghtfnl ghost and bugbear word. O! it is 
 Antinomianism, when we say no more than Paul did, Rom. 
 V. 20. Moreover, the law cntcied that the qffoice might abound; 
 but zchere sinhas abounded, g^race has vnuh more abounded. But, 
 where is the ruan, the hardened sinner that da es to sin that 
 grace maj' abound ? I know of none such, therefore it is high 
 time that this old frightful ghost, that haunts the chnrches 
 and our consciences, was laid in tlieRedSea; for we have 
 a saving in S'lrop^hire, that it' evil spirits or ghosts are laid 
 in the Red Sea, they never come to trouble weak mihds any 
 more. But, sunpo^ing there are some men who abuse the 
 blessings of Providence, does this take away our interest in 
 themr or that there are, as Jude expresses it, some ungodly 
 men, who were for their ungodliness ordained of old to this 
 condemnation, of turning the grace of God into lascivious- 
 ness. I would here very serionsly ask Mr. Wesley, which is 
 the most sure way to hell? whether to sail through the gulf 
 of Antinominnism, in the libertine's sense, or to run foul 
 and sink upon the sands of Arminiasm .' Is not the self-right- 
 eous Pharisee as sure to be lost as the most profane sinner ? 
 nay, to go further, is not the most refined moralist, or the 
 most zealous professor, that depends upon any one act, or 
 upon all the actions he has done, or that Christ has enabled 
 him to do, as sure to perish as those who said, In thy name 
 have we not done mam/ rconderful works'? Mat. vii. 22. For 
 know this, it is not what we do, nor what Christ enables us 
 to, that is the matter of our Aiiih, hope, or confidence towards 
 God, but purely what Christ has done and suffered for us; 
 his person we trust as the single and alone object of faith ; 
 his righteousness without our fflthy rags ; his death for atone- 
 ment without any W(jrks of merit; his power without our 
 strength ; his all-sufficiency without any of our own deficien- 
 cy ; not doing what we can (as too many of the preachers 
 of the day preach) and Christ will make up the deficiency, 
 teaching, that it is Christ's merits that make our obedience 
 ofTectua! to save us, when in fact it is no such a thing, for it 
 
]97 
 
 is his own arm that saves us, his own righteousaess thnt jus- 
 tifies us, his own blood that pai«lons us, his own power ihat 
 supports us, his gra(;e tluit suppUes us, and his love that en- 
 gages us toprai;-,r, love, aud '-bedieice to his name ; therefore 
 not unto us, not unto us, hn unto his nanie be all the glory. 
 
 T;iE< PH. B. t, is It iiot said by our Lord, blessed are the 
 pure in heart, for they shah see God ? 
 
 PniLA. Yes, it is; and 1 know that many of Mr. VVesley's 
 people are in great darkness and distress, by Mr. John Wes- 
 ley and his preachers murdering this text : They explain of 
 a purity of heart that is free from all sin in thought and deed.; 
 and ihey stiil find sin in them, and that there is no just man 
 upon earth that liveth and sinneth not ; therefore they are 
 afraid they shall never see God, and well they may under 
 these dark apprehensions. Whereas the pure heart our Lord 
 speaks of, is the same that Paul calls new man, or the inward 
 man, and what the Lord has promised to give, even a new 
 heart will I give you : now, this new heart is a pure heart, a 
 nature that cannot sin, for it is nothing less than Christ 
 formed in us the hope of glt>ry, therefore it may be well said, 
 blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God; for 
 this hidden man of the heart is nothing but purity and per- 
 fection, it cannot sin, it has not the nature of sin, hence, says 
 the Apostle John, whosoever is born of God doth not commit 
 sin, for his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin, because 
 he is born of God. Here, you see, that this seed cannot 
 sin, and the reason is given, because it is born of God. Now, 
 what is this seed ? the principles of grace, say some ; eyen in 
 this sense it cannot sin, for faith cannot sin, hope cannot sin, 
 nor can love transgress; but it is somethinj^ more than grace, 
 for it is nothing less than Christ, the seed of the woman, 
 which seed cannot sin ; not unto seeds as of many, but unto 
 thy seed, which is Christ. And in this sense whosoever is 
 born of God sinneth not, nor cannot sin, because their new 
 birth, their new heart, called the new man, which after God 
 is created, is nothmo: less than Christ in them ; I in thcMj 
 
198 
 
 says Christ, and thou in me, that they all may be perfect 
 in one. Here I could wish that those who are distressed 
 about sinless perfection and mectness for heaven would well 
 consider this, that flesh and spirit, that nature and grace, 
 the old man and the new, are distinct things in the christian, 
 and are not to be confounded together, for grace does not 
 renew nature, nor does the new man change the old man, nor 
 the spirit renew the flesh. — Sin is the law of the flesh, or the 
 ]aw of nature as corrupt ; and grace is the law of love as com- 
 municated from Christ. Now, both these laws dwell in the 
 christian, as Paul says, Ro)n. vii. 2,5. (who appears to me 
 at that time to be a very good christian) IVilh the mind I my- 
 self serve the la:v of God, but zcith the flesh the law of sin. 
 And says the Holy Ghost, what v.ill 3'ou see in the Shu- 
 lamite, but as it were a company of two armies. So that 
 whatsoever meetness for dcatii, purit}^ and perfection, the 
 christian flnds, it is not in his corrupt heart being made per- 
 fect or pure, but it is in Christ, as revealed in him as the 
 hope of glory; and, I ho])e, we shall never more hear of a 
 perfection in the flesh, because it is said, whatsoever is born 
 of God overcometh the world. Now, we know that none can 
 overcome the world but Christ; I have, says he, overcome 
 the world. And, therefore, whatsoever is born of God in the 
 christian, is Christ; this is his life, his purity, his perfection, 
 and his all; as Paul saith, Col. i. 28. Whom we preach, warn- 
 ing every man, and teaching even/ man in all wisdom, that rce 
 may present every man perfect f« Christ Jesus. 
 
 Tnr.oPH. Sir, there is one part of scripture, which one of 
 Mr. Wesley's Preachers says, stands against the perseverance 
 of the saints like a brazen wall. 
 
 Phii.a. What part of scripture, pray you, is that i* 
 Theoph. It is that parable you have. Mat. xviii. 23, 25, 
 where the servant whose di;bt was forgiven him by his Lord, 
 was afterwards (as represented) for want of compassion to his 
 fellow servant, CHst into a [orison till he had paid the debt 
 due. 
 
199 
 
 Phi LA. The parable, TheophUus, does not take me at this 
 time altogether unprovided, it is what has engaged my 
 thoughts frequently ; by the kingdom of heaven-we are to uiit- 
 derstand the gospel church state; by one owing Christ tea 
 thousand talents, the debt of love and praise,— by his having 
 nothing to pay, it shows our inability to pay that debt of love 
 and praise which we owe; by the Lord having compassion 
 upon him, and forgiving him, it shows to us Christ's readi- 
 ness to forgive, lo restore us graciously, and to lore us freely ; 
 by the servant of the Loud taking hold of his fellow servant 
 by the throat, saying, " pay me what thouowest me," it shows 
 us how apt we are to think that we do well to be angry when a 
 brother has offended us ; by his desiring patience, and he would 
 pay him, his readiness to be reconciled to him ; by his cast- 
 ing him into prison, it shows how hard a brother offended is 
 to be won over to a reconciliation, and to what unhappy 
 heights they often carry their resentments ; by the Lord 
 calling him a wicked servant, convincing him how greatly he 
 had broke the law of love to his brother, and what great in- 
 gratitude he had shown to his name, wlio had so frankly for- 
 gave him all : by Christ being wroth, not any change in his 
 love, as to the nature of it, but only as to the manifestation 
 of it, which is dearly interpreted from his own lips, ha. 
 Ixiv. 8. In a little rvrath I hid my face from thee for a moment, 
 but zcith everlasting kindness will I have mercy npon thee, saith 
 the Lord thy Redeemer, By his delivering hiai over to the 
 tormentors till he should pay all that was due ; by the tor- 
 mentors we are not to understand the Devil and wicked an- 
 gels, because the debt of infinite justice can never be paid by 
 a finite creature, but the condemnation of the word of God, 
 his own conscience, and the proceedings of the church till he 
 had made an acknowledgment of his fault, and paid the debt of 
 gratitude, which was due both to Christ and to his brother, 
 which is consonant with our Lord's own words, ' So likewise 
 shall my heavenly Father^ do also unto you, if ye from the heart 
 forgive not every one his brother their trespasses;" which 
 
200 
 
 shows that the whole parable is so far from militating against 
 the final perseverance ol' the saints, that it only points forth 
 their condemnation and distress in their own minds, for ingra- 
 titude to God, and for want of love and forgiveness to the 
 brethren, which is more tuUy explained by Christ, see Mat. 
 vi. 14, 15. 
 
 I have been the more free upon this parable, in order to 
 remove those dismal, distressing, J add, dishonouring ideas 
 of God, that Mr. Baxter and Mr. Wesley teach, that God 
 may fi:st pardon and forgive the sinner, then, for want of 
 some condition being performed b}^ the sinner, he may un- 
 pardon him and send him to hell. O, cruel doctrine ! from 
 whence came thou ? 
 
 In a word, to speak tenderly, and at the same time faithfully, 
 and what, 1 believe, Mr. Wesley will not have the least incli- 
 nation to contradict, is this, that we carry Mr. VN^esley's doc- 
 trine too high and beyond what he intends, when we say that 
 he means, that we are to do something for ourselves, and 
 Christ to do the rest; or in other words, that we have part- 
 ly by our prayers, tears, repentance, and almsgiving, a right- 
 eousness of our own, and that Christ, by his righteousness, 
 makes up the deficiency of ours; — whereas, Mr. Wesley does 
 not mean so much as this ; he has no notion of such a patch 
 work, for justification before God; he is a more deep and 
 refined Arminian, for the sum of his principle (if his writings 
 and preaching are to be believed) is this, " That Christ is 
 the sole and only author of our salvation, not by imputing his 
 righteousness to us, but by purchasing sudi favourable terms 
 of reconciliation for us, and by restoring to us such abilities 
 to fulfil them, by means of which we only become capable 
 of being justified in the sight of God ;" therefore says Mr. 
 Wesley, " We say that those in this life, who have used well 
 the grace that is given them, and conformed to the terms of 
 the gospel, God dotli justify." That is, were he to call thera 
 to the bar of judgment and try them, he would acquit them 
 and pronounce them not guilty upon this fotiudalion ; be- 
 
201 
 
 cause Christ, by his meritorious dearti and sufferings, hav- 
 ing, as Mr. Wesley says, « purchased for them the law of re- 
 pentance, as the law by which they are to be judged ; and 
 they having, through grace (as they call it) fulfilled the law, 
 that is, become true penitents, God therefore, for the above 
 merits of Christ, admits of their qualification, forgives them 
 their offences, and rewards them according to their works." 
 Here then it is plain to a demonstration, that there is no 
 splitting, adding to, or dividing of the imputation of the 
 righteousness of Christ, or copartnership with Christ, but 
 Christ's righteousness is represented as the sole procuring 
 cause of our salvation, and ours as the applying cause, by 
 performing the conditions requisite ; so that, according to 
 Mr. Wesley's scheme of salvation, our justification is not 
 made up partly of Christ's righiecusness and partly of our 
 own ; for according to this idea, Christ's righteousness is 
 not partly imputed, but not at all imputed in the gospel sense 
 of the word, which is a righteousness to him that worketh not, 
 a RiGHTEousNiiss WITHOUT WoKKS, not of woiks : blessed, 
 saith the Holy Ghost, is the man to whom the Lord im- 
 puteth righteousness without works. Whereas, Mr. Wesley 
 is so far from this gospel idea of Christ's righteousness, 
 that he says, " We obey in order to our final acceptance, and 
 with the deep ingrained Arminians, or refined Neanomianism, 
 suppose that Christ did not fulfil the terms of justification 
 in our stead, but on the contrary having purchased them for 
 us, and procured us sufficient powers and abilities, he left us 
 to co-operate with these powers and so to fulfil them ourselves; 
 in a word, to complete and secure our salvation by our own 
 power and obedience through Christ's name." Tins is, 
 Theophilus, a fair and candid state of the case. T appeal to 
 Mr. Wesley himself whether it is misrepresented. And if 
 this is not another gospel (or rather something in the room 
 of the gospel) I know not what is. If this is not perverting 
 the gospel of Christ, I will defy either men or angels to say 
 nd 
 
202 
 
 what is; and what the Holy Ghost says of such, let Mr. 
 Wesley read at his leisure. Gal. i. 8, 9. 
 
 Theoph. Sir, my obligations of gratitude are beyond ex- 
 pression, for your condescension, your labour of love, your 
 readiness to remove those traditional darkness and obscurity 
 upon the order and ordinances of God's house, and the glo- 
 rious way of salvation by Jesus Christ, the solid satisfaction 
 my soul has received, with the brightness and glory with 
 which they shine, like the light of the morning without a 
 cloud, prevails upon me to increase my debt of obligation by 
 a few farther inquiries. 
 
 Phila. Dear Theophilus, as it is m}' highest honour to be 
 a servan!. to tlie servants of Jesus, and to set forth (in my 
 little way) his unsearchable riches, therefore, I can have no 
 greater joy than to find, that my dear Theophilus has a desire 
 t) know and walk in the Truth. 
 
 Theoph. Sir, the loveliness of Christ's person, the beauty 
 of the gospel, the completeness of salvation by Christ, the 
 sweetness of divine mercy, the riches of gra^se, the harmony 
 of love among the saints, the prelibations of glory in the or- 
 dinances of God's house, engages my soul to say with the 
 Psalmist, one thing have I desired of the Lord and that 
 I will seek after, to dwell in the house of the Lord for 
 ever, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his 
 temple. 
 
 Phila. Dear Theophilus, lam glad with exceeding joy to 
 find your mind under the sweet influences of love! of love 
 to Christ, to his word, his ordinances, and his people. 
 When I said his people, the phrase is indefinite and 
 undetermined, not as to reality ; but who they are, as 
 there are so many different persuasions and denominations 
 who declare that they love Christ and embrace his ordi- 
 nances. 
 
 Theoph. The difilrcnl denominations in general, lake 
 their I ise from the tradition of the fathers and not from the 
 
205 
 
 scriptures; therefore, I would leave thcm_,and say to tliem, as 
 our LoitD did unto ihe j'harisees. Malt. vii. 9- And he said 
 unto them, full icell ye reject the commandments- of God, tMt 
 ye may keep yow ozcn tradition. And since they are taught 
 with all their warmth of love, light of knowledge and zeal, to 
 be so tenacious of the tradition of their fathers, as to lay aside 
 the commandments of God, to hold the traditions of men ; 
 vho can forbear a pitying eye or a sympathizing heart for 
 lli^m ; for, it is evident that they have zeal for God, but not 
 according to knowledge? it is, therefore, the good old-way 
 that has the command of God for its authority to persuade 
 us, the example of Christ to engage us, the testimony of the 
 Father's love to draw us, the seahng of the Holy Spirit to 
 comfort us, the commission of CnitisT to constrain us, the 
 practice of the apostles to induce us, and the settlement of all 
 the primitive churches to follow, who were all of one heart 
 and of one soul, in the order and ordinances of God's house, 
 which house, says the Apostle, we are; being built together 
 an habitation for God through the spirit. With these who 
 were first called Christians at Antioch, but now called Bap- 
 tists, my soul desires to join in union and conmiunion, in 
 the faith and fellowship of the gospel. 
 
 PniLA. Here, you are to consider the situation of the peo- 
 ple with whom you have a desire to join ; that they are a des- 
 pised people, generally a poor people, though some, not 
 many, rich among them. 
 
 Theoph. Sir, they being despised by the world in their 
 glory, as it is written, 1 Pet. iv. 14. If J/^ l>^ « reproach for 
 the name o/' Christ, happy are ye, for the spirit of glory and 
 of God resleth upon you. And as to their being poor, it is 
 their highest joy, which has the threefold witness of the 
 Holy Ghost, the poor have the gospel preached to them. 
 — God has chosen the poor in this world rich in faith. — I 
 will, saith the Lord, live in the inidst of thee a poor, and a 
 despised people, and they shall trust in the uameofiheLoBc; 
 and^ it is said, not many rich are called. 
 
*04 
 
 Phi LA. I see, Theophilm, your heart seems (to use the 
 expression) to be paved with love to the people. 
 
 Theoph. Sir, why need this surprise you, when I consider 
 the obligations of love that 1 am under to Christ for the re- 
 demption of my soul with his own blood, and that debt of 
 love I owe to his name, and the ties of gratitude that I am 
 under to show forth his praise by obedience to his command, 
 by following his example, surely L may say to him (when I 
 consider his rich love to my soul) wjtti the sharpest pains of 
 ingratitude, renewed with all the solemn ties of affection, 
 why should I be as one that turns aside from the flocks of 
 thy companions, especially when he lias said, go thy way by 
 the footsteps of the flock r and have nat you, my dear Phi- 
 lagathus, been pointing forth the footsteps of the flock, 
 whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord to the tes- 
 timony of Israel, in all ages, through every century, through, 
 every king's reign ? and can my dear Fhi/agathus think it 
 strange, that Thcophilus should be desircms to be a follower 
 of those, who through faith and patience have inherited the 
 promises ? 
 
 Phi LA. As this is, Theophilus, your earnest desire to fol- 
 low the Lamb whithersoever he goes, I am all ear and atten- 
 tion to every inquiry you shall make. Bur, here let me say 
 unto you, as the Lord said unto Ezekiel, Son of man, mark 
 well and behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine 
 ears all that 1 say unto thee concerning all the ordinance^ 
 of the house of the Lord and all the laws thereof; and 
 mark well the entering in of the house, with every going 
 forth of the sanctuary. It is likewise written, he that believ- 
 eth makeUi not haste. 
 
 Theovh. Sir, your tender caution is like the rain upon the 
 mown grass, or the dew upon the tender herb. J, AVisdom, 
 saith the scripture, dwell with prudence; and can there be a 
 higher degree of wisdom, in those who are wise to salvation, 
 than to embrace the command of Gon, and Ibllow the ex- 
 ample of Jesus ? see Mat. iii. 13,-17. 
 
 4 
 
205 
 
 Phtla. Therein T acknowledged that the wisdom of the 
 christian shfnes with the brighter (j/udence, when the com- 
 mands of Christ are submitted to, or embraced, out of a 
 principle of love with a fixed eye to tiie glory of King Jesus. 
 But, have you considered well what Mr. John Wesley, the 
 church of England champion ; Mr. Huddleston, the Sande- 
 manian champion ; and Mr. Ekhringham, the presbylerian 
 or independent champion, for infant-baptism say, before you 
 embrace that of believers ? 
 
 Theoph. I conie^s these books which you have mention- 
 ed I have not yet read, but I have read very maturely the 
 chief books that have ever been pul)lishe:! upon the subject 
 since our conversation upon the fusth and order of tlie baptist 
 chorciies ; and I confess, witliout any piejudice, that all 
 the argumc nts of more champions than you have mention- 
 ed faint in their mouths or die in their birth, not having 
 strength to come forth. You call them champions, and so 
 they are; but they appear to me champions for babies, or 
 rather baby champion^. But, as the eyes of my understanding- 
 are clear from !;rejudice to see tiie truih, and my affections 
 are as ready to embrace where I fiiid, thus saith the Lord ; 
 for as it is his truth 1 would diligently search for, willingly 
 embrace, and follow after it, therefore let me hear what 
 Mr. Wesley has to say. 
 
 Phila. He tells you in a little abstract, page 1, *' That 
 the covenant made with Abraham and his seed, Gen. xvii. is 
 the covenant of grace." 
 
 Theoph. Sir, what has this to do with believers' baptism, 
 I wonder? however, to give it an answer, it is true, the cove- 
 nant made with Abraham to be a God unto him and his 
 seed, if rightly understood, will appear to be a bright figure 
 of the covenant that God made with the elect in Christ, 
 for it is said, a God unto thee and to thy seed ; but now the 
 question is, who are the seed here meant ? surely, none but 
 the inconsiderate will say, that all his natural seed, or all those 
 who proceeded from Abraham, are here meant; for if so, then 
 all the nations of the Ismaelites, which were many, and ah 
 
206 
 
 the nations that sprung from his wife Ketiirah, and all the na- 
 tions of the [dumeans, who were called the Heathens round 
 about, must have an interest in the covenant of grace, which 
 I think, none will dare to affirm; because the Apostle says, 
 the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God : 
 therefore, by Abraham's seed, it is plain, who are the seed 
 meant; for the scri[)ture saith, in Isaac shall thy seed be 
 called, which the apostle explains clearly and satisfactorily. 
 Gal. iv. 28. Nowwe^ brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of 
 the promise ; and says Paul, the children of the promise are 
 counted for the seed. Here let PM^goMMs observe minute- 
 ly, that Isaac was the son of the free woman by promise, in 
 which respect Sarah, says the apostle, was a figure of Jerusalem, 
 which is above, which is free, which is the mother of us all. 
 And as Isaac was a son of the promise, or the seed, or child of 
 the covenant of grace, so are we, says the apostle; for in this 
 respect Isaac was a figure (not of Christ, as most represent 
 him) but of the church and the seed of the church, which 
 are the childi^en of the promise, who are by God counted for 
 the seed; therefore God is said to be the God of Isaac, the 
 same that he is said to be the God of Jacob, or the God of 
 Israel, that is, his church, for, it is written, in Isaac shall thy 
 seed be called ; and who these seed are is plain, that they are 
 Christ's seed which is his church, called the seed of Jacob, 
 the seed of Israel, the seed of Abraham, a seed that shall 
 serve him, his seed, as Paul explains it, Gal. iii. 29. If ye he 
 Christ's, then are ye Abrahams seed, a7id heirs according to 
 the promise; so th;it Abraham's seed, and Christ's seed are 
 one body or one family, called the children of the promise. 
 
 1 have been the more free, Philngathus, upon this answer, 
 because I never heard a presbyterian or an independent in 
 my life, that was clear upon the covenajit of grace, when 
 they got their Abramatical covenant into question ; here 
 they are all to a man of them, muddy, dark, and obscure. 
 Sometimes they seem to mean Abraham and all his natural 
 seed ; another time only his spiritual seed (a term I confess, I 
 do not understand, for I never knew that Abraham ever begot 
 
«07 
 
 any spiritual children): then again we have it, it is Christ's 
 seed, but when they come to explain who Christ's seed are, 
 O ! say they (either ignorantly, or to please the religious 
 pride of their people) it is believers and their seed, when, ia 
 fact, it is n'> such thing; for, saith the apostle, Gal. iii. l6, 
 NoTi^to Abraham and his seed were the promises made ; he saith 
 not unto seeds. I wish the independents (who aim in many 
 things to be clear in the covenant of grace) would mind this, 
 he saith not unto seeds; therefore, not to believers, and their 
 seeds, or children, who are a multiplicity of seeds, not of 
 many, says the Aposile, but of one. What! only one? No! 
 
 only to one, and to thy seed which is Christ Which, 
 
 shows plainly, it is not to believers and their seed, but to 
 Christ and his seed, that the promises were made; not in the 
 line of a natural pedigree, but in the line of electing love, and 
 hereby the promise becomes sure to all the seed, because it is 
 written, in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be bless- 
 ed. And, who CHii this seed be but the Messiah, the pro- 
 mised seed of the woman, of whom it is said, all nations shall 
 call him blessed? therefore, Sir, if Mr. Wesley brought this 
 argument to prove, that all Abraham's natural seed were in- 
 terested in the covenant of grace, or for a succession of in- 
 fant privileges in the covenant, it is of no force, nor has it 
 any truth in it, for it is written, the children of the flesh, these 
 are not the children of Gon ; but the children of the pro- 
 mise are counted for the seed : and who these are is plain, 
 b}^ what is said before, that they are the seed of Christ ac- 
 cording to ancient promise, Isa. liii. 10. He shall see his 
 seed, he shall prolong his day:,, and the pleasure of the Lord 
 shall prosper in his hands. Therefore, if infant baptism be at- 
 tempted to be proved from infant privilege, it must stand 
 upon the tradition of their forefathers, because it is not found 
 in the oracles of truth. 
 
 Phila. B»it, Sir, Mr. Wesley describes who Abraham's 
 seed are: that ihev are such that imitate the faith of 
 
Abraham ; and that sniritual promises and blessings belong 
 to them ? 
 
 Theoi'h. I'Tiitate faith! it makes me think of my calling at 
 the foundery about sixteen years ago, and there the people 
 were in great devotion; but whether they were worshipping 
 Mr. John Wesley or the Supreme Being, it appeared then 
 difficult tft me to determine ; but, I well remember Mr. Wes- 
 ley read stveial pages out of a book which he called a prepara- 
 tion for faith. I hope the eyes of the people were only ear- 
 nestly fixed upon him to kno.v his meaning;! cor^fess mine 
 were; but I was at last finally at a loss to know it. I wanted 
 to know how it was that the blind prepared themselves to see, 
 that the deaf prepared themselves to hear, that the dumb 
 prepared themselves to speak, the lan;e to walk, and the en- 
 mity of the natural mind to love. And, 1 own, I am almost 
 at the same loss to know, what it is to imitate faith. I con- 
 fess I have not so learned Christ, neither do the scrip- 
 tures leave us with such dark phrases, but say5;. Gal. iii. 9- So 
 then they that he of faith, are b/cssed with faithful Abra- 
 ham. If by Abraham's seed Mr. Wesley means such 
 who are blessed with the faith of faithful Abraham; that to 
 these belong privileges, blessings, and promises, here we say 
 that God allows to such those blessings, privileges, and pro- 
 mises, that those blessings whom Mr. Wesley allows have no 
 glory, by reason of the glory which excelleih. Mr. AVesley 
 only allows them a little grace ; if they improve that well, a 
 little more, called by him the first blessing; if they improve 
 that little more to perfection, and keep that perfection perfect, 
 then Mr. Wesley's charity allows them to go to glory. But 
 the blessings and privileges which we say that God allov.'s 
 them by lot or by inheritance, is the privilege ofever ordi- 
 nance of his house, as the gift of his love, with grace upon 
 grace, promise upon promise, blessing upon blessing, grace to 
 draw them, life to quicken them, love to attract them, right- 
 eousness to justify them, atonement to pardon theni; faithful- 
 
209 
 
 ness to keep them, and glory to crown tliem, that in all things 
 God may be glorified. 
 
 Phi LA. But, Mr. Wesley says, page 4, '' Thai the chil- 
 dren of the Jews were visible members of the Jewish church 
 under the covenant of Abraham, and as such tliey were ac- 
 knowledged and received into it by circumcisiun," and for 
 proof. Gen. xvii. 9- — H. 
 
 TnEOPH. Supposing what Mr. Wesley here says to be all 
 true, what force or strength has this for infant baptism .'' But 
 here, I think the baptists themselves do not do justice to the 
 truth nor to their own cause, lor they seem to allow that the 
 children of the Jews were n)ade members of the Jewish 
 church by circumcision ; this I absolutely deny, and affirm 
 that circumcision was so far from making the children of the 
 Jews church members, that it gave them no right at all to 
 any church ordinance. It was never intended for any such 
 thing. 
 
 Phila. But, what did it give them a right unto ? for if this 
 be given up, I own, the main pillar and support commonly 
 brought for infant baptism must drop. 
 
 Theoph. Sir, However warm you are for the support of 
 this, the scriptures are plain that ihe right that circumcision 
 gave the circumcised, was only a right to the land of promise 
 with all its blessings, Ge7i. xvii. 8. Jjid I will give unto thee, 
 and to thy seed after thee, the land wheiein thou wert a stranger, 
 all the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession, and 1 will 
 be their God. Here it is plain, as the sun at noon day, what 
 circumcision gave the seed of Abraham a right to, or rather 
 what circumcision gave all the circumcised a right unto ; for 
 it was not confined to the seed of Abraham only, but ex- 
 tended with the same promise and privilege to strangers who 
 were bought, Gen. xvii. I'i. He that is born in thine house, 
 or he that is bought with money of any stranger which is not of 
 thy seed. So then it appears the external privilege of circum- 
 cision, it was only to distinguish them from other nations 
 round about j and to show, that they were the peculiar people 
 
iio 
 
 According to God's promise to Abraham, and that they as 
 guch had a right to the land of Canaan vvidi all its 
 blessiiigsas their possession; and therefore for any one to say 
 thatcircumjision gave anyone a riglit to the covenant of 
 grace, or made them members ofihe visible church, is saying 
 what no one can prove, though it is confidently said that 
 they were received into the Jewish church by circumcision, 
 and for proof Gen. xvii. 9. — 14. And God said unto Abraham 
 thou shah ke:p my covenant, therefore thou and thy seed after 
 thee in their generation ; here is not a word upon circumcision, 
 much less of infiints being members of the Jewish ciiurch by 
 it. — Inverse 14 it is said, Ayid the uncircunimed man-child 
 whos.'flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be 
 cut off" from his people : He hath broken my covenant. 
 
 Now the plain and natural sense of these words, such a 
 one has no right to the land of promise made by covenant 
 to Abraham. For this reason it is plain he does not belong 
 to Abraham, his seed, or a stranger bought with money, be- 
 cause such were commanded to be circumcised; but by his 
 refusing to submit thereto, he deprives himself of claiming 
 any inheritance ia the land of promise, called the breaking of 
 God's covenant, because the--LoRD gave the land of Canaan 
 by covenant only to those who were or should be circumcised. 
 — This appears to me, Philagathus, to be the plain meaning 
 of the words, therefore it is foreign to bring this text, or any 
 other, to prove that infants, either of believers or unbelievers, 
 had any right of church membership by circumcision. I know, 
 sir, how fond the Presbyterians, Independents, and the church 
 of Scotland, and some of the church of England, have been 
 in asserting it, and how weak some of the Baptists have, been 
 in almost owning it. But, I absolutely deny that it can be 
 proved from one single text of scripture, though infant 
 sprinkling (called by the unthinking christian infant baptism) 
 has been long built upon this unscriptural foundation, namely, 
 that as infants were church members under the law and re- 
 ceived by circumcision^ they have a right under the gospel 
 
211 
 
 to be received by baptism, when, in fact, they never had a 
 right under the law by circmncision, to any ordinance of the 
 temple, or church membership, neither have they any right 
 under the go- pel. 
 
 Phil A. Amazmg ! sir, if you can now prove vi'liat you 
 say, { must give up the main pillar and corner stone of in- 
 fant biiptism. 
 
 Theoph. Sir, I have said that circumcision accordingto 
 the word of God, gave no infant at all any rig!it to church 
 membership, or any rigiit to any ordinance in the temple ser- 
 vice under the law ; for first it gave them no right to the pass- 
 over, if we consider how and in what manner the passover 
 was to be cat, Gen. xii. 11. 2'hus shall ye eat it, zciihyour 
 loins girded, your shoes on your feet, your staff in your hand, 
 and ye shall eat it in haste. — Now, let u^.e ask what loins the 
 infant of eight days has to be girded i What shoes d^es it at 
 that age wear on its feet ? — What stafTdoesit carry in its hand ? 
 And what understanding has it then of doing any thing in 
 
 haste? Let the thinking mind consider of this. Besides, 
 
 it is [)la;n that il was not infants, but such children as could 
 inquire into the meaning and design of the passover that 
 were to partake of ii,Exod. xii i. 14. Jnd it shall he when thy 
 son asktth thee in time to come, saying what is this, that 
 thou shalt say unto him, by strength of hand the Lord 
 brought us out of Egypt from the House of Bondage, Sfc, 
 therefore, it is amazing to me, how teachers in Israel 
 can remain so ignorant as to affirm, that circumcision 
 gave infants a riglit to the passover, when it is so far from it, 
 that we find that thousands of them partook of the passover 
 for many years before they were circumcised at all ; for the 
 passover was kept or celebrated const antly every fourteenth 
 day of the first month in the evening. Lev. xxWi. 5. For, let 
 it be observed, that through all the years and journeys of the 
 children of Israel it is evident that none of the children of the 
 children of Israel were circumcised in the wilderness; whereas 
 all those who were circumcised in Egypt, died in the wilder- 
 
212 
 
 ness,save Caleb and Joslina ; yet these uncircumcised Israel- 
 ites eat the passover, wLich shows to a demonsliation, that 
 circuincis.on gave them no right to the passover or any tem- 
 ple ordinance, neither did their heing uncircumcised deprive 
 them of then, Jos. v. 5, Now all the people that came out 
 were circumcised, hut all the people that were horn in the wilder- 
 ness, hif the zcay, as they came forth out of Egypt, them they had 
 not circumcised ; and yet they partook of the passover, and of 
 all services of lie sanctuary, and were members of the visible 
 church without it, thesameas women were. 
 
 Phjla. Sir, your reasoning is plain, scriptural, and clear. 
 I confess I never thought of this before, but believed it was 
 as my forefathers told me, that infants were made church 
 members by circumcision under the law, which appears to 
 me to receive its rise and confirmation from that text you 
 have, Exod. xii. 44. But every man-servant that is bought 
 with mo/iey, when thou hast circumcied him, then shall he eat 
 thereof. 
 
 Theoph. But, sir, what will this text do with the case of 
 infants ; it is said every man servant that is bought with mo- 
 ney (not infants) when circnmci=ied shall eat thereof, even 
 those who have knowledge and understanding, these shall 
 enjoy the passover ? In like manner the gospel runs, he that 
 believelh and is baptized shall be saved. 
 
 Phila. But, is not circnmcision called the seal of the 
 righleousness of faith. Rom. iv. 11. 
 
 Theophv Yes, sir ; but to whom was it a seal of the righte- 
 ousness of faith, was it not to Abraham, who was strong in 
 faith, and likewise of that righteousness of faiih wiiich he 
 bad, says the A|>ostle, being yet uncircumcised? and there- 
 fore Abraham's being circumcised, or obeying the command 
 of God, was a seal to his own breast, or evidence to the 
 world, of that faith in Christ's righteousness which he had 
 before ; so in this sense obedience to the command of God 
 in all the ordinances of the gospel, is a seal or evidence to 
 the world of their true faiih in the righteousness of Jesus ; 
 
213 
 
 but can an infant give this seal or evidence who has no faiih 
 nor knowledge ol" rigiiteousncss, I ask how the women had 
 their right to church membership ? 
 
 Phila. Sir, what did give the people a right to the bless- 
 ings of the covenant under the law ? 
 
 Theoph. Sir, the same that gives us a right to thebless^ 
 ings oF grace under the gospel, which is nothing done by 
 us nor wrought in us, but is the same tln.1 gives us a ri^ht to 
 the rain trom heaven, which is God's promise and his com- 
 munication of tlie blessing promised ; for liis promise is that 
 he will give us the forau-r and the latter rain. Tliis promise 
 gives us a right of expectation, and the communication of the 
 rain gives us a right of enjoymcni ; so the Loun promising to 
 Abraham to be a God unto him and to his seed,g<ive his seed 
 a right of expectaiion, but it u.is (lou, counnunicatiug those 
 blessings which he promiL-ed to Abraham that gave aright 
 of possession, and in the s >me fixv uuconditioaai way do 
 we enjoy all ihi; blessings of the covenant ofgrace ; for first, 
 God gives us a right of expectation to eternal life by pro- 
 mise, and a right of enjoyment, or full possession, by com- 
 municatiug himself to us : the gift of God ;s eternal life. 
 
 Phila. Sir, what think you then could be the great end 
 and design of circumcision under the law .? 
 
 Theopii. Sir, the spiritual design of circumcision under 
 the law, however little understood by most, was far more 
 great and glorious than to make iiifants church members; 
 or, as some say, to initiate them into the covenant ofgrace ; 
 for it was not appointed for either of these ends but an end 
 more glorious, which was to be a livel ,■ figure or repiesenta- 
 tion of regeneration or the new birth, called in scripture the 
 circumcision of the heart, as it is wiitien Deuf. xxx. 6. And 
 the Lord thy God zviU circumcise thine heart, mid the heart of 
 thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and 
 with ail thy soul, that thou maystlivc. Rom. ii.(29. Circumcision 
 is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter, whose 
 praise is not of men, but of God. From hence it is evident. 
 
2U 
 
 that the great end of circumcision was to point forth, by 
 way of adumbration, that change of heart, soul, and spirit 
 which the power of divine grace creates in the mind towards 
 God in regeneration. But, there is still a further, a more 
 glorious design (which appears to be almost totally forgot by 
 every author) in circumcision, Vt-hich is, that as circumcision 
 was a cutting of the foreskin of the flesh, Exod. iv, 25. called 
 likewise the foreskin of the heart, denoting those who are in 
 a state of rebellion against God, said to be in Jets vii. 51. 
 uncircumcised in heart; and saith the Apostle, Col. ii. 13. 
 Jndi/ou being dead in your sins in the uncircumcision of your 
 fiesh. But as circumcision was literally a cutting of the 
 foreskin of the flesh, and spiritually the Lord circumcising 
 the heart to love him : 
 
 Now, these figures shine in their full glory in ihe person 
 of Christ, Col. ii. 11. Inwhom also ye are circumcised, ziith ihz 
 circumcision made zcitliout hands, inputting off ihe body of the 
 sins of the fleshy by the circumcision of Christ. Here vou see, 
 that all sins are removed, put off", or cast away by the 
 circumcision of Christ; therefore, circumcision under 
 the lav.', has its full accomplishment in the circumcision 
 of Jesus, and there it ceaseth for ever. Then, surely, 
 if circumcision points to the putting off the sins of 
 the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, it must be far 
 more glorious than to make infants visible church mem- 
 bers in their sins. And as circumcision under the law, gave 
 the circumcised a right to the Ifind of Canaan, witli ail the 
 blessings and privileges thereof, which has its full accomplish- 
 ment in the person of Christ, in whom all the blessings and 
 the promises of tlie heavenly Canaan are trcasuied np, in 
 whom we have the possession and inheritance of them as 
 our rest, or the keeping of a sabbath; for we which have 
 believed do enter into rest, 'iluis, you see, the great de- 
 sign of circumcision under the law, which if compared 
 with the glory of making infants church members; this in- 
 iant glory, supposing there were some truth contained 
 
21.5 
 
 therein, it loses all its glory by reason of the glory that ex- 
 celleih. 
 
 Phil A. Sir, I acknowledge that I never saw the beauty of 
 circumcision in such a light before. — It certainly holds forth 
 a blessing to the church, beyond what is commonly observ- 
 ed. Yet, is it not, T/ieophihis, frequently affirmed that infant 
 baptism came in the room of circumcision .? 
 
 Theoi'h. What is affirmed by men, that is not plainlv 
 proved fiom the scriptures, has no authority with me; and 
 that that has no command, nor any example in the word of 
 God, how is it possible for any but the ignorant, or the in- 
 considerate to believe it to be a divine ordinance? Sir, was 
 it not the plain command of Gon, that gave the infants a 
 right to circumcision.'' If so, then how dare any one at- 
 tempt to prove infants' rigiit to baptism without a divine 
 command ? Query, would it not, thinlc you, Philagathus, hsive 
 been ahold presumption in Abiaham, without a divine com- 
 mand from God, to have circumcised himself, his children, 
 and his seed, and said to them that it was the seal of the co- 
 venant which God had made with him ■ — And is it in any 
 wise a less presumption in tliose who administer baptism, as 
 they call it, to infants, as a divine ordinance without a divine 
 command .? Besides, to say that baptism came in room of cir- 
 cumcision is exceeding weak and absurd. Can one shadow 
 come in the room of another? But to allow this, it would 
 prove much more than the Pedobaptist would wish to have 
 proved, namely, that all children born of believing or unbe- 
 lieving parents, have a right to baptism, as all male children, 
 whether slaves redeemed, strangers bought with money, or 
 those born in the house, had a right to circumcision. Be- 
 sides, if baptism came in the room of circumcision, then 
 John ought not to have baptized any that were circumcised, 
 for this makes baptism not come in the room of circumcision, 
 but an addition to it. jSIoreover, if baptism came in the 
 room of circumcision, then it ought only to be administrated 
 to the same subjects, namely, to infants; if so, why isitcall- 
 
216 
 
 ed the Baptism of repentance? Matt. iii. 6. And they zvere 
 baptized of hun in Jordan confessing their sins. — Further, if 
 baptism came in the room of circumcision, what occa- 
 sion could there be for Christ to be circumcised, when 
 circumcision, according to this argument, must have 
 ceased in John's cominision ? Besides, it is impossible 
 that baptism could come in the rooin of circumcision : — • 
 First, because baptism is administrated to different subjects, 
 such as could not be under the ordinance of circumcision, 
 and therefore how could it come in the room of it? Acts viii* 
 12. But icheii they believed Philip preaching the things concerning 
 the kingdom oj God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were 
 baptized both men and women. — Secondly, If baptism came 
 in the room of ciicu incision, why did Paul circumcise Ti- 
 mothy so many years after he was baptized ? — Thirdly, It is 
 remarkable, Actsxv. 1, 2, And certain me mchich came dozen 
 from Judea, taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circum- 
 cised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. When 
 therefore Paul and Barnabas hud no small disscntion and dis- 
 putation zcith them. Now, if bi'ptism had come in the rootn 
 of circumcision, the disscntion would have been over, and the 
 disputation at an end ; for would not the Apostles have said. 
 Brethren, there is no occasion for circumcision, for baptism 
 is now come in its rooni ; and they having been baptized, 
 why then should, tliey be circumcised ? But so far was the 
 Apostle Paul and Barnabas from thinking that baptism came 
 in the room of circumcision, that they appointed, with cer- 
 tain others, to go up to Jerusalem about the question, ver. 6, 
 And the Apostles and Elders came together, to consider of this 
 matter. Now, what need of such a consultation upon this 
 matter, if one (;ame in the room of tlie other ? and why the 
 Apostles so silent of it if this was the case ? Besides the Ju- 
 daizing Christians never thought so, for they taught the con- 
 trary, namely, that the Gentiles, who believed and were bap- 
 tized, should be circumcised, Acts xvi. 5. In a word, the 
 main argument of the Pedobaptist quite fails them j for, they 
 
217 
 
 Bay, that circumcision was appointed to believers and tlieir 
 seed, when, in fact, it is no such thing ; for was there not 
 Lot, Heber, Salah, Shem, and Melchesedeck, with their 
 families, and the command did not extend to them, therefore 
 not lo all believers and their seed, but only to Abraham, his 
 family, and servants, and strangers bought with money* 
 whether believers in the God of Abraham, or not. — Besides* 
 it was confined to the children of believers of Abraham's 
 fleed, for did not Joshua circumcise the children of those who 
 entered not in, says the Apostle because of unbelief; so that 
 every argument faints for want of strength, that is urged in 
 favour of infant baptism from circumcision, though [ re- 
 member, a certain gentleman said, that he could prove it from 
 Gal. iii. 14. I'/iat the blessing of Abraham might come upon 
 the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, that we might receive the pro- 
 mise of the spirit through faith. 
 
 Phila. Sir, this is the very promise that is brought by 
 Mr. Wesley for the confirmation of baptizing of infants 
 coming in the room of circumcision. 
 
 Theoph. Amazing! surely, their cause must be very fo- 
 reign from the scriptures, whose arguments are so foreign 
 from truth ! — That the blessing of Abraham might come up- 
 on the Gentiles, what blessing could this be, the blessing of 
 baptism ? No, it could not be that, because Abraham was 
 never baptized. — Was it the blessing of circumcision ? If so, 
 the Gentiles became by the gospel blessed with a very pain- 
 ful bloody blessing to the flesh, and with a yoke upon their 
 necks which they are not able to bear. — Then, surely, the 
 blessing here spoken of must be the same blessing of faith 
 that Abraham had in the Messiah, who saw his day and was 
 glad. — Which blessing was not in circumcision but in uncir- 
 cumcision, and therefore the blessing of Abraham that cam^ 
 upon the Gentiles, was not the blessing of baptism, but the 
 blessing of faith in Christ, and this not to infants but to be- 
 lievers, as it follows that we might receive the promise of the 
 ipirit through faith. 
 
 F f 
 
218 
 
 Phil A. But, Mr. Wesley says, The childien of Christiana 
 were never cut from this privilege? 
 
 Theoph. Sir, it would be strange for those branches to be 
 cut off from a tree that were never on it. 
 
 'He'-likewise observes " That baptism is now (like circum- 
 cision of old) the sign of God's covenant ;" but this is falser 
 for baptism is no sign nor seal of the covenant of grace 
 at aH. 
 
 He likewise says, " That baptism is come in the room of 
 circumcision, seems plain from Col. ii. 12". — See, Philaga- 
 thus, whether it seems plain from this text or not, Col. ii. 12. 
 Buried with him in baptism; ziherei7i also you are risen in him 
 through the faith of the operation of God. This text might as 
 well have been brought to have proved, that in six days th* 
 Lord made the heavens and the eaith. 
 
 Phila. I think so too; but it is observed, that baptism 
 and circumcision signify the same thing, that is, the taking 
 away of sin; the one by cutting off, the other by washing 
 away. 
 
 Theoph. This I deny; but for humour sake, if baptism 
 signifies to remove sin by washing away, how little sin must 
 a few drops wash away in baptism .'' A little sin, a little water 
 a little infant, alas! 
 
 It is likewise observed with great wrath, that the gospel 
 which is a dispensation of great grace, does not lessen but in- 
 crease the privileges of the church. — This I allow, as the mi- 
 nistration of the gospel excels in glory; but, sure none but 
 the weak and inconsiderate will say that i*, is a privilege to 
 the church, to have infants members. To whom can it be 
 a privilege, not to the bishop or pastor, for he would not 
 know what to do with them t Or to the elders or deacons, 
 for they would not know what to do with them .? And what 
 privilege it could be to them, I confess, I am at as great a 
 loss as the poor infants to know, unless there were some 
 good motherly woman in the church to give them some 
 milk, then it might be a privilege to them ? But what pri- 
 
219 
 
 vilege would it be to the church, suppose there were no 
 other but these infant members in it, so much pleaded for, 
 I ask ? 
 
 Phi LA. But it is coufidently uftirmed, that children should 
 be admitted into the visible church by the christian door,that 
 is baptism, as well as circumcision. gave them a right to the 
 passover. 
 
 Theoph. Sir, things are sooner affirmed than proved, and 
 ojd errors, by long tradition, become matter of great confi- 
 dence ; but T deny that baptism, even true baptism, such as 
 the Apostles practised, gave any one a right of entrance 
 into the church, and that circumcision gave no one a right 
 to the passover, neither did the Lord's Supper come in the 
 room of the passover but Chrut himself, so, these affirma- 
 tions fail for want of proof, though it is confidently said, that 
 .infants are to be admitted in particular to baptism, the pre- 
 sent seal of the covenant. To this I shall only say, as confi- 
 dently (and amazed, that it must be told to them so often) 
 that infants ought not to be admitted to baptism, as the seal 
 of the covenant to them ; for this is only to deceive the poor 
 infants, because baptism is no seal at all of the covenant : It 
 is only a religious lie in the mouths of the priests, to please 
 the parents, who, in this respect, are by long tradition be- 
 come almost as weak and as easy imposed upon as their little 
 infants. 
 
 Phila. But it is said, page 6, that God thought fit to 
 change the old sign of circumcision for baptism ; and that he 
 has in the gospel warned us of the change, in Actsxy. G4.— 
 xxii. 21, — 25. 
 
 Theoph. This is a bold and daring aftiimation: we must 
 see, if his [)roofs prove it, if not, we shall soon see that bold 
 words are often but weak arguments. Acts xv. 24. Forasmuch as 
 we have heard that certain tchich ixent from vs have tioubled 
 you ziith tfords, subverting 1/our souls, saying, ye must he cir- 
 cumcised and keep the law, to tchom zee gave no such command- 
 ment. These words, indeed, prove that circumcision is abo- 
 
«20 
 
 lished, but do they prove that baptism came in the room of 
 it, when there is not the least hint nor word aboutit. Jets xxir. 
 21, is still far more remote, And he said unto me, Depart, for 
 I will send thee far hence to the Gentiles. So Paul being sent 
 to the Gentiles, is now become a proof that the baptism of 
 infants came in the room of circumcising of children. O 
 wonderful proof! — I wonder that all the baptists in the king- 
 dom are not convinced by it, — who can stand against it ? 
 For was there ever such a potent proof brought before. — I 
 think I must not proceed any further into the author's argu- 
 ments, lest I am not only convinced but stunned by them. 
 
 But it is hkewise said, that God chose to make an altera- 
 tion with regard to the persons to whom the seal of the cove- 
 nant should be apphed, and to ordain that females as well as 
 males should be baptized, Acts viii. 12. And they were bap' 
 
 tized both men and women and this is brought as a proof 
 
 for female infants to be baptized O astonishing ! what, 
 
 because women were baptized, that female infants have a 
 right to it. I wonder that these infant pleaders, or pleaders 
 for infants, are not ashamed of their weak infantine argu- 
 ments ; — besides, if circumcision was the only seal of the 
 covenant of grace under the law, to the circumcised, what 
 became of all the poor females? let charity inquire; and 
 moreover, if baptism be their dear seal of the covenant, that 
 they are so fond of, I would inquire how all their dear in- 
 fants break this seal ; — not one keep it. Sure it is a strange 
 seal, a strange covenant — or they have strange froward little 
 infants. 
 
 Phila. But Mr. Wesley says, " It is then incumbent up- 
 on those who oppose infant baptism, if they would make 
 their point good, positively to prove this from texts, namely 
 that Christ has cast infants out of the covenant; but no 
 such texts can be produced, therefore it appears they conti- 
 nue in the covenant, and have a right to the seal of it, which 
 is baptism." 
 
 Theoph. As to baptism it is no seal at all (unless a seal of 
 
221 
 
 tlie believer's faith in Christ) much less a seal of the cove- 
 nant of grace. As to the infants of the best parents in the 
 VForld, they have no right to it from scripture;- and if they 
 had a right, it is no seal of the covenant to them : But, as 
 they have none, it is only an ignorant religious imposirion 
 upon them. — And as to the baptist denying baptism to in- 
 fants, does this imply, as they would fain make mankind be- 
 lieve, that Christ has cast them out of the covenant. O asto- 
 nishing ignorance ! for if the denying or withholding of bap- 
 tism from infants be the casting of them out of the covenant, 
 then it follows, baptising them must be putting them in: 
 And as this is the understanding of Mr. Wesley, let me beg 
 of him before he dies to go over once more to America, and bap- 
 tize all the Indian infants he can meet with ; for he may 
 surely save more souls in one month, by this means, than I 
 am sure he has saved these thirty years in praying, fasting, 
 and preaching. — Will he never understand ; how long must 
 it be told him, that the seed that is in the covenant is 
 Christ's seed, called his seed, a seed that shall serve him 
 that shall be counted to the Lord for a generation, born not 
 of believers in particular, but born some of godh', and some 
 of ungodly parents. This makes no odds to the election of 
 grafce at all, nor to the seed of the church : These can never 
 be cast off, or be put out of the covenant, for they are bound 
 up in the bundle of life with the Lord their God, and when 
 this seed or children are brought forth in Zion, or born from 
 above, born of the Spirit ; then the baptists do not deny bap- 
 tism to these, but receive them as the seed of Abraham, and 
 baptize them in the name of the Father, of the Son, 
 and of the Holy Ghost; and what can mankind desire 
 more. 
 
 " It is urged with a kind of vehemency, that the texts 
 which speak of faith as the term of baptism, do not at all imply 
 that infants are not to be baptized." — Strange, then the 
 texts which speak of faith in Christ, as necessary to salva- 
 tion, do not »t all imply that it is necessary to salvation. 
 
222 
 
 What shameful arguing is this! For it is plain, as the sun at 
 noon day, that faith in Christ is as necessary to baptism as 
 it is to salvation ; believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and 
 thou shalt be saved ; and does not the same divine record say, 
 — He that believeth and is bapiized, shall be saved. — If thou 
 believest with all thine heart, said Philip to the eunuch, thou 
 mayest, i. e. be baptized. 
 
 Phila. I am convinced, that your observation here is very 
 just; but Mr. Wesley tells us, page 7, that heathens were ad- 
 mitted to circumcision upon the account of their faiih in the 
 God of Israel; and upon this he makes a long harangue by 
 changing the word teach to proselyte, baptizing into the 
 word circumcising, and supposing that the commission had 
 been to circumcise instead of baptizing, whether any one 
 would quesion the right of infants to it. 
 
 Theoph. Sir, I have read the harangue, and the remarks 
 made, and must own I have not met with a greater piece of 
 art and sophistry, though the reasoning at the first view 
 seems fair; yet call u[)on examination, it will appear to be 
 very false and falacious ; and first, he says, that the heathens 
 were admitted to circumcision upon their faith, in the God 
 of Israel. This I deny, and call upon him to prove it, even 
 in Abraham's family, who was the father of the faithful — or 
 in all the men of his house, born in the house ; or those who 
 were bought with money, who were circumcised with him. 
 It was God's command, not their faith, that gave them a 
 right; and let him but give us Goo's command for baptiz- 
 ingof infants, and we will no longer dispute their right. 
 
 But granting him, for argument sake, as it seems to be his 
 master-piece and his boast, that the commission under the 
 gospel had been to. Go teach all nations, circumcising them 
 in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy 
 Ghost. I firmly believe, that the Apostles would not have 
 extended their commission beyond their commission, in cir- 
 cumcising those they could not teach, nor proselyte by any 
 persuasion: Would not this have been breaking their com- 
 
225 
 
 mission, and imposing upon poor infants; for, according to 
 this subtile supposition, they had no authority to circumcise 
 any but those whom they had first taught; and therefore 
 this long fine spun argument drops to ihe ground — or rather 
 proves, that, as Abraham had no right to circumcise any, 
 but by a divine command, so the Apostles had no right, 
 nor has any other any right to baptize any but by a di- 
 vine command. 
 
 PuiLA. Sir, 1 am pleased with your observation, I think 
 it is clear and just, though Mr. Wesley is pleased to say, he 
 thinks that this way of arguing takes away the force of all 
 the objection that men think they find in the scriptures 
 against the baptism of infants, when, tome, there does not 
 appear the force of an argument in it : but what is amazing 
 to me is, Mr. Wesley says, " that as infants may be saved 
 without faith, so they may be baptized without their own 
 faith ;" and then, with a kind of triumph usual to himself, he 
 says, " thus all the objections against infant baptism are at 
 once cut off." 
 
 Theoph. Amazing, Sir; sure this argument must be like 
 Goliah's sword in the hands of David, that cuts of all objec- 
 tions at once: Surely this man must be more miglity than 
 an}^ of David's worthies, but let not him that putteth on the 
 harness boast like him that putteth it off. 
 
 To this I would observe, that an infant of a day old can no 
 more be saved without actual faith in Christ, than a per- 
 son of eighty years old can ; for actual faith is nothing more 
 than a desire of being saved by the Messiah ; and undoubt- 
 edly infants are as capable of this, by tjje sweet influences of 
 grace upon their tender minds, as they are of desiring the 
 breast. Was not this the case of Jeremiah who was sanctified 
 from the womb, and of John the Baptist, who leaped in his 
 mother's womb for joy at the name of Jesus; and which way 
 can infants be saved but by this inward desire, formed in 
 them by grace, to Jesus as a Saviour.'' For to allow that 
 infants may be saved without actual failh, because of their 
 
t24 
 
 inability ; then we may, for tTie same reason, allow a sinner 
 of forty years old to be saved without actual faith in Christ, 
 for the inability of the latter is greater than the former. In 
 the infant there is, it is true, original sin, or the corruption 
 of nature, to oppose the itifluence of grace ; but in the other, 
 there is the enmity of an hardened mind in the way of sin 
 for grace to conquer. But, to please this warrior of Israel, 
 we will grant him the victory, and give him the field ; for, as 
 he says, as infants may be saved without actual faith, so they 
 may be baptized without their own faith. I grant it, they 
 may be baptized without their own faitli : They may be baptized 
 upon the faith of Abraham, of Isaac, of Jacob, of Moses, 
 and the Prophets, of David or Solomon, of Paul or Peter, 
 or any of the Apostles, or if Mr. Wesley pleases, upon his 
 own faith, if he has any, I have no objection. Thus this 
 mighty warrior has gained the field at last, and has as he 
 says, you see, cut off, at one stroke, all the objections against 
 infant baptism. I think the infants, if they are able, ought 
 to erect a monument to the honour of their mighty cham- 
 pion in Westminster Abbey : But had he said, they might 
 be baptized without faith, I still would have disputed the 
 point, but his saying they may be boptized without their own 
 faith, it implies they may be baptized upon the faith of an- 
 other: And, indeed, I think, they may, upon any one's faith 
 whom he may choose, yet, by the way, can they believe or be 
 saved by another's faith ? But, upon a second thought, let 
 him not take any of the faith of the fore-mentioned Saints; 
 as I remember they never had any to spare ; but there is a 
 certain church, too well known, thathas many Saints wit!) much 
 faith to spare; and they cannot well deny little infants some, 
 one would think, especially as the little iulants have as great 
 right to their faith as they have to baptism, for as infant bap- 
 tism first came from that church, the least, I think, the Saints 
 of that church can do to establish it, is to leave a legacy of 
 faith to every infant; then Mr. Wesley and the rest of the 
 infaut pleaders would have some argument for infant baptism. 
 
225 
 
 because every infant, bjrvirtue of such a kind legacy, would 
 have a faith of their own. 
 
 As to Mr. Wesley's referring to the fathers for the proof of 
 infant baptism, itis vastly impertinent to the point : For sup- 
 posing Justin Martyr, Irenseus, Clemens, Origen, or others, 
 had positively embraced it and practised it, what is this to us ? 
 We are not disputing what the fathers say or what they did, 
 but what the oracles of truth say, and what Paul and the 
 rest of the Apostles practised. For if the man of sin appeared 
 to work in Paul's time, no wonder but it might in the fa- 
 thers' time, mistakenly so called, for in many things they ap- 
 pear, as to understanding of the gospel, to be rather infants 
 than fathers ; however, what Mr. Wesley has quoted from 
 the fore-mentioned authors or fathers, is much of it spurious, 
 a deal of it ridiculous, and some of it direct falsehood. One 
 instance is enough, he says, page 13, that Origen says, 
 " That the church received an order from the Apostles, to 
 give baptism even unto infants." Wiiat church received it? 
 The church at Corinth ? The church at Galatia ? The church 
 at Ephesus ? Or any of the seven churches in Asia ? I am 
 afraid that here is a lie fathered upon Father Origen. Mr. 
 Wesley places him about 60 years after the Apostles, where- 
 as Origen did not flourish till about the year 230. Besides, 
 the passage referred to, is not to be found in the original of 
 Origen's works, but appears to be an interpolation of that 
 perfidious translator Ruffinus. That the learned Huetius, 
 who has given us a good edition of Origen's commentary of 
 the scriptures in Greek, who was conversant with his writ* 
 ings, often complains of the perfidy and impudence of Ruffi- 
 nus. He says of him, "That whatsoever he undertook to 
 translate he interpolated, that he so distressed and corrupted 
 the writings of Origen by additions, that one is at a loss to 
 find Origen in Origen." IMoreover, it is plain, tliat Origen, 
 in his own original thoughts, was for believers' baptism. " It 
 is to be observed," says Origen, " that the four evangelists 
 saying that John confessed he came to baptize in water only, 
 G g 
 
220 
 
 Matthew adds unto repentance, leeching that he has the 
 profit of baptism who is baptized of his own will and choice." 
 —Now, let any one judge whether Father Origen was for the 
 baptism of infants or believers; for if the profit of baptism 
 (to keep to Origen's phrase) be tied to a person baptized of 
 his own will and choice, then baptism must be unprofitable 
 and insignificant to infants, because they are not baptized of 
 their own will and choice ; or as Mr. Wesley innocently ob- 
 serves, '' But, by their crying and noise while the sacrament 
 is administrating, they disturb the holy mysteries;" nay, but 
 1 addj rather the mysterious men disturb the poor children. 
 The word holy mysteries and sacrament I do not like. They 
 have a bad smell with them. — However, to do our forefathers 
 honour, I will defy Mr. Wesley, or any other writer, to give 
 one plain proof from the original writings of the fathers of the 
 two first centuries, or near the end of the third century, that 
 any one infant was baptized in any of the churchesunder their 
 care. — See this clearly defended by Dr. Gill, in his Infant 
 Baptism an Innovation, to which I refer Mr. Wesley, or 
 any other reader, for satisfaction. — As to Mr. W refer- 
 ring to Mr. Baxter's letter to Mr. Tombs, as a proof of in- 
 fant baptism, it is astonishing; for those who have read what 
 Mr. Baxter says in vindication of believers' baptism must 
 own, that he has some of the most nervous arguments to 
 prove it of almost any other writer, though he had not faith 
 nor courage to IkjHow it. — As to his letter to Mr. Tombs it 
 is exceeding weak, and the premises he goes upon are not 
 true, and therclbre not worth paper pains. — As to his incon- 
 sistencies and self contradictions upon baptism, are they not 
 like his other inconsistencies in almost all he wrote, which 
 could not be accounted for by himself? — What is further 
 said respecting the mode of baptism, has been already clear- 
 ed, proved, and enlarged upon ; only, I would just observe, 
 that as Mr. Wesley has thought proper to subjoin what Dr. 
 Watts says concerning the signification of the word, namely, 
 '< That, the Greek word baptize," he says, " signifies to wash 
 
227 
 
 any thing properly by water coming over it." If so, thew 
 the dispute is finally decided, the baptists are in the right, 
 and the Pedobaptists are in the wrong. — This is" all tlie bap- 
 tists contend for respecting the mode, in which respect the 
 haptizer and the baptized go, like Philip and the Eunuch, 
 both down into the water; and the baptized is covered, or 
 immersed, in water, in the name of the Father, and of the 
 Son, and of the Holy Ghost ; this done, they, like Jesus, 
 their glorious King and pattern, come straightway up out of 
 the water, and rejoice that they are counted worthy to follow 
 the Lamb whithersoever he goes, who hath said. Thus it be- 
 hoveth us to fulfil all righteousness. 
 
 Now, Phi/agathus, I hope you will allow that one of your 
 champions is slain. 
 
 Phi LA. In this respect, Theophilus, I cannot express my 
 concern more feelingly and pathetically than in David's 
 words, How are the mighty slain, and the weapons of war 
 perished ! 
 
 But, there is Mr. Elthringham who makes his boast above 
 measure that he has silenced all the baptists ; nay, he has en- 
 titled his book a full confutation of all the baptist books that 
 ever have been written against infant baptism, though I must 
 own, that he was one of the most unfair writers, unjust rea> 
 soner, and most quarrelsome disputant I ever met with. That 
 he neither writes like a gentleman, a minister, a Christian, 
 nor a scholar; his spirit, as an author, is so unbecoming the 
 gospel, that it renders his works contemptible. Yet, I 
 think, there are some things worthy of consideration when he 
 says, " The whole and every part of the righteousness which 
 Jesus Christ fulfilled, was nothing more nor less than the 
 righteousness of Moses and the prophets," and therefore 
 adds, " That the man Jesus was in all things perfectly obe- 
 dient to this law, and consequently the law or ordinance of 
 John's baptism was contained in the law of Moses which 
 Jesus fulfilled ; if so," then he says, " it is no new revela- 
 tion of Gob's will, and that therefore those who were the 
 
228 
 
 subjects under the law are the same under the gospel, because 
 it is written thou shalt not add." Here, he says, " The bap- 
 tists' mouths are all stopt and are become speechless." 
 
 Theoph. SpeechlessI Sir; speechless! for what ? because 
 tiiey have said that John's baptism was not commanded in 
 the law of Moses ; and that it was a new revelation of the 
 will of God, and that Christ yielded obedience to it to ful- 
 fil the righteousness of God's will, or counsel, as the head 
 and pattern of his church ? — that therefore he would infer 
 from this, that the baptists make Christ the minister of sin 
 by adding to the law, by doing that which is not commanded 
 in the law of Moses — how unjust is this ! — is it written in the 
 law of Moses how many miracles he was to perform? perhaps 
 by doing any he has (according to Mr. Ellhringham's un- 
 just way of reasoning) added and committed sin. How weak 
 and impertinent a w^ay of arguing is this ! however, I affirm 
 that John's baptism is no where literally commanded in the 
 law of Moses, whatever it may be typically, but was a new 
 revelation of God's will or a new dispensation to be adminis- 
 tered to new subjects, which will appear by a train of argu- 
 ments, many of which were received from no great stranger 
 to Mr. Ellhringham and his spirit. 
 
 Mr. Elthringham observes, " that righteousness when 
 man is the subject, is neither more nor less than obedience to 
 the law, ^c." I grant, 'tis true; but then this law is either 
 moral and so binding on all mankind, or ceremonial, and as 
 such obligatory only on the seed of Abraham. Py the former 
 of these it is impossible for any of the sons of man to be right- 
 eous, by the latter the seed of Abraham are only ceremonially 
 so ; the first law speaks nothing of cleansing or acquitting any 
 man either from the pollution or the punishment threaten- 
 ed; the second cleansed only to the purifying of the flesh. 
 But, as it is not possible for the seed of Abraham to pay a 
 punctual regard unto the ceremonial law unless the precepts - 
 of it are plainly expressed, neither is it possible for them to 
 observe thelaw in a right manner, if the end and design of its 
 
229 
 
 precepts are not made known. Therefore, if baptism is con- 
 tained in the law of Moses as a rite which the Israelites were 
 bound to observe, it must be so expressed that they might 
 understand both the nature and end of it in a ceremonial 
 sense, which is the case in all the ceremonial institutions; but 
 if it is not so contained, our author loses the force of all his 
 reasoning ; for if he says it is contained in some prophecy 
 either of Moses or the prophets, this is entirely against him, be- 
 cause whatever is declared in a prophetic manner, as a thing 
 which shall take place afterwards, and must evidently belong 
 to another dispensation than the ceremonial law. But, if he 
 says it is contained in the law under some type, though his 
 reasoning in this view, is just, yet it will fail to prove the point 
 he aims at, by proving too much, or more than he designed. 
 For though it is true that tlie whole and every part of the 
 righteousness which Christ Jesus by his obedience fulfilled, 
 was nothing more nor nothing less than the righteousness of 
 the law of Moses and the prophets, yet, if his obedience is 
 contained in either of the two last-mentioned, viz. in either 
 type or prophecy, it is easy to see where the point turns; for 
 if the Man Christ Jesus in his baptism yielded obedience 
 to the ceremonial law, it must be for some of the ends there- 
 in specified, for which the washings under the law were ap- 
 pointed ; but as there is not the least shadow of resemblance 
 between these ceremonial washings and the baptism of Christ, 
 who is holy, harmless, and undefiled (except in the washing 
 of Aaron and his sons, Lev. viii. 6, — 13, at their investiture 
 into the priest's office) it is evident that Christ was not bap- 
 tized to fulfil righteousness in obedience to that law in a li- 
 teral sense ; for though I grant that the washing of Aaron 
 and his sons was a type of Christ's being baptized at his 
 public investiture into his priestly office, yet as the subjectsare 
 rot the same as literally expressed in the law, there is a ma- 
 nifest difference between John's baptism and the ceremonial 
 washings under the law ; for if John baptized only with a 
 tiew to fulfil the ceremonial law in a literal sense^ 
 
 4 
 
230 
 
 he must have baptized none but such as were ceremonial- 
 ly unclean, or such as were separated to holy use. The 
 first of these were persons, or things, that were defiled in 
 a ceremonial sense; the second were priests and levites with 
 the vessels appointed to a holy use. The first of these could 
 not be the subjects of John's baptism, because they had ex- 
 press commands in the law to offer sacrifice, &.c. Nor could 
 the second be the subjects, &.c. as literally expressed in the 
 law, for then would he have baptized none but priests, levites, 
 &:c. But, it is evident that our Lord sprang of the tribe 
 of Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning 
 priesthood. But, to allow our author all the force his argu- 
 ments will admit of, viz. that Christ in his baptism fulfilled 
 righteousness by yielding obedience to the law of Moses, in 
 iiis being the antitype of Aaron the high priest and his suc- 
 cessors in that office, does it therefore follow, as a natural 
 consequence, that children have a right unto it? No ; for it is 
 allowed that Lev. viii. 6, — 13, is the only place, or that sub- 
 ject there mentioned, is the only one which appears to typify 
 that action of Christ; then it follows, that not infants but 
 ndults are the only subjects of baptism ; for Aaron and his sons, 
 if typically viewed, point at Christ and real believers, see 
 Heh. ix. 11. — 24. 1 Pet. ii. 5.-9. Nor will the levites and 
 their children answer his purpose any better. Num. iii. 15. 
 and viii. 6. &c. Compare this with Ja/nes i. 18, Rei\xiy.4. 
 and you will sec the intent of this passage: but, for the sake 
 of argument, observe, that if the levites and their seed are to 
 be viewed literally, we have nothing to do with them being 
 uiider another dispensation. If typically, as they are the pe- 
 culiar brethren of the high priest, they more properly point 
 out ministers of tliegosj)el, as they are related by office or at 
 least believers in Christ; nor do the 32,000 Medianiti^h 
 damsels answer his purpose any better, for their unckanness 
 was only of such a nature as made it unlawful for the lyen to 
 cohabit with them; for even the gold, silver, brass, iron, tin, 
 and lead, were purified by fire ere they durst bring them into the 
 
1:31 
 
 camp. This is a fine argument for baptizing bells, Jcc. rather 
 than children, and if it proves any thing it will be, that we 
 ought to oblige every slave taken with the sword to be bap- 
 tized whether they will or not. 
 
 I shall give you, Philagathus, a short specimen of argu- 
 ments used to prove, that the ordinance of John's baptism is 
 not literally contained in the law of Moses, but is purely a 
 New Testament appointment : — first, because all the washings 
 and every other rite of that law were literally expressed ; as 
 also the occasion, time, and manner in which they were to 
 be observed ; but it is not expressed that John, or any otlier 
 were to baptize people upon confessing their sins under the 
 law, &c. — Therefore, secondly, John's mission being imme- 
 diately from God and not from the law, John i. 6, — 33. MaL 
 iii. 1. proves that his baptism was not literally expressed in the 
 law, for had he received it from the law, all the priests from 
 Aaron must have had the same. — Thirdly, the end for which 
 he was sent, viz. to manifest Christ, but he could no more 
 manifest Christ than all his predecessors had done, if his 
 baptism was literally expressed in the law. — Fourthly, his 
 title. The Baptist, which must have been unjustly given him 
 if his baptism had been contained in the law, &c. for all the 
 priests from Aaron, if this was the case, were baptists without 
 any distinction. — Fifthly, The Pharisees' question, why bap- 
 tizest thou then ? &.c. Would not have been proposed if his 
 baptism was literally expressed in the law : for, surely, they 
 knew that John was of the seed of Aaron, and could easily 
 show his authority from the law if his baptism had been there 
 expressed, Luke i. 5. 1 Chron. xxiv. 10, — 19« ^e^'- xii. 4, — 
 17. — Sixthly, The persons he baptized, &c. were the people 
 of Judea and Jerusalem ; but, where is it literally expressed 
 in the law of Moses, that people were to go to be baptized 
 upon confession of sin? can Mr. Elthringham tell ? no, he 
 says, ** We never read of one man dipping another," but do 
 we ever read in the law of Moses, of any being washed or 
 sprinkled upon any other consideration, than ceremonial wn- 
 
232 
 
 cleanness, or separating of them to holy use; but were all 
 they whom John baptized thus unclean ? or were they priests 
 and levites ? or were they such as were out of communion 
 with the Jewish church, and must be initiated by baptism f 
 no : surely, they were such of the Jews as had heard of John's 
 birth, life, and doctrine ; which they believing, repented and 
 gave evidence thereof confessing their ssins. — Seventhly, 
 Our Lord's testimony of John, Lnke\u. 26, — 28. a Prophet, 
 A propliet's work is either to reveal the mind of God or ex- 
 pound it. In both these senses the people that believed 
 him were bound to receive his doctrine, the discrediting of 
 ■which was the sin of the Pharisees and lawyers who rejected 
 the council of God against themselves, Verse 30. Jlctsx'ix. 4. 
 XX. 21, — 27. for John declared, He that sent me to baptize, said 
 vnto me, upon whom, S^c. And I scuo and bare record that thi^ 
 is the Son of God. Therefore, I conclude, his baptism was not 
 literally expressed in the Law, for Moses could only say, 
 Deut. xviii. 15^ — j8. ji Prophet shall the Lord raise up^ 
 i^c. but John says. This is he (of whom I said) preaching the 
 gospel and the sum of the Apostles' Ministry, lo prove that 
 Jesus is the Christ. — Eighthly, Our Lord's question, the 
 baptism of John whence was it ? &c. shows that it was not 
 literally contained in the law, which if it had, the Pharisees 
 would have found another answer than we cannot tell, nor 
 would they have treated it with such contempt had it been a 
 rite of the law. 
 
 Thus Philagathus, I think, every argument i\l. Elthring- 
 ham has urged is answered, by making a distinction between 
 what is literally expressed and what is typically set forth in 
 the law; for it is certainly true, that every particular action 
 of Christ was prefigured under the law and prophets: but, 
 it is as true, that all these had another end for which they 
 were enjoined literally considered ; instance the passover hau 
 the reasons assigned for the observation of it, Exod. xii. 
 which typified the same thing to come that the Lord's sup- 
 per shows as already come to pass, yet are the institution* 
 
233 
 
 quite different literally considered ; the one a commemoia- 
 tion of a temporal, the other of a spiritual deliverance. 
 
 Jhus we may answer his first and third proposition by ob- 
 serving that John the administrator, and Christ and the Jew3 
 as subjects, did each fulfil rii^hteously their obedience to that 
 which was typified in the law ;and his second and fourth may 
 be answered in one, viz. the Phari.'^ees find in not believing 
 John's testimony concerning Christ, of whom all the law 
 and the prophets did prophecy, until John who preached the 
 kingdom of God or the gospel unto them, whicii they re- 
 jecting, did not repent or bring forth fruits m-et for repent- 
 ance and rejected ha; tism in consequence thereof; therefore 
 as they rejected that which was the spirit of the law 
 and sinned thereby, our Lord sinned not in complying with 
 it, when he said, thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteous- 
 ness; for as Christ's baptism was a representation of his 
 death, buria!, and resurrection, Rom. vi. 3, 4. so it shows he 
 was obedient unto death, buried all our sins in his grave, then 
 he rose from the dead. Now, in his obedience, death, and 
 resurrection, all righteousness was fulfilled : here is a right- 
 eous life — an atoning death — and a triumphant resurrection, 
 which includes all righteousness in Christ for us, all righ- 
 teousness imputed to us. 
 
 Thus, I hope, your second champion is at the feet of your 
 first. — How are the mighty fallen ! 
 
 Theoph. This, Sir, shows plain that amongst all those or- 
 dinances and institutions of Christ, that the man of sin hath 
 so miserably mangled, metamorphosed and changed, none 
 hath been more abused than that of baptism ; which as to 
 matter and form, subject and circumstance, hath suffered such 
 apparent alteration and subversion, that nothing but the 
 very name of the thing remains among many professors at 
 this day. 
 
 Which the better to demonstrate, you have the pattern of 
 the primitive institution, in Christ's commission, the apos- 
 tles' precepts and practice, and the spiritual ends thereof, 
 
 Hh 
 
234 
 
 plainly laid down from the scriptures, and confirmed by the 
 learned; the change itself of believers' into infants' baptism, 
 traced out and detected, with all the ridiculous superstitions 
 and fooleries, made essential to it, as many are forward to 
 impose upon us : than which, nothing did ever more tend to 
 ruin the true church, and reproach the wisdom and authority 
 of Christ their head; so nothing could rationally more es- 
 tablish and confirm the false, or more apparently promote the 
 sovereignty and dignity of Antichrist, which is so plain, that 
 he that runs may read. 
 
 For if the very act of sprinkling or pouring a little water 
 on the child's head or face must give grace, regenerate, take 
 away sin, save the soul, add to the church, and give right 
 to all the ordinances; as the Pope hath been pleased, sitting 
 in the temple of God, as God to ordain and decree, and that 
 with Anathemas too, against every one that shall not so re- 
 ceive it; thus hath it become the corner ami foundation-stone 
 of the autichristian church and state. 
 
 For as they who take (as far as they can judge) living 
 Stones, (called the spiritual seed, saints by calhng, or believers) 
 to build Christ a house or church, orderly joining them to- 
 gether in the Lord by baptizing, do yield obedience to 
 Christ's command, conform to tlie primitive pattern of the 
 New Testament churches, ascribe honour and glory to the 
 Lord Christ the iastilutor : so tliey who take the carnal 
 seed, \'\z. ignorant and unconverted ones, to make up the na- 
 tional or any particular church, joining them together by 
 sprinkling, do thereb}- yield obedience to tlie Pope's Canons, 
 conform to the Antichristian pattern, and reflect honour and 
 dignity to their sovereign Lord the Pope, the contriver and 
 imposer thereof; and is not this very observable, that Pojie 
 Innocentius the first (that Abaddon and ApoUyon) that had sa 
 many marks of Antichrist here given him, was the first con- 
 firmer and imposer hereof. 
 
 But that which is most to be lamented is, that the protest- 
 ant reformers, wlio detected and cast away so many Anli- 
 
 4 
 
235 
 
 clniatian abominations, should yet hold fast such a principal 
 foundation stone of their building; though it is granted, that 
 the rejecting many of its superstitions, is upon good grounds: 
 that when the rottenness of the Popish grounds aforesaid did 
 appear for infants' sprinkling, it had certainly fallen to th^_ 
 ground, had it not been for some new contrivances to sup- 
 port it, though therein they have not been so happy as to 
 agree amongst themselves in their conclusions about it. 
 
 For some are for baptizing all children, whose parents are 
 never so wicked; others, only the children of professors; 
 whilst others are for the baptizing the children of such pro- 
 fessors only, whose parents are inchurched, viz. belonging to 
 some particular congregation. Some are for baptizing chil- 
 dren upon their own particular faith (which with much con- 
 fidence it is affirmed they have. Others deny that with great 
 vehemency, affirming, that they ought only to be baptized 
 upon an imputative faith, viz. upon the faith of some others; 
 though herein, as you'll find, they vastly differ; saying, it 
 must be by the imputative faith of the church ; others of the 
 gossips; others of the parent or proparent in covenant upon 
 the account of federal right. 
 
 So that some are for baptizing upon an ecclesiastical faith, 
 some an imputative, some a seminal, some an habitual, some 
 a dogmatical, and some without any faith at all, which is 
 the case of all baptizers. 
 
 And it is no wonder, that such contradictions should pro- 
 ceed from such contrary principles; for if from one baptism, 
 Ephes. iv. Christ would draw and engage us to unity, let it 
 not be thought strange, that from a baptism so ditierent from 
 Christ's, such differences and divisions should flow. 
 
 For as one ingeniously observes, that as it happens to tra- 
 vellers, when they are out of the way, one conjectures he 
 should go this way, another that, and sometimes at hot dis- 
 putes and contentions about it, and in the contest many by- 
 ways are attempted. Yet still the further they go, the more they 
 are out of the way, till they cnn come to the true road a^ain: 
 
236 
 
 So it hath been with the baplizcrs of infants, the}' are fallen 
 into many new devices to maintain it, which hath occasioned 
 many hot contests, breaches, and divisions among themselves, 
 whose principal arguments and pretences for the practice^ we 
 have exainined and answered. 
 
 Phil A. But, Sir, before we conclude the subject, as I 
 would fain go through it, have you seen what Mr. Hud- 
 dleston has said in his letters upon infant baptism, of which 
 the Sandimanians and some Independents make such 
 boast of. 
 
 Theoph. Sir, I have seen it, and must confess that there 
 is through the whole such a remoteness from the point, such 
 a darkness of understanding, and such an obscurity of reason- 
 ing, that I have been much at a loss to find out Mr. Hud- 
 dleston's meaning; however, I am ready to attend to any 
 observation you may remark in favour of infant baptism, for 
 I am not so far a baptist but that I am ready to submit to any 
 conviction that ariseth from the oracles of truth. 
 
 Phi LA. Have you observed his description of the king- 
 dom, who the subjects are, and that baptism is the sign of it, 
 Luke xxiv. 49. 
 
 Theoph. Yes, Sir, 1 have observed closely his typical 
 kingdom, his prophetical kingdom, and his abramatical king- 
 dom, and his observation of believers, and their children, be^ 
 ing the subjects of it. Acts ii. 39- And here I confess he 
 seems to me to be one that would fain find out a way to 
 escape from the truth, but lie knows not how: His mind 
 appears plain to be much harassed to find peace in his pre- 
 sent practice; and no wonder, when intellectuals fight against 
 conscience, and conscience fights against the truth. He has 
 a long tedious dark introduction about the word Kingdom ; 
 but the sum of all is, to attempt to prove that children have 
 a right to it, and that baptism is a sign of it, and to prove 
 their right. Acts ii. 39. is brought, and to prove that bap^ 
 tism is a sign of it, Luke xxiv. 49- But why this long pre- 
 amble, and tedious introduction, to prove what no one de<. 
 
«37 
 
 nies, that children belong to Christ's kingdom. May we 
 not soon expect a folio volume to prove the sun lists in the 
 east and sets in the west. But the question is, -what sort of 
 children are they ? For I think that all the world, save Adam 
 and Eve, have been children ; and consequently from among 
 these children the kingdom is composed, whether it be the 
 providential kingdom, redemption kingdom, or salvation 
 kingdom, but it is salvation kingdom that Mr. Huddleston 
 is contending for. Now the Apostle tells us plainly, Rotn. 
 jx. 8. They which are the children of the jiesh, these are not the 
 children of God ; therefore then there must be some peculiar 
 characteristic which the scripture gives to deno-iiinate them 
 the children oi" the kingdom ; and what this character is (I 
 am amazed to find people so dark and ignorant of) when he 
 that runneth may read, that these children of the kingdom 
 are the children of God by faith in Jesus Christ, Gal. iii. ^6. 
 Such who have a knowledge of the foundation, laws, nature, 
 and blessings of the kingdom, Rom. \iu. \Q. The spirit hear- 
 eth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God; 
 and, if children, then heirs of God, and joint hzirs with Christ, 
 Now, according to this idea of the Apostles, there an some 
 — some, did I say ; pardon the expression, I mean there is 
 infinite happiness and enjoyment in being a child of the 
 kingdom; but according to Mr. Huddleston's idea, which 
 is very different from the Apostles, there can be no enjoy- 
 ment of happiness among the children of tlie kingdom; for 
 he supposes them to be infants that have a right to the king- 
 dom, and all because they are the children of believers, as 
 though believers had a peculiar holiness in them to beget 
 children fit for Christ's kingdom : But the Apostle cuts off 
 all this vain hope of parental holiness or self-righteous de- 
 pendence ; Neither, says he, because they are the seed of Abra- 
 ham are they all children, Rom. ix. 7- And says John, think 
 not to say, that ye have Abraham to your father. But Mr. 
 Huddleston says, it is to believers and their children that the 
 kingdom belongs ; if so, what must become of the children 
 
*2S8 
 
 ef unbelievers, let tender Charity inquire. But this is so 
 far from being true, that I am bold to tell Mr. Huddleston, 
 and as ready to prove as to say, that there never was any 
 liingdom of either nature, grace, or glory, either in Heaven 
 or earth, that was made with or confined to believers and 
 their children ; so far from it, that even the covenant of cir- 
 cumcision was not confined to believers and their children, 
 for there were many eminent believers in the God of Israel, 
 who had not themselves, neither had their children any share 
 at all in the kingdom of circumcision, or promise made to 
 Abraham, which is so much boasted of; and therefore how 
 is it possible, with any propriety or truth to think that the 
 kingdom of Christ or Heaven is confined to believers and 
 their children as such ; for if so, then every child of Adam 
 must be saved, even in the old or antideluvian world, because 
 Adam was undoubtedly a believer in the Messiah, being a 
 figure of him that was to come, and so according to this way 
 of arguing that the kingdom of Christ, belonging to be- 
 lievers and their children, then Adam's children must have a 
 right to it, and his cliildren's children throughout every ge- 
 neration, not one could miss of Heaven according to this 
 idea. This is the best idea in the world to establish univer- 
 sal redemption, for it puts Christ, his seed, and his heirs out 
 of the question from having any right by election or adop- 
 tion, and gives the right to believers, and from them to their 
 children, and from them to their children's children to all ge- 
 nerations. Oh I how wild a way of arguing is this ! Per- 
 haps it proves much more than Mr. Huddleston would wish ; 
 especially, as this supposed favour is renewed in the delu- 
 vian or the new world by Noah, who was undoubtedly a be- 
 liever, being a preacher of righteousness ; and if the kingdom 
 of Christ, or salvation, is confined to believers and their 
 children, as such, then all Noah's children had a right to it, 
 and consequently their children and their children's childrenj 
 to the last generation ; thus all the world is saved at last. O^ 
 pleasing thought ! to Mr. John Wesley ; or delightful dream! 
 
239 
 
 to Mr. John Huddleston^ wko has, after much search and 
 labour, found out a new intricate way to foisalce the 
 truth of the oracles of God. But, as this proves too much, 
 I would just observe, that the proofs brought to establish, that 
 infants have a right to baptism, supposing they belong to the 
 kingdom, prove too hltle, Acts ii. 2, — 9- The promise is to you 
 and to your children. 
 
 Now, what does this promise prove ? Neither that infants 
 have a right to the kingdom of Jesus, or that they have a 
 right to baptism : But, as Mr. Sandiaman observes (an au- 
 thor I am amazed Mr. Huddleston forgot, and more so that 
 he should contradict) that it is a promise of the gift of the 
 Holy Ghost, which indeed seems to be the genuine sense 
 of the words: However, it is plain, that the promise has no 
 reference to infants nor to baptism, but plainly seems to be 
 tlie promise of salvation to their children to comfort their 
 distressed minds under the fearful apprehension of the curse 
 they had imprecated upon them, saying, his blood be upon 
 us and upon our children, which makes the promise to be far 
 more glorious and precious than barely a promise of baptism 
 to them. Moreover, had the promise been of baptism to 
 their infants, then it must have been thus expressed. Then 
 they that gladly received the word were baptized, and their 
 children, but is there a word of baptizing their children I Are 
 they not distinguished who were baptized by receiving the 
 word gladly ? Besides, it is plain, that the promise is the same 
 to the fathers as to the children, to you and to your children, 
 says the text. Now, to say it was only the promise of bap- 
 tism to the fathers, il would have been but small comfort to 
 them under the thoughts of crucifying Jesus; and, there- 
 fore, I am bold to say, the promise does not at all refer to 
 baptism but to something more glorious ; but supposing it 
 should mean baptism, how pitifully ignorant must that per- 
 son be that brings it as a proof of infant baptism, or their 
 right to the kingdom of Jesus, because it says, to you and to 
 your children. Does children suppose infants here? If 
 
240 
 
 scripture language is to determine let the reader judge? Is 
 it not said, Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King \ 
 are these infants? Again, Return ye backsliding childfen, 
 are these infants ? If children, then heirs with God, are 
 these infants? Once more, Be ye followers of Gon as 
 dear children, but can these be infants ? For infants to be 
 infants is natural, but for men of understanding to become 
 such infants in their reasoning and their understanding of 
 the scripture is amazing, especially when Mr. Huddleston 
 brings Luke xxiv. 49, to prove that baptism is a sign that 
 infcints belong to Christ's kingdom, Behold! I send the pro- 
 mise of mi/ Father upon yon, hut tarry ye at Jerusalem until 
 ye be endowed with power from on high. A strange proof for 
 baptism, a stranger still that it belonged to infants ; for it 
 would ainaze all Heaven to know what sort of infants were 
 to tarry at Jerusalem till they were endowed with power from 
 on high. 
 
 Mr. Huddleston observes, page 8, " That baptism belongs 
 to the kingdom, church, or body, of Christ, or to the 
 members on earth wherever they appear, and on their very 
 first appearance of their membership, as a sign of their en- 
 trance into it." — ^This is verily a truth — a truth that was en- 
 graved upon Mr. Huddleston's mind many years ago.— I am 
 glad to find that he has not yet forgot it. — But, if baptism 
 belongs to the members of Christ upon their very first ap- 
 pearance of faith and love to his name, how dares Mr. Hud- 
 dleston baptize, as he calls it, those who have not the Icasi 
 appearance of membership to Christ ? Is not this, verily 
 a profanation of the ordinance, a reflection upon the wisdom 
 of God, and a despising the command of Christ, to do 
 that in God's name without God's word or command f 
 What is this but offering strange fire, burning incense, to 
 their own drag, laying aside the commandment of God, and 
 teaching for doctrine the commandments of men ? For can 
 an infant of eight days give the least appearance of being a 
 member of Jesus? Then, sure, it must be as Mr. Huddle- 
 ston says, page 9, " That it is to be administered to person? 
 
ii41 
 
 appearing to be members of the congregation of Saints, se- 
 parately on the very first appearance of that membership, 
 before they can be added to any such congregation of Chris- 
 tians." — This is a noble and judicious confession of tlie truth, 
 but not much to be wondered at as it comes from Mr. Hud- 
 dleston, who once confessed a good confession before many 
 witnesses, and out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth 
 will speak ; and, like the rest of the writers for infant bap- 
 tism, he gives up the point, and proves that it belongs to 
 none but to those persons who appear to be the members of 
 Christ, and upon their first appearance : — This is all that is 
 contended for; this is all that God commands, his word di- 
 rects unto, and the Apostles were found in the practice of. 
 And it is remarkable, P/iUagathus, that all the writers for in- 
 fant baptism not only by the weakness of their arguments 
 give up their cause, but always, before they have done, 
 establish the truth of adult baptism as it shines in the scrip- 
 tures. It makes me think of a certain person, who was ex- 
 ceeding angry with her neighbour for joining in communion 
 with the baptist church, and expressed (as many weak ig- 
 norant people do) much resentment; her husband said to 
 her, " Hold your tongue, hold your tongue, Nanny, they 
 have more to say for their practice than thee can'stken;" 
 and two independent members were lately disputing the 
 point; the one was very angry with the baptist, the other 
 calmly said, They have the truth upon their side, but we have 
 only tradition. 
 
 Phila. But, Sir, Mr. Huddleston's particular aim is to 
 prove, that the infants of believers belong to the kingdom of 
 Christ, and consequently that baptism belongs to them ; 
 and to prove it he brings those words of our Lord, Suffer 
 
 little children and forbid them not to come unto me, for of 
 such is the kingdom of Heaven. 
 
 Theoph. Sir, I see this is the main point, the chief pillar, 
 
 and corner stone of all his argument; and to please Mr. 
 
 Huddleston, for once let us put on Charity beyond tlie 
 1 i 
 
'i42 
 
 bounds of truth and revelation; and suppose that all the in- 
 fants of believing parents belong to the kingdom of Jesus, 
 what will all this main pillar do for him ? Why nothing at 
 all, for supposing it was true, it is impossible for them to be- 
 long to the kingdom of Christ in any other sense, but in the 
 bosom of electing love, and how that it is a secret that belongs 
 to the LoKD, and not for us to know; but supposing it to 
 be so, it proves nothing at all for Mr. Huddlcston, for it is 
 not election but vocation that gives a right to baptism, not 
 a right to faith but the enjoyment of faith, for baptism is 
 part of the inheritance and possession, and therefore can be- 
 long to none but to those who appear to us to be heirs of 
 it by faith in Christ Jesus. Moreover, it lies upon Mr. 
 Huddleston to prove, first, that these little children were 
 the children of believing parents, or else his argument falls 
 to the ground ; and if this can be proved (which will be diffi- 
 cult for him) his argument is still of no force for what he 
 brings it for, namely to prove that infants have a right to 
 baptism, unless he can prove that they were brought to be 
 baptized by Christ; if so, it would be exceedingly strange 
 that his disciples should forbid them. I often blush with 
 shame for the ignorance of teachers in Israel, when they 
 have brought this text to prove infants to have a right to 
 baptism, when it proves a much greater thing, which is clearly 
 explained by our Lord himself iu th.c following words, Mark x. 
 }5. I erily I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the king- 
 dam of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein; which 
 is again further explained by Mat. xviii. '2, :3. Jnd Jesus 
 called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, 
 and said, Verily I say u}ito you, except ye he converted and he- 
 come as Utile children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of 
 Heaven: And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones 
 zohich heliete in me, ^r. which plainly proves, to any unpre- 
 judiced mind, that little children being brought to Christ, 
 his blessing of them, and suffering them to come to him, points 
 •iorih emblematically the whole of regeneration and salva- 
 3 
 
243 
 
 tion, and therefore it must be very ignorant and impertinent 
 to bring it as a proof for what it lias no rehition to or con- 
 nexion with^ of which Mr. Huddleston's scripture quotation 
 so much abounds with : And it is a very remarkable confes- 
 sion of Mr. Huddleston, page II, where he says, " That he 
 doubts not but infant baptism, by this time, had been nearly 
 expelled from most of the protestant churches, had it not 
 been for the almost unconquerable strength of custom and 
 tradition." I believe so too, and so must every sober and 
 considerate mind, when they consider that there is no 
 command for it in the word of God.— But, O, blessed be 
 tradition ! 
 
 Mr. Huddleston, in page 13, asketh the following ques- 
 tion, " Does CiiiiisT not leave an express injunction on his 
 disciples to the end of the world, to acknowledge the in- 
 fants of those who believe he is able to bless them mem- 
 bers of his body f'"— The answer is, No, there is no such in- 
 junction ! 
 
 Mr. Huddleston says, " That our denying infants to have 
 the same appearance of being of the kingdom that we have 
 ourselves is a dangerous mistake ;" — amazing ! was ever such 
 profound ignorance ever before published ; or is it possible 
 that an infant of eight days old, can have the same appear- 
 ance of belonging to the kingdom of Ciikist, as those who 
 can sav. Whom having not seen we love, though now we see 
 him not, yet believing we rejoice with joy unspeakable and 
 full of glory ? 
 
 Mr. Huddleston, page 15 and l6, has unhappily raised, 
 or expressed such objections against infant baptism,, which 
 neither he nor any one in the world is able to answer ; but, 
 he says, the intent of it is to show, that the same spirit is in 
 the baptist as was in the disciples of Chkist which was con- 
 demned by him.' This spirit never was condemned in the 
 
 disciples ; for, could they be condemned for what they never 
 thought nor did ? 
 
 Mr. Huddleston is very daring to appropriate an untruth. 
 
244 
 
 to Him who is truth itself, in saying, page 20, " That Christ 
 declared children, with their parents, to belong to his king- 
 dom:" — This is not true : — Your proofs, Sir; your proofs. 
 Sir: — And, " That tiie Apostles opened this kingdom for 
 the reception of subjects from circumcision :" — This is 
 equally false with the last, for baptism (as has been be- 
 fore proved) did not come in the room of circumcision, 
 neither did cirjumcision ever make any infants church 
 members. 
 
 Though Mr. Huddleston is pleased to say, " That if Peter 
 was now giving this promise to the called, as a reason for 
 their being baptized, it would be equally a reason for bap- 
 tizing their infants with them : — Was ever any reasoning so 
 weak and so feeble ; that because they received the word 
 gladly their infants had a right to the same blessings as they 
 had ? One cannot help blushing for their ignorance, for the 
 promise had no more to do with the infants of those Jews 
 then, or of believers now, than I have to do with the infants 
 of Indians; it is not to infants at all, neither concerning 
 haptism at all; and, one would be ready to think, that those 
 who brought it, either for one or the other, appear to make 
 manifest, that either their minds are full of prejudice, or 
 that they have never read with much consideration their 
 hibles. 
 
 Mr. Huddleston complains, " that to explain the promise, 
 in the same sense, to the children, as to those who are afar 
 ofl', is to leave those Jews who were concerned in killing 
 our Lord no more comfort than unbelievers, or their latest 
 posterity concerning their children : — This is certainly true, 
 for had not the Gentiles, who were the people afar off, the 
 same right, to salvation when Paul said to them, To you is 
 the word of this salvation sent, as the children of the Jews 
 had ? surely they had ; for why rt must be thought that the 
 promise is confined to the children of believing parents, sin- 
 gularly from those of unbelieving, lam finally at a loss, un- 
 less it be lor some peculiar holiness in them which unbe- 
 
245 
 
 lievers have not; if so, let us cease to sa}- salvation is by 
 grace, if we attempt to make it flow in a parental line and 
 not in the line of electing love. But, il" the promise must 
 be confined to the infants of believers, I should be glad to 
 know when the promise belongs to ihcm ; wi)cther before 
 they are born, considered in the loins of tlicir parents, or as 
 soon as they are born, or at eight days old ; when they are, 
 as some ignorant people say, baptized, or at a monih old, 
 or when? And, after it is proved, it will prove nothing for 
 what it is by Mr. Huddleston and others intended, viz. their 
 right to baptism, it has nothing to do with it, for though eter- 
 nal love gives us a right to Heaven, it is faith in the righte- 
 ous life and death of Christ that gives us a right to salva- 
 tion and to every promise and divine ordinance, and not our 
 parents' believing for us, unless our parents are to be saved 
 for us. 
 
 Mr. Huddiestou's observation of the house of Cornelius 
 being saved by the faith of Cornelius is exeecding weak and 
 ridiculous. Can the faith of the Aither save the child ? Or, 
 can the child receive any spiriiual blessing from the father's 
 faith ? There is a certain church that speaks much of the 
 works of Supererogation but not so large as this ; however, 
 it is still more impertinent to bring as a proof for baptizing 
 of infants, because it is said he feared God with all his house. 
 Can infants discover that they fear God ? It is said that the 
 Holy Ghost fell upon all them that heard the word, can 
 these be infants ? for it is written, They heard them speak 
 with tongues and magnified God, were these infants.'' Well 
 may the Apostle say. Can any man forbid water, that these 
 should not be baptized ? &c. 
 
 His referring to the jailor and his house to prove infants 
 therein, or infant baptism therefrom, is so notorious that it 
 needs no explanation, unless it be to minds darkened with 
 prejudice against the clearest truth, see jlcts xvi. 32. ^nd 
 they, viz. Paul and Silas, spoke unto him and unto all that 
 uere in his house ; can any nu- a in his senses suppose Paid 
 
246 
 
 and Silas spoke to infants? Again it is said. The jailor be- 
 lieved in God with all his house, not for his house, Paul 
 was no papist ; nor for his house, as Mr. Huddleston says, 
 but WITH his house, showing that they were not infants, but 
 such as couldjoin with him in rejoicing in God, and there- 
 fore, according to Paul's commission. Go teach all nations, 
 baptizing them ; it is no wonder that he and all his were 
 straightway baptized. 
 
 Mr. Huddleston says, page 2.5, " Tiiat the practice of the 
 Apostles in baptizing, corresponded with their preaching ; 
 for as they preached the gospel to men, and to their children, 
 and their houses, so they baptized them and their houses." — ; 
 This is not trne, for this is to make the Apostle baptize all to 
 whom he preached. To those, indeed, the word of salvation 
 was sent, but as to the baptizing of them another interroga- 
 tion was made : If thou believest with all thine heart: He 
 that believeth and is baptized, &c. Then they that gladly 
 received the word were baptized. JNlany of the Corinthians 
 hearing and believing were baptized. This shows a particu- 
 lar distinction from Paul's preaching, because that was all 
 promiscuously. Moreover, if this was true, Paul must liave 
 baptized whole synagogues and that often, Acts xix. 8. 
 And he went into the synagogue, and spoke boldly for the space 
 of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning 
 the kingdom of God ; so this argument that Mr. Huddleston 
 is so fond of, fails him, and the case of Lydia's household, 
 which he quotes, is a weak reed. Indeed it is like a man 
 that is drowning who catches at the weakest twig ; for can 
 it be reasonably supposed that Lydia, who acted in the ca- 
 pacity of a merchant, came quite from Thyatira to the city 
 of Phillippi to sell purple, should bring a train of children 
 with her if she had any ; but by the way, it does not appear 
 that she had any husband, much less children ; and if she 
 had, what would this prove for infant baptism ? 
 
 Phi LA. Why, Sir, is it not said that all her household were 
 baptized r 
 
247 
 
 TiiEoPii. Yes, Sir; but does it follow, that because all her 
 household were baptized that they were all infants ? what, a 
 household of infants ! surely some of her household must be 
 grown up to a state of knowledge ; but more likely they were all 
 her household servants that assisted her in her business of sell- 
 ing of purple, as servants are frequently called the household, 
 2 Kiuiti. XV. 16. And the king went forth and all his household 
 after him, that is, ^all his servants. And as Lydia's household 
 are said to be brethren, verse 40, I make no doubt but that 
 Lydia's household was such another household as the household 
 of Aristobulus, of Narcissus, of Ca3sar, of Onesiphorus, whom 
 Paul salutes in the faith mentioned, Rom. xvi. 10. 11. — Phil, 
 iv. 22. — 2 Tim. iv. 1 9-— Called, Gal. vi. 10, The household of 
 faith. But, what has all this to do to prove infant baptism? 
 for supposing, Philagathus, that Lydia's household was com- 
 posed of one infant; there could not well be above (unless she 
 happened to have twins, then there may be two) and the rest 
 of grown up children, and the rest of servants (I think this 
 is allowing all the length of argument any one can ask) that 
 these made up her household ; what will this prove ^ why, 
 the final overthrow of what all the Pedobaptists, of every name 
 and denomination, have been pleading for so long, namely, 
 that the promise of baptism is only to believers and their 
 children, as their house or household ; whereas according to 
 the case of Lydia's household, is is no more to the children 
 than it is to the servants, supposing there were any infants 
 there; therefore, let it be remembered, that all infant right 
 to baptism, so much pleaded for from the words, seed, thy 
 seed, your children, thy house, and household fall to the 
 ground, for the word seed, children, house, and household de- 
 notes most frequently, in scripture, grown persons, called the 
 seed of Jacob— the house of Israel — the children of the fa- 
 thers— the household of faith, &,c. so then it remains nothing 
 but a deception to the infants, a fallacy imposed upon 
 the parents, therefore it is no wonder for Mr Tluddlcston, as 
 H Sandeijiftniaii priest, to have the singular assurance to say, 
 
24S 
 
 page 27, " though it cannot be absolutely aHiimed that none 
 were baptized belonging to Lydia and the Jailor, except little 
 cbikhen," when it never was absolutely affirmed before : it is 
 now absolutely alHnned that there were no little children at 
 all baptized either in Ljdia's household, or in the Jailor's 
 house, and [ defy Mr. Huddleston to prove there were. But 
 this is not all, for having the pen of a ready writer, he has the 
 confidence to say, " that when salvation conies to a person, 
 having children incapable of understanding it, the gospel 
 places them in the same state of salvation with himself, and 
 gives them the same title to baptism as it gives him." This is 
 astonishingto every sensible mind; that because salvation as a 
 free gift comes to a parent, that it thereb}' comes to his chil- 
 dren : does the parent possess peace, pardon, and righteous- 
 ness for his child ? is not that wronging the poor child, for at 
 this rate we shall iiave parents go to heaven for their children r 
 or docs the child possess it by virtue of his father's inherit- 
 ance, then he has o!ily a virtual right, and not an actual one ? 
 if so, when does the child's right take place? at the father's 
 death. J think it cannot well before; for before death, I 
 think the father can have no right to spare : but then, what 
 if the child should die first? alas ! for the poor child ; but if 
 it be to all (he children, alas ! for the whole family, if the pa- 
 rent dies first. 
 
 Thus, Pliilagnthns, you see how miserable Mr. Huddle- 
 ston's idea is, of saying that because salvation comes by faith 
 in the righteous lit'e and death of Jesus to a parent, that his 
 infants have tlie sanie right to it as he has, when it is his 
 faith that gives him a right to salvation ; but can his faith 
 or his being baptized upon his faith, give his infant a right 
 to it ; let any sober mind think upon this; for really i-*/f//a- 
 gaflius, if it be true, as Mr. Huddleston says, that salvation 
 coming to a parent gives his children, or places his children 
 in the same state of salvation with himself, this cannot but 
 give me great concern, for you must know, sir, that I was 
 not a parent when salvation came to me, but since I am 
 
249 
 
 become a parent; consequently, according to Mr. Huddle- 
 ston, then my children can have no right to salvation, it com- 
 ing to me before I had any children: however,. I would be 
 glad to know, of some ingenious mind, but more glad to 
 see it proved from scripture, if they have a right to salva- 
 tion by salvation coming to me; for if they have a rijrht, 
 it is high time to let them know it, ibr poor things they ap- 
 appear to my grief (except one) to be great strangers in Israel. 
 But if it should be so, and they have a right, and are placed 
 in the same salvation as myself, then the right the gospel 
 gives, is not to believing parents and their children, but to 
 believers, and there it stays for a time, to see if they have 
 any children; if they have, then it breaks imto them. O! 
 this is charming doctrine to old grandmothers ; well may 
 they hug the dear babe when it comes. But supposing the 
 believer never has any children (as is often the case) what 
 becomes of that right that he had in reserve in case he should 
 have had any, is it transferred at his death, or any little time 
 before his death, or when he could spare it to any believing 
 parents for their children ? or is it transferred to those be- 
 lieving parents who have many children, who may want it 
 to help out ? care, undoubtedly, is taken of it, it must not be 
 lost, for if it be lost what will become of the dear infants!' 
 what indeed if they had not a better right than this ? O ! 
 I wonder, that the priests are not ashamed to impose upon 
 people at this rate; or rather that professors of the gospel 
 are so ignorant of the truth of the gospel, the way of 
 salvation, and the beauty of the ordinance of baptism, as 
 to suffer themselves and their children to be thus imposed 
 upon. 
 
 It puts me in mind of two singular cases, which lately hap- 
 pened near to Newcastle upon Tyne : A midwife having de- 
 livered a woman of a weak child, and being likely to die, 
 the pious old women who were there, begged hard of the 
 midwife to baptize it, as they call it; the midwife being con- 
 scious that God had not directed her nor any person in life so 
 
 Kk 
 
250 
 
 to do, refused it with spirit. — One of the women starts vp, — 
 What, object against making a christian soul ! what will be- 
 come of the poor creature ? it will be lost. Give me some 
 water. Water was brought, and a few drops were bestowed 
 upon the child in the name of the Father, &c. There, says 
 the women, all is well now ; the child died. — Then the raid- 
 wife said to the baptizer, " what if the child should want a 
 name in the next world, what name must it have r" " O! says 
 she, I was in such a hurry to save the soul, I did not think 
 of that." O the astonishing ignorance of the people ! 
 
 Another case was, the same midwife being sent for, the 
 case was dangerous; Dr. Sm-th was sent for in a great hurry, 
 — the woman w^as delivered, — the child appeared to be dying 
 soon, — the father hearing, said, — O ! I will have it baptized, 
 says the doctor to the midwife, " You must do it" — said she, 
 " J will not." — Says the doctor to the father, " Sir, is it a 
 matter of conscience with you ?" " Yes, sir :" '* Then," said 
 he, *' bring me a little water, — then he named it with the so- 
 lemn cenemony ; — it died ; — the priest Mr. St — s, was sent for 
 to the funeral ; it being very wet weather, he was loath to go ; 
 but being obliged, he went ; but next time he met Dr. Sm-th, 
 he said, *' Doctor, doctor, don't you never baptize no more 
 bairns," said the doctor, " Sir, the man could not rest in his 
 conscience till I did it." " No," said the priest, " nor he 
 could not rest till he brought me through the rain, wet to the 
 skin, to bury it, and after all gave me but two shillings." 
 Alas, for the people ! 
 
 Phila. But, sir, Mr. Huddleston, after speaking of Paul 
 baptizing the household of Stephanus, asks this important 
 question, " Can it be said in the view of these baptized 
 houses, and with any reverence for the sacred history, that wc 
 have no example for infant baptism ;" 
 
 Theovh. No, Sir, not one; and with the utmost reve- 
 rence to the sacred history do we speak it: if there is any ex- 
 am) le, where is it.? here all the pedobaptists in the kingdom 
 are put to the same loss as the Pharisees were put to by our 
 I 
 
251 
 
 Lord, when hesaid unto them, the baptism of John, whence 
 is it, from Heaven or of men? they said. We cannot tell. But 
 as Mr. Huddleslon seems to determine the whole-point upon 
 saying, '* we cannot deny scripture example for baptizing in- 
 fants, till we first deny that there were infants in those bap- 
 tized houses unto which salvation came." As the point ter- 
 minates here, 1 do deny that there were infants in those bap- 
 tized houses to whom salvation came; and I know none that 
 will be so daring to expose their ignorance as to attempt to 
 prove it; though Mr. Huddleston is pleased to amuse hiii 
 weak readers by saying, " On our seeing a person, having a 
 household of httle children, on his believing, baptized and his 
 house, with what sobriety can we say this is without scrip- 
 ture example ?" but, sir, where do we see or hear of a house- 
 hold of little children being baptized ? what imposing stuff" 
 is this ! sure Mr, Huddleston has got a new kind of a bible: 
 it may be in his by some addition, or interpolation, or inter- 
 lineation, but it is not in the baptists' bible, nor is it in the 
 original I am sure. It makes me think of the warm public dis- 
 putation that there was some years ago at Portsmouth, be- 
 tween the independents and the baptists. The independent 
 advanced a point he could not prove. Scripture failing him, 
 he said, 'Mhere are six leaves of the originallost." '^ Un- 
 doubtedly," said the baptist, " Sir, it may be in them." So 
 Mr. Huddleston's household of baptized, infants may be in 
 them. As he understands the Greek he may have seen it there. 
 But as it is not to be found in our common translation, the 
 baptists may with sobriety speak the words of truth and sober- 
 ness,and say that there is not one example in the book of GoD 
 for infant baptism, neither were there infants in those bap- 
 tized houses to whom salvation came; and if there were infants 
 in the house, what proof would this be for infant baj)tism, I 
 wonder, unless it could be proved that they were baptized ? as 
 to Mr. Huddleston's bringing the household of Stephanus and 
 the house of Joshua, is giving up the point ; for as to the 
 household of Stephanus, whom Paul baptized, it is said 
 
S52 
 
 to be the first fiuiis of Achaia, and that tliey addicted 
 themselves to the ministry of the saints : could these be 
 infants ? 
 
 Phila. But, Sir, Mr. Huddleston says, that this objection 
 is weak, because the baptists do not consider what time there 
 might be between his baptizing the household of Stephanus 
 and his writing this epistle, therefore baptized infants may 
 be called the first fruits of Achaia. 
 
 Theoph. What! infants the first fruits, rather buds and 
 branches, than fruits } but let us see what kind of persons 
 those are who are described as the first fruits to God and the 
 Lamb : these, it is said, follow the Lamb whithersoever he 
 goes : were these infants? however, it is said, they addicted 
 themselves to the ministry of the saints. If they v/ere infants 
 when Paul baptized them, when did Paul write his epistle to 
 the church of Corinth, was it five or six years after? Mr. 
 Huddleston knows that it was not so long, as the distracted 
 case of the church required it long before ; and sup- 
 posing it was so long before Paul wrote, with what 
 propriety could it be said, that such addicted them- 
 selves to the ministry of the saints: these little far-fetched 
 arts will not do with the thinking mind for solid proofs; it 
 revives my memory of what, I am ready to think, Mr. Hud- 
 dleston is no stranger to: It is a case relating to a few people 
 in the Island of Providence, in New England, who were, if [ 
 remember right, originally baptists, but drinking into Mr. 
 Sandeman's dry sentiments of the gospel, they were still em- 
 barrassed respecting believers' baptism, and wanting to find 
 out in the bible, if it were possible, the baptism of infants, 
 without which they could not join Mr. Sandeman's people: 
 these wise people by reading the scriptures, lo ! they foimd 
 out infant baptism from 2 Kings v. 27. The lepras 1/ of Namnan 
 shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever, and he went 
 out from hispremice as white eis snow. This great discovery 
 was sent over to the church of the Sandemanians, in the 
 Bull and Mouth Street, London ; and so far were they in ho- 
 
25.S 
 
 ncsty from rcprovitrg ihcm for their entluisiusm and ignorance, 
 that they approved of them as brethren, and I believe it is 
 recorded among their cburch annals; and why should it not? 
 for t!)e words will as soon prove infant baptism as any words 
 in the whole scriptures. Amazing! that such a solemn cause 
 should at last be obliged to be supported by such a broken 
 reed; for surely, if the words prove any thing, they prove a 
 curse of leprosy rathci than the blessing of baptism, to Gahazi 
 and his seed for ever. But, O ! what wonderful discoveries 
 some wise men can make to bring in infant baptism, which 
 only discovers the weakness of their cause, though this cause 
 is'fhought by IMr. Huddleston to be mightily supported from 
 these words, else were your children unclean, but now are 
 they holy. 1 confess it is amazing to me, that so often as these 
 words have been acknowledged by Mr. Hammond, and so 
 many [jedoba[)tists, to have no reference to baptism at all, 
 that they are still so weak as to ur^ie it as a proof of infant 
 baptism; it is Uke their pleading, suffer little children, &,c. 
 and, indeed, they suffer bad enough both from the parent and 
 the nurse, in being disturbed from their sleep, and from the 
 priest in being wakened by the chills of the cold drops; but 
 above all by having a lie told it almost as soon as it is 
 born, by saying, as the church of England does, *' We thank 
 thee. Heavenly Father, in that thou hast regenerated. this child 
 in baptism :" or, as in this respect, her sister dissenting 
 churches say, " In baptism they are ingrafted into Jesus 
 Christ," when it is all a solemn lie; and what would parents, 
 the nurse, the priest, or the people desire little children to 
 suffer more, is not this suffering enough for an infant of eight 
 days, to have a lie said of it so soon r methinks they should 
 in pity wait a little longer till the infant is able to answer for 
 itself, before they thus impose upon it, for it is nothing less, 
 for they are not regenerated in baptism, neither are they in- 
 grafted into Christ in baptism ; therefore to say they are, is 
 speaking a solemn lie to God for them. O! thai ministers 
 
254 
 
 would lay this to heart, and not make poor infants cry, and 
 men of understanding bhish for shame for them, since in cases 
 of conscience, there is a necessity of falling either into the 
 hands of man or into the hands of God, of these two whether 
 is the BEST : I leave every ])articiilar considerate person to 
 judge ; only, I wilt just add, it is a fearful thing to trifle with 
 God, with truth, and our conscience. However, not to fly 
 from the face of the argument, let us see what support it will 
 afford these poor suffering infants, — else were your childrerj 
 unclean, but now are they holy. — Let the holiness here spoken 
 of witness whether it be a covenant holiness, a ceremonial 
 holiness, a parental holiness, or a matrimonial holiness? what, 
 does it all prove an infants right to baptism ? surely, there 
 are none so weak that will dare to attempt so much as to 
 speak it, much less to attempt to prove it. As to covenant 
 holiness, if there is any such thing (which, I am sure, in a 
 strict sense there is not) it only diatinguished the nation of 
 the Jews, to whom belonged the covenant and the promises, 
 from the heathen nations roimd about. As to ceremonial 
 holiness, it gave them only a right to the ceremonial law. 
 Asto parental holiness, children (poor thmgs !) they have none 
 but what they had in their ancient father Adam, and poor 
 old man, he lost it all before he had any children of his own ; 
 and how little infants can claim any, or any one claim any 
 for them now, I cannot tell. As to matrisnonial holiness, it 
 only denotes the lawfulness or honour of the marriage relation ; 
 and therefore it is pitifully weak to bring any of these holi- 
 nesses to prove infant baptism. 
 
 Phila. But is it not said that children are holy ? sure 
 believers' children must be more holy than unbelievers' 
 children ? 
 
 Theoph. VVJiat ! Sir, will you not give up the argument? 
 a little twig or straw is better than no hold. You say, surely 
 the children of believers are more holy than the chddrcn of 
 Uttbelievers, because it is h«re said, now arc they holy. — Here, 
 
255 
 
 Sir, I beg leave to say your remark is very unhappy for you ; for 
 these holy children happen to be the children that were born of 
 unholy and unbelieving parents, namely, children they had be- 
 fore they believed in Christ, even the children they had then, 
 not thecliildren they might have ; therefore the holiness could 
 not be from their parents' believing, because thev were born be- 
 fore they believed : for cei lain it is, that if holiness belongs to 
 the children of believers more than others, what must be the 
 state of those children w hich they have before they believe? 
 what, some of them holy, and some of them unholy. O ! 
 who can help or forbear to drop a single sigh for the poor 
 infants who are born before their parents believe. Poor 
 things, they came too soon to be holy, yet one would hope 
 not too soon to be happy ; but methinks it is a pity the 
 parents w ere married so soon, or that their little infants were 
 born so quick ; however, sir, it is undoubtedly happy for me 
 I need not sigh about it ; for I was, according to this, happy 
 born, being born of believing parents ; and I think if any 
 one had a right to be holy from the womb, I more, for my 
 father and grandfather, my mother and grandmother were 
 believers, and I don't know but my progenitors may be be- 
 lievers as far as Noah, or for what 1 know up as high as 
 Adam ; but some how or other I was marr'd in the birth, but 
 how it was I don't know, I was so young; but I verily think 
 I was conceived in sin, and brought forth in iniquity, as 
 David was; for this reason, because I found for seventeen 
 years such an enmity to that which is good, and such an in- 
 nate love to that which was evil, that if I was holy, I vvas a 
 holy devil, having every seed of sin in me, like David, 
 Psal. li. 5. Therefore I beg leave to conclude from the re- 
 cords of truth and experience, that parental holiness is a mere 
 fancy, which has been for some hundred years drest up like a 
 London doll, by the scribes in Israel to please children, 
 and now is new drest up by Mr. Glass, and Mr. Hud- 
 dleston, to please the Glassites and Sandemanian brethren, 
 while they (not to their honour) forget what Paul says. 
 
2.jG 
 
 Ro)n. iii. 10. It is written ^ there is none righteous, no not 
 one. 
 
 Phil A. Sir, I confess the pleasure of your humour and the 
 force of your reasoning, and own that you have cast a light 
 upon the text I never before saw. But for my satisfac- 
 tion, what may be your serious and genuine thoughts upon 
 the text? 
 
 Theoph. Sir, T should not have indulged my little flow 
 of fancy had not Mr. Huddleston appeared (to please the 
 women and children) so fond of this fancy of his own ; as to 
 the text, it needs no critical comment, it is plain, that he that 
 runneth, may read, that the Corinthians had wrote to Paul, 
 ver. 1, to know of him whether it was right and lawful for a 
 believing wife to abide in the marriage relation with an un- 
 believing husband, or for a believing husband to abide with 
 an unbelieving wife, because that unlawful wives with their 
 children were put away under the law, Ezra x. 3. The an- 
 swer that Paul gives is plain and clear, ver. 10, Let not the 
 wife depart from the husband, ver. 1 1, And let not the husband 
 put aa^ai/ his Tcife, denoUnQ plainly that if their believing in 
 the Messiah gave those authority that bcheved to put away 
 the unbelieving husband or wife, then the riches of grace 
 would dissolve the ties of nature, which nothing could be 
 more absurd, and thereby render their marriage invalid, and 
 consequently their children in the eye of the law, illegitimate, 
 for if their n)arriage to the unbeliever became dissolved by the 
 faith in Christ, their children would be acknowledged there- 
 by to be unlawful, called by the Apostle, unclean; but as 
 their marriage was true and lawful, their children were clean 
 or holy, that is, not begotten in a state of unlawfulness, but 
 to use an ecclesiastical expression, in the holy state of ma- 
 trimony ; for the same children, which the Apostle calls un- 
 clean, he calls holy in the same sense that he says that the 
 unbelieving wife is sanctified or made holy to the believing 
 husband, which is explained us of all other enjoyments to the 
 believer, I Tim. iv. 6. For it is sanctified by the word of 
 
257 
 
 God and prayer, therefore this holiness can in no sense 
 have any reference to, nuich less be a proof for, infant 
 baptism. 
 
 Phila. Sir, your thonghts are very obliging; I think 
 they appear to be the leading scope and genuine mean- 
 ing of the Apostle. But why is it that many of the pres- 
 byterians, and some stiff independents will say that chil- 
 dren have a right to baptism, if but one of the parents are 
 believers? 
 
 Theoph. They may as well say from one being a believer 
 as both : but this practice appears so full of fancy, I had al- 
 most said so ridiculouS; that it needs no comment upon it; for 
 if one believing parent renders the child sufficiently holy to 
 be baptized, then sure if they are both believers, the child 
 must be unnecessarily holy ; but if there be but one believer, 
 is here not danger of a great mistake? as it will be hard to say 
 whether the child belong most to the believer, or to the un- 
 believer, unless nurse or the priest understand physiognomy, 
 and can look in the child's .face and thereby tell. Oh ! what 
 sliocking shifts do the priests (not the scriptures) put the pa- 
 rents to about their dear children, it makes me think of that 
 little priestcraft of the church of England, that in case of 
 danger, they will halt baptize the child, as they call it; for 
 if in baptism it is as they say, regenerated, what must it be 
 when it is but h:df baptized ; half a cause can have but half 
 effect. Oh ! what darkness and ignorance still remains upon 
 the reformed churches ! I should now proceed to take bone 
 from bone, and sinew from sinew, even all the Hfe of Mr. 
 Huddleston's supposed arguments, in his remarks upon the 
 following letters, but they a[)pear to me to contain nothing 
 new from his first, and that the)? are only a very dark and in- 
 tricate recapitulation of his first letter. Besides, the objec- 
 tions he quotes from his antagonist appear to me to remain 
 in their full force against him, but especially those quoted 
 from Mr. James Rutherford, page 15, and those quoted by 
 himself, page 87, these still appear like a brazen wall against 
 l1 
 
^253 
 
 all that he has said, and like a man with a drawn sword in 
 his hand looking him full in the Face, let him look which way- 
 he will; thus, Philagalhus, may I not indulge the vanity 
 to inquire, is not your last warrior in Israel fallen down, slain 
 upon the mountains of Gilboa ': 
 
 Phila. I am, 1 must own, constrained by the force of truth 
 once more to indulge king David's pathetic complaint how- 
 are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished ! But 
 yet there are a few inquiries in my mind, if they may not he 
 painful to Theophihis'^ 
 
 TiiEOPH. AVhatever you have to say, say on. 
 
 PiiiLA. Have there not been as good men, and as great 
 men for infant baptism, as ever there were of the baptist per- 
 suasion? 
 
 TiiEOPii. No, sir, I deny that; wheie will you find such 
 great men, or such good men as Paul, Peter, John, 
 James, and the rest of the Apostles, who were all baptists ; 
 or if this fails, where will you Hnd any manlike the God- 
 man, even Jesus the divine Baptist, who spake as never 
 man spake; where will you find any command like God's 
 command, John\. ao, any example like Christ's example, 
 Mut. iii. 15, 16, any practice like the Apostles' practice, Jets 
 ii. 41, 42, Jets viii. 12, 36, 37, 38, Jets x. 47, 48, Jets xvi. 
 lb, — 33, any churches like those planted by the Apostles 
 in Jerusalem, in G alalia, in Ephesus, in Philippi, and Thes- 
 salonica. 
 
 Phila. But some are very inquisitive, and are ready to say, 
 what are become of all the good men who have opposed in- 
 fant baptism? 
 
 Theoph. "Why, sir, gone to heaven; what would they 
 have become of them? Zaeh. i. 5. Your fathers, zchere are 
 they, and the Prophets, do they live for ever ?■ 
 
 Phila. If they could be saved without it, why do you so 
 earnestly plead for it ? 
 
 Theop^. Not because it is a saving ordinance, but be- 
 cause it is not. — I think that Abraham might have been 
 1 
 
259 
 
 saved without offering up his son Isaac, but God said unto 
 him, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou 
 lovest, and get thee unto the land of Moriah, and- offer him 
 there I'or a burnt-offering ; and to show his love to the Loud, 
 and his filial obedience to his command. " Abraham," it is 
 said, " took the wood of the burnt-offering, and laid 
 it uj)on Isaac, his son; and took the fire in his hand, 
 and a knife, and they went both of them together." Now 
 x\braliani's obedience was absolutely necessary, not to save 
 him, but to please God and to fulfil his will and command- 
 ment; in this sense the baptists plead ;and have an undoubt- 
 ed right to plead that baptism is absolutely necessary, not to 
 save them, that is only the blood of Christ, but to please 
 God and keep his commandment, it being his command, 
 John \. 33-^ his will. Mat. iii. 17 ; his counsel, Luke vii. 30; 
 and CiiRisT's commission. Mat. xxviii. ig. — Paul might 
 have been saved without his being baptized or his preaching 
 the gospel; but what did Annanias say unto him. Acts 
 xxii. 14, 15, l6. The God of ovr fathers has chosen thee, that 
 thou shouldest know his will, a) id see that just one, and hear 
 the voice of his month. — Fur thou shalt be his witness unto all 
 men, of what thou hast seen and heard. — And now why tarricst 
 thou'? Arise, and be baptized, wash away thy sins, calling np' 
 on the name of the Lord. — And it is said. Acts ix. 18. And he 
 arose and was baptized: But, did Paul do this to save his soul ? 
 No, far from it, but out of love to the Lord, and in obedi- 
 ence to his will, and to testify to the brethren his true faith 
 in the jNIessiah : Therefore he did not, like many of our de- 
 licate professors of the day, confer with flesh and blood, but 
 straightway he preached Christ in the synagogue. And as 
 a believer in Christ, may undoubteJIy be saved without his 
 being baptized, so hemay be saved without partakingof theor- 
 dinanceof the Lord'sSupper in breakingofbread. But where 
 is thatungrateful believer that is loved beyond degree,and saved 
 by blood, that is not willing to meet the King at the table, to 
 commemorate the bleeding heart and hands, the bleeding 
 
260 
 
 side and feet of a dying Lord, who has said. Do this- in re- 
 membrance of me. — Take, eat, ihis is my body tliat is broken 
 for you. — This is the cup of the JNew Testament in my blood, 
 which is shed for the remission of sins, drink ye -ill of it. — 
 And, therefore, my dear Philagathus, let me tell you, that 
 the same love that constrains the behever to partake of one 
 ordinance, engages it to embrace the other ; for as faith is 
 absolutely necessary to discern the Lord's body in the one, 
 so faith is as absolutely necessary to behold Christ's death, 
 burial, and resurrection in the other ; though baptism is not 
 necessary to salvation, nor infant baptism, falsely so called, 
 yet believers' baptism is certainly necessary to our comfort 
 and joy of faith, and what God has Joined let no man put 
 asunder : He hath said. He that believeth and is baptized, 
 shall be saved. 
 
 Phila, Sir, is it not strange and amazing, that so many 
 good men should be such strangers in Israel? 1 hear that 
 there are near three thousand ministers in Scotland, besides 
 what are in England, who are almost totally ignorant of their 
 divine commission of baptism, and what God has command- 
 ed them to observe. 
 
 Theoph. Not at all so strange and unaccountable as some 
 make of it, .though to their shame be it spoke ; for as there 
 never was a time but what there were baptist churches ever 
 since the baptist churches were settled in the Apostles' days; 
 so under the law there never was a time from the dedication 
 of the tabernacle by Moses, to the destruction of the temple 
 by Nebuchadnezzar, but what the seed of Abraham had their 
 feasts, their passover, and their temple services; yet there 
 was one part of what Gon had commanded them entirely for- 
 got, it should seem, for more than a thousand years: And if 
 the Jews, who were so tenacious of their rites and ceremonies, 
 were so forgetful of what God had commanded Moses, no 
 wonder then that so many in Israel have been so unmindful 
 of what God the Lokd had said unto them. It is remark- 
 able that God commanded Moses that the children of Israel 
 
261 
 
 should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh montli, 
 called the feasts of tabernacles, see Lev. xxiii. 34, — 43. 
 Now, this command, Philagathus, had been neglected or 
 over-looked for more than a thousand years, even from the 
 days of Joshua to the return of the children of Israel from 
 their Babylonian captivity, sec Neh. viii. 14, — 18. And they 
 found it written in (he law zchich the hord had commanded 
 Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths, in the 
 feast of the seventh month. And all the con<i,regation of them 
 that came again out of captivity, made booths and sat under the 
 booths; for since the days of Joshua the son of Nun, unto that 
 day, had not the children of Israel done so, and there was 
 very great gladness. Here let it be remarked that the children of 
 Israel were not so wise as many of the professors of the pre- 
 sent day ; they did not say why Hezekiah was a good king, 
 and did great good ; and why Josiah was a good king, and 
 revived the glory of the temple. David was a good man and 
 a great king, and prepared much for the building of the 
 temple; and Solomon was a wise king, and he built the tem- 
 ple, and dedicated it to the Loud, and they took no notice 
 of this. It is but a ceremony, and why should we ? — No ; 
 but when they found that it was written in the law which the 
 Lord had commanded by Moses, it was sufficient authority 
 for them to obey though their forefathers had not obeyed it ; 
 but our tender delicate professors of the present day cannot 
 get over these stumbling stones, they cannot think of dis- 
 lurbing the peace of their forefathers by attempting to be more 
 wise than they, or tlieir own peace by going out of their old 
 path; but whether it is right, in the sight of God, to obey 
 man more than God, judge ye ? 
 
 Phila. Sir, I am glad of this remark ; tliere is a scrip- 
 lure beauty and life in it, by which it proves that we have a di- 
 vine authority to leave the practice of our fathers when they 
 have, either by negligence or tradition, forsaken the com- 
 mandments of God. But why is baptism called the counsel 
 of God r Laike vii. 10. 
 
262 
 
 Theoph. To show us that it is God's uncliangeable wiU; 
 that obedience thereto is the fulfilment of his will: That it 
 is the revelation of his own mind, the very same as salvation 
 by Christ, who doth all things according to the counsel 
 of his own will, which appears in its being commanded by 
 h'lm, John i, 31, in Christ embracing it, Suffer it to be so 
 now, for thus it bccomtth us to fulfil all righteousness, Mat. 
 iii. 15. — In the commission of Christ to his Apostles, Mat, 
 xxviii. 9- — In the practice of the Apostles, Acts ii. xli. 
 — And in the settlement of all the Churches, Acts ii. 41, 
 42, Sec. 
 
 Phila. Who may they be who are said to reject the coun- 
 sel of God, against themselves, not being bajjtized ? 
 
 Theoph. Those who believe and rest satisfied that their 
 being sprinkled in their infancy is baptism, which is all a 
 cheat and priestcraft, these reject the counsel of God with a 
 witness, being pleased with a popish tradition more than 
 God's divine ordinance, which is not necessary to prove, for 
 they prove it in their own breast, by believing more what 
 men say than what God in his word declares, rejecting the 
 counsel of God for the tradition of the fathers, — Likewise 
 those parents vvho take or desire their infants to be baptized, 
 these persons pay no regard at all to the word of God in this 
 matter. Where has he directed them to be so cruel to their 
 little infant, not only to disturb it, but religiously to cheat 
 it, by putting a solemn lie into the mouth of the priest, say- 
 ing, " W^e thank thee, Heavenly Father, that it hath pleased 
 thee to regenerate this child in baptism," when, in fact, there 
 is no such thing : And, there are others, who will not go 
 quite so far, but say, That the child is by baptism ingrafted 
 into Christ." Is not this j)leasing the parent, and cheating 
 the child with a religious lie, merely out of complaisance to 
 the custom of the times. — Moreover, they may be said to 
 reject the counsel of God against themselves who are con- 
 vinced of believers' baptism as a truth, but look upon it as a 
 trifle, a mere indifterent thing : Stop, reader, pause a little; 
 
•263 
 
 what ! the counsel of God a trifle, a mere indift'erent thing t" 
 What! the will of God a trifle with thee? His command 
 an indiflerent thing to thee? I'crhaps thou art ready to say, 
 *' Why, he has loved uic, and washed nic from my sins :" 
 Ay ; then, surely, the more important is thy debt of love and 
 obedience to his name, had he bid tliee do some sjreat thine:, 
 wouldst thou not have done it, when he only says, if ye love 
 me, keep my commandments? But, it must be owned, that 
 it is certainly, Phildgalhus, too mucli the case, as a gentle- 
 niiin lately observed, soinc cannot believe it, and some will 
 not ; that is, some are so ignorant they cannot, others are so 
 obstinate they will not ; but I hope better things of you, 
 reader, though I thus speak. 
 
 Likewise, ihey may be said to reject the counsel of God 
 against themselves, who are convinced oftlie trutii of it, yet 
 do not obe\' ir, because there is such difficulty in the way ; 
 or because they have not such promise upon their mind, 
 or because they have not that strength of desire they could 
 wish; they see it to be a duty, the Christian's duty, but not 
 their duty. What is this but rejecting the counsel of God 
 against themselves, not being baptized, is not the path of 
 duty or rather privilege clear, the command of God full, the 
 example of Christ glorious, and does not the blessing of 
 the Holy Ghost attend it r To wait when Gud has com- 
 manded, and we are convinced on the account of any fear of 
 distress or difliculty, or for any immediate revelation from 
 God ; is it to tempt Christ as the Israelites tempted him in 
 the wilderness, and to do evil that good may come thereby, 
 (however humble the mind may seem to be) attempt to be an 
 Atjnomian indeed, by knowing the will of God and not do- 
 ing it, is not the word nigh thee ? 
 
 Phi LA. O, Theophihisl this is too close upon me, for such 
 a one, in omission, sure I am : Long have I been convinced, 
 often have I pleaded for it as a truth ; and though I have 
 brought the warriors in Israel against you, I was afraid I 
 should fall at last among the slain ; but shall I again trans- 
 
264 
 
 gress! What may I apprehend by the Publicans justifying 
 Gon by being baptized ? Luke vii. 29. 
 
 Theoph. They justified, that is, they commended, or ap- 
 proved of the will of God, in appointing such an ordinance ; 
 they testified their love to it by embracinir it as a revelation 
 or his wisdom ; and thus believers justify God, that is, own 
 his love and approve of the ordinance as it leads them, by 
 faith, to the Messiah, the glory of his love, the greatness 
 of his sufferings, the atonement of his d^ath, the con- 
 quest of his grave, the triumphs of his resurrection, their 
 union with him, and enjoyment of him, Rom. vi. 3, 4. 
 
 Phila. Why is baptism said to save us ? 1 Pet. iii. 21. 
 
 Theoph. Sir, the i\postle Peter says, The like figure 
 whereunto even baptism doth also now save us, that is, aa 
 the salvation of Noah's family, in the ark, from the deluge, 
 was a figure of the salvaiion of the church in Christ, as 
 every creature moved freely to go into the ark, they found 
 supply, security, and God shut them in ; so it was a figure 
 of the soul moving freely to Christ, finding a supply of all 
 grace in him, security from all wrath by him, and the seal 
 of everlasting love by God's shutting them in. Now, bap- 
 tism may be said to save us, not really or meritoriously, that 
 is the honour of the blood of Chkist, but remotely or fi- 
 guratively as baptism, when administered according to the 
 word of God, is a figure of the whole of our salvation. — Is the 
 love and favour of God necessary to our salvation, baptized in 
 the name of the Father ? — Is the person of Christ neces- 
 sary to our salvation, baptized in the name of the Son ? — 
 Is the power of the Holy Ghost necessary to our salvation, 
 baptized in the name of the Holy Ghost ? — All of which is 
 a lively figure of the love of the three that bare record in 
 Heaven. — Is the death of Christ necessary, baptized into 
 his death ? — Is his grave necessary, buried with him by bap- 
 tism ? — Is his resurrection necessary, risen again with 
 him by the faith of the operation of God; and Jesu$ 
 when he was baptized came straightway out of the water? — 
 
A65 
 
 Are his sufferings necessary, I have, says he, a baptism to be 
 baptized with? &c. — Is his love necessary? Herein is 
 displayed, love that waters cannot quench, -nor floods 
 drown ! 
 
 Phila. But, is it not said, that it is not a putting away the 
 filth of the flesh ? 
 
 Theopfk Yes, surely ; that is the peculiar honour of the 
 blood and resurrection of Jesus; then, Philagathm, how ig- 
 norant are they who baptize infants to take away original 
 sin, or believe that it does in any wise do them any good re- 
 specting their salvation ! for it was never intended for any 
 infant, much less to put away the filth of the flesh, or to give 
 the least hope of happiness by it; but it is declared plainly 
 to be the answer of a good conscience towards God ; a good 
 conscience is a purified one by the blood of Christ, a tender 
 conscience of sin, an affectionate conscience, or a con- 
 sciousness of love to Christ, and an obedient conscience to 
 his commands. 
 
 Phila. What may I apprehend by giving an answer of a 
 good conscience towards God ? 
 
 Theoph. Sir, it is undoubtedly the duty and privilege of 
 the believer, to give a reason of the hope that is in him with 
 meekness and fear ; but the answer here of a good conscience 
 towards God, is an answer of obedience to Christ, of love 
 to his name, of faith in his blood, righteousness, death, and 
 resurrection, for the whole of salvation. 
 
 Phila. How is this answer to be given towards God by 
 the resurrection of Jesus Christ ? 
 
 - Theuph. By beholding in baptism the resurrection of Je- 
 lUS, answering for all our sins, for all our sufferings, for all 
 our debts, for all our payment and discharge, and thereby 
 our full victory to God for us, as our Surety, Saviour, Suf- 
 ferer, and Conqueror ; whose resurrection for us God receives 
 as a final answer to all that sin, Satan, death, and hell can 
 bring against us; so that whatever bills are filed by the law 
 of God, or entered in the courts of our own conscience, the 
 M m 
 
266 
 
 resurrection of Christ answers to God for them all; so 
 that we are acquitted, justified, and discharged by his resur- 
 rection, because he died for our sins and rose again for our 
 justification. 
 
 Phila. Sir, if baptism be the answer of a good consci- 
 ence, then, as Mr. Baxter justly observes, it can belong to 
 none but to those who have, through grace, a good consci- 
 ence. Then, surely, it must be great ignorance and impo- 
 sition, either in parents or in ministers, to administer it to 
 infants who have not a good conscience, being conceived in 
 sin and brought forth in iniquity ; neither can they give an 
 answer of what they have ; I blush and am ashamed for the 
 ignorance of the people and the imposition of the priests> 
 ibr it is bard to say which is the greatest. I am astonished, 
 Theophilus, at it ; what do you think can be the cause of 
 such long-continued ignorance of this truth among the mi--^ 
 njsters of the gospel I 
 
 Theoph. Sir, I think it is impossible to be entirely owing 
 to ignorance, for they all own, when in a cool spirit, that 
 the baptists are right ; that there is no express command nor 
 example in the word of God for their practice of infant bap- 
 tism, but only the strength of custom and tradition ; inso- 
 much that both Papist and Protestant agree in this, that in- 
 fant baptism is not to be proved from scripture but from tra- 
 dition, only with this difference, the Papists maintain that 
 the tradition of their church is of equal authority with the 
 scriptures, and therefore their proof stands good. No doubt 
 but it may be proved from tradition, but they are so sensible 
 that it can no otherwise be proved, thata Papist told hisneigh- 
 hour, one morning, that he was going to see a miracle. He 
 asked what miracle ? He said, infant baptism proved from 
 scripture. Whereas the Protestants say, they ascribe too 
 much to tradition, and think thai infant baptism may be 
 better proved from long custom and consequences ; that Fa- 
 ther Austin himself says, that infant baptism is not to be be- 
 lieved but from tradition ; and the great convocaiion at Q^- 
 
 3 
 
267 
 
 ford, whicl) I think was in WicklifF's time, say, " That 
 without the judgment and practice of the church, they 
 should be at a loss, when called upon, for proofs in the point 
 of infant baptism." Which there is no doubt of, as the 
 scripture aflferds them none, so that it cannot be ignorance in 
 many of them. 
 
 Phjla. What can then be the cause ? 
 
 Theoph. If the reader can bear Paul's language to speak 
 the truth to every man's conscience in the sight of God, I 
 think it is much owing to Pride and Interest, and not so 
 much for want of knowledge, or if it is owing to their igno- 
 jance they are tl>e more to be pitied : But an independent 
 minister, who was disputing the point with one of his Elders, 
 who was about to join the baptists, their disputation came to 
 this decision : The Elder said unto the Pastor, " Sir, if I, 
 out of love to you, should slay with you, and should in my 
 own conscience be wrong, will you engage to answer for 
 me at the last day." To which the minister said very pathe- 
 tically, " No." Then said the Elder to him, " Sir, how 
 can you preach and practise what you are afraid to answer 
 for at the last day ?' To which he said, " I have preached 
 it and practised it these forty years, and to leave it now 
 what will the world say of me ?" — Poor man ! he was much to 
 be pitied, for he was surely in a dismal dilemma ; and, indeed, 
 I am thinking, that if the baptist churches were as populous 
 and as prosperous as other denominations, and could spare their 
 hundreds a year, there would not be such a scarcity of con- 
 verts among the canonicai order. — But let this suffice — I 
 would only remark, that if baptism be the answer of a good 
 conscience, liovv self condemned iu their own conscience 
 must those persons be, who are convinced of it as a truth, 
 y-et do not give to God, nor to the church, neither before 
 men nor angels, their answer of a good conscience by liieir 
 faith and hope in the resurrection of Jesus Christ ! for how 
 they can enjoy the peace of a good conscience, and struggle 
 with the conviction of it, I cannot see. 
 
168; 
 
 Phila. Sir, the struggles of m}^ conscience are almost 
 over wilh me. There is a passage that u^y mind struggles in 
 doubt about, and I believe many persons have been in the 
 same case; it is in ^cts xix. 2, 3, 4, 5, where it seems that 
 those who had been baptized into John's baptism, were af- 
 terwards baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus ? 
 
 Theopii. Tlie Apostle is so far from supposing, that the 
 baptism of John is distinct from Christ's baptism, that he 
 confirms John's baptism to be the same as Christ's. Paul, 
 when he saw these disciples, who appear to be ministers of the 
 gospel, rer. Q, without the ministerial, or rather the ejftraor- 
 diuary gifts of the Holy Ghost, asked them if they had 
 received the Holy GiiOsT since they believed, and they 
 said they had not so much as heard that there was any Holy 
 Ghost, though they enjoyed the blessings of the Holy 
 Ghost, as to salvation by Christ, without which they 
 could not have been disciples, therefore it must be under' 
 stood of the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost poured 
 out upon the day of pentecost, to work miracles, to speak 
 with tongues and prophesy. Then Paul asked them unto 
 what baptism, or with what baptism, were they then baptized 
 unto, and they said unto John's baptism ; then Paul explained 
 the nature, intent, and design of John's baptism ; that it 
 was to reveal Christ and every blessing of salvation in his 
 name, which is plain from the words : Then said Paul, John 
 verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto 
 the people, that they should believe on hitn which should 
 come after him, that is on Jesus Christ; denoting that 
 Christ Jesus was in John's baptism, the centre of their 
 faith in all he had suffered for them, and promised to them ; 
 and when they heard this they were satisfied, or instructed 
 into the blessing of John's baptism, viz. that they were bap- 
 tized in the faith of (he Lord Jesus; then Paul confirmed 
 it by laying his hands upon them, and the Holy Ghost 
 sealed it, for it is t-aid, the Holy Ghost came upon them, 
 nod they spoke with tongues and prophesied. 
 
Phila. Sir, 1 am satisfied ; this is a difficulty that I am 
 glad to see so clearly removed, I tliink there is but one objec- 
 tion more in my mind : What Scripture example hiive we for 
 women receiving the Lord's Supper? 
 
 Theoph. Sir, this is an objection that has been frequent- 
 ly urged, though I confess it does not appear to me to be of 
 any force or power; for, upon this weak way of reasoning, 
 they ma}' as well say that there were no women under the 
 law that had a right to the passover : for, if as some people 
 say, that circumcision gave the circumcised infants a right 
 to the passover and made them church members ; conse- 
 quently then no female could be a church member no.-' have 
 any right to the passover ; but who will dare to sav this when 
 it is said, that Zecharias and Elizabeth his wife walked in all 
 the ordinances of God blameless ? But the matter appears 
 to me more clear in the New Testament, j4c!s viii. 12. fVhen 
 ihey believed, th?y zvere baptized both men and women. Now, 
 who they were that were admitted to baptism, or were bap- 
 tized, is plain, Acts ii.41. Then they that gladly received the 
 word were baptized. — Of whom was the church composed and 
 organized, was it not of those baptized believers? 42. Then 
 they continued stedfaatly in the Aposl/es' doctrine, in fellowship^ 
 in breaking of bread, and in prayers. jSow, if the church 
 coQsistecl of baptized believers in Christ, then consequent- 
 ly it must consist of women as well as men, because women 
 were baptized as well as men; and as women are called dis- 
 ciples, saints, members of churches, Acts ix. 36, Tabitha, 
 a certain disciple, Plioebe, a servant or deaconess, and mem- 
 ber of the church, these were to be received in the Lord, as 
 becometh the Saints, Rom. xvi. 1. Priscilla wns Paul's 
 helper, ?;er. 3, to whom the gentile churches gave thanks, 
 who had a church in her own house, and was surely a mem- 
 ber of it, and a partaker of the ordinance of the Lord's Sup- 
 per. Besides, if we consider Paul's direction to the church 
 at Corinth, whom he styles sanctified in Christ Jesus, call- 
 ed to be Saints. These were some of them virgins unmarried. 
 
27Q 
 
 some were widows, some were wives with children ; now if 
 they were not church members, and as such partakers of the 
 ordinance, what had Paul to do with them, why are they 
 called sisters if they have not a portion with the brethren? 
 or, if they were not church members, why do Paul and 
 Peter sive such exhortations to them in JEph. v. — Col. iii. — 1 
 Feter iii. — for what have they to do with them that are with- 
 out ?— beside:^, I do not remember that under the law there is 
 any particular direction to show the right of women, under 
 the name of women, to the passover or temple privileges, yet 
 they enjoyed every privilege by virtue of their knowledge in 
 the ordinances of the temple; and so do women, under the 
 gospel, by virtue of their faith in Christ, as saith Paul, 1 
 Cor, xi. 28. Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat; 
 and it is well known, that the Greek word signifies either a 
 man or a woman, being a word of common gender, the 
 same as in 1 Tim. ii. 4, 5, There is ojie Mediator between God 
 and man \ and surely between Gon and women, or what 
 must become of them .' the word Man denoting both, as the 
 woman is not without the man in the Lord, neither is the 
 male nor female, either by way of distinction or separation, 
 from the ordinance, but ye are, saith the Apostle, all one in 
 Christ. Gen, v. And called their name Adam. 
 
 Phila. Sir, I am highly pleased and satisfied, but there 
 are some to whom a difficulty appears, how the Apostles 
 could baptize three thousand in one day .-^ Acts ii. 41. 
 
 Theoph. i?ir, this difficulty scarcely appears, for it does not 
 appear that they were baptized in one day ; that they who 
 received the word gladly were baptized is evident, and added 
 in one day appears, but that they were baptized in one day 
 is not so evident; and, if they were, I see no great difficulty 
 therein, as there was a hundred and twenty disciples and 
 twelve Apostles to baptize, whose baptism, I am sure, 
 may be much easier done by them, than what Abraham is 
 s»id to do in one day, which was a circumcision of near 
 four hundred persons, Gen. xvii. 26, 27,— compared with 
 
271 
 
 Gen. x'lV. 14, — and thus I ihink this objection vanishes aa a 
 vapour. 
 
 Phil A. It has been objected that certainly the children 
 were baptized to Moses, by sprinkling or drops of water from 
 the cloud ? 
 
 Theoph. Such weak objections plainly bespeak the weak- 
 ness of the cause they would defend, for this remark is very 
 unhappy, that they were baptized by sprinkling with drops 
 of water from the cloud, because the cloud which was an em- 
 blem of the presence of Christ was with them, was a cloud 
 of glory and not of water, besides they are said to go through 
 on dry ground; and as the water was a wall on their right 
 hand and as a wall on their left, they were baptized or over- 
 whelmed in water, as a figure of their salvation in the baptism 
 of Christ's sufferings, for as the rock was a figure of 
 Christ, so was their passing through the Red Sea, a figure 
 of his death, which by baptism is represented, so the objection 
 dies. 
 
 Phila. It has been said by the Baptists, that as John bap- 
 tized with water, that Christ might be made manifest to 
 Israel, therefore they came and were baptized by him in Jor- 
 dan, confesing their sins ; and as Peter required, or rather the 
 Holy Ghost gave the blessing of receiving the word glad- 
 ly, and Philip required a believing with all the heart, and 
 Paul hearing and believing, therefore they think that no in- 
 fant has any right to baptism, not only for want of the com- 
 mandment of God, but for want of this gospel capacity in 
 them which the Apostles required. 
 
 Theoph. Sir, they have a just right to think so, for it is 
 plain that John thought so, that Peter thought so, that Philip 
 thought so, and Paul thought so; and why should it be 
 thought strange in them ? for, sure I ant, if the Apostles were 
 to rise from the dead, if they were called to consult of this 
 matter, ihey would say to the church of England, to 
 the church of Scotland, the Presbyterians, and Indepen- 
 
272 
 
 dents, of all nations, who has required these things at your 
 hands I 
 
 Phila. But, surely, Sir, you have considered the force of 
 the objection which is thus expressed; It is acknowledged 
 that infants cannot make a confession of sin, and consequent- 
 ly they cannot tell lies like adult persons ? 
 
 Theoph. All I shall say to this is, is it not pity think 
 you, Philagathus, that the objector had not continued 
 an infant purely on this account ; for surely, it might have 
 prevented him from — but I will not say from what. — Was it 
 not a pity that Peter's hearers had not continued infants, for 
 perhaps they told lies when they said to Peter and to the rest 
 of the Apostles, men and brethren, what shall we do ? — Is it 
 not a pity but what the eunuch had remained an infant, for 
 perhaps he told lies when he said, See, here is water, what doth 
 hinder me that 1 may not be baptized ? — But who can object 
 against any one pleading for infants, seeing such an happiness 
 attends the case of infants, namely, the prevention of so much 
 sin? — is it not a pity but we had all remained infants, to have 
 answered so great an end ? 
 
 Phila. Sir, I have lately met with an account of the bap- 
 tists that really astonishes me; it is anew History of the Refor- 
 mation, dedicated to ; in which I must own, I 
 
 think the author has expressed himself very unbecoming the 
 christian, the scholar, the minister, or the historian, where 
 he represents the baptists in every civil and religious character, 
 as bad, base, and profligate ! O what bitterness and envy 
 drops from his lips through the whole, such as is not fit to be 
 named ! especially when he says, " I have now given a brief 
 account of the rise and fall of this dangerous sect in Ger- 
 many : Thus ended the king and kingdom of the Anabap- 
 tists." 
 
 Theoph. Sir, it was a just observation of yours, that these 
 remarks of the author were unworthy the christian, the scho- 
 lar, the minister, or the historian, for as a chistian he ought 
 
Q73 
 
 to have buried and not revived faults ; as a scholar he 
 ought to have dealt genteely, especially with those whom many 
 oftliem, in point of scholaisiiip, as inucli deserve it as any 
 other denomination in the kingdom ; as a n)iiiisier lie ought to 
 have forgiven; but above all as an historian he ought to have 
 wrote truth, which he has not. He says he has given abrief ac- 
 count of tlie rise and fall of this dangerous sect, when in fact he 
 has not, for the rise of them was not Nicholas Stork and Thomas 
 Muncer, as he says, but John the Baptist: and they are the 
 most ancient people professing godliness that have existed 
 since Christ, through every age, century, reign, and revo- 
 lution ; and have been (though under various names) spread 
 from the Apostles preaching throughout all the world, but 
 especially through Asia and Europe, and in many parts of 
 America, insomuch that all parts of Germany, since the 
 Apostles' days, have been full of baptists; therefore to say, as 
 this author, and some more before him have, that they took 
 their rise from John of Leyden, about Luther's time, bespeaks 
 great ignorance both of histoiy and scripture ; for according 
 to this author, he says, that in the reputed Munster affair, that 
 John Matthias sent missionaries to the low countries, in Ger- 
 many, for all the Anabaptists to join him at Munster, which 
 shows that the first rise could not be then, or how could they 
 be a body whose assistance was so earnestly desired ? besides 
 it bespeaks great ignorance to call them Anabaptists, because 
 I will defy any author to prove, that there ever were such a 
 people upon the earth ; an old track of words and phrases 
 can be no warrant for the fresh publication of ignorance. — 
 Besides, your author says, this dangerous sect: this sentence 
 would have suited well the lips or the pen of a Papist, but 
 they come very ill from the pen of a Protestant ; for what are 
 they a dangerous sect for i — for doing as God has command- 
 ed them ? as Christ has left them an example? — and as the 
 Apostles practised ? — this must be a dangerous people ! how 
 can they be otherwise ? but the danger of all is, these men 
 that turn the world upside down, are come here also,— thus 
 N n 
 
274 
 
 ** ended," says your author, " the king and the kingdom ot 
 the Anabaptists." — A wonderful destruction ! a king destroyed 
 that never existed! a people perish, that had never any being! 
 for if the author means spiritually, there is no truth in what 
 he says ; for Christ as King in Zion, and tiie baptists as his 
 church, or kingdom, are more at this day that has been known 
 for many years, therefore when the author wrote against the 
 baptists in this bitterness of spirit, let him ask his own con- 
 science if he did not intend to draw from the supposed (for I 
 much question the truth of the Munster affair, as it comes 
 originally from their enemies, the Papists,) namely, a dark 
 odium upon the name of the baptists through the nation, and 
 all through that glass of prejudice that he has drunk against 
 them; because they have demanded of him the command of 
 God, or an example in his word for his present practice. 
 However, I leave hiin to struggle with the conflicts of his own 
 conscience for what he has said in his second number; and 
 may God forgive him, and I hope that the baptists, as the 
 elect of God, will put on bowels of mercy and forgive him 
 
 likewise. — It makes me think of Mr. John G 1, though 
 
 raised to the eminence of a silver-smith, whose mind being 
 imbittered with prejudice against one, whom he should rather 
 as a christian if he be one) have pitied, spoke to his friend, 
 upon seeing a certain author's book in his hand, very re- 
 proachfully of the pedigree of the author, forgetting, at the 
 same time that the author's pedigree was far more respectable 
 than that of a quil boy ; but, alas ! what a full possession of 
 a pharasaical spirit remains m many of our silver- slippered 
 christians at this day ; is not this the carpenter's son, said the 
 Pharisees of old ? 
 
 Phi LA. It should seem to me, whatever their state may be, 
 as to eternity (which God only knows) that they are 
 surely such that enjoy little of the spirit of Christ, the bless- 
 ings of Christ, or the presence of Christ, with whom re- 
 mains such a bitterness of spirit; for it is a sure maxim in 
 things spiritual, that a mind filled by Satan with prejudice, 
 
275 
 
 is surely punished with barrenness ; for though they think 
 like the perverse froward propliet (as Dr. Gill used to call 
 him) they do well to be angry ; hence it is too evident that 
 many, besides some particular ready writers, are like the dis- 
 ciples, when in an hitanline stale in ihe kini^dom of Jesus, 
 know not vvliai manner of spirits they are of, but, God be 
 thanked ! we have no such custom, neither have the churches 
 of God. O ! how beautifully may the language of our sym- 
 paihiziug forgiving Jesus be here adopted, Father, forgive 
 them, for they know not what they do ! 
 
 But, as it is evident that the city of Salem is the church of 
 Christ, — that her walks are salvation, — that her gates are 
 praise, — that her laws are love, — that her inhabitants are 
 kings, — that her statutes and ordinances are glorious, — that 
 it is a city of the Great King fitly compacted together,— 
 a holy habitation,— a building of God, whither the tribes 
 go up, the tribes of the Lord to the testimony of Israel, — 
 that her gates are open, — the highway of salvation is plain, 
 —her provision is free, — her enjoyment is life, — her blessings 
 are peace, — her happiness is glory, — and that her inhabit- 
 ants walk in the light of this glory. O sweet engagement ! 
 — O divine attraction! — -Methinks, Theophilus, I could al- 
 most invite you in the prophetic language of the Prophet in 
 Israel, Isa. ii. 3. Come, ye, and let us go up to the mouiitmn oj 
 the Lord, to the house of the God of Israel, and he will teach 
 us of his rcays, and zee will zaalk in his paths, S^c. 
 
 TuEOPH. " I am as thou art ; — my horses are as thy horses, 
 and my chariots are thy chariots ; — for whither thou goest- I 
 will go, and where thou lodgest I will lodge ; — thy people 
 shall be my people, and thy God shall be my God ; — where 
 thou diest will I die, and there will I be buried — the Lord 
 do so to me, and more also, if aught but death shall part 
 thee and me. — And as thy heart is as my heart, with whom 
 I have had sweet council, let us go from strength to strength 
 till we appear before God in Zion, for the Lord God is a 
 sun and shield ; — he w ill give grace and glory, and no good 
 
276 
 
 thing will be withhold from them that walk uprightly, and 
 faithful in He that has promised." 
 
 And as it is plain that all the promises of God belong to 
 the church of Christ, which is the ground and pillar of 
 truth, and that this church was, accordingly to tlie gospel dis- 
 pensation, to have its beginning from Christ, and to con- 
 tinue ever visible till the end of the world. Now, no other 
 church but the baptist church has had its beginning from 
 Christ's time, and therefore no other church can have that 
 gospel right to the promises, because of their disobedience tD 
 its precepts. And as it is plain that the baptists came from, 
 or that they are called baptists from John the Baptist, and 
 christians from Christ, and as we are sure, without a doubt, 
 that the baptism of John was from Heaven; that it was the 
 counsel of God, Liike vii. 30. — The command of God, JoJm 
 i. 33. — The example of Christ, Mat. iii. l6. — The practice 
 of the Apostles, Jets viii. 36, — 39, — what need we any fur- 
 ther witness, both as to the manner of its administr-ation 
 and the subjects of it, seeing we have such a cloud of wit- 
 nesses ; that they have likewise continued ever since the 
 Apostles' days, through every a.ge, century, and revolution to 
 the present day : Happy art thou, O Israel ! who is like unto 
 thee, O people ! saved by the Lord ? and therefore, Philaga- 
 thus, may we congratulate tlie union of our hearts, and the 
 triumphs of our faith and affection to the church- of God, in 
 the prophet's language? we will go with you, for we have 
 heard that God is with you. — See, here is water, what doth 
 hinder? — Why tarriest thou ? arise, and be baptized, &c. — 
 Seeing what blessings, — what promises, — what sweet enjo}-- 
 mentare before us, — in the observation of Christ's baptism, 
 which is (as Mr. James Rutherford spiritually and pathetically 
 expresseth it) '' a declaration of a fixed faith in Christ 
 Jesus, and an entire devotion of the subject to the service of 
 the Triune God. In this solemn ordinance, we assert Christ 
 to be our Prophet, that has taught us the things concerning 
 the kingdom of God — our Priest> who hath made an atone- 
 
277 
 
 ment for us— and our King, who is to rule, gowrn, and de*- 
 fend us; otherwise our submission is Only a blind obedience; 
 for the Father and his ways are only known to such as have 
 a revelation of both from the Son. — IF Jesus is not our priest, 
 our performance would neither be a reasonable service, nor 
 the offering of a spiritual sacrifice, acceptable to God by 
 Christ Jesus ; for he is the altar that sanctifies the gift — And 
 if he is not our King, why are we subject to his laws? in this 
 holy institution, we profess to claim God for our Father, hus- 
 band, and friend. Our Father — who hath made ample pro- 
 vision, and now prepared us for, and granted free admittance 
 to, the children's bread. Our Husband — in whom we possess 
 all things, and are now brought home to enter upon the en- 
 joyment. Our Friend — with whom we take sweet counsel, and 
 in fellowship with whom we have great delight. In baptism 
 we declare that we are washed with the washing of regenera- 
 tion, and enlivened by the renewing of the Holy Ghost ; for 
 they must be clean, who come into the sanctuary of God ; and 
 alive, before they can walk in his commandments blameless. 
 Moreover, in this ordinance we profess to believe with all our 
 hearts, that the Lord is our portion, his people our people, and 
 his ways our ways ; therefore, with all our souls, we devote 
 ourselves wholly to God, for this weighty reason — we are 
 not our own, but bought with a price; also with a firm reso- 
 lution — to observe whatsoever he hath commanded ; and with 
 this important prayer — that he woul i enable us to spend the 
 residue of our days to his honour and glory. 
 
 A further end and use of the ordinance is, the baptism 
 of the Holy Ghost ; or the emanation of the sweet en- 
 joyment of those rich blessings, which are held forth to 
 us in baptism, as in a lively figure, or bright perspective 
 glass. 
 
 For if our minds be exercised, and faith employed, 
 during the administration of this significant solemnity, 
 we cannot but be impressed with the remembrance of the 
 bitter baptism of our Saviour's salutary sufFeriogs, when he 
 
«7» 
 
 vas iuimerged in sin, overwhelmed in wrath, and plunged in 
 the depth of agonies for us. Thus while we are indulged with 
 soul-reviving views of our Father's love, and heart affecting 
 prospects of our Saviour's sufferings, we cannot but long 
 and pray for the Holy Ghost to lead us into green pastures, 
 and beside the siill waters ; so that we may drink deeper into 
 the love of Jesus, and behold his beauty through the windows, 
 while he shows his glory through the lattice. This being 
 granted, in baptism we view the death of our Surety making 
 atonement for our sins — his grave, in which all our guilt is 
 buried — and his resurrection, whereby we enjoy justification 
 of life. In this figurative fountain, we behold the streams 
 of grace, proceeding out of the throne of God and the Lamb, 
 and flowing into our souls, in virtue of the death, burial, and 
 resurrection of Jesus; and are led by faith to see a death to 
 sin in our intellectual powers, the old man buried, and the 
 new man in Christ rising to holiness of life — We have a 
 prospect of the baptism of sufferings, to which we are called 
 as pilgrims of Jtsus ; nor does this grieve or disturb our 
 spirits, while we behold the eternal God our refuge, and 
 his everlasting arms our support. If we have not yet received, 
 we are encouraged to wait for that sealing evidence of the 
 Holy Ghost, which every saint is to look for, and expect 
 after believing — the entire bathing of our bodies in water, re- 
 presents the bathing of our souls in the blood of the Lamb- 
 In going down into the water, we have a lively sense of our 
 implantation into Christ, and of sinking deeper into the 
 love of God, which flows from the fulness of the Father, 
 Son, and Holy Ghost. — In passing through the element, 
 we have a sweet symbol of our translation out of the king- 
 dom of darkness, into the kingdom of Gon's dear Son. — In 
 coming up out of the water, we have the joyful prospect of 
 a couiplcte deliverance from all sin and sorrow ; together 
 witii a triumphant resurrection from the grave of corruption,, 
 and an abundant entrance into the kingdom of bliss and 
 glory. Finally, whatever is necessury to quylify a sinner 
 
279 
 
 for communion with God in his house below, is represented 
 in baptism ; us whatever is necessary to quahfv a Saint for 
 communion wiih God, in his house above, is represented in 
 the Lord's Supper. They are outward and visible signs 
 of ilie true and real substance, and cannot pos-sibly be of the 
 least advantage to any soul, further than faith is concern- 
 ed, and tiie understanding employed to behold the glory 
 signified. Thus while we rejoice in the blessing, and feed 
 thereon ourselves, we profess to others our confidence in, 
 and devotedness to, the great Three-one, whose name is 
 Jehovah," 
 
 A POEM 
 
 Upon the Practice of the ancient Christians, according to 
 Truth and Direction of the Word of God and the Gospel 
 Churches in the Jpostlea' Days. 
 
 Search thee Scripturf--. ' 
 
 1 
 
 N EV ER does truth more shine, Psalm xix. 4. 
 
 With beams of lieavenly light, Psahn cxix, 130. 
 
 Than when the scriptures join. Psalm xix, 8. 
 
 To prove it true and right : J^a. viii. 20. 
 Than when each text doth each explain, 1 Cor. ii, 13. 
 
 And all unite to speak the same. Isa. viii. 20- 
 
 Here then a glory seems, Mat. iii. 13. 
 
 In statutes §0 divine, Pialm xix. 18- 
 
280 
 
 Thus Jesus' baptism beams, 
 
 Mat. iii. 13- 
 
 And rays of glory shine : 
 
 Mat. iii. 16. 
 
 To seal the truth of what we say, 
 
 Mat.Vu. 17. 
 
 That this is God's appointed way. 
 
 Mat^'ni. 15. 
 
 3 
 A train of saints array'd. 
 
 Jctsi\.4. 
 
 And Martyrs they were glad, 
 
 Jets ii. 47. 
 
 What Jesus to them said. 
 
 Mat. xxviii. 19 
 
 When risen from the dead : 
 
 Mat. xxviii. 20. 
 
 Investing them with might and power. 
 
 Jets ii. 4. 
 
 From Jesus' resurrection hour. 
 
 Luke xxiv. 49 
 
 4 
 Thus Peter he obey'd, 
 
 Acts ii. 36. 
 
 What Jesus said— as wise. 
 
 Jets ii. 37. 
 
 Unto his converts said. 
 
 Jets ii. 38. 
 
 *' Repent and be baptiz'd :" 
 
 Jcis W. 41. 
 
 Thus Philip did to th' Eunuch say. 
 
 Jets viii. 3G, 
 
 " If thou believ'st in Christ thou may." Jets viii. 37. 
 
 5 
 
 To Paul a Saint did say, Jets xxii. 13. 
 
 When open'd were his eyes. Jets ix. 18. 
 
 " No longer now delay. Jets xxii. l6. 
 
 Arise, and be baptiz'd ;" Jets ix. 18. 
 
 Then Paul did preach a Saviour Christ, Acts ix. 20. 
 
 And then baptized whom God had blest. Jets xviii. 8. 
 
 b 
 
 He preach'd the words of grace. Jets xviii. 7. 
 
 Whole households did believe, Jcfs xviii. 8. 
 
 They were baptiz'd to Christ, Jets xviii. 8. 
 
 Whose gospel they receiv'd : Jets xviii. 9. 
 
 Thus baptists were of ancient date. Jets ii. *41. 
 
 As sacred history does relate. Mark vi.'2.4.Lukeyn.20. 
 
231 
 
 We see 'tis no new thing, Mat. iii. 6. 
 
 To teach and then baptize, Mai. xxviii. 19. 
 
 John did the work begin, John i. 28. Jo///nii. 23- 
 
 Still some his place supplies : j4ct$ viii. 38. 
 
 This makes us cheerfully obey. Acts ii, 41 . 
 
 And go as Jesus ]ed the way. Mat. iii. 13. 
 
 8 
 
 For ne'er would this truth shine. Mat. xxi. 15. 
 
 With such a glorious light, Mat. iii. 16. 
 
 Did not the scriptures join. Mat. xxviii. 19. 
 
 To prove it true and right : Mat. xxviii. 20. 
 Now, since the scriptures thus agree, Mat. xvi. 16. 
 
 In Jesus' name bapiiz'd are we. Mat. xxvVu. 19. Ads 
 
 xix. 5. Acts xxii. 16. 
 
 The scriptures plainly saith, Actsxv\. 31. 
 
 The jailor Christ receiv'd ; ^cts xvi. 34. 
 
 Corinthians — they thro' faith, Acts xviii. 8. 
 
 With Crispus' house believ'd : Acts xviii. 8. 
 
 They were baptiz'd, as saith his word, 1 Cor. i. 14. 
 To show their love to Cueist the Lord. Acts xviii. 8. 
 
 10 
 
 The saints of Lydia's flock, Acts. xvi. 14. 
 
 By faith where pray'r was made. Acts xvi. 2.1. 
 
 Found Christ the living rock. Acts. xvi. 14. 
 
 Their love and praise they paid : Acts xvi. 1.0. 
 
 With heav'nly zeal with holy flame, Acts xvi. 14. 
 
 And were baptiz'd in Jesus' name. Actsx\\. 15. 
 
 11 
 
 Cornelius fear'd the Lord, Acta x. 2. 
 
 His house did God obev. Acts x. 4. 
 
280 
 
 Thus Jesus' baptism beams, Mat. iii. 1.3 
 
 And rays of glory shine : Mat. iii. l6. 
 
 To seal the truth of what we say, Mat. iii. )7. 
 
 That this is Gob's appointed way. Mat. iii. 15. 
 
 A train of saints array 'd, Acts ii. 4. 
 
 And Martyrs they were glad, Jets ii. 47. 
 
 What Jesus to them said. Mat. xxviii. 19- 
 
 When risen from the dead : Mat. xxviii. 20. 
 
 Investing them with might and power. Jets ii. 4. 
 
 From Jesus' resurrection hour. Luke xxiv. 49 
 
 Thus Peter he obey'd, Acts ii. 36. 
 
 What Jesus said — as wise. Jets ii. 37. 
 
 Unto his converts said. Jets ii. 38. 
 
 " Repent and be baptiz'd :" Jets ii. 41. 
 
 Thus Philip did to th' Eunuch say. Jets viii. 36, 
 
 " If thou believ'st in Christ thou may." Jets viii. 37. 
 
 To Paul a Saint did say, ^cts xxii. 13. 
 
 When open'd were his eyes. Jets ix. 18. 
 
 " No longer now delay. Jets xxii. l6 
 
 Arise, and be baptiz'd ;" Acts ix. 18. 
 
 Then Paul did preach a Saviour Christ, Acts ix. 20. 
 And then baptiz'd whom God had blest. Acts xviii. 8. 
 
 b 
 
 He preach'd the words of grace, Acts xviii. 7. 
 
 Whole households did believe. Acts xviii. 8. 
 
 They were baptiz'd to Christ, Acts xviii. 8. 
 
 Whose gospel they receiv'd : Acts xviii. 9. 
 
 Thus baptists were of ancient date. Aits ii.*41. 
 
 As sacred history dges relate. Mark yi.<l4.Lukem.9.0, 
 
«3l 
 
 We see 'tis no new thing, 
 To teach and then baptize, 
 
 John did the work begin. 
 
 Still some his place supplies ; 
 
 This makes us cheerfully obey. 
 
 And go as Jesus led the way. 
 
 8 
 For ne'er would this truth shine^ 
 
 With such a glorious light, 
 Did not the scriptures join. 
 
 To prove it true and right : 
 Now, since the scriptures thus agree, 
 In Jesus' name bapiiz'd are we. 
 
 Mat. iii. 6. 
 Mat. xxviii. IQ. 
 John i. 28. John'm. 2S. 
 Jds viii. S8. 
 Jits ii. 41. 
 Ma^. iii. 13. 
 
 Mat. xxi. 15. 
 ilffl^. iii. 16. 
 Mat. xxviii. 19. 
 ilfrt^. xxviii. 20. 
 Mat.x\i. ]6. 
 Mat. xxviii. 19- ^cts 
 xix.5. Jets xxii. 1^. 
 
 The scriptures plainly saith, 
 
 The jailor Christ receiv'd ; 
 Corinthians — they thro' faith, 
 
 With Crispus' house believ'd : 
 They were baptiz'd, as saith his word, 
 To show their love to Christ the Lord. 
 
 10 
 The saints of Lydia's flock, 
 
 By faith where pray'r was made. 
 Found Christ the living rock. 
 
 Their love and praise they paid ; 
 With heav'nly zeal with holy flame, 
 And were baptiz'd in Jesus' name. 
 
 11 
 
 Cornelius fear'd the Lord, 
 His house did God obev. 
 
 ^(•^sxvi. 31. 
 Actsxy'x. 34. 
 Acts xviii. 8. 
 Acts xviii. 8. 
 1 Cor. i. 14. 
 -r^c^s xviii. 8. 
 
 Acts. xvi. 14. 
 Acts xvi. 23. 
 Acts. xvi. 14. 
 Acts xvi. 15. 
 Acts xvi. 14. 
 Actsx\\. 15. 
 
 Acts X. 2. 
 Acts X. 4. 
 
284 
 
 3 
 For nothing less the church could save, 
 And nothing more the church can have. 
 
 In earth or heaven above, 
 Than what Jehovah hath leveal'd, 
 His oath confirm'd, his blood hath seai'd. 
 The Deity of love. 
 
 4 
 Love ! O ! unchanging, infinite ! 
 Eternal bliss and sweet delight, 
 
 Jehovah he is Love ! 
 Here dwells the church safe and secure, 
 She dwells in God for evermore, 
 
 Her dwelling can't remove. 
 
 5 
 Satan and sin, and death and hell. 
 With all their art, and malice fail. 
 
 Her final ruin to gain, 
 Their utmost skill and power is try'd. 
 But baffled is their force and pride, 
 
 And spoiled is their train. 
 
 6 
 When Satan's sufter'd to prevail. 
 And brings her to the gates of hell, 
 
 The ruins of the fall. 
 Where she in sin and bondage lies. 
 In dread amongst her enemies, 
 'In misery and thrall. 
 
 7 
 
 Yet there she's safe, she is not left 
 Of God, or of his love bereft. 
 
266 
 
 He loves her praying breath, 
 And promises to bruise the head 
 Of these her enemies, and tread 
 
 And triumph in their death. 
 
 8 
 See here that glorious mystery. 
 Which was hid in the Deity, 
 
 The sacred Three in one; 
 The counsels of eternal peace. 
 The better covenant of grace. 
 
 Is hereby made known. 
 
 9 
 Made known in Him, in whom 'twas made, 
 Before the world's foundation laid. 
 
 The man of God's right hand. 
 In union with the Deity, 
 Like union with Christ has she. 
 
 In which she'll ever stand. 
 
 10 
 Amazing depth of love divine I 
 Mysterious doth this union shine. 
 
 Eternal union this. 
 Wherefore this Mediator bears 
 Those glorious names and characters, 
 Immanuel, Prince of Peace. 
 
 11 
 Jesus, Christ, a Saviodr, Lord, 
 The Surety, the Eternal Word, 
 
 The Prophet, Priest, and King, 
 The Lamb of God a sacrifice. 
 And for atonement, lo I he dies. 
 
 His bride the church doth sing. 
 
286 
 
 J 2 
 Nor does he bear these names in vain, 
 But all the characters sustains, 
 
 Revealed in his word ; 
 In which he doth himself make known. 
 Unto his church the chosen one, 
 
 Beloved of her Lord. 
 
 13 
 
 'Tis here withjoy and wonder she 
 These everlasting springs doth see. 
 
 Springs of eternal love. 
 From whence salvation freely flows. 
 Through him the one Jehovah chose. 
 
 To bring her safe above. 
 
 14 
 O my soul withjoy behold. 
 The church is deck'd in gems of gold. 
 
 And clothed with the sun ; 
 Wearing a crown upon her head. 
 Of stars cpmpos'd and beautified. 
 Beneath her feet the moon. 
 
 15 
 And all this height of happiness. 
 Permanent everlasting bliss. 
 
 Aloud I hear her cry. 
 My husband all on me bestows, 
 From everlasting love it flows, 
 
 To all Eternity. 
 
 THE END 
 
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