LIBRARY OF THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY PRINCETON, N. J. Dk'ision Section. i^ia^ FOUR SERMONS CHRISTIAN BAPTISM; I N • W H I C H T II E PRIVILEGE OF BELIEVERS, UNDER THE GOSP EL, R E S P E^C T n< G T H E MODE AND SUBJECTS of BAPTISM, IS ESTABLISHED AND ILLUSTRATED. PUBLISHED AT TUE REQUEST OF THE HEARERS. |; * • PA^XaR. OF THJE ChUBLCH OE Christ ATfeRANGE-DAL.E. . . I i ELIZABETH TOW N: Printed FOR the Author by SHEPARD KOLLOCK. M,DCC,XCI, ADVERTISEMENT. THE following Sermons zoere preached at the particular Rcqucjl of a Number of ferious Per- fonSy without the mojl dijlant Thought of their Pub- lication, However, through the Importunity of the Hearers, feconded by the Defirc and Advice of fe- ver al Gentleman, who honored them with a Peruf al, they are now offered to the Public, with nofmall Degree of Reluctance, in their plain, native Brefs. The Author has Nothing further to add, except his mojt ardent Wifhes, that they may be ufeful in the Caufe of Truth, and promote the Glory ofGod^ in uniting, edfying and conforting his dear Peo^ pU. C3^ ■ ^ SERMON L On christian BAPTISM. Matthew xxviii. 19, 20. Goye^ therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Gho/i; — Teaching them to ob- ferve all things whatfoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am vnth you alway^ even unto the end of the world. My dear friends, and beloved brethren, IT is my prefent defign to addrefs you on the ferious and important fubjeft of Baptifm. — Treating this point, as God fhall enable me, in a courfe of fermons, I (hall endeavor to handle the fubjeft with great plainnefs and candor, not feek- ing fo much the applaufe of man, or the convic- tion of thofe who differ from us, as the eflablifh- ment of your minds in the truth. The words which I have now read are joyful, folemn words. They were fpoken in a very afFefting fituation — they are fome of the laft words of our blefled Lord ana Saviour to his dear difciples. In the preced- ing chapter, we have an account of his crucifixion, and pamful death on the crofs — In this, of his joyful refurreftion and appearance to the apof- tles, whom he imformed of his acceptance with God as the Mediator and Saviour, and of his [ 4 3 ■> great power in heaven and earth. He gave them the comminion in our text^'' Go ye. therefore, *' and teach all nations, baptizing them in the '•' n^nie of the Father, and of the Son, and of the " Holy Gholl ;— Teaching them to obfervc all " things whatfoever I have commanded you: '■ and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the '* end of the world.' I fliall here mention feveral things of great im- portance to the fubjefl before us, in which all parties agree; and bf g you will keep them in view through the enfumg difcourfes. Firjl, OurblefTed Saviour's command, in this text, is equally binding on all his niinilters, in all ages of the world — that they are to preach the g^fpel to every creature, and to teach all who are capable of inOruftion, in all the doftrines he has revealed in his word. Second, The miniflers of Chrift are to baptize among the nations, " in the name of the Father, *-* Son, and Holy Ghoft," all thofe,and only thofe, who, according to his revealed will, are the pro- per fubjecis of baptifm. . ThiTil, All lij?; miniflers, by this, are bound ta teach the nations to oblerve and obey all things, whatfoever he hath commanded; all the laws' ordmancrs, and inllitutions, which, according to the fcriptures, are m force under the gofpel dif- penfaiion. Fourtiu Let It be well obferved, that accord- ing to this promife^ Chn(l: will be with /i?j:jninif-. C 5 ] tcrs, to fupport and comfort them — 'to blefs and fucceed them in the glorious work unto the end of the world. Thefe things being obferved, I fhall proceed to confider our text, with reference only to the facrament of baptifm — and Ihall en- deavor to fhew, I. That baptifm with water is an inftitution of Chrift, to be a ftanding ordinance in his church to the end of the world. II. I (hall fpeak of the mode of baptifm as it refpefts the controverfy between us and our brethren called Baptills. I. I am to fpeak of water-baptifm, and fiiew that it is an inftitution of Chrift, to be a ftand- ing ordinance in the church to the end of the world. There is a baptifm of the Holy GJioS:, and wmh fire, agreeably to Mark i. 8. " I, indeed, *' have baptized you with water, but he Ihall *' baptize you with the Holy Ghoft." Luke iii. 16. *' He ihall baptize you with the Holy Ghoft, " and with fire." But its adniiniftration Chrift has referved to himfelf. We no where read of his commanding any to admin ifter fuch a bap- tifm. Some, indeed, fince the apoftles' day, have undertaken to do it; but we expeft they will itand reproved in the great day of the Lord. That baptifm by water i.s an inftitution of Chrift, is very evident from O'urtext. " Go, fays " Chrift, teach, or difciple all nations, baptizing '' them/' &c. They are com \nandcd to teach. [ 6 3 and the}^ are commanded to baptize. The fame precept is alfo recorded, Mark xvi. 15, 16. " And *' he laid unto them. Go ye into all the world, *' and teach the gofpel unto every creature. He '' that believeth, and is baptized, fhall be faved; " but he that believeth not fhall be damned." — We accordingly find the apoflles, and primitive minillers of Chrifl, baptizing all whom they dif- ciplined to him. On the day of Pentecofl, when three thoufand were added to the church in one day, the apoflles called on them to repent, and be baptized. The Quakers, and fome others, deny that baptifm with water is to be continued in the church; but the contrary feems evident, from the very face of the command. The apof- lles, and fucceeding minillers of Chrifl, were commanded to teach, to preach the gofpel, and to baptize all nations; and in faithfully teaching and baptizing, Chrifl promifes to be with them to the end or the world. Our bleffed Saviour, likewife, exprefsly enjoins on the apoflles, to teach his difciples to obferve all things whatfo- ever he hath commanded them; but baptifm by water was the command which had jufl then proceeded from his facred lips. It is manifefl that the primitive church received the practice from the apoilles, and obferved it as a com-i mand of Chrifl. The dcfic^n of baptifm as a feal of the cove* nant, and badge of the Chriflian profefTion — its ufe as an initiating ordinance into the church, and its obvious figniHcation, all plainly fliew it to bea flanding inliiiution in the church, and to be adminiftercd with water, to all proper fub- jecls, *•' in the n^me of the Father, and of the C 7 ] Son, and of the Holy Ghoft," by all the faith- ful minifters of Jefus Chrift. II. I am now to fpeak of the mode of baptifm. _: Before I proceed, two remarks are worthy of particular notice. 1. As baptifm is merely a pofitive inftitutioa of Chrift, nothing, with regard to its mode, fliould be made effential, but what Chrift has exprefsly enjoined. This obfervation muft be too evident to meet with any oppofition. Should any think this or that mode moft decent, convenient, or fignificant, let them anfwer a good confcience, where the fcriptures are filent; but let them not make it effential to baptifm, unlefs it is exprefs- ly enjoined by Chrift. # 2. No denomination of Chriftians has a right to fet up one mode of baptifm as effential, and exclude all other modes without exprefs fcrip- ture warrant, or fome pofitive proof, that it is the will of Chrift, the great king and head of the church. The reafon of this is plain. Since it is the prerogative of Chrift to appoint the or- dinances of his church, it muft belong to him a- lone to determine, what fhould be confidered ef- fential to them. For any, therefore, to deter- mine the exclufive mode of baptifm, or make any thing effential to it, which Chrift himfelf has not appointed, is not only very uncharitable to their trethren, but alfo a great prefumption on the prerogative of Chrift. Our brethren, the Bap- lifts, my hearers, hold with us, that baptifm muft be adminiilered, by a regular minifter of Chrift, C 8 ] with water, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft; but, they affert, that it muft be done in the mode of dipping, or plunging the whole body under water, otherwife it would be no Chrillian baptifm. Let us now candidly ex- amine this matter. The queftion is not, wheth- i er dipping or plunging is baptifm, but whether plunging or dipping is the only Chriilian bap- tifm. It is not fufficient for them to prove m the cleared manner, that plunging is a proper mode of baptifm; but they ought to prove, and muft prove, if they do any thing to the purpofe, that plunging is the only baptifm by water in- ftituted by Chrift. Inattention to this circum- ftance, I believe, has been the occafion of much doubt and confufion in the minds of forae, if not the fource of real impofition, in this point, on many Chriiiians, But, I hope, your minds may be free from all fiich impohtions, and that you may be able, in the truth, to (land faft in the liberty wherewith Chrift has made you free. Let us now, keeping thefe things in view, con- fider the words of the inftitution, as we have them in our text. '' Go ve, therefore, and teach *' all nations, baptizing them in the name of the " Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft. " Teachmg them to obferve all things whatfo- ** ever I have commanded you : and, lo, I am with *' you alway, even unto the end of the world," Here we have the plain command to baptize, but not any thing pofitive refpetiing the mode. Does this prove that plunging is the only fcripture- baptn'^m? — Would not one of the baptifts have expreffed it differently, if he defigned to efta- bli(h dipping the body under water as the only [ 9 3 mode of baptifm? Since the Baptlfts afTert, that the true meaning of the word baptize, is to dip or plunge under water, this muft command feme attention; but as it will lead us back to the ori- ginal language in which the gofpel was written, waters too deep for moft of you, my dear hear- ers, I fhall firft lead you where you may fee for yourfelves. 1. We afTert, that the word baptize does not now generally fignify to plunge or dip any thing under water; nor is it any where confinea to this fignification alone, but among the Baptifts. — > They fay, on the contrary, that we have per- verted the word to fupport our own practice. — We therefore aflert, 2. That the Vv^ord baptize did not, in our Sa- viour's time, always fignify plunging or dipping, Luke xi. 38. " And, when the Pharifee law it, " he marvelled, that he had not firft w^afiied be- " fore dinner;" or, as it is in the original, that he was not firft baptized. We all know that bap- tizing here does not mean the dipping or plung- ing of the whole body under water, but only the v/afliing of the hands. But is the word baptize here mifapplied and perverted ? Who has done it ? It is alfo certain, that this word is ufed by in- fpiration to fignify divers wafhing v/ithout any reference to the mode. Mark vii. 4* " And from "the market, except they baptize or waih, they *' eat not." The word ljapt?fmous, in this and the eight verfe, deferves particular attention. Being in the plural number^ it muft fig-nify various B C lO ] modes ofwafhing, of cups, pots, brazen vefTels, and of tables. The word is likewife applied to the many kinds of ceremonial wafhings. Heb. ix. lo. '' Only in meats and drinks, and divers *' baptifms or wafhings." Someof thefe walhings Qr cleanfmgs were performed by pouring, others by fprinkling, and fomc of them could not be done by dipping or plunging. There are many other places in the fcriptures where the word is ufed to fignify any kind of wafliing or cleanfing, even where tnere is no dip- ping. Some of our brethren, the Baptifts, may, perhaps, ftill infift, that according to the beft lexicographers and moft approved mafters of the original language, this word (ignifies dipping or plunging only. It may therefore be neceffary for their fakes, to pay fome farther attention to this matter ; thougli if all the Lexicons in the world fhould confirm their appropriate meaning of the word, it ought to have no weight with you contrary to the known ufe of it by divine infpiration — However, for your better fatisfaftion, 1 have ex- amined a number of lexicographers, and find, that all of them allow the word baptizOy to fig- nify any kind of wafhing, or cleanfing with wa- ter. This matter, I believe, will be clear beyond all doubt, to any one who will take the trouble to examine Hefychius, Budeus, Scapula, Ste- phanus, and Dr. Leigh's Critica Sacra. They are all acknowledged to be great mafters in the Greek language, and they allow the word to fignify walhing in general. In theirLexicons and Commentaries, they fay baptizo lavo, which fignifies, beyond all difpute. C ii 3 wafhjng ill general — laMifma lavatio, ablutio, wafliing, ablution, which we all know may be done, and is often well done without plunging the body all under the water. It is of no force to fay, that the word alfo fignifies to wafli by dipping, or plunging ; becaufe it then allows of otner modes of baptizing befides dipping. This is granting all we contend for in the text, that our biefled Saviour did not command and fix any particular mode of wafhing with water in the facred inftitution of baptifm, and that he does not require dipping or plunging, any more than fprinkling or pouring, but only baptifm. Some fay, that the word baptizo is derived from bapto, which all allow to fignify dipping or plunging only, as the dvers do when they mean to tinge, or form a bright color ; and, therefore, it mult have been the defign of our Saviour to fix the mode of baptifm by that word. — But this is nothing to the purpofe. If our Saviour de- figned to eftablifti the mode by the word, why did he not in the inftitution of baptifm, make ufe of bapto inftead of baptizo, which would at once have carried the allufion more ftrongly, and forever fixed the mode of baptifm to plung- ing only, as the Baptifts would have it? — It is more than probable that the word baptizo was ufed by our Saviour, and not bapto; becaufe it carriea the beautiful allufion of the other, but left his church at liberty to ufe the various modes of adminiftering the holy ordinance according to the different climes and feafons — according to to the different circumftances and neceffities — and according to the various infirmities of his dear people. [ »2 ] It was his maxim, " I will have mercy and not facrifice." — But not to weary you with thefe remarks, we fhall return to the law and teflimo- ny — I imngine you fee that the mode of dipping as the only true baptifm, is not enjoined by our Saviour in the worrts of the inftitution, where we (hould moft certainly have found it, had it been his defign— Let us examine fcripture-example refpefting the mode of baptifm. There we have a right to expecl fome pofitive proof, that dip- ping is the only mode, efpecially fince it is not pohtively and exprefsly enjoined in the words of the inftitution. But if all the examples of baptifm we have recorded, were moft evidently perform- ed by plunging, it would no more than prove that plunging is one fcriptural mode, or at leaft it would not alone prove, that it is indifpenfably neceffary to baptifm. The baptifm of our blcl- sed Saviour, by John, in Jordan, claims our firft attention. Matt. iii. 16. '' And Jefus when he " was baptized, went ftraightway out of the wa- *' ten" — This may be true hid ory, though he were not baptized by plunging. His coming up out of the water may have no refpeft at all to the mode of baptifm; for it was manifeftly after he was baptized. Here we might moft furely have expefted it to have been eftabliflied, were any one of the modes of baptizing to be the only true baptifm. But we are ftill left without any thmg certain to determine, whether our blefted Saviour himfelf was baptized by fprinkling, pouring, plunging, or fome other way. — Mark ^Ifo fays, " Jeius was baptized of John, in Jor- dan;" but refpefting the mode, he is wholly fi- Jent. — :He might have been baptized by either fT^ode, efpecially as there was water enough for [ 13 ] dipping — The fa6l that Jefus came up out of the water after he was baptized, cannot with any certainty prove, that he had been plunged all under the water upon that folemn occafion. The next example is John's baptizing at Enon, John iii. 23. '* And John was alfo bap- •' tizing in Enon, near to Salem, bccaufe there was ** much water there; and they came and were •' baptized." This does not even prove that John baptized by plunging, much lefs that dipping is the only mode of baptifm. Where there were fuch multitudes of people as reforted to John, much water muft have been neceflary for their ufe, had he baptized by pouring or fprinkling. John, notwithflanding all that appears to the contrary from the facred hiftory, might have ufed all the modes on different fubjefts, accord- ing to their fex, age, and circumftance. On the day of Pentecoit, when there were three thou- fand added to the church in one day, it is not very improbable that any of them, fmce it is in- credible that all of them, were baptized by plunging. The baptifm of the Eunuch is an- other example recorded in fcripture — We have a particular hjitory of this in the 8th chapter of the Afts of the apollles — '^ And they went down *' both into the v/ater, both Philip and the Eu- " nuch, and he baptized him; and when they '^ were come up out of the water, the fpirit of *^ the Lord caught away Philip." This is a very particular defcription of the folemn tranfaflion upon which the Baptifls much infift, as a clear and pofitive proof, that plunging is the only fcripture-baptifm. i: H ] But I hope, in a few words to {hew, that this IS fo far from proving, that dipping is the only fcripture-baptifm, that there is not any certain E roof whether the Eunuch himfelf was baptized y plunging, pouring, or {prinkling. Here let it be noticed, that the Greet prepofition eis, does not always fignify, into, as it is here tranflated, but is often trandated, to or unto — and ek tranf- lated, out of, very frequently fignifies,yr^m aiiy thing. Agreeable to this, the paffage may be thus read — " And they went down both to the •* water, both Philip and the Eunuch, and he *' baptized him ; and when they were come up ** from the water," &c. I may now appeal to any impartial mind, that if any one ftiould read this hillory, who has heara of baptizing only by pouring water upon the perfon baptized, whether he will not imme* diately fay tne Eunuch was baptized in that way; and whether he who has never feen the ordinance adminiftered only by fprinkling of clean water, will not as certainly conclude, that Philip baptized him by that mode ? — But could this poflibly be the cafe, if there were in the text any clear and certain proof in favor of plunging ? We will now confider the paffage more critical- ly— " and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the Eunuch." The going down into the water could not be the baptifm here re- corded ; becaufe Philip muft then alfo have been baptized, fince they both went dov/n into the water. But the plain fatl is, that the going down into the water, is no part of the baptifm here, but a diftinft thing — " And he baptized *' him,'* This fentence contains the baptifm^ and C 15 ] all that is certain about the mode in which it was adminiflered. After the Eunuch was bap- tized, it is faid, ^' they both came up out of tne *^ water." Does this prove that the Eunuch was plunged? and why not Phihp? Since he alfo came up out of the water. Should it be granted that the Eunuch was dipped, which is by no means certain, it will not cilablifh dipping as the only fcriptural mode of baptifm. Neither w^ill it prove, that it is effential to the right adminif- tration of the ordinance, efpecially as it is not made neceffary by him, who is the acknowledg- ed author of tne facred inftitution. Let us now confider thofe particularpaffages of facred fcripture, which are brought to prove that plunging is the only true mode of fcripture-bap- tifm — The firll I fhall take notice of is in Colof- fians ii. 12. and the parallel text in Romans vi. 4. " Buried with him in baptifm, wherein ye al- " fo are rifen with him through the faith of the *' operation of God, who hath raifed him from the *' dead. Therefore v/e are buried with him by ^' baptifm into death ; that like as Chrift, was raif- *' ed up from the dead by the glory of the Father, " even fo we alfo (hould walk in newnefs of life.'' It is very clear that the dcfign of infpiration in thefe words, was not to eftablifh any particular mode of baptifm. It was to (hew, that all thofe to whom he addreffed himfelf, who were truly baptized into Jefus Chrift, had really the internal change fignified by baptifm. They were bap- tifed mto his death, as the apoftle expreifes it.- They were really dead, and buried with Chrift as to fm, and with him were rifen again ; and [ 16 ] they alfowere really alive unto God, and could not defire to live any longer in fin. This is true with refpeCl to all thofe who have this internal fpiritual change, by the wafliing of regeneration, and fprinkling of the blood of Chrifl: fignified by baptifm ; though they were baptized only by fprinkling. They are trully and fpiritually baptized into his death— They *^ are buried with him by their baptifm into " death;" and they alfo '' are trully rifen with "him through the faith of the operation of God, " who hath raifed Chrifl from the dead." Let us not, my hearers, be too ftrenuous, but candid and generous to our brethren, who feem to be a little ftraitened on this fubjeft. Let us allow, that the apoftle has reference to the ex- ternal mode of baptifm. It will then prove that plunging is an allowed mode — But grant that it was an approved mode : grant that it was a modeof baptiim prattized in thofe v/armer climes ; and, llill farther, grant that it was the only mode prattifed by the apoftles, even then it will not by any means follow, that plunging is the only Chriftian baptifm. It is not exprefsly com- manded, and exclufively enjoined by our Lord and Mailer, in the original iniTitution; neither any where elle in the facred fcriptures, is it inti- mated to be his will. Some, to prove dipping to be the only bap- tifm, have made ufe of i Cor. x. 2. " And were *' all baptifed unto Mofes, in the cloud, and in " the lea." But it is probable, that they who imagine it to the purpofe, are ftill where our fa- C 17 ] thers were, under a cloud, and have not yet paf- fed through the fea. Should any think it refers to the mode of Chriftian baptifm, I (hall only obferve, that the fpray of the waters on the right and left, and the mift of the cloud above, as they paffed through the fea, gently fprinkling them, do as aptly reprefent, to an nnpartial mind, the mode of fprinkling. But the apoftle, Eph, iv. 5. fays, " One Lord, one faith, one " baptifm." It is true that we acknowledge but one baptifm by water, even that inftituted by our bleffed Lord in our text ; but (till there may be different ways of applying the water in the facred wafliing, fuch as may anfwer a good con- fcience, and may mofl aptly reprefent the man- ner of his death with Chrin:, as to fm, and his rifing again to fpiritual life. The three modes ufed in the protellant church, taken together, may moft fitly reprefent the out-pouring of that all-powerfiil influence of the Holy Spirit, by which the command comes home to the guilty foul : by which fm revives, and is overwhelm- ed in death. They may alfo reprefent that fpi- ritual wafhing of regeneration and fprinkling of the precious blood of Chrift, by which the fou! is cleanfed from fm and guilt, and rifes with Chrifl to a new fpiritual life and comfort, thro* faith, which is of the operation of God. On the whole, it at lead is evident, that our brethren the Baptifts ought to be a little lefs po- fitive on this fuDJeft, and more modeft and cha- ritable toward thofe who differ from them m that refpeft. They hold that without dipping or plunging the body all under the water, there ii no Chriftian baptifm ; efteeming themfelvesj [ 18 ] from this principle, the only Chriftian church in tiic world : They will hola no Chriftian com- munion with any of the proteftant churches. The Epifcopal church adminifters baptifm by pouring, and thofe of their communion ufe that mode. We think the mode of fprinkling as fcriptural as pouring or plunging ; but yet w^e can ufe either mode as may beft anfwer a good confcience to him who is baptifed. The mode of baptizing, by fprinkling clean w^ater, w^e think was holden forth by the Jewifh types, and clearly foretold of the Chriftian church in Ezek. xxxvi. 25, 26. '" Then w411 I '' fprinkle clean water upon you, and ye ftiall " be clean from all your filthinefs, and from all *' your idols will I cleanfe you. — A new heart " alfo w411 I give you, and a new fpirit will I put •^ within you; and I will take away the ftony " heart out of your flefti, and I will give you a '' heart of flefh." It is expredy promifed to Chrill:, in Ifa. Hi. 1^. " So Ihall he fprinkle ma- " ny nations ; the kings fliall ftiut their mouths " at him, for that which had not been told them *' Ihall they fee ; and that which they had not *' heard, iliall they confider." This mode of baptifm is very exprelfive of our being walhcd and cleanfed from our hns, filth, and pollution, by the precious blood of Chrift, which is, there- fore, called the blood of fprinkling. Heb. xii. 22 — 24. *'But ye are come unto Mount Zion — " and to Jefus the Mediator of the New-Cove- " nant, and to the blood of fprinkling, that ** fpeaketh better things than that of Abel." — • 1 Pet. i. 2. " £le6l according to the fore -know- C »9 3 '^^ ledge of God the Father through fanftificati- ** on of the Spirit unto obedience, and fprinkling *^ of the blood of Jefus Chrift." Upon the whole, it is clear to me, beyond a doubt, and I ferioufly think it will alfo appear to every impartial mind, that it was not the defign of Cnrift to confine his church in the adminiftra- tian of baptifm, to either of the modes which have been mentioned. He, therefore, has given fufficient light in his word, to countenance the ufe of either mode, as the circumftances and ne- ceflities of his people may require. To afcer- tain the proper fubjefts of this ordinance, is a matter of much greater importance. I fhall, therefore, proceed upon that fubje6l, after mak- ing a few remarks, 1. Our brethren are moft certainly wrong and fchifmatical, in rejefting all other Chriftian churches, on account of their difference in the mode of adminiflering baptifm. They have no fufficient warrant to make dipping or plunging eflential to the very being of baptifm. — We do not doubt that many of them think they are right ; but it is very clear to me, that fuch have never thoroughly and impartially examined the facred fcriptures, or have not yet learned what that meaneth^ *' I will have mercy and not fa-« *' crifice." 2. We may, and ought to own thofe minifters and churches which Chrill Jefus owns, and bleffes with his graces, prefence and influence in the adminiflration of his word and ordinances, agreeably to his precious promife in the text. — We believe he thus owns fome of the Baptift C ^0 3 ^hurche^ and minifters; and, if w^ make the pomparifon, we truft fome of our minifters and churches are nothing behind them. Should we not then blefs God together, and love one ano- ther as brethren? Whobbjefts to this? Let him anfwer it to our Lord and matter. But rather let him now, in love, receive the light and truth as it is in Jefus— let him learn to be lefs bitter ^nd eenforious — let him be more modeft and (eharitable towards the church of Chrift, and let him not make a fchifm where Chrift makes no difference. g. It is of great importance as matters now {land, that we all fliould critically and impartial? iy e}i:araiHe the facred fcriptures on this pointy Important for us that we may know and have pur minds eftabliflied in the truth ; and be able to " ftand faft in the liberty wherewith Chrift has made us free.'' Important for the Baptifts, that they may be lefs zealous in matters noa effential ; but more zealous in the things that make for the peace, and the edifying of the bor; 4y of Chrift in love ; left fome of them fuffer lofs v^hen they fliall be faved fo as by fire, an^ others ftand reproved in the great day of the Lord. SERMON IL The qualifications in ADULTS for " ADMISSION TO BAPTISM. Acts vlii. 37. /ind Philip /aid, if thou believejl with all thin^ h^art, thou mayejl. THIS was the anfwer given by Philip, an e- minent preacher of the gofpel, to the Ethi- opian Eunuch's requeft to be baptized. " See," fiiid the Eunuch, " here is water; what doth hin- *' der me to be baptized?" Philip repHed, " if thou *' beheveft with all thine heart, thou mayeft." — The Ethiopian anfwered, " I believe that Jefus *' Chrift is the Son of God." Upon this profef- lion he was baptized. There are two queflions about the proper fub* jefts of baptifm. One refpeQs adult perfons—^ the other infants. Our text has immediate re-r ference only to the former, and is a proper an- fwer to that queftion. We {hall, therefore, now proceed to confider, who, among the adults* to whom the gofpel is preached, are to be baotized, or what qualifica^ tions in fuch are neceflary to baptifm. Let it here be well remembered, that as the facred fcrip- tures ^re the rule we muft neither increafe, nor C 22 ] diminifh the qualifications therein prefcribed.-iU I fliall, therefore, call your attention, I. To the facred fcriptures on this fubje6l.r-« And then proceed, II. To prove the necefTar)^ qualifications for adult baptifm, from the nature, ufe, and defign of the facred inftitution. The enquiry now before us is, who among the adults, that live under the light of the gofpel^ and are capable of hearing and underftanding its folemn and interefting report, are to be baptiz- ed?— The obfervations which fhall be made in this difcourfe, are to be underftood with refer- ence only to thefe. The other queftion, refpefl:-» ing infants, muft be diftinftly confidered in an-» other place. On this fubje6l, my brethren, we have the Bible open before us; but the text claims our firft attention, becaufe of its place at the head of this difcourfe; " If thou believefl: with all thine *' heart, thou mayefl'' be baptized. This text muft be allowed to import, that if thou doft not believe with all thy heart, thou muft not be baptized — I may not baptize thee. It is evident that Philip here intended two things by his an- fwer. 1. To refer the Eunuch to his own con- fcience before God. 2. To obtain fome credible evidence of the true ftate of his mmd. The firft being clear, the Eunuch readily and folemnly anfwers the fecond in the following emphatical words — / believe that Jcfus Chrifl is the Son of God. What kind of faith is here required by tho C 23 ] Evangelift, is the only queftion that remains to determine the fenfe of the text; for it muft be fuppofed, that the Eunuch profefTed the fame faith which Philip required. Some imagine it to be only what is called an hiftorical faith — A common bare affent of the underftanding to the hiftory of the gofpel — fuch as thofe commonly have who are educated under its light. But how this can be called believing with all the heart, can hardly be conceived, fince the very difini- tion wholly excludes the heart. Others fuppofe it is the faith that, in fome meafure, realizes to the mind the folemnity and importance of the fafts holden up to view in the goipel, which muft greatly affeft the foul, and make the finner tremble; but does not imply any change of heart, or real conformity of it to the things believed. — But how can this be a be- lieving with all the heart, which is, according to the fuppofition, a believing againft the heart! — Thus the apoftle fays, " The devils believe and *' tremble." But let the fcripture explain itfelf, and we fhall not here be at a lofs. Rom. x. g, io. ** That if you fhalt confefs with thy mouth ^* the Lord Jeius, and flialt believe in thine heart " that God hath raifed him from the dead, thou " (halt be faved. For with the heart man be- *' lieveth unto righteoufnefs, and with the mouth ** confeifion is made unto faivation." To believe in the heart, and with the heart, is a faving faith in fcripture-language ; " For with the heart man " believeth unto righteoufnefs." It is alfo obferv- able, that the true conf elFi on with the mouth flows from a believing heart; for thus confeC- fion is made unto falvation. C 24 3 It is evident, that in order to baptifm, the E- vangelift required laving faith in Chrift, and that of one alfo who was not a heathen. It feems, hence, clearly to follow, that of thofe to whom the gofpel is preached, no one is to be baptized but the believer, and he only upon giving credi- ble evidence of his faving faith in Chrift Jefus. This agrees with the molt obvious fenfe of the commiltion, Matth. xxviii. ig. Markxvi. 15, 16. ^' Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, bap- *' tizing them in the name of the Father, and oF '' the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft. And he faid *' unto them. Go ye into all the world, and *^ preach the gofpel unto every creature. He <^ that believeth and is baptized (hall be favedj *' but he that believeth not fhall be damned.'* It accords with the doftrine Chrift taught long before, fee John iii. 5. " Jefus anfwered, and faid *' unto him. Verily, verily, I fay unto thee, ex- " cept a man be born again he cannot fee the " kingdo;n of God. Jefus anfwered. Verily, ve- ** rily, I fay unto thee, except a man be born of *' water, . and of the fpirit, he cannot enter into *' the kingdom of God." It alfo feems to have been the uniform prac- tice of all the apoftles, according to the infpired records of their conduft. Afcl:sii.38 — 41 ** Then *' Peter faid unto them, repent and be baptized, " every one of you in the name of Jefus Chrift, " for the remiflion of fins, and ye mall receive '' the gift of the Holy Ghoft. Then they that *' gladly received his word were baptized; and '* the fame day there were added unto them a* " bout three thoufand fouls/' [ 25 ] True repentance neceffarily implies a change of heart; therefore to give up ourfelves to be baptized in the name of Jefus Chrift, as called upon in the text, pre-fuppofes a faving faith. — It pre-fuppofes that faith, which is connefted with the forgivenefs of fins. But to clearly de- termine the matter, it is added in the 4 lit verfe, *' Then they that gladly received the word,"* which is the fame as believing with all the heart, " were baptized." Here it is manifeft tjiat the apoftles baptized none of the many thoufands^ who heard them preach onthatfolemnoccafion, butthofe who appeared cordially to embrace the gofpel, Afts viii. 12, 13. " But when they be- "■ lieved Philip preaching the things concerning *' the kingdom of God, and the name of Jefus *^ Chrift, they were baptized, both men and wo-^ *' men. Then Simon himfelf believed alib," &c. Simon was baptized only on the fuppofition of faving faith, and was rejeSed immediately when it appeared, that he was in the gall of bitternefs, and bonds of iniquity. I find no example in this facred hiilory, of adult perfons, v/ho were bap- tized^ but what confirms the fame thing.* Upon the whole, it is very evident, that though the apoftles preached the gofpel to every crea- ture, to Jews and Gentiles, yet they baptized no adult perfons, unleis they made a profeflion of real religion, and gave credible evidence of fav- ing faith in the Lord Jefus Chrift. Thus it ap- pears from fcripture, that nothing fiiort of true and faving faith renders an adult perfon a pro- per fubjeo; of Chriftian baptilm. — I fiiail now proceed. D * See the inilance of Lydia and the Jailor— A^s xvi. ij— 34« c 26 i II. To argue the necefTary qualifications for advilt baptifm, from the nature, ufe, and defign ot the facred inftitution. Under this head I fhall endeavor to fhew, from a variety of confiderations, that faith in Chrift, and nothing (hort of it, qualifies an adult perfon for baptifm. This will appear ,^?y?, from the ufe of baptifm as an initiating ordinance into the church. Our blefi'ed Saviour, fpeaking of adult perfons, fays, John iii. 3. *' Except a man be born again he *' cannot fee the kingdom of God." In the 5th verfe — ** except a man be born of water, and of '' the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of ** God. And in John xviii. 36. " Jefusanfwer- *' ed, my kingdom is not of this world. If my '* kingdom were of this world, then would my " fervants fight, that I fhould not be delivered to *' the Jews ; but now is my kingdom not from " hence." The apoftle alfo afferts, Titus ii. 14. '^ That Chrifl gave himfelf to redeem us from all " iniquity, and to purify unto himfelf a peculiar " people, zealous of good works." If the church of Chrifl is to confift of a pecu* liar people, feparated from the world — if a man muft be born of the Spirit to enter into this king- dom, it mufl follow that baptifm, which intro* duces an adult perfon into tne vifible church, as a qualified member, ought not to be adminifler- ed to any of thefe but upon credible evidence, that they are thus qualified. This is exactly a- greeable to the anfwer of our queftion, in the Shorter Catechifm, which fays, " That baptifm C 27 ] is not to be adminiftered to any who are out of the vifible church, until thev profefs their faith in Chrift, and obedience to nim." 2. From the defign of baptifin, as a feal of the covenant of promife, both on God's, and on our part. In this covenant are promifes to the church in general, and to the believer in particu- lar, for himfelf and his children, as I fiiall (liew on another occafion. But nothing fhort of faith in Chrift brings an adult perfon into this cove- nant, and entitles him to the promifes. The pro- mifes are yea and amen, only in Chrift Jefus, a- greeably to 2 Cor. i. 20. Since it is by faith on- ly that a perfon, who a6ls for himfelf, or who, according to the gracious conftitution, a6ls for others, agrees to the covenant, or takes hold of the promife, it is a great abfurdity to adminifter baptifm, which is a feal of the covenant to any adult unbeliever. Faith, therefore, in Chrift, or an hearty agreement to the covenant on our part is abfolutely neceffary to baptifm. 3. Adult baptifm is a public folemn profef- fion, that we do forfake our fins, that we re- nounce our idols, and give ourfelves and ours to God through Jefus Chrift. But no perfon a£lu- ally does this except he has faith in Jefus Chrift. Philip, therefore, faid, " Ifthoubeiieveft v/ith all " thine heart thou mayeft" be baptized. Confe- quently true faith is a neceffary qualification in a- dult baptifm. But to fum up the v/hoie. and bring it before you in one view — if adult baptifm figni- fies any thing fpiritual on the part of the baptized, if it feals to him any promife for himfelf, or for his children^ it muft fuppofe real faith. For example: [ 28 ] The wafliing away of our fins by the blood of Chrifl mull certainly fuppofe faith in Chrift, or elfe it figuifies that which is not true. If it feals to adults the promifed bleffings of the new co- venant for themfelves, or for their children, it is only through Chrift, and neceflarily fuppofes faith. In whatever light we confider the fubjeft, faving faith appears to be a qualification effenti- ally neceffary for adult baptifm. All the inftan- ces of adult baptifm, we have recorded in the fa- cred fcriptures, are full on this point. They clearly fnew, that the apoftles, and primitive dif- ciples of Chrift did not baptize any to whom they preached the gofpel, on the fuppofition of a mere hiftorical faith, or becaufe they were only ferioufty affefted. Felix trembled, but was not baptized. And, no doubt, many others trembled under the pov/erful preaching of the apoftles on the day of Pentecoft; but we do not read that any of them w^ere baptized, except thofe who gladly received the word. When the apoftles w^ent out to the Gentiles, they preached the gof- pel to vaft multitudes; but we do net find that they baptized any adults, either men or women, except thofe who made a credible profeflion of their faith in Chrift, We have fufficient light, therefore, whether we look direftly to the fcriptures, or reafon on the nature, ufe, and dcfign of this inftitution, to fliew us that faith is an efiential pre-requifite to adult baptifm ; or that this ordinance muft not be adminiftered to any but through the qualify- ing influence of this grace. The reafon is obvi- ous. All thepromiled bleflings of the covenant pf grace are tr^afured in Chrift for his church [ 29 ] and people, and flow out to them only through faith. This alone unites us to him, and gives us a gracious title to the privileges and bleumgs granted to believers, either for themfelves or their children. The apoftle addrefled the mul- titude on the day of Pentecoft, exaftly in this connexion. PreflTmg on them the call to repentance, faith, and baptifm, by this very argument, he faid, " Repent and be baptized every one of you in *' the name of Jefus Chrift, for the remiflion of " fins — For the promife is to you, and to your *' children.'* It is plain, that there is neither force nor propriety in this, unlefs repentance and faith were neceffary to baptifm, and to the enjoy- ment of the bleffings and privileges of the gofpel church. , That which qualifies an adult perfon for bap- tifm, gives him, through this ordinance, an equal right to enjoy all the privileges and bleffings of the free citizens of Zion. But nothing (hort of faith in Chrift can give an adult perfon, before God, and nothing mort of a credible profeffion of it can, in the view of the church, give him a right to the enjoyment of all thefe bleffings and privileges. Faith in Chrift, therefore, muft be confidered as an eflential qualification for adult baptifm — And, upon the llrifteft examination, this will be found to be agreeable to the praftice of the church in pureft times. It alfo has been the fentiment and praftice of the moft pious and fuccefsful minifters of Chrift in every age of the church — and it agrees v/ith the confeffion of the faith of our church, and I believe of all the beft C 30 ] reformed churches In the world. This difcourfe ftiall now be clofed with a few remarks. 1. Baptifm is a folemn inftltution. It is un- doubtedly of equal authority and folemnity with the holy ordinance, the Lord's fupper. Some feem to have loofe ideas of baptifm, and of the qualifications necefiary for its proper fubjefts, who, at the fame time, are very fuperftitious ref- pefting the holy fupper. But, according to fcrip- ture, they are both on the fame foundation — Both equally folemn and facred. They have one author. They are feals of the fame covenant ; and they are both facraments of the new tefta- ment, and require the fame qualifications in a- dult perfons — In both we have to deal with a heart-fearching God ; and we are to give up ourfelves in covenant to him, through Jefus Chrift, to be his for ever. — The fin of coming un- qualified to both, is equally heinous — The pro- phanation of either is equally dangerous. — He who comes properly qualified to baptifm, ought to blefs God^ and come cheerfully to the Lord's fupper. 2. The true church is founded on the rock Chrift Jefus. Since baptifm is the initiating ordinance into the church, faith in Chrift is ne- ceftary to baptifm in adult perfons. A credible profeHion of this faith is the ground upon which Daptifm is to be adminifterea to any adult per- fon. Accordingly we find that when Peter pro- feifed his faith in Chrift, our blefted Saviour an- fwcred, (Matt. xvi. 18.) " And I fay alfo unto " thee that thou art Peter, and upon this rock ^^ I will build my church; and the gates of hell C 31 3 *' {hall not prevail againft it." There may be other churches, and indeed there muft be other churches, who are not built on this foundation, and make not any, or a different profeflion. — ' They may be numerous and flourifhing ; but they certainly will be entirely confumed when every man's work (hall be tried by fire. 3. The church of Chrift ought to hold the or- dinance of baptifra, very dear and facred. This not only fignifies and feals to believers the inef- timable blefTmgs and privileges of the new cov-^ enant, but is the ordinance of admiffion into the church. Oh ! hov/ careful fhould the minifters and churches of Chrift be in their conduct, left this facred ordinance be prophaned ! They fhould always be vigilant, left any (hould prol- titute it to purpofes foreign to the facred defign of its inftitution. The world fhould know that minifters have no right, but from Chrift, to ad- minifter baptifm to any. Every one ought to know, that it is not a matter of favor with them, which they may beftow at pleafure, but at their peril. The word of God is their rule : And we all know, or ought to know, that when this fa- cred inftitution is mifapplied and abufed, it is always attended with fome of the worft confe- quences, both to the church and to the fouls of men. 4. They who defpife and wilfully negleft this ordinance, cannot be Chriftians. Though we do not hold that baptifm is abfolutely neceftary to falvation ; yet fince it is a pofitive inftitution of Chrift, and enjoined on his church as a ftand- ing ordinance, they who wilfully neglect it, they [ 32 1 who defpife it, are certainly chargeable with continued difobedience to him, and muft be con- fidered as deftitute of the diflinguifhing qualifi- cations of Chriftians. 5. All thofe who are baptized are under mofl; folemn obligations to live holy lives — They are given up to God — They are fet apart for him — They ought to give up themfelves wholly to God and his fervice, and to live foberly, right- eoufly and godly in all manner of converfation. For them now to live in fin, and to purfue the ways of the wicked, is to deny their baptifm ; is to difown the God of their fathers, and to load their fouls with aggravated guilt. Be perfuad- ed then, all you of this character, to renounce your tranfgreffions, fpare your own fouls, and give glory to God through Jefus Chrift. Some of you have folemnly acknowledged thefe obli- gations before God and his people ; and have lealed the covenant at the Lord's table : You ought, therefore, to love and ferve him, whom you have thus acknowledged to be your God and Saviour. Confider, Oh ! confider how ag- gravated your fins muft be againft fuch folemn ties ! Can you think any obligations fo facred, fo folemn, fo often confirmed, as thofe which you are under, to forfake all the ways of fin, to live to God, and to ferve him with your whole foul? SERMON III INFANT BAPTISM. Gal. ili. 29. And if ye be ChriJFs, then are ye AbraharrCsfeed^ and heirs according to the promife. RESPECTING the eternal council of God the Father, and the defign of his grace to- wards our loft world, we are informed, John iii. 16. That " God fo loved the world that he gave *^ bis only begotten Son, that whofoever believ- " eth in him fhould not perifh, but have ever-i « Uaing life." To complete this glorious work of falvation ; to redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himfelf a peculiar people; to deftroy fatan's kingdom and to bring glory to God in the falva* lion of finners — Jefus Chrift was appointed Me- diator of the New-Covenant. It pleafed God, foon after the fall of man, to reveal this gracious defign, and fet up his church and kingdom on earth, which he has fupported in every age of the world. To the members of this kingdom, God has, at different times, promifed certain bleffings, and granted certain privileges gradual- ly'difplaying the riches of his grace and good- nefs, in a variety of fucceffive dilpenfations. The firll gracious intimation is recorded Gen, iii. 15, E [ 34 ] where it is promired, that ^' The feed of the wo- '' man fliall bruife the ferpent's head." It pleaf- ed God more fully to reveal this glorious defign to Abraham. With him he eftablilhed a graci- ous covenant ; a covenant which contained cer- tain promifes. To him he alfo granted certain bleffings and privileges, both for his natural and fpiritual feed, (Gen. xvii. 7.) Upon this 1 fliall hereafter have occafion to fpeak more fully. — God thus conftituted him the Father of the Faithful. He thus eftablilhed his covenant, that they (hould not only pattern his faith, but that all his fpiritual feed or children fhould alfo inhe- rit the fpiritual bleffings and privileges of the covenant of promife. This the apoftle, more than once or twice, exprefsly afferts in our con- text. '' Know ye, therefore, that they which are ** of faith, the fame are the children of Abraham. *' And the fcripture forefeeing that God would '' juftify the heathen through faith, preached be- ^' fore the gofpel unto Abraham, faying. In thee " fhall all nations be bleffed. So then they *' which be of faith are bleffed with faithful Abra- *' ham. That the bleffing of Abraham might •' come on the Gentiles through Jefus Chrilt ; ** that we might receive the promife of the Spirit '* through faith. For ye are all the children of " God by faith in Chrifl Jefus.''* Then hefums up the whole in our text. '' If ye be Chrill's, " then are ye Abraham's feed, and heirs accord- '' ing to the promife." That the promife here mentioned, contained fpiritunl blefimgs and pri- vileges ; that God granted thcfe to Abraham as the Father of the Faithful; that it was one of thofe bleffmors contained in this covenant of o * Veiics, 7, 8, 9, 1-4, 1^, C 35 ] promife; that infants were to be received with their parents into the church, and have the feal of the righteoufnefs of faithadminifleredto them — that this bleffing, or privilege of Abraham, is now come upon the Gentiles, through faith in Chrift, as is afferted in the 14th verfe — and that all v/ho are Chrifl's, are Abraham's feed and heirs according to the promife as expreiled in our text, feem to be inconteftable truths. Tlie doftrine inferred from the words of our text, in this connexion, as the fubjeti of the enfuing dif- courfe, is. That believers under the gofpel difpenfation have a right to baptifm for their infant children, or that the infants of fuch are to be baptized. To illuftrate and eflablifh this doClrine, it is propofed by divine affillance to fhew, I. That God did gracioufly grant unto Abra- ham, as the father of believers, that infants fhould be received into the vifible church with their parents. II. That God commanded, that the feal of the righteoufnefs of faith fhould be adminiftered unto them. III. That this great privilege i.s,underthe gof- pel, confirmed and continued to believers. Or that the infant children of believers are to be baptized. I. I am to fliow. That God did gracioufly grant unto Abraham, as the father of believers. C 35 !] that inFatits (hould be received into thfc viRble church with their parents. That the truth of this tiiay clearly appear, fe- veral things command particular attention. 1. At a time when religion was very loW iti Ihfe world, and wheti the vifible church w^as al- rnoft extinft, God called Abraharii out from the wricked world, in order to fet up his church and kingdom in his family.* 2. When God had tried and proved Abra- liam's faith and obedience,+ he eftablifhed his covenant with him as ah everlafting covenant, and fet up his church in Abraham*s houfe.t Herb we fee certain commands enjoined on Abraham; certain inftitu'tions for him to obfcrve, and cer- tain blefTmgs and privileges granted to him for hirafelf, and for his feed. Thefe blefhngs were lo continue in the church, afid to defc^ndto his children through fucceeding ages. This was an everlafting covenant. " I w^iU be a God to thfee, '' and to thy feed after thee.'' 3. Let itbe ftriflly obferved, thatthefpiritual T)lelfmgs contained in this covenant, were grant- ed to Abraham as a father to the faithful. They are fummed up in thefe emphatical words; " I *' will be a God to thee, and to thy feed after ''' thee.'* The Jews themfelves underftood it in this view, but confined the bleffings, both fpirit- iial and temporal, to Abraham's natural feed through the law. This grofs miftake the apof- tle corrects, in the chapter containing oUt text, ^ Gen. (bliap. la. f ^hap.'ij, 16. J Chap. 17. I S7 3 by cleat-ly fti^wmg, that they ^vere defigned for his fpiritual feed alfo, through the gofpel, whe- ther Jews or Gentiles. The true ftatc of the hiatter was this — The vifible church at that time was almoft fwallowed up in a deluge of i- dolatry, and wickednefs — but God was pleafed to call forth Abraham, and begin a new difpen- fation of grace to his church. To difplay more fully his glorious defign, he gave richer promif- •^s, and granted more ample privileges. This "v^-as to be an everlafting eovenantj Gen. Xvii. 7. *' And I will eftablifh my covenant be- *' tween me and thee, and thy feed after tkee, in ^' their generations, for an everlafting covenant, '*• to be a God unto thee and thy feed after thee." 4. In this difpenfatioii of his grace to hh church, he exprefsly granted unto Abraham this great privilege, that infants fhould be received into the vifible church with their patents ; ind ht ordered that the fign of the covenant Siduid lot adminiftered to every male child at eight days ^Id. The feme day, in obedience to the divine tommand, was Abraham circumcifed, amd^hk ^on Iftimael.* Her^, my brahrf^n, was fomething new 'aM .glorious-— Abraham, through this covenant, nb ^oubt, faw Chrift, the glorious head of all his fpiritual feed, and was glad, as our blefled Savi- our obferves.t Under this difpenfation you fee that God ap- pointed and commanded, that infants fiiculd bt * Gencfis xvii. f John viii. j6. I 38 ] received into the church with their pafents. In- fants, by circumcifion as an initiating ordinance, were admitted into the church. Thus theapof- tie fays, Afts vii. 8. "And he gave him the co- *' venant of circumcifion. And fo Abraham be- *•' gat Ifaac, and circumcifedhim the eighth day,'* &c. It is very evident that the church once pofTef- fed this ineftimable privilege of giving up their children to God in the covenant of promife ; .and it is as evident that by the Ipecial command of God, the faithful, in the only true church, en- joyed the fame through fucceeding ages. They alfo had many precious promifes for their chil- dren recorded in the facred oracles, all which are yea and amen in Chrift Jefus to believers. — ■ Of this I fliall have occafion to fpeak more free- ly in another place. II. I propofe to flicw, that God did command, that the feal of the righteoufnefs of faith fliould be adminidered to infants. To prevent a diffi- culty from arifing in your minds, I would here obferve, that no fign nor feal, which is wholly legal, and refpects only temporal bleffings, can, with any propriety, be called a feal of the righ- teoufnefs of faith. Thofe who believe the facred . fcriptures, cannot doubt, that God commanded circumcifion to be adminillered to infants of eight days old.^ It is commanded, that not only Abraham muft .circumcife his own chiidren, but it is exprefsly commanded, that his feed after him mull becir- * Gcnefis vii. lo — 12—14. [ 39 ] cumcifed in their generations. So ftricl was the command, that every uncircumcifed male child was ordered to be cut off from God's people, be- caufe he had broken the covenant. Some, per- haps, may fay, that this is nothing tc the pur- pofe, for circumcifion was a carnal, legl, bloo- dy ordinance. They may fay, that it was a co- venant of works, and could have no refpeft to Chriftian baptifm. But, my hearers, let your minds be calm and attentive. As for fuch ran- ters, let them take heed led they be found to op- pofe the apollle, and contradift the fpirit of in- fpiration. Circumcifion was a feal of the righ- teoufneis of faith. The very fame circumcifion which God appointed, and commanded to be adminiftered to infants, who were, by it, admit- ted into the covenant of promife with their pa- rents, was a feal of the righteoufnefs of faith. — Faith is not of works, but of grace. Whatever ends circumcifion might be fuppof- ed to anfwer in this, or the fucceeding difpenfa- tion, yet it was here a feal of the righteoufnefs of that faith, by which a believer is juftified and faved. The apoftle Paul referring exprefsly to this command of circumcifion, and fpeaking of the bleffednefs of thofe whofe fins are forgiven, fays, Romans iv. 9, 10, 11, 12. " Cometh this " bleffednefs then upon the circumcifion only, *' or upon the uncircumcifion alfo? for we fay *' that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righ- " teoufnefs.— How was it then reckoned? when *' he was in circumcifion, or in uncircumcifion? '' Not in circumcifion, but in uncircumcifion.— '•' And he received the fign of circumcifion, a feal '' of the righteoufnefs of the faith which he had C 40 } *^ yet bein^ uncircumcifed: that he might be th^ " father of all them that believe, though they bq " not circumciled, that righteoufnefs might b? *' imputed unto them alfo: — And the father of " circumcifion to them who are not of the cir- " cumcifion only, but who alfo walk in the fteps *' of that faith of our father Abraham, which be " had being yet uncircumcifed." Having proved to you that circumcifion wa^ a feal of the righteoufnefs of faith, and having proved, that God himfelf commanded it to he adminiftered to infants as a (landing ordinance. in his church, under the Abrahamic and Mofaic difpenfations of the covenant of promife, it, there-* fore, muft be evident to every impartial mind, that the true church once had this grant from heaven, and that the members of the vifible church did once, and for a long time enjoy this great, this interelling privilege- They did give Up their infant offspring to God, and in token of this the feal of the righteoufnefs of faith wa$ adminiftered to them. Thefe are the points which were to be efta- blifhed under the firll and fecond heads of this difcourfe. But before I proceed to the next head, it may be ncceffary to anfwer fome objeftions, which have been thrown in the way of the truth, and which may flill be lurking in fome of your miftds. It has been faid, that the law given at Sinai difannulled this covenant with Abraham; that the law was four hundred and thirty years after this ; and that, fince it was an entire uew dif- C 4X 3 penfation, attended with many new ceremonies, it muft have rendered the Abrahamic difpenfa- tion ufelefs. In confequence of this remark, fome have faid, that all arguments drav/n thence are of no weight, and tend only to confufe and deceive weak minds. All this is very plaufible, indeed^ and may have great weight v/ith fome; but it is cafy to fhew every candid mind that the affertion is falfe, and that the objeflion has no force. 1. Though it fliould be granted that the A- brahamic difpenfation ceafed, . w^hen fucceeded by the Mofaic economy; yet it will by no means follow, that the covenant of promife was made void. Neither will it follow, that any of the bleflTmgs and privileges once granted to be-» lievers, were taken away. Thefe may (land good, and promifed blelhngs be more clearly holden up to viev/, and more liberally bellowed on the church, in a new way, by the fucceeding difpen- fation, agreeably to the gracious defign of God, more fully to difplay his mercy* 2. It is certain, that circumcifion, as a fign of the Abrahamic covenant, and as a feal of the righteoufnefs of faith^ was continued under the Jewiih difpenfation ; that the privileges granted to the church were continued — that many of the bleffings promifed to Abraham, as the father of believers, were enjoyed by the Jewifh church, and that God befrowed thefe bleffings on that people, as the God of Abraham, the God of Ifaac, and the God of Jacob. It, therefore, muit follow, that the Abrahamic covenant was not made void by the Jewiih difpenfation. C 42 ] 3. But what is more than all, we have the apof- tle's exprefs declaration on this head — a decla- ration, which, when properly confidered, mud for ever filence all fuch objedors. Gal. iii. 17. *' And this I fay, that the covenant that was con- *' firmed before of God in Chrift, the law which " was four hundred and thirty years after can- ^* not difannul, that it ihould make the promife *' of noneeffed." If the law, or Jewifh difpen- fation, had made void this great promife, or pri- vilege, it would now have been of noneeffeft. — The bleffings could not have come upon us Gen- tiles. III. It is here propofed to fhew^ that the pri- vilege once granted to Abraham, as the father of believers, that infants fhould be received into the vifible church with their parents, is confirmed under the gofpel, and is continued to believers. Here it would be eafy to fhew, that all the pro- xnifes, bleflings and privileges of the church, con- tained in every difpenfation, in all their true fpi- rilu il meaning, are, under the gofpel, confirmed and continued to believers; but we are confined, by the narrow limits of our difcourfe, to only one privilege. But let it be our prefent comfort, that this is not fmall. 1. Every fpiritual privilege once granted to the church by its great King and Head, remains in full force until repealed. This may be thus illuftrated — God once granted unto Abraham, as a father in the church, the privilege of giving up himfelf in covenant. This remained in force under the Jewifii difpenfation to all his feed, and as it is not vet repealed, remains ilill in force to [ 43 ] all his fpiritual children. This, I believe, will hold good with refpeft to all the fpiritual bleff- ings and privileges God has granted to his church in every age. Modes and fliadows may be chang- ed, but the fubftance (till remains. It has been proved, that God did grant and confirm unto his church the privilege that infants fliould be re- ceived into the vifible church with their parents, and that the feal of the righteoufncfs of faith fhould be given unto them. This, unlefs it has been repealed, moft certainly remains as an in- heritance for believers, which they may enjoy as members of the vifible, church and true children of Abraham. For to ufe the apoftle's argument, believers are all one in Chrift Jefus, and if ye be Chrift's, then are ye Abraham's feed, and heirs according to the promife. If believers have now an undoubted right, by heirfhip, to all the privileges of the covenant of promife granted to Abraham, which are not re- pealed under the gofpel, we may boldly affert, that if this privilege is not now repealed, the command of God is now on all true believers to give up their infants to him in covenant; and, as a token to this, ought to adminifler to them that which is now the fign of the covenant, and feal of the righteoufncfs of faith. But we believe, and confidently affirm, tliat all the fpiritual blelfings and privileges formerly granted to the church are now in full force. We have particularly proved, that this privi- lege alfo was once granted, it, therefore, remains confirmed under the gofpel, and continued to [ 44 ] believers. Thofe who undertake to releafc Chrif- tians from this command of God, and deny be- lievers the ineftimable pleafure of giving up their dear infant-ofiTspring to God in covenant through Jefus Chrift, ought now folemnly to prove, that this privilege is made void by the gofpeL The burden of proof now lies upon our brethren, the Baptifts. Here we ought alway to put the laboriiig oar into their hands, and then let them labor fince they will undertake it. But, alas! their talk here is as difficult as it is unthankful. — Our bleffed Saviour charges us not to think that he came to '' deftroy the law and the pro- '' phets,''(Matth. v. 17.) Theapofllealfoalfures us, that all the promifes are yea and amen in Chrift Jefus, (2 Cor. i. 20.) Agreeably to this we miay be affured that Chrift came to be unto his dear people all that the law typified of him — to fulfil all that the prophets foretold of him, and to bellow all the fpiritual bleffings promifed in his word. But let us calmly hear, and let us without pre- judice examine what our brethren the Baptilts fay to prove that this privilege is repealed by the gofpcl. 1. It is faid that this covenant belonged to the Jewifh dilpenfation, which v/as wholly done a- \ vray by Cliriit, and that confequently it is now of no force. Anf 1. But though v»'e allow that the Jewifh ilifpenfation is now wholly done away — though VvC alfo grant that this privilege belonged to it, yel it wiii not follow that this, or, indeed, any of [ 45 ] the fpiritual blefiings and privileges are now re- pealed. vVe muR here diftin^uiih between a difpenfation, and the bleffings difpenfed. The former is the way in which the latter are difplay- ed and communicated. The Jewifh difpenla- tion v/as only the manner which God chofe, by various laws, types and fhadows to difplay and communicate the bleffings of his covenant to the Jewifh church. It is eaiy to fee, that one dif- penfation may entirely ceafe and give place to another, and yet all the covenant-bleffings and privileges of the formxr may be continued, and, indeed, many m.ore added and enjoyed under the latter. This, in faft, has been the cafe in the church through various fuccefiive dilpenfations, as might very eafily be fhevv-n, were it neceffary. 2. But vfe utterly deny that the covenant of promife containing the privilege for which we contend, ever belonged to the Jewifh difpenfa- tion. We aflert the reverfe, that the Mofaic difpenfation belonged wholly to this, and was added four hundred and thirty years after, for fpecial reafons as the apoflle fays.* Since there- fore, the giving of the law did not difannul the covenant of promife, the taking of it away, cer- tainly could not deflroy the privilege for which we contend. Neither could it make void the folemn command by which it was enjoined, nor hinder the bleffmg of Abraham, in this refped, from coming on the Gentiles. This is molt ev- idently the true ftate of the matter. V/hen the Jewifn difpenfation was taken away, the cove- nant command and promife, with all the fpirit- ual privileges and bleiTmgs, came under the gof- * Gal. iii. 17, 18. [ 46 ] pel difpenfation confirmed to true believer"^, the fpiritual feed of Abraham, the true heirs accord- ing to the promife. Thus it is eafy to fee, how the bleffing of Abraham is now come on us Gentiles. To this it is objefted that the promife of the land of Canaan is done away. Though this ob- jeftion is not fo very evident in every refpeft ; Yet grant it, and then the heavenly Canaan re- mains to the Church, which was the fpiritual meaning of the original promife. That circum- cifion is abolifl)ed by the gofpel, is another ob- ieftion. But notwithftanding this, the fpiritual bleffings fignified by circumcifion, remain under the goipel ; and Jefus Chrift fulfils it to his peo- ple by circumcifing their hearts. Chrift, under the gofpel difpenfation, has alfo inftituted bap- tifm,to be the fign of the covenant, and the feal of the righteoufnefs of faith. This, therefore, is called by the apoitle the circu^rcifion of Chrift. Col. ii. 11, 12. "' In whom alfo ye are circum- " cifed with the circumcifion made without hands, '' in putting oflTthe body of the fins of the flefli, '' by the circumcifion of Chrift, buried with him '' in baptifm," &c. Baprifrn now remains under the gofpel an ini- tiating ordinance into the church. It is now tl>e fign of the covenant of promife, and the true feal of the righteoufnefs of faith. From this there is not the leaft evidence that the command is re- pealed, and the granted privilege taken away; out, on the contrary, it clearly fiiews, that they are in full force on believers under the gofpel. [ 47 ] . Though the Jewifh difpenfation be abolifhed ■ — though circumcifion be done avv^ay, yet the grant is not repealed —the privilege remains to believers — the command is in full force, and fince baptifm is the circumcifion of Chrilt, and a feal of the righteoufnefs of faith, through the admi- nillration of this, the bleffing of Abraham may now come upon the Gentiles. Some, to prove that this privilege is now repealed, and that in- fants are cut off from the church by the gofpel, bring Matth. iii. 8, g. " Bring forth, therefore, *' fruits meet for repentance: And think not to *^ fay v\^ithin yourfelves. We have Abraham to our " father: fori fay unto you, That God is able '' of thefe Hones to raife up children unto Abra- '' ham." Upon this I would make the following obfervations. 1. The infants of believers are here either in- tended, or not intended. If infants are not fpok- en of m this place, it is nothing to the purpofe, for which it is cited. But fhould any fay, that the infants of believers are here intended, and are by this cut off from the church as well as others, it will alio as certainly follow, according to verfes lo — 12. ''That fi*ice they cannot brmg forth *' fruit, they will alfo be hewn dov/n, and caft in- *' to unquenchable fire." 2. The truth is this, adult perfons only are in- tended by John in this addrefs. They are trees full grown, which mufl bring forth good fruit, or be excluded the church by the gofpel, and be hewn down, and call into unquenchable fire.— r- The Pharifees and Sadducees prefamed that they had a good right to baptifm, merely because they [ 48 ] were the natural feed of Abraham. But John fhewed them, that under the gofpel this would be of no avail to any adults, who do not bring forth good fruit. I'his implies what we contend for, that all who bring forth fruit meet for repent- ance, fhould, under the golpel, inherit the cove-, nant-blelfmg of Father Abraham. Others think that, what the apoflle fays, in his epiitle to the KeDrews,* refpefting God's mak- ing a new covenant and deftro) ing the old, fully repeals the grant, command and promife for which we contend. But it will be evident to any one at leafl to every impartial mind, who atten- tively reads this and the following chapter, that the apoRle here, refers only to the law given at Sinai, or the Jewiih difpenfation. T.his, we have proved, may be abolifhed, and the privileges which God had before granted his church, with the command by which they were enforced, re- main unaffected. Whatever, in the Jewifli dif- penfation, was defigned loy the old covenant, which was taken away, it could not difannul the ,covenant which was before confirmed in Chrifl, it could not fo difannul it, as to make void any jof the fpiritual privileges and bleffings. For thefe -were before confirmed in ChriiL to believers. — (Gal. ill. 17. It alfo appears from this whole epiflle, that the apoIHe was laboring to convince the Jew^, that God's defign in the abolition of the Sinaic economy, containing many cofUy, carnal, and bloody ordinances, and a worldly fanfluary, was to make way for the gofpel xiifpenfation, a dif- * Hebrews viii. 7, 8, 9. [ 49 ] penfation which, inftead of contrafting the blcf* fings and privileges of his dear people, fliould eflablifii them on a better foundation, with great additions, and (hould increafe their fpiritual blelf- ings in heavenly places in Chrift Jefus. Here certainly can be nothing like a repeal of the grant made to Abraham. It is worthy of par- ticular notice, that in giving a view of the new covenant, the apoftle makes ufe of the fame ex- preffion which God ufed with Abraham. By this he doubtlefs intended to fhew, that the pri- vileges granted to Abraham are confirmed and contmued to believers under the gofpel. But if the Abrahamic bleffing refpeSing in- fants is confirmed and continued to believers un- der the gofpel, it is moft certain that the com- mand alio comes clothed with ail the weight of the vaftly fuperior light and grace which diftin- guifh the gofpel difpenfation. We may, with much greater propriety, infiit, that the Baptifts (hould point out a repeal of this command — that they (hould point out an exprefs prohibition of infant-baptifm in the New Teftament, with much greater propriety, I fay, than they can demand of us a new command for a privilege once grant- ed to the church, a privilege always enjoyed be- fore, and a privilege fo clearly eftabitfiied and continued to believers under the gofpel. We cannot, we dare not give up this privilege of be- lievers without fome exprefs warrant from God. An exprefs command from him is as neceffary to nullify, as to eltablifh a pofitive inftitution, to revoke as to grant a privilege to the church. — The Chriftian church thus underftcod it, and G t: 50 ] both circumcifion and baptifm were at firft ad- miniflered together even to the Gentiles, till cir- cumcifion was exprefsly prohibited by infpira- tion, and baptifin alone eftablilhed in the church, as the fign of the covenant, and fealof the righ- teoufneis of faith. But there is no prohibition of the privilege granted to the church, refpefl- ing their infant feed; it, therefore, remains to believers under the fanftion of the divine com* mand, and is fealed to them for their children in the ordinance of baptifm. We have no neceffi- ty of a new command, fince baptifm is now the feal of the righteoufnefs of that faith by which we become the feed of Abraham, and heirs ac- cording to the promife. We might, with the greatelt propriety, reft the controverfy here, for the Baptifts cannot fhew any prohibition of this privilege in the facred fcriptures — believe and be baptized refpefts adult perfons in the firft in- ftance, and their offspring through them, as is proved. If the grant is no where repealed, it is moft certainly continued to believers under the gol'pel difpenfation. But in addition to this, we think it is eafy to fliew, that this privilege is confirmed to believers in many places in the New Tellament. We have fliewn from fcrip- ture, that God did grant this privilege unto A- braham as the father of believers, and that he did command that infants Ihould be received in- to the vifible church with their parents, and en- joined, that the leal of the righteoufnefs of faith be adminiftered to them. When, therefore, we find the apoftle declaring, that they who are of the faith are the children of Abraham,''^ that they arc blefted with faithful Abraham/i" that the bleff- * Gal. iii. 7. t Verfe 9. C 51 2 ing of Abraham is come on the Gentiles through Jcius Chrifr, (GaU-Jii. 14.J and then declaring, in our text, that if ye be Chrifrs then are ye Abra- ham's feed, and heirs according to the proraife: we muft firmly believe that this Abrahamic pri- vilege or blefling, as well as others, is confirmed to believers under the gofpel difpenfation. The apoftle, in his epiftle to the Romans, af- firms very clearly, by a flriking fimilitude, that the Gentile believers were to enjoy, at lead, the fpiritual privileges and bleflTmgs granted to the Jewifh church, Romans xi. 16, 17. " For if the " firft fruit be holy, the lump isalfo holy: and if " the root be holy, fo arc the branches. — And *' if fonie of the branches be broken off, and thou, *' being a wild olive-tree, wert graffed in amoni^ " them, and with them partakelt of the root and *' fatnefs of the olive-tree." For whether by the root is meant Jefus Chrift, or Abraham, and by the olive-tree is underftood the church, or the covenant, yet being grafted in by faith they par- took of the root and fatnefs of the olive-tree. — This cannot be underftood of the enjoyment of any thing (hort of the fame fpiritual privileges and bleflings, of which the Jews were deprived. But the Jews once enjoyed this Abrahamic pri- vilege refpefting infants, and are now deprived of it by their unbelief. If Gentile believers, un- der the gofpel, are cut off from the privilege of having their infant-offspring admitted with them into the vifible church by baptifm, then though they partake of the root, yet are they cut off from the fatnefs of the olive-tree — a ccnlequence which is both unnatural and abfurd. It is evi- dently contrary to the apoftle's defign; and it C 52 3 greatly weakens, if not wholly deftroys the force of his reafoning in this place. Our blefTed Sa- viour very feverely reproved thofe difciples who forbad that little children fhould be brought to him, that they might receive his bleffing. On that occafion, he gave them a command, which may be confidered as binding upon all his dif- ciples. He replied, '^ fuflFer little children to •' come unto me, and forbid them not; for, faid *' he, of fuch is the kingdom of God:" Or, in other words, fuch as are brought to me by faith for my bleffing, belong to my church, or king- dom on earth. The order which immediately follows refpefting the adrniffion of adult mem- bers into this kingdom, feems to favor this fenfe of the words, (Mark x. 14, 15.) This command alfo feems to be a plain confirmation of the for- iner privilege granted to his people. Thus the apoflle learned of Chrift, and taught the Corinthi- ans, (1 Cor. vii. 14. and onward) that if either pa.. rent was a believer, the children were, by God's appointment, fet apart for him, or confecrated, as the word, tranflated holy, often fignifies in the facred oracles. To bring the matter to a point — That the inr fant children of believers are to be baptized, is a neceffary confequence of the propofuions which have been already eftabiifhed. In whatever light we take them, either together or feparately, it will clearly follow, that the infant childrenof believ.- prs are to be baptized. God granted unto A- l^raham, as the father of believers, that infants Ihould be received into the vifible church with their parents; and he alfo commanded that the feal of the rightepufnefs of faith fhould be admi- C 52 3 niftered unto them. But we have proved that tliis great privilege is, uader the gofpel, confirm- ed and continuea to believers, confequently the infants of believers, vmder the gofpel, are to be received into the vifible church with their parents, and, by the command of God, muft have the feal of the righteoufnefs of faith given to them, which is the Chriflian circumcifion or baptifm. 1. God did grant unto Abraham, as the father of believers, that infants fliould be received into the vifible church with their parents. All true believers, under the gofpel, are Abraham 's feed, and as his children they are the true heirs, in Chrid, of this privilege, therefore, by the divine appointment, their infant children mult be re- ceived into the vifible church with them, and are to be circumcifed with the circumcifion of Chrift ; or, in other words, they muft be baptized. 2. God commanded that the feal of the righ- teoufnefs of faith fliould be adminiftered to in- fants, who are received into the church with their parents. Circumcifion was once this feal in the church, but, under the gofpel, baptifm is the feal of the righteoufnefs of faith ; therefore, by divine appointment, baptifm muft be admi- niftered to thofe infants, who are admitted into the church with their parents under the gofpel difpenfation. 3. The great privilege, that infant children fhpuld be received into the church with their f)arents, and have the fign of the covenant, the eal of the righteoufnefs of faith, adminiftered to them, is, under the gofpel, confirmed and con- I 54 3 tinued to believers. Hence it clearly follows, fmce baptifm is the feal of the righteoufnefs of faith, that when adult perfons, upon their re- pentance and faith, are admitted into the gofpel church, their infant children arc to be received with them, and to be baptized. Thus the apof- tle Peter, on the day of Pentecoft, in the appli- cation of that moft fuccefsful fermon, applies the promife exactly to this purpofe. He enforces on his affefted audience the gofpel call to re- pentance, faith and Chriftian baptifm, by this meftimable privilege. (A£ts iii. ig.) '' Repent " ye, therefore, and be converted, that your fins " may be blotted out, when the times of refrefh- " ing fhall come from the prefence of the Lord." It may not be improper here to take notice of fome other paffages of the facred fcriptures, which may be confidered as direft proofs of in- fant baptifm. The commiffion of our bleffed Saviour on this point, claims our firft attention, {Matt, xxviii. in.) Though it is brought by the Baptifls as an objeftion; yet, properly consider- ed, I think it is fo far from being in their favor, that it will afford a convincingproof of ourdoc- tnne to any perfon free from prepoffeffions, 1. The apoflles were commanded to go out into all the world. Till then they had been confined to the Jews, and both circumcifion and baptifm were adminiflercd to thofe who embra- ced the gofpel, and to their infants. There was not the leait hint antecedent to this, that infants •were to be excluded, but much to the contrary, :as h;is been (hewn. The apofHes themfelves did not know that it would be lawful for them to go out to the Gentiles ; much lefs that infants, as [ 55 ] the Baptifts affert, were to be cut off from this privilege in the gofpel church. They were here commanded to teach all nations, and preach the gofpel to every creature. It is probable that e- ven the baptifts do not imagine, that this imme- diately refpefts infants, as to the external teach- ing and preaching of the word, they being whol- ly incapable of this. . But it certainly does fome way refpeci them. The words are plain — The command is exprefs — Go teach all nations — Go preach the gofpel to every creature. Surely our Saviour, who fo tenderly took the dear little ones into his gracious arms, who fo affcclionate- ly bleffed them, I fay furely he did not forget them on this mod interefting occafion — Surely he was not ignorant of the tender feelings — Sure^ ly he was not a ftranger to the pious breathings of the parental heart of his dear people in ages paft. On this occafion, when the life of a thou- land poor Ifhmaelites was at flake, he had not forgotten the burft of Abraham's fatherly heart, " Oh, that Ifhmael might live before thee!" (Gen. xvii. 18.) Nor was the compaffionate Saviour infenfible to thofe pious parental defires of true believers towards their infant offspring through all future ages. Much lefs can any fuppofe, that he excludes them from the race of intelligent creatures, to whom the apoftles were to preach the gofpel. We mull either deny that they are part of all nations — we muft alfo either deny that they are rational creatures, or we mull fup- pofe that they are fome how included in the a- pollles miffion. 2. The apoflles are hereby commanded, to teach (viatheteu/atc) to difciple all nations, and i: 56 ] prrach the gofpel to every creature. Since then It IS certain, that the teaching and preaching of the go.^pel does fome way refpcft infants, I corr- f^fs upon the Baptift's plan, I am utterly at a lofs "how to underi^and it, unlefsit be wholly to ex- "ciade them from Chriftian baptifm, from tht thurch, and from heaven; and either to ftrike them out of exiitence all together, or to plunge them headlong into eternal damnation. But if we underflind the commifTion in the plain and natural fenfe, according to the circumftances in which it was fpoken, as an honeft, pious Jev/ vrould take it, and as it is clear the apollles un- derltood it, the whole matter is plain. The teaching and preaching of the gofpel, were to difciple infants by baptifm with their believing parents, as had been a common known cuftom among the Jews, when they profelyted a heathen to the true religion. • The commiiTion was exprefs — It was very ea- fy to be underftood by thofe to whom it was given — Since they were well acquainted with the command by which infants were to be re- ceived into the church with their parents — fmce they knew this had always been the praftice — ana fmce they had never lieard any thing to the contrary drop from the blefied lips of their di- vine mailer, but much in favor of fuch little ones, was it poffible for them to underftand it in fuch a manner, as to exclude the infants of believers from the church and from baptifm? Upon the whole, it is with me beyond all doubt that the apoftles fo undcrllood their bleffed maf- ter, as fully to warrant and oblige them to re- ceive infants into the vifible church with their believing parents, and baptize them. Agreeably to this they praftifed, when it is faid that Lydia and her houlhold were baptized — when the jail- or and all his were baptized, and when Paul bap- tized the houfe of Stephanus, &c. It thus con- tinued, no doubt, through the apoflolic age; and from the beft account we have in hiftory infant- baptifm was generally, if not univerfally, pratiifi- ed in the church more than twelve hundred years, though much corrupted. Notwithftanding fome have lince called it in queftion, yet, through all this long fpace of time, there was no church or fociety of Chriltians which denied infant-baptifm, except thofe who denied all baptifm with water. We have a particular authentic hiftory, both of the firft rife and progrefs of this fe6l that denied infant-baptifm. It hrft appeared in Germany at the place called Munfter, loon after the reform- ation from Popery. If we grant, as the Baptifts affert, that infant- baptifm was neither allowed nor praftifed by the church in the apoltolic age, it is utterly impoffi- ble that it (hould have been introduced in any fubfequent period of the church. They, there- fore, might as well affert that it never has beea pra6lifed. ; Let us now candidly examine this matter.— Some confidently affirm, that this praftice was firfl introduced into the church in the dark days of Popery. This cannot poffibly be true. It is* eafy to Ihcw from the mofl authentic writers in thofe times, thai it was pradifed in the church H [ 58 ] long before; and, if* I miftake not, fome of the Bapiiil: writers thcmfclves allow that it wasprac- tiied in the African church before the dark period of Popery. But be this as it may, it was not then firlt introduced into the church. Ifit wasnot the praftice in the apoftles' day, it muft have begun m fome of the fucceeding ages before Popery. — It is generally allowed that it commonly prevail- ed through ail the churches after the fourth cen- tury. Air. Tombs, on the part of the Baptifts,* exprefsly fays, that St. Auftm's authority carried it ni the following ages almoil without control; but St. Auflin moft folemnly profefles, that he never heard of any in his time that oppofed in- fant-baptifm. We have only the four firfl cen- turies to examine. We are certain that the prac- tice was firft begun in one of them. Let us, therefore, go back and fee if we can pofTibly find -when it was firft introduced into the church. — Our brethren, the Baptifts, are, with us, equally intereded in this inquiry. St. Auflin, who lived ill the fourth century, fpeaksofit as prevailing in his day; and that it was not decreed by any council, but had been ever in ule. The fame v.uthor, in .his difpute witii the Pelagians about •original fin, brings infant-boptifm as an unan- lwen;ble proof of original corruption. This was .iibout A. D. 3qo. We alfo have a number of writers through the whole of this century, who •fpeak of inFant-baptifm. but fay nothing of its introJuClion. As Siiicius, A. D. 384, St. Am- brofe 37,1,'^ Grce. Nazianzbn 300, Optatus 306, "the Council of Elibrius 305, and inanv others, mention infant-baptifni as a thing m common i: 59 ] ufe in the church. Thus, we fee, it was not firfl: introduced in the fourth century ^ In the third Century, there are feveral re- markable teflimonies concerning infant-baptifm, which make it very evident that it was not iiril introduced in that day. About the middle of this century Cyprian called a council of fixty-fix minifters or bifhops on this queflion, '* Whether " infants might be baptized before they were *^ eight days old?" This council unanimoufly agreed, there was no neceffity for fuch a delay. In confequence of this, a letter, which was fign- ed by Cyprian, was written to the churches, to notify to them the refult of their deliberation, Origen, who was born lefs than an hundred years after the apoftles, and flouridied in the be- ginning of this century, fpeaks often of infant- baptifm in his Homilies on Original Sin, as an e- ftabliflied praftice in the church. In one place he exprefsly fays, that the church had a tradi- tional order from the apoilles to give baptifm to infants. This clearly Ihews, that infant-baptifni was then an ufage in the church. Tertullian al- fo, who lived about the fame time, mentions in- fant-baptifm as no novelty in his day. He pleads for the delaying of the baptiiin of infants on ac- count only of the danger Vv'hich might attend the introduction of fponfors. This can properly ap- ply only in thofe cafes, where parents were un- believers, or were hck. Jccnb Pamelius ob- ferves, in his Annotations on this place, tliat Ter- * Hiflory of Infant Captifm, pan i, chap. 7, 3, to the 2 % Dr. Fov bafius Hill. Theology. C 60 3 tnllian had reference to fuch.* From thefe ob- fervations, it is clear that infant-baptifm was not firll introduced either in the third or fourth cen- tury. It certainly was not introduced in the fourth, becaufe we find it in the third — neither in the third, becaufe it is there fpoken of as a common undifputed praftice. Our inquiry is now reduced to the limits only of two centuries, and it is clear to me, that infant-baptifm muft have been introduced into the Chriftian church in one or the other. Let us now carefully exa- inine the m_atter with refpeft to the fccond cen- tury, the age that immediately followed the a- poltles and firft minifters of Jefus Chrift. All the immediate fuccefTors of the apoftles jTiuft perfonally know, what was the practice of the apolUes themfelves. The churches alfo muft know whether their infants were baptized or not. If the minifters and churches knew that infant- baptifm had never been praftized by theapoftles, it IS utterly impoftible that it ftiould then have been introduced into the church without making great difturbance. It muft have met with the greateft oppofition, both from the minifters and churches, of primitive zeal and purity. Were that fact, is it credible that we ihould not have }}eard fomething of it, when fome of the v/rit- ings of thole Fathers have come down to us? — Two of them are frequently mentioned on this fubjecl, but not a word that there was any con- troverfy in the church refpefting infant-baptifm, Ireneus, who fiouriihcd about the middle of this pentury, was acquainted with Pclycarp, St. Johi; s * Cr. rorbcfius* Iiift. Theology. I 6x ] difciplc, and alfo faw and converfed with thofc who. had feen Jefus Chrift. He iTientioned inr fant-baptifm as no matter of dilpute. Reckon- ing up ieveral forts of perfons who were born a^ gain unto God, he exprefsly mentioned infants ar mong them. It is naturally fuppofed that he there muft mean their being born of the water, or baptized, as many of the Fathers ufed the word m this fenfe, as infants could give evidence of no other regeneration. Juftin Martyr, who is fuppofed to have been born about tfiirty years after the death of our bleffed Saviour, in his Apology, v/ritten in the year 140, mentions perfons who were difcipled to Chrift in infancy. He alfo fpeaks of bap- tifm*s being to us inftead of circumcifion. Igna- tius lived in the end of the firil century. He converfed with the apoftles, and fuftered mar* tyrdom under Trajan, A. D. 107."^ But from none of thefe have we a word refpefiing the lirft rife of infant-baptifm in their day. Since we have now purfued our inquiry back to the firft cen-* tury without fuccefs, I would juft make one re* mark here on the vvhole. If infant-baptifm is fuch a grofs error and corruption — if its intro- du6lion deftroys the very being of the church, it is utterly incredible, if not impoffible, that the pra£lice of it could have obtained, either in the fecond, third, or fourth centuries, without its rife and progrefs being mentioned, or even that there were ever fuch heretics in the world. This remark obtains great weight when we confider that St. Auilin, in the dole of the fourth ceutu* * Dr.Forbcfms' Hill. Theology. I 62 J r}% wrote a book, giving a particular account of all feSs that were, or ever had been in the church — (he enumerates eighty-eight with their feveral tenets.) — And when we find, in the writings of the Fathers, an account of all the particular er- rors, and fmallett departures from the faith and pratlice once eflablifhed in the church, we are reduced to this dilemma, either that infant-bap- tifm was introduced into the church in the firft century by the apollles themfelves, or that it nev- er has been praftifed in any age of the world. — The latter is contrary to known faft. The for- mer is the truth, and it is the very doftrine pro- pofed to be illultrated and eftabliihed by this dif- courfe. I fhall now conclude with a few remarks. 1. We have both fcripture command and ex- ample, for receiving infants of believers into the vifible church with their parents, and for ad- miniflering to them the feal of the righteoufnefs of faith. This command and this example from Abraham the father of the faithful, evidently run through the whole of the Old and New-Tefta- ments. When Chrift came and fulfilled the law and the prophets, he confirmed the covenant of promife, he enlarged it with greater privileges, and he continued it to believers under the glori- ous gofpel, as examples of infant-baptifm. We alfo have the evident praflice of all the churches of ChriR in ages of the greatefl zeal and purity. Thofe v/ho deny that there is either command or example for this praftice, ought firft to point out from authentic hiflory, a church or fuciety of Chriiiians, wiihin twelve hundred years of the apoftlcSj who did not praclile infant-baptifiTi, [ 63 ] 2. Thofe who deny infant-baptifm have no JLifl ground for breaking off from all the church- es oi Chrifl on this account ; and much lefs for efteeming themfelves the only true church in the world. For though they hold this to be an er- ror, yet it is not fuch as to fubvert the founda- tion, nor indeed has it always been their fenti- ments, as appears by a confedion of the faith of a hundred churches of their communion.* Aw- ful have been the confequences of this feparation, and, perhaps, nothing tarnilhed the glory of the reformation from Popery more than the condufl of its firlt founders. Thofe, therefore, who, in the prefent day would break off from other churches of Chrill and join this feparate communion, ought firft well to confider the nature of the aclion, left they be involved in the awful guilt of many ge- nerations. On the whole, it is high time that all party-zeal was banidiedfrom the church of Chrift, and that all denominations w^ere united in the common caufe. The day of the Lord is at hand. In the mean time, let us give up ourfelves and all ours to God and to his difpoial — Let us take hold of the covenant through Jefus Chrift,'and thankfully enjoy the privileges — Let us plead the promifes for ourfelves and our children — and fi- nally, let us wait patiently for his coming and kingdom, who will then reveal his righteous judg- ment, and reward every man according to Kjs works. ^ ' ■ '' ' * Printed in London, 1699. SERMON IV. BELIEVERS and th eir OFFSPRING KN COVENANT WITH GOD. Acts ii. 39. J^or the proviife is unto you, and to your children, and to all that arc afar off, ev€n as many as the Lord our Gudjhall calL IN the former part of this chapter, we have an account of that wonderful out-pouring of the Holy Ghofi: upon the apoflies on the day of Pen* tecoft. In the context we have Peter's folema addrefs to the mixed muhitude, collected togeth- er on that occafion, in v/hich the apoftie proves ^o them that Jefus Chriil, whom they had taken, and by wicked haods crucified andflain, was the :Son of God, the true Mefiiah and Saviour of thp w^orld. And he foiemnly teftifies that God had xaifcd him from the deaa, and had exaked him ^t his right hand, whofe blood they had impi- oufly imprecated on themfejyes, and on their children. Under a fenfe of this guilt they wei^e pricked to the heart, and, under awful appre- nenfions of the divine wrath, in agonies of diflrefs they cried out, men, brethren, wnatj^iz// we do? The apoflle then called them to repent of their fins — to enibrace the gofpel, and to be baptized in the name of Jefus Chrilt, as the only way to C 65 3 cfcape tlie divine wrath, which was coming on that wicked generation, and as the only way to enjoy the bieffmgs and privileges of the gofpel- difpenfation. This call they enforced by the weighty argument in our text. " For the promife " is unto you, and to your children, and to all " that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our *' God {hall call." It is generally fuppofed that this declaration refpefts both Jews and Gentiles. The promife is to you, and to your children. This refpefts thofe who were of the Jewifli religion. The pro- mife is to them who are afar off, when God mail call them, and to their children. This is fup- pofed to have reference to the Gentiles, who Ihould alfo be gathered into the church by the gofpel, and (hould then enjoy the bleflings and privileges of the covenant of promife with God's people. We have feen in the preceding difcourfe, that all who believe are Abraham's feed, and heirs ac- cording to the promife; and that, by divine ap- pointment, the infant children of fuch arc to be received with their parents, and to be baptized. But it has been allied, what advantage is this to f)arents, or to their children? To give an an- wer to this queftion fhall be the fubjeft of my prefent difcourfe. I fhall, therefore, now endea- vor, by divine affiftance, to (hew, I. What the covenant of promife contains for believing parents with refpecl to themfelves^ 1 • C 66 ] IT. What it contains for them with refpeft to their children. III. Shew how parents may have an intereft in this covenant, and enjoy its peculiar bleffings and privileges for themfelves, and for their chil- dren. 1. Under this head I do not propofe to fpeak of thofe bleffings which are common to believers in general, but only of thofe which are peculiar to them as parents. It is highly reafonable to fuppofe, that as they have a peculiar truft and charge, they alfo fhould have fpecial affiftance, and particular bleflings and privileges. The a- poflle fays, they are blcffed with faithful Abra- ham. Believing parents being heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jefus Chrift, have not only their fins forgiven; they have not only God for their God, for their father and portion — they have not only Jefus Chrifl: for their Saviour, the Holy Spi- rit for their Sanftifier ; but, in the firft place, they aifo have the great privilege, that their infant . children fhould be confidered as in covenant with them. That this is a great privilege, every parental feeling is ready to acknowledee. It was before proved and illuftrated, that under every difpenfation of the covenant, this has been grant- ed to believing parents, as God faid to Abraham, the father of believers, " 1 will be a God to thee " and to thy feed after thee." It mufl certainly be confidered as a great fa- vor to the parent, that the great and good God fhould thus gracioufly mention their infant-off- fpring in the covenant with them. By this he [ 67 ] doubtlefs intended to Iliew his condefcending frace and mercy to liis people, that they might e encouraged in the faithful difcharge of their important truft. 2. The covenant of promife, as has been prov- ed in the former difcourfe, contains, for behev- ing parents, the privilege of giving up their chil- dren to God in baptifm, through Jefus Chrift. — This is a great favor in every refpeft, but efpe- cially, that by faith believers may thus bring their infants to the compafhonate Saviour for his blef- fing — the Saviour who is ever prefent in his or- dinances. When thus given to him, they may always with freedom, in their prayers, bring them to the throne of free covenant-grace and mercy; they may, with hope, commit them to God's fa- therly care; and they may, by faith, take hold of the covenant of his own appointment, and plead its bleflings for them, as for their own fouls. 3. Another privilege this promife contains for parents is, that their children, in their infant and mod helplefs ftate, may be, with them, members of the church. They may here confider them, in a peculiar fenfe, not their own, but the chil- dren of the houlhold of faith. They may con- fider them the Lord's property, and that they arc to be brought up for him. Thefe refleSions will not only flrengthen all their obligations, but alfo greatly fweeten all their care and labor. They afford, to believing parents, a fovereign balm for all their wounds, and a fweet cordial for all their fears refpetting their dear infant-children. How wonderful are the condefcending grace and good- C 68 3 nefs of God to his dear people! But how vile the ingratitude and unbelief of the human heart! 4. This promife contains, for believing pa- rents, all needed wifdom and grace to bring their offspriuj^- up for God, while he continues them under their care. How often do parents find their flrength fail in trying circumftances re- fpefting them even in their infant-ftate? But what a bleflTing have they in the covenant! Here is ftrength and afTiftance; and, indeed, they nev- er fail of obtaining a recruit when they come here by faith. In the riper years of their chil- dren how often do they find that they lack both wifdom and grace to give them inftrufiion, to re- flrain them from evil praflices, and to bring them up for God? But here is both grace and wifdom in ftore. Here they may come freely by faith, and obtain mercy, v/ifdom and grace to help in every time of need. God fays, in the covenant of promife, I will be a God to thee, O believing parent! The promife is to thee in the charafter of a parent, and contains every blefling and grace neceilary for the education of your children, who are devoted to his fervice. Thefe blefiings are treafured up in Chrift to be communicated to all thofe parents, who come to God for them by faith — by that faith which takes hold of the cove- nant— which works by love, and is produftive of new obedience. Ignorant and unbelieving pa- rents may think lightly of all thefe blc{fings,but they mufl; certainly be exceeding precious to him, who has been made fenfible what it is to be without God in the world — to him who is fen- fible what it is to have a covenant>God and father through Jefus Chrifl:, and to him who know^s what C 69 J it is by faith to plead the precious promifes for his own foul. — How fupporting to the tender, faithful, parental heart, when ready to fink un- der a view of the many evils which are thickly fcattered in the vale of tears, through which their dear child mufl pafs! How fupporting, I fay, are thefe covenant-bleiTings, efpecially v/hen parents can take hold of the covenant, and, by faith, obtain grace to inftruft, warn, and guard their children, and thus chearfully commit them to the holy keeping and difpofal of a heavenly fa- ther. 5. In this promife there is abundant mercy to make their prayers, inftruftions and correftions effectual. Here is not only grace to make them faithful, but mercy to render them fuccefsful. — Pious parents, when they confider the total de- pravity of the human heart — when they fee that the imagination of the thoughts of the heart is evil, and only evil continually, and when, upon a fmall trial, they perceive the obilinacy of their children, then they are exceedingly apt to be dif- couraged. But the promife contains grace fo- vereign and powerful enough to lubdue the moft ftubborn will, and to break the hardeti heart. — Here is mercy fuflficient to make the weak, but faithful and perfevering endeavors of pious pa- rents fuccefsful, on tlie moO finiihed piece of hu- man corruption. — God fays, '*' I know Abraham, '' that he will command his children, and his houf- *' hold after him, and iht^JJiall keep the way of the ^' Lord— -Gen. xviii. 19. 1 rain up a child in the *' way he (hould go, and when he is old he will " not depart from it' — Prov. xxii. 6. The Lord [ 70 ] himfelf anfwers for the event. To this fourcc fainting believers ought alvv^ays to look. Faith- ful parents, who have given their children to God in covenant, may undoubtedly depend on the ali-fufficient mercy of a covenant-keeping God. Is this no advantage to parents? Is there no peculiar bleffing for them who have given up themfelves and their children to God in co- venant? Is there no fuitable encouragement — no particular affiftance for them in this cove- nant, which is fo well ordered in all things and fure? — But here let me obferve, that as thefe co- venant-bleffings ar^ fpiritual — the fpiritual per- fon only can enjoy them. They are fo little at- tended to and underilood, and fo little believed even by pious people in the prefent day, that we need not wonder they have fo little apparent ef- feft; and efpecially when fo few parents take hold of the covenant truly by faith, and are ac- tive and diligent in the ufe of all thofe means by which God communicates the covcnanted-bleff- ings to his people. Sixthly, and lajily — Should it pleafe God to take away the infants of believers by death, the promife gives them fall liberty, by faith, to com- mit, through Jefus Chrift, their infants, as their own fouls, into their heavenly Father's hands. — To this great privilege they are undoubted heirs, as children of Abraham. No favor, perhaps, could be more grateful to the feelings, no bleifing more fuitable to the dcfires, and no privilege could more exactly correfpond, than this, with the wilhes of a pious parent, in fuch an affecling fituation. O parent ! behold the grace and con- C 71 ] defcendlng goodnefs of a covenant-God and Fa- ther. II. I am to fhew, what are the promifes and bleffings contained in this covenant, for believ- ing parents, refpcfting their children. Fhjl — In their infant and moft helplefs ftate, they are admitted into Chrid's family on earth — This is no fmall privilege. How great would you think the favor to your children, to be tak- en into the family of an earthly king? But the church is the houfiiold of faith, the family of the king of kings. Here are the richeft promifes, and greateit bleffings, and here is a foundation for the mofl fanguine expeftations. In this (it- nation they are interefled in all the public pray- ers for the welfare of the church, and they ought to be always remembered in the private and fe- cret petitions of all God's people. Secondly — The God of Abraham is their God — The promife is to believing parents, and to their children. '* I will be a God to thee and to *' thy feed." This is certainly an ineftimable bleffing of the covenant, which believers have for their infants. God, therefore, will preferve them through the dangers of their infant-ftate, or will take them to himfelf. All this is doubt- lefs implied in his being their God. For if be- lievers are, by the divine command, to give their infants to God, and they in obedience, do give them up to him as he hath appointed, will he not accept them ? He certainly will, and through Jefus Chrift, he doubtlefs becomes their God in life, agreeably to the tenor of the gracious cove- [ 72 ] nant. But to fuch as die in an infant-date, he is forever a God and portion. Thus only can this be an everlafting covenant refpecling fuch, and in tliis view alone his mercy to them endureth for- ever. Thofe, therefore, who believe that the pro- jTiife contains any thing refpefting the infants of believers, who die in their infant itate, can hard- ly doubt of its fecuring to then! the faving blef- fings of the covenant in the eternal world. What bleffings are here for the dying infants of believ- ers? Bleffings infinitely rich— infinitely free! — This is not a new fentiment — It was holden, and firmly believed by the mofl: zealous and pious ancient fathers in the church. Should thefe infants, on the contrary, live and advance to the ftate of childhood, there are fl:ill great bleffings for them in this gracious covenant. Firjt — That grace, promifed to believing pa- rents to make them faithful, has fome fpecial re- ference to children in this fl:ate. ' If believing parents have grace to be faithful, this is a great bleffmg, not to parents only, but alfo in a very fpecial manner to their children : It gives them the advantage of their faithful pious infl:rufl:ion. Secondly — Believing parents, refpefting their children in this fl:ate, have the promife of thebleff- ing to attend faithful infl:ruftion and difcipline. Prov. xxii. 6 — xxiii. 13, 14 — xx. 7. " Train up a " child in the way he fliould go, and when he is *' old he will not depart from it— Withhold not " correftion from the child; for ifthoubeatefl:him " with a red, \\ejhall not die — Thou fiialt beat him " with the rod, andyiia// ^^/ii^^?' his foul from hell [ 73 3 ^' Thejuft man walketh in his integrity ; Az J cAz7Jrew ^' are blejfed after him." What precious promifes! -What unfpeakable bieffings for their children ! If God gracioufly grants his blefling to attend the faithful care of pious parents, this will cer- tainly make it effeftual, and lay ^ glorious foun- dation for their children's ufefulnefs here, and for their eternal felicity in the world to come. This has often been the cafe, and it is more than pro- bable always wili be the cafe, where parents take hold of the covenant, and are perfeveringly faith- ful in their inftruftion and difciplin/e towards their children, agreeably to the following paf- fages of facred fcripture. — '' And I will eflablifli *' my covenant betv/een me and thee, and thy *' feed after thee, in their generations for an e- *' verlafting covenant, to be a God unto thee, " and to thy feed after thee. For I know him, *^ that he will command his children, and his *^ houfhold after him, and \htyJhalL keep the *^ way of the Lord, to do juflice and judgment, " that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that " which he hath fpoken of him" — Gen, xvii. 7. and xviii. 19. " So then they which be of faith ** are bleffed with faithful Abraham. That the " blefling of Abraham might come on the Gen- " tiles through Jefus Chrill:, that \ve might re- 5^ ceivethe promife of the fpirit through faith" — Gal. iii. g — 14. " Fori the Lord love judgment, " I hate robbery for burnt-offering; and /wz7/ *' direft their work in truth, and / xoill make an " everlafting covenant with them ; and their feed ^'Jliall be knoton among the Gentiles, and their *' offspring among the people: all that fee thir^i ^' JhalL acknowledge them, that they art xhtfced K [ 74 ] " which the Lord hath blejfed. Theyjliall not labor " mz;^Z7i, nor bring forth for trouble: for they are " the feed of the bleffed of the Lord, and their off- '' fpringwiththerny Ifaiahlxi. 8, g. and Ixv. 23. Thirdly — In this ftate the children of believ- ers, in covenant, are alfo under the care, watch, and difcipline of the church. This alfo is no fmall privilege. And where the church is faith- ful, it mod certainly is a very great bleffing; not only as a powerful incitement to faithfulnefs in parents, but alfo as it adds great weight to their parental inftruftion and difcipline. In this age, human nature is capable of the moft deep and lailing impreffions. The founda- tion of a future life of virtue or vice, and confe- quenlty of happinefs or mifery, is much oftener laid in childhood than is generally imagined. — In this age, therefore, to have our children un- •der the care, watch, and difcipline of the church — under the faithful indruftion of pious parents, attended with divine affiftance and blelfmg, muft be confidered, by every ferious and enlightened rnind, as advantages unfpeakably great — as pri- vileges mofl important and precious. Fourthly — In childhood alfo they have a fpe- cial intereft in the prayers of the church and peo- ple of God. As members with their parents, they are included in all the prayers which are made for the church throughout the whole world. How great an advantage this may be none can tell. When we confider, that God is pleufed to beRow the greatell blclfings in anfwer to the prayers of his dear people; and when we confi- C n ] der, that the efiPeftual fervent prayer of the righ- teous availeth much, (James v. 16.) wemuftcon- fider this is no fmall privilege. In adult age there are ttill peculiar privileges and bleflings for the children of believers, unlefs they have cut themfelves off by their wickednefs, or have been excluded by the difcipline of the church. Though the ax is now laid at the root of the tree, and every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit muft finally be hewn down; and though fomething more is required of them, as adults^ that they may enjoy all the privileges of the church, yet they are ftill under the care and dif- cipline of the church. This is undoubtedly a great privilege, and if properly and faithfully exercifed over fuch by the church, may aftually be to them, under divine influence, one of the greateft blefflngs. They are under the bonds of the covenant — the facred ties are ftill upon them to be the Lord's — the way of fin is more hedged up from fuch, and the way to final deftruftion more barred. Thefe are no fmall advantages. — Such ftill have a fpecial intereft in the prayers of the church and people of God, which may, and will prevail, unlefs obftinately rejefted and defpifed. They muft be under great advantages for eternal life. Thus lifted up to heaven, in point of privilege, if they perifti, they muft dif- lolve every facred tie— break through every bar- rier; they muft burft afunder every band, and obftinately plunge themfelves headlong into re-. medilefs deuruftion. Thefe, my brethren, are fomeofthe ineftimable bleftings and privileges of the covenant of promife, in which believmg t 75 J pare*nts, f6f theittfelves, and fof their children, are interefted. Surely they cannot be confider- ed either few, or fmall, by any fcridUs tnind; 6A the contrary, I am perfuaded that, what advan- tage is the covenant of promife? and what pro- fit is their in baptifm? would never have been iiueftions had minifters always been faithful in difpenfing the privilege, and had parents and churches difcharged their refpeftive obligations. It is, indeed, a melanGnoly truth, that in the prcfent day, the vijjibility of the peculiar blef-. fmgs of the covenant of promife have almoftdift appeared. To this, perhaps, more than toany thing eife, it may be attributed, thatfo many parents, who hold to the covenant, are fo eafy m the ne- glefl of baptifm for their children ; and alfo, that lo many wnolly deny infant-baptifm. Had the ^idminiftration of infant-baptifm never been cor- rupted— had the church kept up the primitive difcipline over both parents and children; and efpecially, had parents always been faithful to their children, according to the covenant, we have the greateft affurance, that all the peculiar covenant-bleffings would have been enjoyed by believers and their children. The world would then have known that thefe are the feed of the blelfed of the Lord, and their offspring with jhera. III. I am now to fhcw how parents may be interefted in the covenant of promife, and enjoy the peculiar bleffmgs and privileges of it, for themfdves, and their children. Two things here are the fubjeft of inquiry-** a. How parents may be interefted in the con t 77 1 venant of promife. ^. How they may enjoy the peculiar bleffings and privileges of the co- vetiant refpefting themfelves and their children, under the gofpel difpenfation. With rcfpefl: to the firft, it is clear from what has been faid, that parents muft be true believers in order to be intcrefted in the covenant ; or in fcrijpture language, they muft be Chrift's, and confequently Abraham's feed, to be heirs accord- ing to the promife. The apoftle fays exprefsly, *' if any man have not the fpirit of Chrill he is *' none of his." Romans viii. 9. — Therefore he is not interefted in the covenant of promife, and can have no right to its privileges. But how parents, under the gofpel, may enjoy ^11 the peculiar bleffings and privileges of fuch, for themfelves, and for their children, muft now have a more particular difcuffion. Some, through ignorance and unbelief, reject and defpife them. Many acknowledge the co- venant, and have their children baptized, and yet tIo not appear to enjoy any of its fpiritual bleff- ings: And fome, who are mterefted in the cove- nant, and appear really to give up their children to God in baptifm, yet feern t6 lofe the parental bleffing. Parents need all thefe promifes and bleffings — they are treafured up in Chrift for them — they are clearly propofed, and freely offered to them, in the covenant of promife. But O how affefting! How diftreffing muft it be tomifs of them, whatever may be the caufe ! To illuftrate this matter, I would fuggeft a few things. — ^Parents, I befeech you, give your moft C 78 ] fcrious attention — look to God for his blefling, and may the Father of light give you under- {landing. To give yourfelves and your children to God, and to his church, in covenant, through, Jefus Chrift, is neceffary, in order to have an in- terefl in the covenant. — Covenant-bleflings are given in a covenant way. Firjl — To infure the enjoyment of thefe bleff. ings, parents muft believe, and take hold of the covenant. Not to believe is, perhaps, in God^s view, to rejeft the covenant— Not to take hold of it, and depend upon it, is probably to flight the covenant with all its bleffings. This, perhaps, may be the very reafon, why io few parents en- joy thefe peculiar parental bleflings. It is high- ly reafonablc, and it is agreeable to the analogy of faith, to fuppofe, that when God makes gra- cious propofals to parents, and they believe them, take hold and depend upon them, as pro- pofed, tliat the bleflings are fure, and the enjoy- ment certain. Secondly — Let parents go to God as to a fa^. ther, through Chrift, and afk thefe covenant- bleffings — let this be a continual fervent prayer. It is reafonable, and, in fome refpefts, it feems necelfary to the very enjoyment of them, that parents Ihould afk thefe bleflings of their heav- enly Father. ''Afk," fays the bleifed Saviour, " and ye fnall receive". The apoflle James fays, '' If any of you lack wifdom, let him afk of God, *' that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraidetb '' not, and it fliali be given him. But let him '' afk in faith, notliing wavering." — If parents, therefore, are io ignorant of the covenant, and C 79 ] To faithlefs refpefting its bleffings, that they do not afkfor them, it is no wonder that they fail of their enjoyment. Thirdly — Let parents be faithful to the cove- nant refpefting their children, in training them up in the way they fhould go, and in bringing them up for God, agreeably to his will. This is of the laft importance, and fcems to be a condi- tion of the enjoyment of covenant-bleffings re- fpefting th^r children. Parents, who are not faithful in this, do break the covenant. They make light of the promife, and thus lofc the bleffing. But, on the other hand, thofe parents, who are faithful, and bring up their children .^r God, agreeably to the tenor of the covenant, may depend on the enjoyment of the bleflings in their fulleft extent, with regard both to them- felves and their children, and with regard to time and eternity. Should any fay, that this is carry- ing the matter too far, and tliat, by proving too much, we overfctthe whole, and prove nothing. Should any fay, that the faithfulnefs neceffary to obtain this, is wholly unattainable in tTiis im- perfeft ftate. I anfvv^er, that the objcflion is very plaufible, and probably, with fome, has more weight than merit. But let us try its weight in a fimilar cafe. According to fcripture the Chrif- tian muft be faithful in order to enjoy the cove- nant-blefling for his own foul. For the unfaith- ful will doubtlefs be fliut out. — But how is this.^ Can a believer in this imperfeft ftate be fo faith- ful with refpeft to the covenant, as to enfure for himfelf the promifed bleffings for time and eter- nity? And why not in the cafe before us? cf- t 80 ] Eecially as we have no reafon to fuppofe, that ere a greater perfeftion of faithfulnefs is required. Improvement. — 1. Welearn theduty of pa- rents, under the gofpel, refpefting their children. This is, in general, to fecure the covenant -bleff- ings for them, by giving them to God in bap- tifm, and bringing them up for him in the gof- pel-way. To Ais^ parents, the gofpel invites you m our text: *' For the promife is unto you and *' to your children, and to all that are afar off, " even as many as the Lord our God (hall call." The church fays come — Minifters call upon you to become heirs according to the covenant of promife — to be faithful, and infure the peculiar, parental bleflings for yourfelves and for your dear offspring. But to be more particular — It is your duty, when your children are thus given up to God, to confider them his, and to taKe the moft tender care of them for him in their infant ftate. You ought to pray for them, and particularly by faith to take hold of the covenant, and afl^ for them, and for yourfelves, the peculiar parental bleffings. When they are capable of in(lru6lion, you are bound, by the moft folemn ties, care* iully and perfeveringly to teach them the will of God, their heavenly Father. You are to con- tinue in prayer both with, and for them. — It is your duty conflantly to fet before them good ex- amples in all godlinefs and holinefs. It is your duty, as parents, to redrain them from wicked ways — from wicked company, and from all dan- gerous and corrupting praftices, however fafh- lonable. — When neceffary, you ought to ufe the rod of paternal correction, alv/ays remeniberiug that there is in it a promiled blefhng. It is allb c 81 : your duty to call, if neceflary, upon the church for affiftance to reftrain and govern your chil- dren according to the fcriptures. In all things you muft look to God for his blefling. 2. The duty of children, efpecially of thofe who are given up to God — It is their duty to be the Lord's. But to be more particulai* — It is your duty, O ye little ones! the dear lambs of the flock — it is your duty to obey your parents in the Lord. God has put you under their care, and given them authority over you. You are bound to receive their inftruftion — to hear- ken to their counfel — to yield to their reftraints:, and obey their commands agreeably to his will. You are to be obedient to the calls and inflruc- tions of your minifter — of your Chriftian friends, and of the church, always remembering your folemn obligations. It is your duty to renounce all the finruTpleafures and vanities of this world — the lull oftheflefli, and the caufe of the de- vil. You are under the moft facred obligations ■ to give up yourfelves to God, through Jefus Chrift, to join the caufe and people of God, and to devote yourfelves to his intereft and fervice ■ for ever and even I (liall novr conclude with a fhort addrefs to parents and to children. Fh^ — Let me fpeak a few words to thofe pro- fefiing parents, who deny the covenant, and in* fant-baptifm.— Let me, my brethren, mod fo- lemnly befeech you impartially and candidly to examine the facred fcriptures on this fubjea. — I 82 3 With all meeknef^ let me entreat you to attend, without prejudice, to what has been now offered to your confideration. You may be affured it comes from a friendly heart — a heart that ar- dently wilhes well to you, and to your dear chil- 'dren, th^t you may have a large (hare in the pe- culiar parental bleffings of the covenant of pro- mife. Confider, if you err in this matter, what an affefting lofs you muft fuftain, both as to yourfelves and your dear offspring. Confider what encouragement, affiftance and comfort you are deprived of as parents — what covenant-pri- vileges and bleffings for your dear little ones are Joft for ever!— Thefe you, as parents, ought to .have received by faith, according to the cove- -nant of promife, and fecured to them for time and eternity. Be cordially willing to receive the truth, and may the Lord give you underftanding, and to hi^ name be all the glory. Secondly-^htt me addrefs thofe who have giv- en up themfelves and their children to God in covenant. You, my dear brethren, are interefl- ed in this gracious covenant — here are treafures of good things — here are precious promifes for you, and for your children. But can you be fa- tisfied with the bare right without the enjoyment of the bleffings? If you can, you are doubtlefs of thofe who have a name to live but are dead. — Ye drowfy parents, letmebefeechyouto awake! Confider what a price is put into your hands, and confider how much depends on your faith- fulnefs! Do your dear little ones look to you for temporal bleffings under God? Does your daily labor fupply their wants ? — In the covenant of promife God has madcjnore ample provifion for C 83 ] their precious fouls. He has giveivyou much greater encouragement to labor, that you may obtain for them the meat which emfdureth to e- ternal hfe. The unfaithful parent is, in this re- fpeft, cruel like the oftrich. — ^But I would hope better things of you: Be faithful to the fouls of your dear children, that you and they may en- joy the peculiar bleffings of the covenant of pro- mife, and be truly the feed of the bleffed of the Lord. Thirdly— To parents who have not given up themfelves to God, nor their children in bap^ tifm. — You have heard of the covenant of pro- mife, propofed to you freely, through Jefus Chrift, with all its bleffings; yet, alas! you ne- gleft to comply. Can you be eafy in thi^ fitua- tion? Here are parental bleffings — but where are your parental feelings? Tremble left your chil- dren perilh with you. It is true, they are not beyond the reach of uncovenanted mercy. But what will become of you, a faithlefs parent? — Never, never be eafy in this awful fituation — ** Repent and believe on the Lord Jefus Chrift; " for the promife is unto you, and to your chil- " dren, and to all that are afar off, even as many ** as the Lord our God ffiali call." . Fourthly — To thofe children who have, from their infancy, been given up to God in baptifm. —You, my dear children, have been fet apart, in a peculiar manner, for God, who has been pleaf- ed to diftinguifh you from others in the cove- nant of promife. He has put you under great advantages to know, to love, to ferve him, and to be happy for ever: He has gracioufly hedged [ 84 ] up from you the path of vice, and barred the broad way to deftruftion — and he has opened before you the path of virtue, and fmoothed for you the narrow way of Hfe and eternal happi- nefs. My dear children, I now befeech you, know the God of your fathers : He is the beft of beina[vS — he is a good God — his favor is life, and blefled are they whom he bleffeth : Let it be your firft thing to feek the Lord — You have the great- eft encouragement. If you feek him early, you fliall find him. Remember you are under the ftrongeft obligations to be his. Receive, I befeech you,tlieinftruftions and admonitions of thofe who are over you in the Lord— -of thofe whoearneft- ly pray ror, and fteadily feek your everlafting welfare: — Chearfully obey your parents in the Lord; — you know not how often they bend their knees at the throne of grace, in agonies of prayer, for you. Remember — oh! do remem- ber, as you grow up, that the ax is laid at the root of the tree. If, therefore, you do not bring forth good fruit you muft certainly be cut down, and caft into everlafting fire. But if, after all, you grow up in wickednefs, how great muft be your guilt, and how aggravated all your fins? — Should any of you thus go on in fin with the wicked, and finally perifh, certainly, in the day of judgment, it will be more tolerable for the children of Sodom and Gomorrah than for )Ou. Lajlly — One word to thofe children who are not given up to God in covenant by baptifm. — Though your parents have not given up them- f^lves, nor you, to God in covenant, and though you have no fpecial intereft in covenant-bleflings ^nd privileges, yet you are iu a gofpel land, and C 85 ] have many advantages for eternal life. You have the calls — the offers and invitation of the gofpel. You are called to give up yourfelves to God through Jefus Chrift. There is provifion enough in the uncovenanted mercy of God. The door of mercy is open. If you rej>ent and come to Chrifl he will receive you, while he rejefts thofe wicked children who, though they are baptized, yet ftill go on in fin, and dcfpife the God of their lathers. Be perfuaded to feek the Lord — be not difcouraged, for though you are now afar off, you may yet be brought nigh by the blood of Chrift. The gofpel is come to you. Now is the accepted time — now is the day of falvation. The time is Ihort — The day of grace may be foon o- ver, and the day of wrath may quickly be at ^ hand. Awake — fly from the vvTath to come. — ' Lay hold on the blelTed hope now fet before you. , Youth is a good time — It often is the only time, and it always is the beft time to make your peace with God through Jefus Chrift. — Come then — O now come! for all things are ready. The Spirit" and the Bride fay come: Let him that heareth fay come — and whofoever will, let him take of ihe water of life freely. — May the God of mercy blefs his own word, and to his name be all the glory for ever and ever — Amen. F I N I S. Er-RAtA. — Page x, line ad from bottom, for hiformed, reac^ informed, p, ^, 1. 4, for teach, rtiiA preach — 8 and 9 1, fame p. for difciplinedt read difciphd—V- 3ij 1- 5i, for there, read thofe. Errors of Copy. — Page 13, line 14 from bottom, for rniprohahk, jQnd pr&bakie, — P- 17, 1. 14 from bottom, read, thefumeris overnuhebned. —P. 54> 1- i»j ^^^^ ^^^^ ^'- 3^' 39) ^or ^<7-^ "^- I9-— P* 5^* !• » from bot- tom, for Eliberm, read Eiibrius, A Fair and Rational VINDICATION O F T H E Right of INFANTS To the Ordinance of BAPTISM: BEING TI^E Substance of feveral DISCOURSES from Acts ii. 39. CONTAINING I. The Scripture Ground, on which the Right of Infants to Baptifm is founded. II. The Evidence by which it is fupported. AnJ, III. A Solution of the moft material Objedions. By DAVID BOSrWICK, A.M. Late Minifler of the Presbyterian Church, in the City of NEW-YORK. That the BUffing of Ahr2ih?Lm might conu on the Genti'cs, thro* Jefus Cbriji, Gal. iii. 14. N E W - Y O R K Printed : LoNDOF, Re-printed for Edward and Charles Dilly, in t-hf Ponhryt near the Man/ion- Hou/c, MDCCLXV. t i" ] PREFACE. THE Reverend and picus Author of the follow- ing Treatife, compofed it for the Pulpit^ and deHvered it in fundry Sermons^ but a few Weeks before his Deceafe : which beins; found to have a very happy Effed, in the Confirmation and Efta- bHfhment of Ibme wavering Minds among his owa People, he was urged to tranfcribe his Notes for the Prefs ; but foon after he had begun this Work, he was (as to the particular Time of it) unexpededly called to his fuperior Station in God's Temple above. Yet by a kind Providence^ a few Days before his laft Illnefs, z young Minifter^ in the Neighbourhood of this City, who had a Defire to improve himfelf by Mr. Boftwick's Notes, which were written in a kind of Short-Hand of his own Invention, applied to him, and at his Requeft Mr. Boftwick fpent feveral Hours in teaching him in fome Degree to undcrftand them; and by his Means, the Copy now printed, was re- covered from Oblivion, and tranfcribed fincc Mr. Bofiwick's Death. Under this View, it is hoped, the candid Reader will difpenfe with a Stile a little too diffufe for a- printed Argumentation, and pardon any Inaccura- cy, that would probably have been avoided, if the Work had pafled under it's Author's laft Hand. > Thofe that were acquainted with Mr. Boftwick's mild and pacific Temper, and knew the general' A z Courfc .vi PREFACE. difcernlng therein an admirable Difplay of the infi- nite Perfedlions of the Deity, with a perfedt Ac- commodation to the various States of Man. He confidered it not only as a System oi Divine Know- ledge^ but as revealing a practical and experimental ^Dtfcipline \ and felt it's vital Energ)\ and had. it's Truth fealed on his Hearty with that Kind of Evi- dence as would doubtlels have flood the Fire upon tiie fevered Trial. After this, I fcarce need add, that he was a Divine of the old Stamp, and could well defend \\\s Syjlem againit all Gmnfayers.. In thefe Things he was a Scribe well inftru6led, and with ^rtd-X. Sagacity and Potetration could difcern the Spirit of Error in it's mod diftant Approaches. He knew it's Connec- tions^ and "Tendencies (ever aiming at God's Diflionour or Man's Ruin) and therefore as a faithful Watchman always gave the fpeedieft Warning of the: Danger, He had thofe Gifts which rendered him a very popular Preacher. With a flrong commanding Foice, his Pronunciation was clear, diftind, and deli- berate ; His Speech and Gefture decent and natural, without any Affedation -, His Language elegant and pure, but with ftudied Plainnefs, never below the Dignity of the Pulpit, nor above the Capacity of the meanefl: of his Auditory. The Strength of his Me- mory^ and the Flow of his Elocution^ enabled him to preach without Notes, but feldom or never extem- pore : He furnifhed the Lamps of the San5iuary with beaten Oil^ and the Matter and Method of his Sermons were well ftudied. In treating divine Stihje5Is^ he manifcfled an ha- hitu^l Reverence for the Majesty of Heaven, a deep Senfe of the IVorth of Soids^ an intimate Know- ledge of the human Heart,, and it's various Workings in it's two-fold State oi Nature and Grace, He dealt faithfully PREFACE. vij faithfully with his Hearers^ declaring to them the whole Counfel of Gody fnewing them their Danger and Re- medy. And none v/ill periJJj from under his Miniftry^ hut their Blood mufl: lie upon their own Heads. He always fpake from a deep Senje of the Truths he de- livered, and declared thofe Things, which he hadfeen and which he had beards and his Hands had handled of the Word of Life j and delivered nothing to his Au- ditor)\ but with a Solemnity that difcovered it's Im- portance. His Mi7id had a poetic Turn. His Stile was co- pious and florid. He fometimes foared, when his Subject would admit of it, with an elevated IVing ; and his Imagination enabled him to paint his Scene, whatever it was^ in very llrong and lively Colours, Few Men could defcribe tlie hideous Deformity of Sin, the Mifery of Men's Apoftacy from God, the JVon- ders of redee-ming Love, the Glory and Riches of di- vine Grace., in flronger Lines, and more affeding Strains than he. In the Condiiul of Life^ he was remarkably^^;///^ towards all Men^ v^QiVj prudent and cautious., and al- ways behaved zvith the Meeknefs ofWifdom.^ and filled np every Relation in Life., with it's proper Duty^ and was a living Example of the Truth of that Religion, which he taught to others. He preached not himfclf^ hut Chrifl Jefus his Lord. In this View his Eye was fingk., and he regarded no other Ohje^l. He knew in whofe Place he flood, and feared no Man. He dared to fiafh the 'Terrors of the Law in the Face of the ftouteft Tranfgreffor^ with the fame Freedom as lie dif- play'd the amiable Beauties and Glories of the Go- fpel for the Comfort and Refrefhment of the penitent: Believer. As he highly honoured hrs divine Mafler he was highly favoured by him^ of which take one Inllance. In viii PREFACE. In a farmer Illnefs^ from which it was thought he could not recover, which happened fome Months before he died, he was greatly diftrefied by a deep Concern for his JVidow and his great Family^ on the Event of his Death. But God was pleafed in a Time of great Extremity^ to grant him a glorious and ajlo- nijhing View of his Power^ Wijdom^ and Goodnefs^ and the Riches of his Grace^ with a particular Appropria- tion to him/elf znd his. Such as difpelled every Fear, and at that Time, rendered him impatient to live, but at length on his Recovery, which commenced immediately on the Removal of this Diftrefs, his Mind fettled into a divine Calm ; he perceived him- felf equally willing to live or die as God pleafed. In which Temper he continued to his laft Moment, when placidly he refigncd his Soul and all his mortal Inte- refisy into the Hands of his Saviour and his God ! Such Intercourfe fometimes pafTes between the Fa- ther of Spirits and the human Spirit, andfuch Ho- nour have they that fear God ! Thus lived, and thus died, in the midfl of his Days and Ufefulnefs, this excellent Minifter of Jefus Chrifly to the unfpeakable Lois of the World, the Churchy and his Family. He departed this Ufe on the 1 2th Day of I^ovember, in the Year of our Lord One Thoufand Seven Hundred and Sixty-Three, and in the Forty-fourth Year of his Age, leaving his Widow and Ten Children to the Care of Providence, and his Remains lie buried in the Front Ifle of the Prefby- terian .Church in this City. Bated at New-York April the Ninth, Ont Thon- fand Seven Hundred and Sixty- Four. A Fair A Fair and Rational VINDICATION, ^c. ACTS II. 39. For the Promife is unto you^ and to your ChiU dren^ and to all that are afar off', even as many as the Lord our God Jh all calL YOU arc very fen fible, my Brethren, that it has not been my ufual Pradlice to fill your Minds with htigious Difputes, or to introduce Matters of needlefs Controverfy into the facred Defk ; much lefs to throw out occafional Reflec* tions, or fix opprobrious Epithets on thofe of differ^ ent Denominations. — This, I ever efteemed a mean, unmanly Way of oppofmg Error, or advancing the Caufe of Truth. — I have rather in general con- fidered my Hearers, as tranfient, itinerant Mor- tals bound to an eternal World ; and thefore have made it my principal Bufinefs, to inculcate upon them, thofe plain, praftical, and important Truths, that have the neareft Conncdiion with, and are of the greatefl Confequence to their eternal Interefl. Convinced, however, of my indifpenfable Duty, by feveral concurring Circum fiances \ I fhall now attempt to illuflratc, vv'hat I fuppofe a precious Gof- pel-Truth -, and vindicate a valuable Privilege, of which the Church of Chrifl has been in FoflefTion from its firfl Inflitution, though by fome made a Matter of Dilputej and that is, the Riiht of Infant- B Children^ ( 10 ) Children^ defcending from con -fa' derate^ or covenayited Parents^ to that Ordinance of Baptifm^ which is the eternal Seal of the Gofpel- Covenant. — And as this is known to be my Principle, from my conflant Pradlice ; furely none can take it amifs, or think it flrange, that I {land forth in its Vindication ; efpe- cially as I defign no unchriftian Refledion, no ac- rimonious ExprclTions, or uncharitable Cenfures, on thofe of contrary Sentiments and Practice ; but on- ly a fair and rational Vindication of my own ; having principally in View, the Satisfa6tion of a Number of my Hearers, who have exprefled their Defire of being further inftrui^ed in the fcriptural Grounds and Reafons of our conftant Pradice. — And though on the one Hand, I will not place this Point, of Infant-Baptifm, among the Things that are abfolutely effential to Salvation -, yet on the other, I am far from fuppofing it to be a Mat- ter of trifling Indifference, or of little or no Con- fequence. — For if the Baptifm of Infants is not ao-reeable to divine Inftitution, or warranted by the facred Word, then not only we, but the Pro- tejlant Churches in general mufl be in a very un- happy Situation having no regular Gofpel- Ordinances of any Kind whatfoever. — Nay, if In- fant-Baptifm be a meer Nullity, as fome pretend, then we, with the Generality of the Protefiant Churches, are in fa6l, a Company of unbaptifcd Heathens •, who have neither Churches, Minillers, or Ordinances, according to the Inftitution of Je- fus Chrift : Our Miniftcrs themfelves, being un- baptifcd, can have no regular Yluthority to baptife others ; and we being all unbaptifed, cannot, with- out the greateft Impropriety, approach the facred Ordinance of the Lord's Supper. Having ( lO Having therefore, on this Suppofition, no re- gular Ordinances among us, we, with our nume- rous Protefiant Brethren of various Denomina- tions, muft want the very Eflence of a regular Gofpel-Church, and in this Refped be reduced to a State of ablblute Heatbenifm. — I do not adduce this, as a Proof, that Infant- Baptifm is a divine Inftitution ; that, I truH, will be proved by more dired and pofitive Evidences ; I only mention it to Ihew that the Controverfy is no Trifle, but of fufficient Importance to demand our Attention, and engage our impartial Inquiry, whether we are right, or whether we are wrong ? .And can our Oppo- nents, whofe Principles and Conduct neceiTarily unchurch the whole Frotefiant World, except themfelves, — can they, I fay, think themfelves offended, that we do not filently fubmit to their uncharitable Cenfures ? will they be difpleafed, that we affert and vindicate our Handing in the vifible Kingdom of Chriit, and that we are a Gofpel- Church as well as they ? Surely, thofe that are Men of Confcience among them will not j or if they fhould, yet thefe are Matters too interefting to be given up, out of mcer Complaifance, to any So- ciety of Men in the Univerfe. Let us then aim at the Truth, without any Regard to the Pleafure or Difpleafure of Mortals ; and if our In- fant-Baptifm can be vindicated, for Confcience fake let it be done. — If not, if the Truth is not for us, but againft us, let us honeftly give it up, and no more pradife what the facred Word will noc defend. Having thus hinted the Importance of the Con- troverfy, as a fufficient Warrant for my prefent Attempt, I fhall now confider the Occafion, and the proper Meaning of the Words before us> — lor the Promife is to you and to your Childreriy &c. B 2 In ( 12 ) In the preceding Context, we have an Account of that remarkable divine Energy, which attended the firft Golpel-Sermon after the miraculous Effu- fion of the Eloly Gholl, awakening in the Hearers that mod anxious and important Inquiry, Men and Bretben^ whatjhall we do ? We have alfo the Apoflle's Anfwer to this mo- mentous and interefling Inquiry, Repent and be baptifed every one of you^ in the Name of Jefus Chriji^ for the Remiffion of Sins, and ye floall receive the Gift of the Holy Ghofl \ i. e. " Return unfeigned! y from Sin to God, through Jefus Chriil -, fubmit to the Grace and Government of this divine Redeemer ; and make a folemn pubHc ProfefTion of this Sub- miflion, by being baptifed in the Name of Jeius Chrifl, and your Baptifm fhall be an external Sign of the Remiffion of Sins, and of the renewing and fandifying Influences of the Holy Ghofl.'* This Exhortation plainly confills of two Branch- es, each of which is urged with a diflindl Motive. The firft is Repentance, or a Turning to God through Jefus Chrifl. This is urged with the en- couraging Motive, that they fhall receive the For- givenefs of Sins, and the ordinary fanclifying In- fluences of the Holy Ghofb. The fecond Branch of the Exhortation, is a Submiffion to this new Dif- penfation of the Gofpel-Covenant, by being bap- tifed in the Name of Jefus Chrifl. This is urged with the Motive in the Text, For the Promife is unto you and to your Children, &:c. q. d. " The Pro- mife which encourages you to enter into this new Covenant, by Baptifm, is primarily to you, and your Children, as the Defcendents of Abraham ; znd fecondarily to as many of the Gentiles, who are yet afar off, (and, including their Children alfo) i% by the Miniilry of the V/ord, the Lord our God flmll ('3) Jhall call.'' It is pkin then, that this Promife, whatever is intended by it, is urged as a Reafon why they ought to fubmit to this new Inftitution of the Gofpei, and he baptifcd in the Name of the Lord Jefus, This Realori then inufl hold good with Refpe^l to all to whom the Promife is made -, but the Promife is made equally to them^ and their Children \ it is therefore an equal Reafon v/hy they^ and their Children lliould be bapti fed •, i.e. If the Promife being made to them was any Reafon why they ought to be baptifed, as the Apoftle exprefsly declares, then the fame Promife extending to their Children, mud be an equal Realbn why Baptifm fhould be adminiitered to them \ n®r can I poflibly fee how the Apodle's Argument can have any more Force with refped to the Parents, than it has with refpedlto the Children. — The Sum of the Ar- gument is plainly this : The Promife is to you, there- tore be baptifed in the Name of Jefus Chrift.— • But the Promife is to your Children alfo •, therefore let your Children be baptifed would feem a necefia- ry Confequence. — And indeed to fuppofe their Chil- dren excluded from Baptifm, muft render the Apoille's Argument very confufed and inconclu- five ; for then it miuft lland thus : '•The Fromife is to you, therefore be baptifed in the Name of the Lord Jefus ; the fame Promife is equally to your Children — yet let not your Children be baptifed -, for they are not the proper Subjects of fuch an Or- dinance.— And what an Abfurdity is this ? How eafily might the Jews objed and fay : If the Pro- mife to our Children is no Reafon why they lliould be baptifed, then neither is the Promife to us any Ground or Reafon why we would fubmit to this new Inftitution, and therefore to fay the lealf, there is juft nothing at all in the Argument. The ( 14 ) The Jewi^ to whom the Apoftle is fpeaking, knew very well, that uncier the ancient Dilpenfa-- tion of the Covenant their Children were always included with the covenanted Parents, and that the Promife oi Abraham's Covenant had always run in that Tenor, including Parents and Chil- dren.— When therefore the Apoitle is perfuading them to come under this new Difpenfation of the Covenant, he allures them that their Children are ftill to continue in PofTefilon of their ancient Pri- vilege ; for that very Promife, which included them under the Law, equally includes them now under the Gofpel. — For obferve, he does not fay, the Promife zvas to you and your Children, but it is Jim % otherwife they might naturally be fuppofed to objed, that their Children were like to be in a worfe Condition under the Gofpel, than they were under the Law j which muft greatly ftrengthen their Prejudices againft the evangelical Difpenfa- tion. The Apoftle therefore precludes any fuch Objedion, by informing them, that they can lofe nothing by fubmitting to this new Difpenfation of the Covenant •, for the Privileges of the Gofpel Ihould by no Means be more confined and limited than thole of the Law •, but on the contrary more enlarged : for under the Law the Promife was only to them and their Children, as Defcendants oi Abraham-, but now it (hall extend to all among the Gentiles, and their Children alfo, whom thi Lord cur Godjhall call. All that is further neceflary to fhew this Text an unanfwerable Argument for the Right of In- fants to Baptifm, is only to prove thefe two Points. I. That by \\-\Q PrG7nife here, muft be under- ilood the Covenant-Promife made to Abraham, which ( 15 ) which gave his Infant-Children a Right to the Ordinance of Circumcifion. 2. That the Word Children in the Text does not intend their adult Defcendants, as fome pretend,* but their Infant-Offspring. If thele two Things are proved, the Argument Hands thus : The Covenant-Promife made to Abraham, which gave his Infant-Children a Right to Circumcifion under the Law, is now to you and your Infant- Children under the Gofpel. — And this Promife being urged as a Reafon why the Parents fliould be baptiled, muft ^neceffarily carry an equal Reafon for the Baptifm of their Children •, and muft be fo underftood both by the Apoftle and his Jew- ifh Hearers. The firft Queftion then is, whether by the Promife^ in the Text, the Apoftle means that Covenant- Promife made to Abraham, which entitled his In- fant-Children to Circumcifion ? This fome deny, and fuppofe that by this Promife the Apoftle only intends that of JoeV% Prophecy, which he had quoted in the preceding Sermon, from the 1 6th to the 2 2d Verfe -, but let any one read that Prophecy of Joel, as quoted by the Apoftle, in thofe Verfes, and he muft be immediately convinced, that the extraordinary and miraculous Gifts of the Holy Ghoft are there intended \ confequently that the Pro- mife, contained in this Prophecy, could never here be urged, as a Ground or Motive to Baptifm ; for extraordinary and miraculous Gifts, were nei- ther required, as the Ground of Baptifm, or num- bered among the Bleffmgs that ufualiy attend or flow from it. Nor is there the leaft Intimation given in this Hiftory, that the 3000 here baptifed, did re- ceive thefe miraculous Gifts. — If therefore thti was the Promife the Apoftle fpeaks of to them and their Children, ( i6 ) Children, it will follow that the Promife was. not made good ; for neither they nor their Children, (that we read of) were ever polTefTt-d of thefe ex- traordinary Gifts. Befides, the Promife in Joel had already its Accomplifhmenr, in that extraordi- nary Etfufion of the Holy Ghofl upon the Apoftles. This St. Fetcr declares, and quotes the Promife on purpofe to prove his Declaration. It is plain then, he can have no Reference to this, in the Promife here mentioned ; nor can it with the lead Proprie- ty, be underftood of any thing elfe but that very Promise which God made to Abraham^ when he took him, and his Infant-Children, into Cove- nant.— This Covenant was fo eminent, and fo well known, that it was often emphatically called The Promise, without any other Charadlerifticor Note of Diftindion. — Thus the fpiritual Sttdo^ Abraham are faid to be Heirs according to The Promise. And in many other Places too numerous to men- tion.— But to conclude this Point, the Apoftle himfelf has plainly informed us, in another Place, what he here intends by the Promife, fee A5is iii. 25. where urging much the fame Exhortation up- on his Jev/ifh Hearers, as he does here, he enforces it with this Argument : I'e are the Childre-n of the Covenant^ which God made with our Fathers^ f^yi^g unto Abraham, and in thy Seedfhall all the Kindreds of the Earth be bleffed ; unto youfirfi God hath raifed up his Son J ( 24 ) that he may he to thee a God, Szc, Obferve how their Little-ones are Partakers in this folemn Tranfadion. He then who denies that Children were taken into this Covenant, may as well deny this to be the Word of God. Nay, it is evident, from the conflant Pradlice of circumcifmg Infants, that they were always eonfidered as included with the con-foederate Parents •, and on this Footing, ihat Seal of the Covenant was adminiftered. Since then the Children of con-fcederate Parents were, by God himfelf, admitted into Covenant, they muft ftill be acknowleged by God as Parties in the new Covenant, or rather new Adminiftration of the Covenant •, and ought to be fo acknowleged by us, unlefs there is good Ground for their Ex- clufion, for a Privilege, once granted to the Church, muft continue through all Ages, unlels the Donor is pleafed to revoke it ; and that the Covenant-Intereft of Children is a Privilege, the Apoftle plainly proves, in his Anfwer to the Quef- tion. What Advantage hath the ]tvj^ and what Pro- Jit is there in Circumcifion? Much every Way, Da- vid acknowledged it a Privilege, and pleaded it before God. / am thy Servant^ and the Son of thy Hand-Maid^ Pfal. cxvi. i6. Now if this be a Privilege, and God has once granted it to his Church, when has he ever revoked it ? It is cer- tain he did receive Children into his Church, with their Parents, and granted them the Seal ; this is undeniable Fad. Now, has he given the leaft Inti- mation, that it was his Defign ever to exclude them ? There is not a fingle Text in the Bible, that teaches either exprefsly or by Confec[uence that they ought to be cut off from that antient Privilege. Neither has Jefus Chrift, by any Dodlrine, or Inftitution, cjpbared them from their Covenant-Intereft, but rather (25) rather confirmed it, as I fliall fhew in the Se- quel. There is nothing in the Nature, or Conftitution of the Gofpel- Covenant that excludes them; nor can any Reafon be iuggefted for it from their In- capacity ; for they are as capable now of BlefTings, and of the Seal of the Covenant, as they were un- der the Law. Therefore, fince it is undeniable, that God has of old received Infants into Covenant, and has never nnce, either dire6lly, or confequenti- ally debared, or cut them off from this Privi- lege ; and fince no Reafon can be affigned, why they ought to be excluded ; I muft, I am conftrain- ed to believe that it is ftill his Will that they fhould be reckoned as Parties in his Covenant, and enti- tled to the external Seal. iii. I now proceed to the third Thing that was propofed under the firfl general Head, (viz.) Tbai Baptifm is a Seal of the fame Covenant^ made with Abraham, infiituted in the Room of Circumcijtony and therefore ought to he adminijlered to the Children ofprofejfed Belie^rs. ift^ If the Covenant made with Abraham wa$ a Covenant of Grace, and an everlafting Cove- nant, as has been proved, then Baptifm muft be a Seal o^iht fame Covenant, and muft have been in- ftituted in the Room of Circumcifion, juft as the Lord's-Supper is inftituted in the Room of the an- cient Paflbver ; and this the Apoftle plainly afTerts to be the Cafe, Col. ii, 1 1 . In whom alfo ye are cir- cumcifed with the Circumcifion made without Hands^ in putting off the Body of the Sins of the Flefh^ by the Circumcifion of Chrift ; buried with him in Baptifm, Here it is necelfiry to obferve, that the Coloffians were perplexed with Judaizing Teachers, urging the NeceflTity of Circumcifion. The Apoftle tells D ^theni ( 26 ) them they need it not but are complete in Chrift without that Jewifh Rite, fince they had been bap- tifed in the Name of the Lord Jefqs ; which he calls the Circumcifion of Chrill, or, as it might be ren- dered, the Chriftian Circumcifion, which exadtly anfwers the fpiritual Ufe and Defign of that Jew- ifh Inflitution. What then can be meant by the Circumcifion of Chrift, but Baptifm ? It cannot be the Circumcifion that Chrift received when an Infant ; for that was the Jewifti Rite the Apoftle was arguing againft. It cannot be the fpiritual Circumcifion of the Heart ; for this is mentioned in the foregoing Claufe, and called a Circumcifion without Hands. And to underftand this Circum- cifion of Chrift to be the fame^ would make an unreafonable Tautology ^ as if he had faid, ye are circumcifed with the fpiritual Circumcifion by the fpiritual Circumcifion, which would have been Nonfenfe. But the Apoftle has put it out of all Doubt ; for he explains the Circumcifion of Chrift, to mean, their being buried with him in Baptifm. The plain Senfe then is. Ye have the myftical In- tention of that Jewifti Rite in the Circumcifion of Chrift, which is a being baptized in the Name of the Lord. But, 2^/y, Baptifm fignifies the fame Thing with Circumcifion, and may we not therefore conclude that Baptifm was inftituted in its Room ? Did the Blood of Circumcifion point to the Blood of Jefus Chrift, as that whereby Guilt is removed ? fo does the Water of Baptifm. Did Circumcifion fignify our natural Corruption, and our Need of Regene- ration and Sand:ification by the Spirit ? fo does Baptifm. Was Circumcifion the Sacrament of Admiflion into that Church oi Ifrael? fo is Baptifm into the Chriftian Church. Was Circumcifion a Badge ( 27 ) _ Badge of Relation to the God oi Ifrael ? fo is Bap- tifm of Relation to Chrift. And was Circumcifion ' a Sign and Seal of the Covenant of Grace, and of the Righteoufnefs of Faith ? fo is Baptifm. The Analogy in thefe, and in many other Particulars, that might be mentioned, plainly fhews, that Baptifm was inflituted in the Room of Circum- cifion. Again, 3^/^, If Baptifm does not come in the Room of Circumcifion, then we have no Ordi- nance anfwering to that Jewifli Rite, and confe- quently the Chriflian Church, by the Coming of Chrift, has been deprived of a Sacrament, which was reckoned of fingular Advantage in the Jewifh Difpenfation ; for the Profit of Circumcifwn^ the Apoftle afferts, was much every JVay. And if fo, the Chriflian Church has loft much every Way, by having nothing appointed in its Stead. We find that other Inftitutions, under the Old-Teftament, are fupplied by fomething anfwerable in the New. Inftead of the Faflbver, we have the Lord's-Sup- per. Inftead of the Jewifti-Priefts, GofpeI-Mi~ nifters. Inftead of the meeting of the Tribes at the Temple, our Chriftian Alfemblics. Inftead of the Seventh-Day Sabbath, we have the firft Day of the Week. And does nothing fucceed Circumcifion ? Is a divine Ordinance totally loft ? Surely fuch a Suppofition is abfurd. And if any thing does fucceed Circumcifion, Baptifm cer- tainly ftands the faireft for its Succeflbr, as it has the fame Ufe and Meaning, and is a Sign of the fame Covenant. Now if Baptifm fucceeds Circumcifion, as a Seal of the fame Covenant, is it not an undeniable In- ference, that it ought to be adminiftered to the P 2 fams ( 28 ) fame Subje6ls as Circumcifion v/as, that is to the Infants of con-foeclerate Parents. Could that Circumcifion of Chnft, which the Apoi- tle calls Baptifm, fatisfy his Jcvvifh Hearers, if it was not to extend to their Children, as well as the Circumcifion of Abraham ? They were enraged at Paul^ we are told, when they heard that he taught the Jtws^ who were among the Gentiles^ that they ought not to circumcif>i their Children, ABs xxi. 21. Therefore, his telling them that Baptifm was the Circumcifion of Chriil, and took Place in- flead of the antient Rite, would have been- no Sa- tisfaction to them, had it been only for Adults, and not for their Infant- Children. The Apollk therefore mufl have intended it for both, or elfe lie had given no latifadlory Anfwer to the Plea of the y^a'j for retaining Circumcifion. > Thus I have (hewn, that the Covenant with Alraham^ was a Covenant of Grace — that Circum- cifion was a Seal of that Covenant, and by God's Appointment adminiftered to his Infant-Chil- dren,— that Baptifm is a Seal of the fame Cove- nant, and therefore ought to be adminiftered to the fame Subjects ; ii e. the Infant- Children of eon-fcederate and believing Parents-, becauk their antient Right to this Seal has never been dii- annulled. . II. I now proceed to fliew the Evidences we have, both from Scripture and Hiltory, that the Baptiim of Infants was the common Pradice, both of the Apollles and the primitive Churches. Now the Evidence we " have, that this was the Practice of the Apollles, is of two Kinds. ( 29 ) i/. Their acknovvledging the Covenant-Rela- tion of Children, under the Gofpel, as well as under the Law. And, idly^ The ilrong Probability we have that there were Infant-Children among thofe whom they baptized. ly?, Then it is indiiputably evident that the Apoftle did allow the Covenant-Intereil of Chil- dren, under the Gofpel, as well as under the Law. I have already fliewn, that the Text itfelf plainly aflerts, that the Promife of Abraham^ Covenant was to Believers and their Infant-Chil- dren ; and to this, I would add that Pallage^ Rom. xi. 1 6. tor if the Root he hcly^ fo are the Brmiches : and if feme of the Branches be broken offy and then being a wild Olive-'Tree^ wert grafted in f.niongfl them^ and with them partakefi of the Root and Fatnefs of the Olive-Tree^ &c. Now by the Ivoot here^ the Apoftle intends Abraha7n^ and by the Branches his Poilerity, who paitook in the fame Privileges with him, by Virtue of their In- tereil in the lame Covenant, till they were broken off. Here then is plainly afferted the foederal J lolinefs, or Covenant-Intereft of the Children of can-foedcrate Parents. If the Root be holy, fo are the Branches. God has fiid it, and who dare imfay it ? And as this is not fpoken of real Holi- nefs, or truly gracious Habits, (for no Parent can convey real Holinefs to his Children) it muft then mean a fcederal orCovenant-HoHnefs, fuch as de- nominated the Jews in general, a holy Nation ; not that they were all truly gracious, but vifiWy dedicated to God, and Members of his vifible Church ; and in confcquence of this, had his Ordi- nances adminiftered to them. This is the Holinefs we plead, for the Children of Believers, or con- federate ( 30 ) foederate Parents. Now it is here afierted, that the believing Gentiles^ are io ingrafted into this Stock, and To umiQd io Abraham y by Covenant- Relation, as to partake of the fame Privileges that Abrahanis Children once did, and from which they were now broken off. For obferve, the Grafted in^ anfwers exactly to the Broken off. The Broken off of the Jevos^ was from the vifible Church, fo is the Grafted in^ of the Gentiles., into the vifible Church alfo. The Broken off reached Parents and Children, and fo mufr the Grafted in. And if the believing Gentiles partook of the Fatnefs of the farne Olive, /". e, of the fame Privileges of which the Jews did, then their Children certainly mud be included in the Covenant, and entitled to the external Seal ; for that the Jewifh Children were is plain Fa6l j and if Gentile Children are excluded, and not ta- ken into Covenant, by Baptifm, as the others were by Circumcifion, then they do not partake of xk-xtfame Privileges with the Jeivs., who are broken off, and confequently the Apoftle's Affertion muft be falfe, and his Argument inconclufive. Another Text which proves the Covenant-Inte- reft of the Infants of believing Parents, in the Judgment of the Apoftle is, r Cor. vii. 14. For the unbelieving Huff and is fantlified by the IVife^ and the unbelieving Wife is fantlified by the Hufhand, elfe were your Children unclean^ but now are they holy. The Qiieftion pronofed was this •, JVhether it was lawful for a believing Huffand or Wife., t^ live with their unbelieving Companion? This the Apoftle anfwers in the Affirmative, for which he gives this Reafon, the Unbeliever is fandified by the Believer, whofe Duty it is to confeprate his All to God, as he acl:ually does, {:\\t were your Children unclean. ( 31 ) unclean, but now are they holy. This is a plain Intimation, that it would not be confiftent with the Chriftian Chara6ler, to continue in a Marri- age-Relation with an Infidel, if their Children would, in fuch Cafe, be unclean. Here unclean^ and hol)\ are fet in dire6l Oppofition. Now to be unclear* in the Stile of Scripture, as oppofed to holy, is to be out of the vifible Church, or with- out any vifible Intereft in, or Covenant-Relation to God, {^tAcIsx, 14. where P^/^r ufes the Word unclean, with reference to Cornelius^ becaufe he was not vifibly in Covenant, being a Gentile. And on the other Hand, to be holy, mud fignify to have a vifible Intereft in the Covenant, or vifibly to be- long to God. So that the Covenant- Relation of the Children of believing Parents is here plainly alferted. What elfe can be meant by their being holy ? It cannot mean Legitimacy, as fome pretend •, for the Legitimacy of Children has no Dependence on the relative Charader, or Profefiion of their Parents, but only on a lawful Marriage -, which is no peculiar Privilege of the Church, but of Man- kind in general. It cannot mean a real internal Holinefs -, for this is not at all derived from the mod eminent believing Parents. But it is plain, the Apoftle here means ibme Kind of Holinefs that depends on one of the Parents beiirg a Believer, and without which they would be unclean. If this then is not a foederal Holinefs, or a vifible Cove- nant-Relation, let any Man, if he Gan, tell what it is. If it is a foederal Holinefs, or Covenant- Relation, then here is a plain Proof, that the Apoftle looked upon the Children of con-foederate Parents, as having the fame Intereft in the Cove- nant, under the Gofpel, as they had under the Lawj and if they had the fame Intereft in the Covenant, ( 32 ) Covenant, they had the fame Right to the exter- nal Seal : for a Right to Baptifm is acknowledged, by all, to be founded on a vifible Inrereft in the Covenant of Grace. Hiis gave Abraham and his Children a Right to Circumcifion under the Law ; and this it is that gives both Parents and Children a Right to Baptifm under the Gofpel. Now if the Apollle iQoked on the Chikiren of believing Pa- rents, as having an Interell in the Covenant of Grace, as has been proved, and if they efheemed a vifible Covenant- Interell to be the Ground of AdmifTion to Baptifm, which none will deny, then we have undeniable Evidence, that they did in Fad baptize the Chiidren of all ProfefTing Be- lievers ; and that they underftood their Commif- fion, as authorizing them fo to do, when they were bid to go and teach all Nations^ baptizing them in the Name of the Father^ of the Son^ and of the Holy Ghojl. The Word teach^ is, in the Original, to make Difciples, or learn ; and Children are ca- pable in this Senfe of being made Difciples ; nay, the Children of believing Parents under the Gof- pel, are called Difciples exprefsly, A^s xv. lo. Now therefore^ why tempt ye Gcd to put a Yoke upon the Neck of the Difciples y &c. The Yoke here mentioned was Circumcifion, which was appointed to be adminiftered to Inf^int- Children, as you fee in the Context j therefore Children are called Difciples, and as they are ca- pable of being admitted, as Learners, in the School of Chrift, and have that Interefl: in the Covenant, on which that Right of Baptifm is founded ; they mull be included in the Words, all Nations ^ men- tioned in the Commiflion. And, befides this clear Evidence, that they undcrftood their CommifTion to include Believers' Infants, wc have alfo, from Scripture ( 33 ) Scripture-Accounts, the higheft Probability that their general Pradlice was accordingly ; for we read that they baptized whole Houfliolds. For inftance, Lydia, and her Houfhold, the Jailor, and all that were bis^ and the Houfhold of Sle- phams. And is it probable that there were no Jnfant-Childrcn in any of thefe Families ? We read, when God fmote the Firfl-born of E^ypt^ there was not an Houfe, in which there w^as not one dead; confequently not an Houfe in Egypt^ in which there was not a Child. And is it probable, or credible to an unprejudiced Mind, that in all the Houfholds baptized, there was not one Child ? Suppofe it had been faid of one profelyted to the Jewifh Religion, that he, and his Houfhold, or that he, and all his, were circumcifed ; would any doubt whether his Infant-Children were circum- cifed ? I believe not : for this was a known Prac- tice, ever fince Abraham^ Covenant, to receive the Children with the Parents into a Covenant-Re- lation. And I have fliewn that the fame Reafons hold for their AdmifTion under the Gofpel. It would feem then, as it had always been the Prac- tice of the Church, to adminifter the Seal of the Covenant to the Infants of con-foederate Pa- rents, that there would have been fome Difappro- bation of it, or fome exprefs Declaration againft ir, if it is not to be continued. So great a Change as that of calling Infants out of the vifible Church, Y^ho had been admitted for fo many hundred Years, by a divine Appointment, can hardly be fuppofed, without an exprefs Declaration forbidding them. Would the Apodles have refufed them that Chriflian-Memberfhip, and the Seal of the Cove- nant, which they had fo long enjoyed, without ^ny exprefs Command for that Purpofe P And if E they ( 34 ) they had received fuch'a Command, and in con- fequence, made fo great a Change in the Conftitu- tion of the Church, fliould we have had no Ac- count of it ? would it not have made a Noife and Stir among the beheving Jews^ or at lead, have been a Matter of Record ? Since therefore Infants were admitted to the Seal of the Covenant of Grace till the Apoftles' Day, and fince we have no Ac- count that they ever rejected them, or cut them oiTfrom that Privilege: and efpecially fince they baptized whole Houfliolds, upon the Converfion of the Parents, or Heads of the Family, we have, I think, fufficient Evidence, that it was their com- mon Pradice to baptize them. I now pafs on to confider the Evidence which we have, that the Baptifni of Children was the conftant Practice of the primitive Church from the Apoftles' Time ; which will ftill confirm the Evidence that it was their Pradlice alio. For it cannot be fuppofed but that thofe, who lived fo near the Apoftles, as the firft, fecond, and third Centuries, muft have known what was the Prac- tice of the Apoftles themfelves, and that they prac- tifed accordingly. For it is allowed by all, that the Church was then in its Purity, and not cor- rupted with Innovations, and Superftitions : and the Writers of thofe Times are not only Witneflcs, that Infant- Baptifm was xht Pra6lice in their Day, but exprefsly declare, fome of them, that it was the Pratflice of the Apoftles themfelves, and of the Church from their Time. The I ft Evidence I would produce is Irenus^ who, by the beft Accounts, was born before the Death of the Apoftle John^ and was well acquaint- ed with Polycarp^ who was Joht's Difciple ; and therefore could not be miftakcn about the Prac- tice ( 3^ ) tice of the Church down to his Time. It is truc> he mentions Infant Baptifm only tranfiently ; for it had not then been a Matter ofDifpute, and therefore there was no Occafion given for arguing about it. It muft alfo be obferved, that he, and many of the Fathers, when they fpoke of Baptifm, ufed the Thing fignified for the Sign ; and, as in the Old- Teftament, Circumcifion is called the Covenant, inflead of the Sign and Seal of Covenant ; fo by Irenus^ and others, Baptifm is called Regeneration, becaufe it is the outward Sign of Regeneration, and the Renewing; of the Holy Ghoif. With how much Propriety he calls it fo is nothing to me, if it appears that he does call it fo, and- under that Charadler fpeaks of it as commanded to Children and Little-ones, his Teftimony is diredly to the Purpofe. And that he does iifc the Word Rege- neration for Baptifm, is plain from his own Words : " When Chrijt^ fays he^ gave his Difciples the Com- " mand of Regenerating unto God^ he faid^ Go and " teach all Nations, baptizing them in the Name of *' Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghofi.'* Here it is plain, that by the Command of regene- rating, he means the Command of baptizing ; not that he fuppofes Baptilm was Regeneration ; but he puts the Thing fignified for the Sign, juft as God himfelf does, when he calls Circumcifion his Covenant, which was a Sign or Token of his Co- venant. Allowing then, that he ufes Regeneration for Baptifm, as the above Qiiotation plainly proves, his Teftimony is plain for the Baptifm oi Infants ; for he adds : " Chrift came to fave thofe, who by him " are regenerated unto God-, fi. e. baptized) both " Infants and Littk-ones, andyoivig Men and elderly E 2 " 'Terfom,^* ( 3^ ) *' Perfons'* Here he fpeaks of Infants and Little ones, being regenerated unto God. And that he ufes the Word Regeneration for Baptifm, putting the Thing fignified for the Sign, is further evident from the concurring Pra6lice of his contemporary Writers -, particularly Juftin Martyr^ who has thefe Words : " l^^bey are regenerated in the fame *' Way in which we have been regenerated^ for they *' are wafhed with Water ^ in the Name of the Fa- " ther^ the Son^ and the Holy Ghofi'' If it be faid there was an Impropriety in calling Regeneration Baptifm, it is nothing to the prefent Argument, for that they did call it fo, is undeni- ably Fad from thefe Quotations ; and it is equally fadl that they fpoke of it as commanded to Infants, and Little-ones, as well as young Men, and el- derly Perfons. In the Beginning of the third Century, Origen exprefsly declares I nfiint- Baptifm to have been the conflant Ufe of the Church. The Occafion of h\i mentioning it was this, he was attempting, in the eighth Homily, to prove the Dodlrine of Original Sin, and that Infants were guilty as foon as born, and makes ufe of their Baptifm as an Argument. " ^he Baptifm of Children^ fays he^ is given for the *• Forgivenefs of Sins: But why^ continues he^ are '' Infants^ by the Ufage of the Churchy baptized^ ' ' if they have nothing that wants Forgivenefs ? And *' again^ he adds^ It is hecaufe by the Sacrament of '' Baptifm the Pollution of our Birth is taken away^ *' that Infants are baptifcd.'^ With much more to the fame Purpofe. Here is as plain a Teftimony as can be given, that Infant-Baptifm was the Handing Ufage of the Church ; and that it was then a Point out of all Difpute 3 or elfe he never would have thought it ( 37 ) _ it an Argument to prove Original Sin. Nay, he not only alTcrts it to be the Ufage of the Church in his I'ime, but declares that they received it from the Apoltles ; for in his Comment on the Epiflle to the Romans, he has thele Words : " The " Cbtirch had alfo, from the Apoftles^ an Order to *' give Baptrfm to Infants •, for they^ to whom the " divine Myfieries zvere committed, knew that there " was, in all Perfons, a natural Pollution, which " ought to he wajhed aivay by Water -^ and the " Spiritr Now Orizen v/as born about the Year of our o Lord 183, within 100 Years of the Apofties themfelves. Both his Father and Grandfather were Chriftians. He was one of the mod learned Men of that Age, and preached the Gofpel in Rome, in Greece, in Palefiine, and Syria, and there- fore could not but be acquainted with the Ufage of all the Churches. And the Manner in which he fpeaks of it makes his Evidence the Jirongefl, as he ufes it for an Argument to prove another Dovftrine^ (viz,) Original Sin, vv^hich he could not have done with any Propriety, if it had not been an uni- verfally acknowledged Truth in his Day. "Tertullian alfo, who was contemporary with Origen, gives us a plain Proof, that Infant- Bap- tifm was the conftant Praftice of the Church in his Day. It is true, he fpeaks againfl it, and advifes that it fhould be delayed till grown to Years, nay, till after Marriage. The Reafon was, he had enter- tained a Notion, that :::ins, committed after Bap- tifm, were next to, if not utterly unpardonable -, and therefore advifed that the Baptifm of Children fliould be delayed, unlefs in Cafe of NecefTity, even till after Marriage, imagining they would then ( 38 ) then be lefs liable to Temptation, iffc. Many other odd and fingular Opinions are found in his Wri- tings, and therefore it may be remembered, that I neither quote him, or any other of the Fathers, with a View to be determined^ by their Opinions, whether Infants ought to be baptized, or not, but only to prove what was Matter of Fadl, that the Baptifm of Children was the Pradice of the Church, whether right or wrong -, and Ter- tullian fpeaking againft it, (for the Reafons above- mentioned) is as plain a Proof of the Fadl as any of the reft. For if it was not the Cuftom to b;ip- tife Children why Hiould he fpeak againft it? Surely he would not fight with his own Shadow, or oppol'e a Practice, or Cuftom, that had no Exiftence. And befides, he allows it in Cafes of Neceflity, i. e. when in Danger of Death ; fo that he was only againft it for the abfurd Reafon he mentions, left they fiiould fall into more aggra- vated Sin. And therefore he would not have it ndminiftered in common Cafes till after Mar- riage. The next Evidence, I would produce, is the biefted Martyr Cyprian^ who was made Overfcer of the Churches at Carthage^ about 248 Years after the Birth of Chrift. A Queftion was ftarted in his Time, whether Infants might be baptized, before rhey were eight Days old } becaufe that was the Day in which Circumcifion was to be adminiftered. On this he calls a Council of Minifters, no lefs than 6G in Number, who all unanimoufly agreed, that Baptifm ought not to be delayed till the eighth Day, at leaft,. that there was no Neceflity of fuch a Delay. A large Letter v.'as v/rote to this Pur- pole to fatisfy ail who were in Doubt about this (^Licftion, ( 39 ) _ Queftion, and figned by Cyprian in the Name of the reft. Now obferve, the Queftion was not, whether Infants were to be baptized, this was allowed by all, but the only Qiieftion was, whether, like Circumcifion, it muft be limited to the eighth Day from the Birth ? And this they determined in the Negative, and fay, it may with equal Propriety be adminiftered fooner. St. Amhrofe^ who wrote about 274 Years from the Apoftles, declares exprefsly, that the Baptifm of Infants has been the Pradlice of the Apoftles themfelves, and of the Church till that Time. And this he mentions only tranfiently, when fpeaking on another Subjedb, which plainly proves it was not a Subjed: of Debate. It would weary your Patience to cite all the Authors that might be produced to this Purpofe. Iftiall therefore con- clude with the Teftimony of St. Aufiin^ who wrote his Piece againft the Donatijis^ about 300 Years af- ter the Apoftles, in which he has thefe very Words : " If any ajk for divine Authority in the Matter of In- " fants being baptized^ though that which the whole " Church pra^ifeSy and which has not been i^iflitu^ " ted by Council^ but was ever in Ufe^ is very rea*- *' fonably believed to be no other than a ''Thing de- " liver ed by the Authority of the Apoftles^ yet ^ fays " he^ zve may take a true Ejlimate how much Baptifm *' avails Infants^ by the Circumcifion which God*6 '' former People received" The fame Thing he urges in his Controverfy with Pelagius, which was about the Year 410.. Now Pelagius had taught, that Infants were born free from any ftnful Defilements. St. Aujlin writes againft him, and infifts on the Baptifm of Infants, which (4° ) which was the known and {landing Pradife of the Church, as an Argument of their natural Defile- ment. In this PJea he has thefe Words : " That *' Infants are by all Chriflians acknoxvledged to fiand *' in Need of Bapiifm^ which muft be in them for " Original Sin, fmc^ they have no other.'' Again, fays he, ^^ If they have no Sin, why are they ac- *' ceptedto the Ufage of the Church- Baptifm? Why *' are they wafhed with the Laver of Regeneration, if *' they have no Defilement ? Pelagius was extremely puzzled with this Argu- ment, as he could not pretend to deny Infant- Baptifm. Nay, when fome charged him with de- nying it (as the neceffary Coniequence of this Doctrine) he tries to refute the Charge, and has thefe remarkable Words : " Men flander me, fays he, as if I denied Bap- " tifm to Infa?its.'' This he calls a Slander, and fays that he never heard af any, no not the worll of Heretics, that would fay fuch a Thing of Infants. This Confeflion is the flrongefl: Demonftration, that Infant-Baptifm was univerfally pradifed, Time out of Mind •, or elfe he, whofe Intereft it was to deny it, to anfwer the Arguments of his Adverfa- jy, would certainly have done it. But fo far is he from that, though his Caufe required it, that he exprefsly declares, he does not deny it, nor ever heard of any that did. Now Pelagius was a great Scholar, and a great Traveller. He had been to Rome^ /Africa, Egypt, and Jerufalem, where he fpent much Time •, and therefore mud be ac- quainted with the Rites of the Fathers, and Cuf- toms of the Churches in all thole Parts; and yet he declares that he had never heard of any that had denied Baptifm to Infants. It is as plain then as Hiilory ( 4t ) Hiflory can make it, that there had been then no Dilpute about the Point, and that there was not, neither had been any Sed: of People profefiing Chriftianity, that denied it, from the Apofllea' Time to that Day. Nor is there the leafl Evi- dence, that it vv'as ever oppofed by any Man, or. Society of Men, for fix or feven hundred Years from that Time. And now, what is the Confe- quence ? You fee, that the baptizing Infantswas the Pradice of Churches, derived from the Apoftles* Time, and fo on for eleven or twelve hundred Years, which is as plain a Facl as Hiftory, and the Writings of thofe Times can make it. The Confequence is, that if Infint-Baptilm is a Nullity, and not agreeable to the Inflitution of Chrift, then the Church mud have loft an Ordinance of Chrili. during all this Period. Nay, they muft have loil it in the very firft Ages, and pureft Times, and there muft have been no regular Baptifm, confequencly no Chriftian Minifters, or any Ordi- nances, for eleven hundred Years or more. And can any Man, of an impartial Mind, believe this ? What then would become of our Saviour's Pro- mife, to be prefent in the Adminiftration ofBap- tifm ? Lo I I am voith you always^ even to the End of the World, For that they baptized Infants you fee is Fadl \ and if this was not agreeable to his Inftitution, he could not be with them in the Ad- miniftration of that Ordinance, and therefore his Prefence muft fail, and his Church, during all that long Period, of many hundred Years, muft have had no regular Baptifm, and confequently could be no regular Gofpel -Church. And who can perfuade himfelf, or imagine, tliat Chrift had no Church in the World during all that Period ? Befides, if Infant- Baptifm had, in any of thofe F Periods, ( 42 ) . Periods, been introduced by Men, and had not been the Ciiftom of the Church from the Apoftlcs ; how a ftrange mufl it appear that there fhould be no Account, no not the leaft Hint, in all Antiquity, when it was introduced, or by whom ? Had it been human Invention, would it have been fo uni- verfal in the firft 300 Years, and yet no Record left, when it was introduced, nor of any Dif- pute, or Controvcrfy about it ? This is incre- dible. We have particular Accounts in Hiflory, when the Baptifm of Infants began to be denied and dif- puted, and by whom ; but no Account of any Time or Means of its Introdu6lion : which is a plain Proof that it mufb have been handed down from the Apoftles, and have been a (landing Pri- vilege in the Church from their Time. Again, if Infant-Baptifm is a NuUity, it is plain, from the hiftorical Fadls above-mentioned, there can now be no regular Baptifm in the World, nor ever will be to the End of Time, fince a Succeflion of adult Baptifms cannot fo much as be pretend- ed to. Thofe then, who firft began to baptize Adults, were themfelves baptized in their Infancy, and therefore, being unbaptized themfelves, accord- ing to the AnabaptJjVs Scheme, could never have Authority to baptize others. So that all the pre- fent adult Baptifms, if traced back, muft come originally from thole, who were baptized in In- fancy •, and confequently, on their Principles, can have no Validity in them. We muft therefore give into one of thefe three Things, either ift. That a Succeflion of adult Baptijis can be traced from the Apoftles -, or 2^/)', That Infant-Baptifm is valid, and agreeable to the Inftitution of Chrift i or ( 43 ) or elfe "^dJy^ That there neither is, nor can be, any* regular Baptifm in the Church, to the End of the World. The ly?, can never be done, as all mufb allow. The lafh is too fhocking and impious to be ad- mitted. And therefore the 2d, muft be acknow- ledged, viz, that Infant- Baptifm is valid and agreeable to the Inftitution of Jefus Chrift \ for a fourth Conclufion cannot be thought on. III. But I haften in the lafl Place, to anfwer fome of the mod material Objedions that are made againft the Do6trine, and by which thofe of con- trary Sentiments puzzle and confound the Minds of Men, and endeavour to render the Subjedl obfcure. The mod common Objedions are fuch as thefe •, ^ft-> We have no exprefs Command in Scripture for baptizing Infants, and therefore, it is infmuat- ed, we ad: without any Warrant from the divine Word. To this I anfwer. If there are virtual and implicit Commands tor it, and if it is commanded by clear Scripture-Confequence, it is of equal Force, as if it had bee A faid in exprefs Terms, bapize your Infant -Children, A Command may be as clearly inferred, byway of Confequence, from certain Premifes, as if it was in exprefs Words. See an Inflance of this in Paul and Barnabas y Ads xiii. 46. Lo \ fay they,, we turn to the Gentiles, for fo hath the Lord commanded m faying,, 1 have fet thee to be a Light of the Gen- tiles. Now the Command they fpeak of, is not at all exprefsy but implicit \ for what they call a Ccmmand,, is a Promife made to Chrift : 1 have fet thee to be a Light of the Gentiles. This they conftrue to be an implicit Command, direding them in the Way of Duty. Lo ! we turn to the Gentiles, forfo hath F 2 tb* ( 44 ) the Lord commanded us. Where had the Lord com- manded them ? Why virtually and implicitly in this Promife, made to his Son, I have Jet thee to be a Light to the Gentiles, &c. l^his then being grant- ed, that a virtual and implicit Command, is of equal Force, as if it had been exprelled \ it is eafy to deny the Objedlion, and fay, we have many Commands to baptize our Infant-Children. And \fi. God's Command to Abraham to circumcife his Infant-Children, is a virtual and implicit Com- mand to Believers to baptize their'' s \ for Believers are Abraham's fpiritual Seed, and Heirs according to the Promife. Here you fee an exprefs Com- mand was once given to initiate Children into the Church, by a facramental Rite that is command- ed, and has never been repealed, and therefore flill remains in Force, as I have proved before. Again, Chrift's commanding to fufter little Chil- dren to come unto him, and not forbid them, is a virtual, or implicit Command, that Parents ought to bring their Children to him in Baptifm. For the Ground on which that Command is founded, is, offuch is the Kingdcm of Heaven. Which, to make the leaft that can be made oi it, is, that they have a vifible Inttreft in the Covenant, and a Right to Memiberfhip in his vifible Kingdom. And we know, yea, it is acknowledged by all^ that a vifible Interelt in tlie Covenant is the Scripture- Ground on which Baptifm ought to be adminif- tered. Again., the Command that our Saviour gave. Go and difciple all Nations., and baptize them^ is an implicit, if not an exprefs Command to baptize the Children of Chriflian Nations ; for Nations muft include Children, as you fee in the Promife made to Abraham^ in thy Seed, /. . 366.) 1. ATT^HE Oeccko?.iy of the Covenants between God X and Man : Comprehending a Complete BODY of DIVINITY. By Herman Wirsrus, D. D. Profeffor of Di- vinity in the Univerfities of Leyden, &c. Faithfully tranflated from the Latin, and carefully revifed by William Crook- shank, D. D. In three Volumes Odavo, Price bound 15J. Extract of a Letter fr am a Clergyman in the Country to the Puhlijher. ** The Sale of Witjius^s Oeconomy of the Co'venants in- ** creafes among my Friends. The Translation is very juft; " and the Excellency of the Work merits a Place in every '* Chriftian's Library. I fhall do my utmcft to recommend it ** at all Times, and upon all proper Occafions. No pious •* Perfon on Earth can read this Book without Wonder, •* Rapture, and Devotion; it exceeds all Commendation. ** Her^vey might well iay, 1 nxjotdd not fcruple to rifk all 7ny •• Reputcaion upon the Meriti of this Performance. For my own Part, «* I am not afliamed nor afraid of any Scorn and Ridicule that ** may be poured on me from any Quarter, whilft I conftantly ** aver, that the Work has not its Equal in the World.'*. 2. Essays on Important Subjects : Intended to eft«- blifh the DoSlrine of Salvation by Grace, and to point out its In- fluence on Holinefs of Life. By John Witherspoon, D. D. To ixjhich are added by the Publijhers, Ecclefiaftical Chara^Sleriftics ; or, The Arcana of Church- Policy ; with a ferious Apology, which have been generally afcribed to the fame Author, neatly printed in three Volumes. Price bound ^s. fit The third Volume, containing a praftical Treatife on Regeneration, may be had alone. Price bound 3/. 3. Theological Dissertations, ^y John Erfkine, M. A. one of the Minillers of Editiburgh, neatly printed in one Volume. Price bound 3/. 4. Important Cases of Conscience anfwered at the CafuiiUcal Le^ure in Little St. Helen's. By S. Pike and S. Hay %uaril, A new Edition. To which is now added, Four Cafes never before printed, by the iate Rev. Mr. S. Hay ward, neatly printed in two Volumes. Price bound 6s. ^be Depravity of human Nature Illujirated. E R M O N DELIVERED AT BY ROWLEY, JULY 5, 1789, y EBENEZER BRADFORD, a.m. . PASTOR OF THE FIRST CHURCH OF GHRISt IN ROWLEY. Publi/hed by Defire. N E ffr B u R r p 0 R r, fRrNTED AND SOLD BY JOHN MYCALL. MDCCXCI. A SERMON, m. R • O M A N S III. 12. THEY ARE ALL GONE OUT OF THE WAY, THEY ARE TOGETHER BE- eOME UNPROFITABLE : THERE IS NONE THAT DOETH GOOD, NO, NOT ONE. X H E \vords of our text are applicable ofify to men in the ft ate of nature — for they are hot true, with refped to men in the ftate of grace — who (ometiities do, in fome degree, that which is good in the fight of God. By nature we are all children of wrath, be- caufe we^are children of difobedience. — In this ftate we are fo far removed from the rules of righteoufnefs, that all we do, of a moral kind, is a violation of the law of God, confequently we are together become unprofitable — there is none ( 4 ) none in this ftate that doth good, no, not one. Melancholy pidure ! And yet as true as the word of truth. DOCTRINE. All men, in the ftate of nature, are totally depraved. First, We will endeavour to explain the Doflrine : Secondly, OfFer feveral arguments to prove its truth Then clofe the iubjed, with an improvement. By xht Jiate of nature^ we are to underftand the moral fituation in which all men are born into the world — and, in which they live, til! God, by his grace, changes their hearts. This ftate is entirely different from the ftate of Adam in innocency ; and exadly like that of Adam immediately upon his fall — Moreover, it is dif- ferent from a ftate of grace and a ftate of glo* ry. — In a ftate of grace, men have fbme degrees of holinefs — in a ftate of nature, they have none : In a ftate of glory, they are perfed^ly holy — in a ftate of nature, they are totally fin- ful. By the depravity of human nature, we arc not to underftand, as fbme have erroneoufly thought, the deftrudion of our natural powers and faculties, which conftitute us intelligent creatures, for God fays unto wicked men, Come^ let lis reafon together ; which he would no more have done, than he would have addreffed the trees- ( s ) trees of the forefl in this manner, if they had loft their natural powers and faculties by the fall ; yea, the whole courfe of the divine con- du(5l towards fallen men, loudly proclaims a- gainfl: this idea of human depravity. Neither does the depravity of man confift in the deflrucSion of his moral agency, fo that whatever ruin is involved in the depravity of man, this makes no part of it.— For it is an in- contellible fact, that thofe beings who invaria- bly choofe to do wrong, are as really moral a- gents, as thofe who invariably choofe to darighr. He who is not a moral agent cannot be ac- countable to God for any of his actions — he cannot be a fubjefk of moral law and govern-- ment, is not capable of moral good or evil— is not capable of the happinefs of heaven, or the • punifliment of hell : But fallen men are arcouni- able to God for all their adlions ; the capable of moral good and evil, are capable of enjoying the pleafures of heaven, or enduring the mife- ries of hell — and therefore their depravity can- not confift in the dcftrudlion of this moral a- gency. Nor is human depravity of fuch a nature, as is utterly inconfiflent with our doing any thing, which in a courfe of providence may promote the declarative glory of God, and the good of mankind — many fuch things may, and often are done by men in a flate of nature, when nothing is aimed at, but their own private fel- fifh intereft. Thus, ( 6 ) Thus, from felfifh motives only, wicked men fomecimes pay their juft debts, and fo promote the good of fociety : They expend their money in building houfes for public worfliip — in iup- porting the preachers of the gofpel—they will fpend their ftrength and treafure, yea their lives, for the fupport of civil government; and in thefe, and many other refpefls, the earth helps the woman — the wicked world helps the church of Chrift ; and fo thefe anions, in a courfe of providence, tend to promote the declarative glo- ry of God, and the good of mankind. A MAN entirely depraved, may put on th$ whole external appearance of a good man ; and as men have no infallible knowledge of the hearts of one another, this may, in the view of men, promote the declarative glory of God — though 710 fuch thing is defigned by the vile wretch himfelf : His higheft motive is felf— he goes into this courfe of conducfl to hide the wickednefs of his heart, and infenflbly forms the charadler of the hypocrite. This was the nature of Aha-b's humility — AmazialVs righteoufnefs in the fight of cheLord; Jehu's zeal for the Lord of Hofts ; Jehoahaz* prayer, and the praifes, that the ungodly Ifrael- itds iang at the red fea. This too, was the na- ture of all that following after Chrift, for the fake of the loaves, fpoken of in the new tefta- ment — of all thofe religious exercifes and ani- ons of men in the ftate of nature, down from the days of CaiQ to the prefent moment — they are nothing but felfiflmefs covered over with the garb of religion. Nor ( 7 ) ' Nor does human depravity conCfl in being indifferent to pain and pleafure — -for the moil- depraved among men have as great an appetite for happinefs, and as great a dread of mliery as Saints or Angels.' Once more Human depravity does not ne- cefTarily imply the abfence of natural afFe6lion, fympathy and gratitude — thefe men may have, as animals^, and yet be entirely depraved ; we find them all in the beads that perilh, who are incapable of the depravity, of which men are the fubjedls. If, then, human depravity does not confift in the deftrudlion of our natural powers and fa- culties, nor in the deftrudlion of our moral agen- cy, nor in being bound down to fuch a fcene of condu6l, that none of our external anions, in a courfe of providence, Ihould ever promote the declarative glory of God, and good of man- kind : Nor in an indifferency to pain and plea- fure-—nor in the abfence of thofe animal exer- cifes, called natural gratitude, affedion and fym- pathy : If it confifts in none of thefe things, what do men mean by depravity ? and in what does it coniift ? We anfwer — By human depravity, we mean thofe moral exercifes which are a violation of the law of God, and nothing elfe. Our text in- forms us, that mankind have gone out of the way ; by which we are doubtlefs to underftand that their depravity confifts in thofe voluntary exercifes which are a tranfgreffion of the law of God. When ( « ) When we fay man is totally depraved, we would be underdood to mean, that all his mo-r ral exercifes are tranfgreflions of the law : — Hence it is faid, there is none that doth good, no, not one. If man, in the ftate of nature, is the fubjedl of one moral exercife, which is not a violation of the law^of God, he is not totally or entirely depraved or corrupt. The man that is depraved totally, has entire- ly loft the moral image of God, which confift- cd in moral exercifes correfponding with his ho- ly law — and contraded a temper or difpofition of heart, which is total and pofitive enmity a- gainft God, and in no refpecfl fubjeifl to the law of God. — Such an heart is, in all refpeds, iel- fifh, for there is no other moral affedion that is entire oppofition to the law of God. We now pafs to the Second general head of this difcourfe — which was, tootfer feveral arguments, to prove that all mankind, in the ftate of ndture, are totally de- praved— or in other words, that all their moral exercifes, are a violation of God's holy law,— That this in fad is the cafe, will appear, I. From the confideration of the impoflibili- ty of accounting for the wickedr^efs of man- lund upon any other principle. When we make proper allowance for thofe rcftraints laid upon men in the ftate of nature j when we admit, that they may, and often do many things which, in a course of providence, may promote the declarative glory of God, and the good of mankind, from principles of fel- filhnefs, ( 9 ) fininefs, we are, ^notwithftanding, unable to ac- count for the wickednefs that appears in their lives, upon any other iuppofiuon than that they are totally depraved. How can we account for the wickednefs of children univerfally ; yea, of men in all periods of their life, who are defti- tate of grace, but by admitting this humiliating idea of human nature. They who have read the hiftofies of man- kind, and marked their moral characters with any great degree of accuracy, have found them to be one continued fcene of wickednefs. After making allowance for the happy ef- fe6ts of divine grace upon a very few perfons, what is the hiftory of the oldijuorld^ but an hlf- tcry of fuch wickednefs, that the Judge of all the earth, who will do right, faw fit to deftroy every man, woman and child, by an aw^ful flood ? And what is the hiftory of Sodom and Gomorrha, but an hiftory of fuch wickednefs as deferved to be punifhed with fire and brim- ftone from heaven, yea, to bepuniftied with the vengeance of eternal fire ? What is the hiftory of the ancient, learn- ed and polite Egyptians, Chaldeans, Grecians, Romans ; yea, all the civilized nations of the earth, but sfti hiftory of wickednefs ! If there were a nation, a family, or a finglcj perfon, to be found upon the face of the earth, out of Chrift, that could be proved to poCTefs a fingle holy excrcife, our mouths would be flop- ped, and we ihould be obliged to gi/e up the do(5lriQe of total and univerfal depravity j.but B the ( lo ) the wickednefs of mankind, from the days ot Adam tp the prefent moment, has been fuch, as utterly to exclude jhis fond idea of human na- ture ; therefore, we conclude that mankind u- niverfally are naturally and totally depraved. 2. If mankind were not totally depraved, the means of knowledge and reformation, which God makes ufe of to reclaim them from their wicked ways, would have a more defirable ef- fed. It is exceedingly evident from the fcriptures of divine truth, that Noah, a preacher of righ- teoufnefs, labored with the old world an hun- dred and twenty years, and failed o^ perfuading one, out of his own family, to forfake the ways of fin, and walk in the paths of righteoufnefs, which could not have happened, if mankind bad not been totally depraved. Righteous Lot, whofe ibul wasrexed with the filthy converfation of Sodom, could not perfuade his fons in law, nor any of the inhabi- tants of that ungodly city, to walk in the paths of righteoufnefs, though they were expofed to fafFer the vengeance of eternal fire. The; Lord Jefus Chrifl:, who had given unto his peofile, the Jews, the lively oi^acles of truth, and lent unto them the prophets, and done ma- ny mighty works before their eyes, challenge-' them to fay w4iat he could have done more for his vineyard, than he had not done for it ; and yet declares, that when he looked that it fhould bring forth grapes, it brought forth wild grapes; that is, nothi'ng but wickcdnefs. And, ( " ) And, in what pathetic ftrains does he bewail the fituation of Jerufalem ; faying, O Jerufalem, Jerufalem ! thou that killefl: the Prophets, and ftoneft them which are fent unto thee, how of- ten would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not : Plainly manifefling, that all the arguments and motives, which infi-, nice wifdom could fet before their minds, would not prevail upon them to leave their finful ways, and walk in the paths of righteoufnefs ; which is an inconteflible evidence, that they were to- tally depraved. But, why need we go to the old world,^ to Sodom, to God's ancient people, the Jews, for inftances, to prove that means will not reform men ? Have we not many ftriking inftances of this truth in this aliembly ; are there not many here, who have lived under the cleareft light of the gofpel to old age, and are not, even to this day,perfuaded to walk in the ways of holinefs ? 3. If mankind are not totally depraved, the experienc-^s of the beft of men are a delufion. It is the united teftimony of the beft of men in all ages, that they have kQn. themfelves wholly corrupt ; th?.tb/ nature they are entirely finful. And, indeed, all c<»nvidionof hn, (hort of this, if^aves a man ignorant of his own charafler.— David viewed himfelf in this point of light, and faid. Behold 1 / ivas fjjapen in inirjuity. And Paul viewed himfelf in the fame fituition by nature, and fays, there is no good thing dwell- rth in me, that i?^ in my flelh. All who have had I ( 12 ) had the fame religious experience, have leeii themfelves in the fame totally depraved fitiiati* on. One of the five points, held by Calvin, and all his genuine followers, was the total depra- vity of mankind, as is evident to every one who looks into the hiftory of his fentiments. Hence the AfTembly of Divines, who clofed their laft fefTion in the year 1649, in their con-, feffion of faith — chap. 6, folcmnly affirm that our firft parents, by their fin, ^^fell from their original righteoufnefs and communion *witb God^ and fo became dead infin^ and ivholli defiled in all the faculties and parts oj foul and bodyT They further obferve, That from this original corrupt tion^ ivhereby nve are utterly indifpofed^ difabled^ and made oppoftte to all goody and 11^ holly inclined to all evil, dp proceed all aSliial tranfgreffions^ They moreover take nocice, That " every ftn^ both original and aBual^ being a tranfgrefjion of the righteous laiv of God^ and contrary ther&untOy doth in its oivn nature, bring guilt upon i he f inner ^ ivhereby he is bound over to the vurath of God^ and curfe of the lavo^ and fo made fubjeci to deaths 'with all 7niferies y fpiritual, temporal and eternal^ This Tame fentiment is contained in the ar- ticles cf faith efpoiifed by the church of Eng- land, and in all the confeflions of faith made by all the reformed churches, except thofe who have publicly efpoufed the fentiments of Armi- nians, who openly deny the doctrine of total depravity. : ^ ( 13 ) . , 4. If mankind are not totally depraved, the bible-diftindlion between faints and fi^ners is ilot true. We are not told in the bible, that fin- ners have a little holinefs — but faints have more. The bible divides mankind into two clafles only ; and thefe are denominated by the terms righteous, and unrightepus, holy and un- holy, faints and (inners, pure and impure, clean and unclean, he that ferveth God, and he that ftrveth him not, godly, and ungodly, good and bad, believer and unbeliever, friends and ene- jnaies, penitents and impenitents, children of God^ and children of the devil, juftified and condemned, bleffed and curfed. ' Now it is exceedingly evident, that the firft clafs of terms in this catalogue, as they are ap- plicable to men in this world, cannot be un- derftood as defcriptive of a finlefs charadler ; for there is no fuch character among the chil- dren of ipen ; they muft therefore be ufed to point out a chara<5ler that has fome degree of holinefs, and as applicable to the charadler that has the leafl degree of holinefs in it. And it is likewife as evident, 'that the fecond clafs of terms, in the above catalogue, are ufed, in their application to men here, to point out a charac- ter entirely deftitute of holinefs. — For if this be not the cafe, there is no other difference be- tween the holy and unholy, but what confifts in the degrees of holinefs ; and the truth is, that the unholy man has fbme holinefs ; and the holy man differs from the unholy man, on- ly in this refpecl, that he has a little more holi- nefs ( 14 ) ^ nefs, which is abfurd, for this makes the dif- tinflion between faints and finners, to be the fame as that which is between faints and faints ; there are little faints and great faints, and con- fequently deftroys the bible-diftindlion between faints and finners altogether; but thegoodnefs of faints is theeffed of grace, and the bible-dif- tlndlion between faints and finners mufl: (land : Therefore, we conclude, that mankind are by nature, totally depraved, 5. If mankind are not totally depraved, while in a ftate of nature, finners will have fome good deed for which they will be rewarded at the day of judgment, and, in this refpedl, be juft like faints ; but as there are only two charaders of men in this world, fo there will be only two charaders of men in the day of judgment, do- ers of good and doers of evil ; and thefe fliall be rewarded according to their deeds, whether they be good or evil. The charadler of him who fliall be condemned at the great day, is "ivorker of iniquity, and not worker of righte- oufnefs. The works of righteoufhefs, for which men will be rewarded at that day, are the effects .of grace : Therefore, weconclude, that all men are by nature totally depraved. Rom. v. Ji. 6, If mankind are not totally depraved, they v.Till all inevitably be faved. The promiles of the gofpel are made to the lead degree of holy affedlion. But. if we are not totally depraved^ we have fome degree of holinefs, as we are by nature, and the promife of falvation is made to us as we are by nature, and we muft be faved. But ( 15 ) _ ' But all men will not be faved, as is evident from the fcriptures : Therefore, we conclude, that mankind are totally depraved. 7. Another argument to prove the docflrine under confideration is, that mankind, in their natural ftate, have no goodnefs whereof they may boaft. If men were not totally depraved, they would be in pofleflion of fome degree of holinefs, which they had not received as an adl of grace, and confequently might fay, that they had not received all their goodnefs as an ad of free fo- vereign grace through the Redeemer : But the Apoftle has proved, that boafting is excluded, not by the law of works, but by the law of faith or grace : Therefore, we conclude, that all men are by nature totally depraved. 8. If men are not totally depraved, thofe who die in a ftate of nature, cannot be compleatly miferable. For the Judge of all the earth will do right, and therefore it is impoflible, in the nature of things, but that the perfon who has fome holinefs, iliould be the fubjed of fome de- gree of happinefs. God will render to every man according to his deeds ; and, according to- this rule, he will vender glory ^ honor and peace^ to every man that vuorketh right eoufnejs ; and, therefore, it will be impoffible, if men are not totally depraved, for any of the human race, though in hell, to be entirely e;;xclwded from happinefs, and made compleatly miferable, if happinefs implies glory^ honor and peace.™ But hell, the proper home of every depraved creature, ( '5 ) creamre, is a place or ftate of complete mifery. Therefore we are neceflitated to conclude that mankind by nature are totally depraved. 9. The doftrine under confideration, is evi- dent from feveral fcripture-declarations. The firlt text we would prelent to your minds, for this purpofe, is recorded in Gen. vi. chapter, at the 5th verfe, J)id God faiv that the *wickednefs of man ivas great in the earthy and that every hjiagination of the thoughts of his heart ivas only evil continually. This text is defcriptive of the whole human race, as they are by nature. The word man, ufed here, is not confined in its fignification, to a fingle perfon, nor to any confidei able number of perfons only, but extends to the whole hu- man race, and, fignifies the fame as the word mankind. And God faw that the wickednefs of mankind was great in the earth ! How great r Anfwer, fo great, that every imagination of the thoughts of their hearts, was only evil conti- nually. This is not true with refpe(5l to man- kind, in the ftate of grace, and therefore is true, only with refpedt to men in the ftate of nature. Here let it be obferved, that if this text does not prove that man is totally depraved, it is im- poflible to prove any thing by the fcriptures. If human depravity confifts in thofe moral exercifes which are a violation of God's law — And if every imagination of the thoughts of the heart of man, in the ftate of nature, be only e- vil continually, then this text proves, beyond all contradiction, that man is totally depraved. We ( I- )' We beg leave to prefent you with another text, which we think proves the doctrine under confideration. It is in Eph. ii. l. And you Joath he quickened^ uoho nvtre dead in trefpajfes and fins. The Ephefians here fpoken of were, previoufly to the quickening influences of the fpirit of God, dead in rrefpaiFes and fins.— This death confided in trefpaffes and fins ; and plainly im- ports, that they who are dead in this fenfe, are the fubjefls of no moral exercifes, but fuch as are a violation of God's law. Natural death fignifies an abfence of life, and fpiritual death muft mean an abfence of holinefs \ and this fpiritual death, confifts in trefpaflTes and fins — in voluntary exercifes. If a perfon is the f ub- jecfl of one holy exercife, he is then alive— if alive, not dead ; but if all his exercifes are fin- ful, then dead, totally dead or depraved. This was the cafe not with the Ephefians only, but all others, by nature : Therefore the Apoftle faid, And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trefpaflTes and fins ; wherein, in time paft, ye walked according to the courfe of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the fpirit that now worketh in the children of difobedience. Among whom alfo we all had our converfation in times paft, in the lufts of our flefh, fulfilling the defires of the flefli and the mind ; and were, by nature^ the children of wrath, even as others. Again, • The heart of the fons of men ^ is fully fet in them to do evil, Ecclef. viii. i r. G This ( 18 ) This text affords us an ample proof of the total depravity of human nature. The heart, which is the feat of all moral ex- ercifes. — The heart of the fons of men, that is, of all the children of men, by nature, is fully fet in them to do evil j fully inclined or difpo- fed to do evil. God's teftimony concerning his ancient peo- ple, while in a ftate of nature, is full to our purpofe. See Jer. iv. 22. My people is foolifli, they have not known me; they arc fottifh chil- dren, and they have none undertlanding ; they are wife to do evil, but to do good^ they have no knowledge : Confequently they do no good, and fo are entirely depraved. Behold^ I ivasJJjapen in iniquity^ faid David ; fo then^ they that are in the fiejh cannot pleafi God, faid Paul. Now to be in the flelh, is to be in that moral fituation,in which David was, in his firft exiftence ; and it is affirmed, that, while we are in this fituation, we cannot pleafe God ; the natural confequerice is, that every moral ex- ercile, of which we are the fubjeds in this ftate, is a violation of the law of God \ and confe-* quently, that we are entirely depraved. Ok mankind, in the ftate of nature, there is no difference '"For all have finned ^ and come Jl:)ort of the glory of Gcd, All are fuch finners, as to do nothing to the glory of God ; confequently totally depraved. In the third chapter of Rom. the Apoftle re^r prefents, Jews and Gentiles, by nature, altoge-^ ther corrupt. There ( 19 ) There is none righteous^ no^ not one ; there is none that underjlandeth ; there is none that feek* €th after God, They are all gone out of the ivay ; they are together become unprofitable ; there is none that doeth goody no^ not one ; there is no fear of God before their eyes. This cjefcription Is applicable to none, but tliofe who are in the ftate of nature ; for thofe who are in the (late of grace, do fear God — do • leek after God — do underftand the love and fa.- vor of God. Again, If ye knozo that he is righteous ^ ye knoiv that ^very one that doth righteoufnefs is born of God, I. Epiftle of John, ii. 29. Now to be born of God, is a change from a ftate of nature to a ftate of grace. And if eve- ry one that doth righteoufnefs is born of God, then every one that is not born of God, doth not righteoufnefs, and confequently is totally depraved : All he doth, is a violation of God's » holy law; thefe texts, and many others, plainly prove the dodlrine of total depravity. But it is time we (hould make fome improve- ment of this fubjeft. I. If mankind are totally depraved, we may learn what full and genuine convidion means : It is nothing fhort of being convinced of our true characters as we are by nature. Men, un- der conviction, who are pained under the fenfe of fome great crimes only, and view not all their moral exercifes as a violation of the law of God, are under a delufion with refpeifl to them- felves, and have not thorough con virion. It ( ?o ) It is no uncommon thing, for finners> to confefs that they are finners, that is, that they have done lome things which are wrong ; but to fee and feel that all our moral exercifes, while in a (late of nature, are a violation of the divine law, is what never takes place without the com- mandments cqming, fin reviving, and the crea- ture dying. II. If mankind are totally depraved, we may learn the reafon why finners behave as they do, under conviflion. While their imaginary goodr iiefs takes her flight, and their hopes of juftifi- cation, by the deeds of the law die, their hearts rife in dreadful oppofition, againfl the method of falvation through the Redeemer ; they refufe to repent of their known iniquities— they rcr fufe to believe on the Lord Jefus Chrift, under the cleared convidion, that unbelief is a foul- damning fin 5 and, with all their heart, under the full blaze of genuine conviflion, they re- fufe to do any things as God hath required in the law and in the gofpel — which conduct of the finner, under thefe circumftances, can be ac- counted for, only by the entire depravity of his nature. He fights againft his realon— his con- fcience — his bible, and his God. III. From what hath been laid, we may learn the reafon why means, without the fpirit of God, ^will not reform finners. — It is becaufe they are entirely depraved. Were finners not entirely depraved, they would be, in fome mea- fure, difpoled to do right ; and then there would be noticing in their w^y of performing their du- ( ai ) ty, but their want of knowledge, and the means of knowledge would fupply this want ; and they of confequence would be reformed ; but being totally depraved, all the means of know- ledge, without the influence of the fpiritof God, fail of producing the leaft reformation of heart, the leaft degree of holinels. Without the influ- ence of the fpirit of God, bibles may be worn Gilt in reading ; minifters worn out in preach- ing, and the lives of finners con fumed in attend- ing on means ; and after all, their fouls loft. IV. In the light of this fubjed^, we may fee why finners, under genuine conviction, are fo exceedingly diftrefled. Who does not fee, that thefinner, who views himfelf the fubjed of no moral exercife, but what is a violation of God's law ; who confi- ders himfelf as poffeffed of a carnal mind, which is enmity againft God, and not fubjedl to his law, nor indeed can be? Who views him- felf righteoufly condemned by a juft God, and confequently expofed, every moment, to drop into hell, and fuffer the vengeance of eternal fire ? Who, I fay, does not fee that fuch a man muft be exceedingly diftrefled ? What, this fide of hell, can fill the mind of a felfi(h creature, with greater diftrefs, than a full view of his own finfulnefs, and his conrtant expofednefs to en- dure the juft punifhment thereof: In this fitua- tion, do not the pains of hell get hold of the creature, and wreck and torture his mind ? — Does he not feel that he has kindled a fire in the divine anger, which may burn to the low- eft ( ^^ ) eft hell I With horror inexpreffible, will he not cry out, Who can dwell with devouring fire i*-- ^ Who can dwell with everlafting burnings ? Is not tophet ordained of old i Is it not made deep and large ? Is not the pile thereof fire and much wood — fuch fuel as I am ; and doth not the breath of the Lord, like a ilream of brimftone, kindle it : Wo, wo, is me, for I hsLve Jinned f and come JJjort of the glory of God. I have done nothing but what is to his diihonor ; and now it muft be rendered to me according to my deeds. I am afraid ; fearfulnefs feizes my foul, and the keeneft horrors pierce niy heart ! Men and brethren, what (hall I do ? V. Are mankind totally depraved, then it is a matter of great importance, that the minifters of the gofpel preach this doctrine to their hear- ers. If this be the true charader of men in the ftate of nature, it is neceflary that they fiiould know it ; and it is the bufinefs of the preacher, to furnifli the hearer with the means of knowledge. The priefts' lips fliould preferve knowledge ; they fhould not daub with untem- pered mortar ; they ihould not flatter the pride of their hearers, by withholding from them their true charaflers by nature, and fo deceive and delude them. It is impoiEble for a man to feel aright to- wards himfelf, while he is ignorant of himfelf ; and therefore, if he be entirely depraved, & know it not, it is impoffible for him to feel towards himfelf as he ought to do. But every man Ihould feel t<5ward himfelf, according to his true charafler ; ( ^J ) charader ; therefore, it is a matter of great im-" portance, that this humiliating doctrine be founded in the ears of a world that lieth in wickednefs. How odious in the fight of God, and all good men, is that minifter, who employs his learning, talents ami influence, in preaching and publifhing againft thedodlrine of total de- pravity ! If what has been faid upon this fub- jed be true, they are oppofing the God of truth ; promoting ignorance and delufion, rather than knowledge and religion ; the caufe of the de- vil, rather than the caufe of God in the world. VI. From what we have heard, we may learn, why wicked men hate to hear this doc- trine preached, and why wicked minifters hate to preach it. It is becaufe it fets their true cha- raders in the mod odious point of light. — Wicked men love darknefs rather than light, becaufe their deeds are evil ; for every one that doth evil, hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, left his deeds Ihould be reproved. — And the light of God's word, refpeding the true charaders of men in the ftate of nature, IS as really an objed of their hatred, as the light of the word of God, refpeding any other thing, is an object of their hatred : And, therefore, the wicked murmur and complain, when their true charaders are painted before their eyes. VII. In the light of this fubjed, we may fee the necejfity of the gracious influences of the fpirit of God, to prepare men for the enjoyment of him in heaven* If men be fp difpofed as to do ( H ) do nothing but what is a violation of Gorfs law^ that all the motives that infinite wifdom can fee berore them will fail of perfuading them to do the leaft thing as God has commanded, we ma^ cafily fee the neceffity at that influence, ^hich will take away the heart of ftone, and'giv^ nn heart of flefh. Except a man be born hj^ the fpirit and by water, he cannot fee the kingdom of God ; he cannot have fellowlhip with Qod here, nor hereafter. VIII. To conclude this difcourfe. From what we have heard, we may learn, that man- kind fmners deferve that dreadful damnation with which they are threatened by a ju(l and holy God. If there be any fuch thing as defer- ved punifhment, thofe mull: deferve it, all of whofe moral exercifes are a violation of the law of God. If fallen angels deferve to be punifh- ed becaufe all their moral exercifes are wrong, are fm, fallen men muft deferve to be banifhed into everlafting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels ; becaufe all their moral exercifes are wrong, are fin. O MY dear hearers, in the view oi this dread- ful, this eternal punifhment, let the wicked for- fake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return i77wieil lately unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. AMEN. FAMILY RELIGION RECOMMENDED. SERMON PREACHED FROM JOSHUA XXiv, 15. By WILLIAM ARTHUR. PHILADELPHIA: Printed by Stewart ir Cochran, No. 34, South Second-ftrcet. M,DCC,XCIV. 1 HE following Sermon was delivered^ a few weeks ago^ in the Rev, Mr, Robert An- nafis churchy Philadelphia^ and^fince^ in the Rev. Mr. John M. Mafons, New-York. The Author does not pretend to be able to fay any thing new on thefuhjeEl ; or to clothe his ideas with fuperior elegance of diction. His aim^ in all his pulpit-performances ^ is to exprefs him- fclf with perfpecuity and eafe. He has con- templated^ with gri^f the total neglcEl of the wor/Jjip of God in fome families^ and the care- leffnefsy the formality attending it in other. If the following plain difcoiirfe be the mea?is of doing good to any^ his end is gamed. Philadelphia, March 13th, 1794. FAMILY RELIGION RECOMMENDED, &c. Joshua xxiv. 15. • — As for me^ and my houfe^ we will ferve the Lord. My Brethren, \_ HE mournful neglcd of Family Re- ligion is, I believe, one of the principal grounds of Jehovah's controverfy v^ith us in this day of trouble^ of blafphemy^ and of rebuke. To recommend it to your atten- tion is the defign of this difcourfe. 1 wifh to remind you of a few obvious conlider- ations, which could not fail to recur to yourfelves, were you to think ferioufly up- on the fubjed. Religion has every thing to recommend it to us. It is its own re- ward. Them^ that honour me^ fays the gra- cious Redeemer, I zvill honour) and they that defpfe mcfhall be lightly eftecmed. The [ 4 3 The words of a dear friend, efpecially his lajl words, make a deep, a permanent impreffion upon our minds. We remem- ber tiiem wich care. We meditate often upon them. The words of my text appear to have been part of Jolhua's farewell ad- drefs to Ifrael. He faw the day of his dif- folution drawing nigh ; when he was to receive the celeftial reward of his fervices. We are told in the twenty-ninth yerfe of this chapter, that he died^ being an hundred and ten years old. How impartial is death ! The grim meffenger knows no diflindlions* The braved champions of war fall pro- mifcuoufly with the fons of cowardice. Like many, very many parents and governr ors, the Hebrew General was not uncon- cerned what courfe his family and follow- ers purfued, after death removed him from them. No, Prompted by the duties of a wife commander, and impelled by the feelings of a pious father, he gathered the chofen tribes toShechem j reminded them of the memorable appearances, which the God of Abram had made for them ; and folemnly charged them to walk in his ways. How exemplary is his refolution in my text! As if he had faid, *^ Children! Hearken unto Jofliua your father. Ere long you fhall fee me no more in this world. [ 5 ] world. With all the tendernefs, which the immediate profped of our feparatioa in- fpires, I wiili to put you in mind of your duty. Remember, I befeech you, the one thing needful. There is a neceffity for you to make, if you have not already made, a choice ia religion. How detellable is the idolatry of your fathers, who ferved ftrange Gods! Renouncing this, fearxhc God of Ifraei, and ferve him in ftncerity and in truth, — As for me and fny houfe^ if I be a- ble to influence their choice, w^ will ferve the Lord, I am a veteran in his fervice. But, inftead of vsrlilivng to recant, inftead of repenting my choice, I v?ould make it a thoufand times, were it pradlicable ; and may my authority and example continue to fpeak to you, when I am fleeping in the duftl" To excite you, my friends, to ftudy a humble imitation, if not a holy emula- tion, of Jofhua's pious example, I will call your attention to the following confider- ations. And First, It belongs to God himfelf to unite and to diffolve families. Says the Pfalmitt, \\Qmaketh him families like a flock. How confpicuous is divine wifdom [ 6 ] wifdom In the arrangement of human af- fairs! Jehovah, fitting in his holy habita- tion, at the hehn of the imiverfe, does all things wifely and well. No change, which takes place in either the v/orld or the church, is to be attributed to the caprice of contingency; for, ftridly fpeaking, there is no chance. Is not fociety, whatever form ic affumes, under the fuperintend- ence of heaven ? Is the conjundlion of fuch and fuch perfons In a domeftic relation accidental ? No. The fovereign Ruler a-^ mong the nations determined that they fhould be born at a particular period; in a particular part of the world, and be con- neded as members of onehoufehold. Is it by chance that a mafter has fuch a fervant, or a fervant fuch a mafter? No. However Inconfiderable and frivolous thefe things may appear to us, as if we prcfumed to think them unworthy Jehovah's atten- tion, they were minutely marked out by his exprcfs fore-ordination. A hair cannot fall to the ground; or any creature from the ferpent, that licks the dud, up to the exalted feraph before the celeftial throne, move his body unobferved by him, whofe eyes are like a flame of fire. Hence, if you are comfortably connedcd with pious re- lations, or, if otherwife, the dif})enfation is [ 7 J' IS of your Father in heaven^ who is a God of righteous judgment, as well as tender mcrcv, and had the wifefl reafons for or- derhig it fo I How affedling the confider- ation, that pcrfons, however nearly and intirr)ately related in one family, are foou to be feparated ! Such relations muft, in the natureof things, be fhort-lived. If not fufpended by fome providential incidents, which feparate the ions of a father, order- ing the lot of one, in one place, of another, in another place, death flial), erelong, dif- folve them ; and then is the fervant eter- nally free from his mailer. How ufeful is it to read often and carefully in the vo- lume of divine providence ! Whofo is wife^ and will obferve thefe things^ even they Jh all underfland the loving kindnefs of the Lord, How tranfient is the prefent ftate of things? Where are many families, on whichthe funof profperity once llione with meridian effulgence? Wherefore fl^iould the profperous, in a worldly view, be ela- ed? Wherefore (hould the afHided be de- fpondent ? Has not this confideration a tendency to enforce domeftic religion ; for, as you are foon to be feparated, fliould not this induce you to be cordial and adive in the fervice of God ? Second, [ s ] Second, We will not, either as indivi- duals, or as families, ferve God aright, till he, by his Spirit and grace, incline and difpofe us for our duty. Where is the fociety, all the members of which worfliip him in fpirit, and in truth ? In how many houfes is the Bible never read but to be turned into bur- lefque? Is it unlawful for a Mahometan to touch his alcoran with unwafhen hands ? Is their veneration for that fyftem of lies, invented by the eaftern impoftor, fuch ? Bluih, Chriflians ! blufh and be a- fhamed. In how many houfes are all the fecret and focial duties of religion totally negledled ? Alas ! the natural part of the human heart is evil^ only evi/^3.ndthsiZ con^ tinually» How many are there, who, if fomeaffliftive difpenfation of divine provi- dence, on account of which their animal fpirics are deprejGTed, does not force them to their duty, lie down, in the e vening,and ri fe, in the morning, as though their knees were jointlefs and their finews brafs ? What is the reafon that we can receive our ftated meals without fo much as acknowledging our bounteous benefacflor? Or what is the reafon that we implore a heavenly bleffing on one meal, not on another? Are not all equally [ 9 ] equally the gift of God? Why are many fa- milies not more regular, efpecially on the firft day of the week? Is it lawful to give, or to receive vifits from our irreligious ac- quaintance and friends on that day? In the i2thchap.of Zechariah,we read of every fa- mily mourning for their fins apart, the fa- mily of David, the family of Nathan, the family of Levi, the family of Shemei, each apart ; and, if it be proper to faft in a fali- tary way, why not fequeftrate ourfelves on the iirft day of the week? Why is our converfation not more fpiritual; not more in heaven, whence we look for the great Gody a7id our Saviour Jefus Chr'i/i? Whether have political news, and foreign intelli- gence, refpedling the nations of this world; or whether have the good news, the glad- fome tidings of falvation a greater ten- dency to fandify the Sabbath? How were the difciples, going to Emmaus, employ- ed on the firft day of the week ? Did they not talk together of all things, relating to the Redeemer, which had taken place at Jerufalem? And, teftifying his approba- tion of their exercifes, did he nor draw nigh to them ? x^fcer he left them, they faid, Did not our heart burn within us^ while: he talked with us by the way^ and while he opened t.o us the Scriptures f B Third, [ lO ] Third, The duties of family religion are oi xhejlated^ not of the occaJionalkAnd, Fafting, under the New Teftament, is ai) occafional duty to be obferved juft as circumftances require. The duties, of which I am fpeaking, are rather Hated and ordinary. There are, no doubt, feafons, in which efpecially, there is a loud call to them. Such is the feafon of adverfity ; for, fays God, I will go and return to my place till they acknowledge their offences^ and ftek my fact] in their affiiEiion they will feek me early. But is not the voice of thankfgiv- i?jg heard ftatedly in the tabernacles of the righteous? How good is it to Jhow forth his loving kindnefs in the mornings and his faith- fidnefs every night ; prefenting on the altar of a willing heart a gratalatory facrifice to the gracious hearer of prayer ! When we read of the daily facrifice, which was offered by the pious Jews, why is the time, at wl\ich it was offered, mentioned in the New Teftament, if not to fliow that it was divinely intended to be a pattern to individuals, and to families in all fuc- ceeding ages ? It is called the hour of pray- er. Peter and John^ we are informed in the third of the Ac5ls, went up together into the temple at the hour of prayt^r^ being the [ " J the ninth hour. If we divide the day into twelve hours, beginning at fix in the morn- ing, the ninth hour anfwers to three in the afternoon ; the time when the even- ing facrifice was offered, and the pious Jews went to the temple to be engaged in devotional exercifes. Should not the Chriftian's habitation be a Bethel^ a houfe of God, a little church, in which the head of the family prefides as the prieft ? Before the commencement of the Levitical prieft- hood in the perfon of Aaron, fathers, el- der brothers, princes, or every man for himfelf offered facrifice; which is evident in the cafe of Abel, of Noah, of Abram, Ifaac, Job, and other. In the New Tefta- ment, in which the name, churchy is to be varioufly underftood, we frequently read of a church in a particular houfe. One reafon is, the regularity, the order obferv- ed in it. The church is called, the houfe of prayer. In her the Head has appointed a beautiful order, which is not to be chan- ged. It is our duty to walk about'Zaon^ and go round about her ; to tell the towers thereof; to mark her bulwarks ; to cotftder her palaces^ In a manner equally exprefs, he has re- quired the families of Ifracl to worfliip him. Coufidering this, I bcfeech you^ bre- thren^ by the mercies of God that ye prefent your [ 12 ] your bodies^ a living facrifice^ l^oly^ acceptahh unto God^ which is your r e a/on able fer vice. Fourth, As families, we have many mercies to acknowledge, and many fins ro confef§. Do not miftake me. I do not mean that domeftic religion fuperfedes perfonal de- votion. No. Each of us has many perfon- al mercies to acknowledge. There is not a hair on our heads that we can call our own. Each has many perfonal fins to confefs. It is recorded of a famous minifter of the gofpel, that he never faw a criminal going to the place of execution, but he fmote upon his breall, and exclaimed, the fame evil is here ! Why fliould v/e not, in a focial manner, acknowledge our divine benefac- tor as the giver of all good ? Commenda- ble was the conduct of Jacob. Teftifying his gratitude to his divine deliverer, he made an altar, in Bethel, unto God, who anfweredhxm. in the day of his d'l/irefsy and was with him in the way^ which he went. He commanded his houfehold to put away flrange Gods that were among them ; to change their garments ; to be clean; and to concur with him in expreflions of grati- tude. Howreadily did they comply ! They gave [ 13 ] gave unto yacob all the Jlrange gods that were in their hand^ and all their ear -rings ^ "which were in their ears^ and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem, What, my brethren,yZ?.^// we render unto the Lo^d for all his bencjtts towards usf Man is a focial creature. He was originally intended for fociety, and fitted for it. Various are the views, in which reciprocal advantages re^ fult from focial conneclions. Society is a chain of many links. With tender care, the parents rear up the children ; and the children, when pious example and educa- tion are bleffed, as the means of fofrening, and forming their hearts, are a comfort Xo the parents. The fervant cannot be without the mafter, more than the mafter can be without the fervant. Ah! how many family fins have we to confefs! How often have the members of thofe lit- tle focieties offended againft each other? Are net hufbands and v/ives, parents and children, mafters and fervants culpable, very culpable for negledling the duties of their refpecflive ftations? In very exprefllve terms, did holy David lament both the ir- religion and the adverfity of his family. Although my houfe he ftot fo with God; yet he hath made with me an everla/iing covenant^ ordered in all things and Jure ; for this is all my [ H ] my falvation^ and all my defire^ although he make it not to grow. Fifth, Family religion comes recom- mended to us by the example of the mod eminent believers, who lived in both ear- lier and later times. Are we not commanded to be followers of them, who have gone before us, and now inherit the promifes ; to walk in the good old path, in which our pioUs fathers walked ? Says the Redeemer to the church. If thou knowejl n&t^ 0 thou faireji among wo men^ go thy way forth by the footjleps of the flock^ and feed thy kids befide the fhepherds tents. When Jofhua faid, as for me and mj houfe^ we will ferve the Lord^ was he the only perfbn who ever formed this re- folution ? By no means. A luminous cloud of witnefles prefents itfelf to our view. Let me remind you of Abram, the father of the faithful, and the friend of God, whofe faith and obedience are fa- mous in every age ; for he has exhibited to mankind a noble pattern of heavenly gra- ces, and virtues. Said the Searcher of hearts concerning him, I know him^ that be will command his children^ and his houfe hold after him ; and they Jloall keep the way of the Lordy to do juflice and judgment ] that the I ^J J the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath fpohn of him. This honorable tes- timony was given by One, who cannot be deceived by any fpecious appearance, or crafty afFedlatioH of zeal. I call it an homr- able tellimony. " I kno^ Abram, that his refped for my authority; and his love to my laws, will induce him to command his boufehold to ferve me; not only the ftated members of his family, but alfo every fo- journer under his roof." How praife- worthy is David's refolution ; who faid, / will walk within my houfi with a perfeEi heart! A holy life is emphatically expref^ , fed by walking with God. Enoch, who was tranflated that he fhould not fee death, walked with him. The phrafe be- fpeaks a holy familiary betwixt God and his people, which words are inadequate to exprefs. As if the man according to God's own heart had faid, " In the ftrength of grace, which is madeperfedl in our weak- nefs, I refolve to fet a proper example be^ fore my family by my pious condud, confcientioufly performing the duties, which are incumbent upon me as the head of it." But, fay you, " Thefe are Old Tef- tament examples. What examples are there in the New ?" The moft illuftrious inftance that could be mentioned is Jefus him- [ i6 ] himfelf, who has left us an example that we iliould follow his fleps. He was a fa- ther 10 his difciples, praying with them like a pious father with his children. We read of a Cornelius, who feared God with all his houfe ; that is, I fup- pofe, his family joined cordially in Jeho- vah's worfhip, with the devout centurion at their head. Says the Apoftle, in the laft chapter of his firit epiftle to the Co- rinthians, Aqulla and Prifcilla falute you much in the Lord^ WITH the CHURCH THAT IS IN THEIR HOUSE; in the laft chapter of his epiftle to the Coloffians, Salute the brethren^ which are in Laodicea^ and Nymphas^ and the church, which IS IN his house ; and, in the fecond verfe of his epiftle to Philemon, to our be^ loved Apphia^ and Archippus^ our fellow-fol- dicr, AND TO THE CHURCH IN THY HOUSE. It has, indeed, been queried v/hat is to be underftood by a church in a particular houfe ; whether the alTembling of the church, which, in thofe troublous times, might meet for public worfliip in it ; or a private foclety of Chriftians, joining together in the duties of focial prayer, and fpiritual converfation ; or the members of the family uniting in the ex- ercifes of domeftic devotion. This laft inter- L '7 J interpretation is adopted by not a few ju- dicious expofitors, and feeins the mod pro- bable. To the honour of the jailor, who was made to exclaim, Whatjhall I do to be favedf it is recorded, that he rejoicedy he-^ lieving in God with all his boufe. Sixth, Family worfliip is one of the means, by which our Father in heaven is pleafed to manifeft himfelf to his people. This confideration endears it to the faints, who, with joy unfpeakable, draw water out of the wells ofjalvation. What are the ordinances in general, but meeting- places, as it were, betwixt God and his people? If we wifh to find him, we mufh go into the Galilees^ where he has ap- j>ointed to meet with us. Why fhould we not embrace every opportunity of hold- ing communion with our God ? The church tells us, flie fought her beloved^ but found hhn not. Did ilie, after the firfl: difappoincment, relinqulih the purfuit? No. Perfeverance was necciFary. Not having found her beloved in the ftreets, and in the broad ways of the city, ihe ap- plied to the watchmen, faying, yOte;^'^ him whom my foul loveth ? They, it appears, gave her no facisfadlion. But, adds flie, It was but a llttk that I pa fed from thcm^ but C " Jfhmd [ i8 ] I found him whom my foul loveth : Iheldhim^ and would not let htm go ^ until I had brought him into my mother s houfe^ and into the cham- bers of her that conceived me. This plainly teaches that God's people, loinetimes, find him in fecret and private, after their ex- pedlations of meeting with him, in public, have been difappointed. We read of an impotent man, lying at the pool, called Bethefday who had an infr?nity thirty and eight years; and, after all, was made whole. Prefamption and defpondencyare dangerous extremes. Seventh, Families are encouraged to worfhlp God from the confideration that many promifes are fuited to their cafe. Has he not promifed his gracious pre- fence in the dwellings of "Jacobs as well as in the gates ofZion; though he loves the one more than the other? Our bleiTed Lord's words have been juftly accommo- dated to the lituatioia of a family begin- ning to perform focial worfliip, when he fays, If two of you fd all agree ^ as touching a- ny thing that they /hall afk^ it fall be done fr them of my Father^ ivho is in heaven. For where two or three arc gathered together in my luimc^ there am I in the midjl of them. How animating is the following promife; which [ 19 ] which has, I fuppole, a primary view to the return of the Jews from their Baby- Ionian captivity ; but has a running ap- pHcabiUty, and a continued accomplifli- ment, efpecially in the New Teftament times ! ylt the fame time faith the Lord^ will I be the God of all the families of Ifrael^ and they fh all be my people. Says he, in another part of fcripture, /// all places^ where I tx- cord my name^ 1 will come unto thee^ and 1 will He fs thee; and is not his name record- ed in our habitations? Finally, The negleft of family reli- gion is awfully threatened in the word of God. What an alarming imprecation is the prophet's ! Pour out thy fury upon the He a- then that know thee not, AND UPON THE FAMILIES THAT CALL NOT UPON THY NAME, In fcripture the namc,/j- wily^ is, I know, ambiguous, and different- ly underllood. But, admitting this, the prohet's words apply, in their full force, to the fubjedl under review. Families, which ncgleci the worfliip of Jehovah, and Heathens are properly joined toge- ther, for, though the former ht prcfeffea- ly Chriftian, they 2iXt praBically Fleathen families. Hence they are objeds of the divine [ *o ] divine difplcafure. The word, jury^ bcr {peaks an awful degree of difpleafure, c- vea indignation ; the phrafe, pour out^ the tremendous manner in which it is execut- ed. What aggravates their fin, and height- ens their mifery is their knowledge of their duty, while they do not perform it ; for, when it is faid, tbe Heathen that know thee noty it evidently implies that thofe fa- milies knew their duty, yet did not wor- fhip the God of their fathers. Sinners i ftand aghaft ! Does any hear of the wrath of Almighty God, and his ears not tingle? What ! does a family profefs to be Chrif- tijin, in which there is not a veftige of th^ Chriftian religion ? Tell it not in Gath, Publifh it not in Afkelon; left the uncir- cumcifed Philiftines triumph. To CONCLUDE, First, Does not reafon, not to mention revalation, teach the obligation, the im- portance, and the utility of family religion. Does not reafon teach us to repay a gener- ous benefa(5lor with gratitude? Is not a, grateful return of Jehovah's mercies all the return we can make for them ; all the return he requires ? and why not render him the calves of our lips ? Sr.coNUi, [ 21 ] Second, The non-performance of the duties oPreliglon is inconfiftent with a gra-f cious Rate ; and they, who negledl them, mud unqueflionably be in the gall of bit* ternefs, and bond of iniquity. A grace* Jefs man may^ but a gracious perfon muji perform thefe duties ; for is not prayer the breath of the new creature? and can we live without breathing? Behold hcy that is, the new creature, as foon as he be- gins to live, prayeth ! Confider alfo that one of the views, by which our fandlifica- tion is defcribed, is by writing the law on the heart. This is the cov-'naiit that I will make with the houfe of Ifrael after thofe daySy faith the Lord: I will put my laws into their mind^ and write them in their hearts ; and I will be to them a God^ and they fh all be to me. a people. Hence, if the divine law be engraved on a man's heart, will he not ftudy to tranfcribe it in his life, and con- verfation? If perfons be in a graci- ous ftate, are not faith in the Redeemer for affiftance, and for the acceptance of both their perfons, and their fervices, and love to him, as a Sovereign, as well as :\ Saviour, powerful principles impelling them to perform thefe duties, by which they ihew their refpedl for the divine au- i-hority. The authority of Jefus commands, his [ 22 ] his love fweetly conftrains us to walk in his ways. Third, Is Jofhuas jw/r refolution? Be not aihamed, brethren, of being religious; or, if your religion is yet to begin, be perfuaded now to leave the path, in which deflroyers go. Come with iis^ faid Mo- fes to Hobab, and wc will do thee good ; for the Lord hath fpoken good concerning If- raeL We are accountabe creatures ; and the day of our death, when we muft an* fwer for all the deeds done in the body, is approaching, with rapid, though filent fteps. Masters ! You have a folemn charge of the fouls of your fervants ; fuch a charge as a minifter has of his people. What an eternal difgrace is it to the Chri- flian name for the head of a family to o- verlook the morals, and religious inftruc- tion of any under his roof? What ! have not perfons, in inferior ftationsof life, fouls to be faved or damned, to he happy or miferable for ever ? It matters not whether they be blacky or white men ; for, as men^ the pofterity of Ham, are on a perfedl e- quality with other defcriptions of the hu- man race. It was Gain, that primeval mo- nument of fratricide! who faid, Am I my brother s keeper? Nor a few, who now fur- round [ 23 ] round the celeilial throne, have for a ground of thankfulnefs, and a note, in their ecftatical fong, that the God, who faved them, ordered their lot in a pi- ous family, where example, which is, of- ten, more powerful than precept, made a good, a permanent impreilion on their minds. Parents! Bring up your children hi the Jiurture^ and admonition of the Lord. They are the hope of the church; for fa- milies are nurferies, in which young ones are raifed up, and prepared for ufefulnefs in public life. Be careful that the ftream be not poifoned at the fountain-head. It is eafieft to bend the twig when it is green, Impreffions made in early life are, with dif- ficulty, if ever eradicated. It is dangerous not to raife up a fpiritual feed to the Re- deemer. Do you not wifh your children to ferve him after you have gone to your fathers, and fleep in the duft? A pious e- ducation is the bed eftate you can give them. It has often been remarked by pracllcal writers, on this fubje6l,that both defeclion and reformation in religion com- monly begin in families. It is an abfurdity to fuppofe that a parent can be righly ex- ercifed about the interefts of his own foul, if he has not the falvation of his children at heart. The Father of mercies does not always L n J always anfwer the prayers of pious pa- rents, on behalf of their children, 'it'/^^/^ they are prefented to him ; fometimes not before the parents have gone to the eternal world. Many fuch prayers, we have reafon to believe, lodged at the throne of grace, are yet unanfwered ; but will be pundlually attended to, at the pro- per time. Upon the whole, Had I a thoufand mouths, and a thoufand tongues, I would employ them in recommending the Re- deemer's fervice to you all ; old and young. Cbufe ye^ this day^ whom ye willfcrve. Said Elijah to the people, when the competition was betwixt him and Baal, if the Lord be God^ follow him; buty ifBaal^ who, when his deluded votaries call upon him, is either deaf or on a journey, /J//oie' him. How ho- norable, how eafy, how delightful is the Redeemer's fervice! Wifdonis ways arc ways of pleafantnefs y and all her paths are peace. Then give no deep to your eyes^ nor f umber to your eye-lids y until you fnd a place for the Lotdy an habitation for the God of Jacob. FINIS. Errata to be correfted -with the reader's ptn. Fags 7, line 23, for cU- read elit-. — Page 8, line 16, i'o^^-/■^ r«ai htft, — ^Page 9, line 9, for Shnnsi^ read Shm;«i. A p R A U G H T OF THE FORM OF T H 1 GOVERNMENT and DISCIPLINE OF THE / PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES of AMERICA, ProDofed, by the Synod of New-York and Phil^dklphia, for the confidcration of the Prefbyterics and Churches under their care. N E W - Y O R K : erintcd by S, and J. L O U D O N, No, 5. Water-Sireef. M,DCC,LXXXVIT^ TH E Synod of New-York and Phlladcl- phia, at their mect'mg^ held in Philadelphia^ May, 1787, appointed the Rev, Dr. John Rod-^ gcrs, Dr. Alexander MacWhorter, Mr. Alex- ander Miller and Mr. James Wilfon, Minijlers^ a Commiilce^ to print One T^houfand Copies of the draught of the Form of Government and Difciplinc^ as now amended by the Synod ^ to he dijirihuted among the Prefhytcries and Churches under their care. The Committee ivas alfo appointed to print the lafi paragraph of the 10 ih Chapter of the Wejh viinfkr Confejfion of Faith ; the ^d paragraph of the 23^ Chapter ; and the \fl paragraph of the 3 ifi Chapter^ as now propofed to be altered by the Synod : Further^ the Committee was appointed^ to revife the Direclory for th^ Pub- lic worfhip of God ^ and to pri?it it, when revif- ed and amended by them, together with the draught of the form of Government and Difcipline : And the Syficd agreed, that thefe be called, when re- vifed and adopted, the ConfeiTion of Faith, and Direa7ncnts ; but a^fo to exercife difcipline, for the prefervation both of truth and duty : and, that it is incum- bent u^-on thefe officers^ and upon the whole Church, in whofe name they a which have, long fince, ceafed. The ( 8 ) ferpctuai '^^^ Ordinary and perpetual Officers^- () n. rs ill the Church, are, Bijhops or Pajtors ; the reprcfenrativ'.'S of the People, ufually flilud •Ruling Elders ; and Deacons^ Of Bijhops or Fajlors, Names, i^c. ji^g pajioral office is the firft, in the Church, borh/^r dignity and ufefulnefs. Theperfon whojilU this o^^Vfjhathjin Scripture, obtained dif- ferent names expreifive of /:;/j various duties: As //^has the overfight of the flock ofChrift, he is caVed Biftiop * : As He feeds them with fpi- ritual food, he is ftiled Paflor : As He fervej Chrifl: in his church, he is termed -Minillcr : As // is bis duty to be grave, and prudent, and an example of the flock, and to govern well in the houfe and kingdom of Chrill, he is denotni- njied Prefbyter or Elder : As He is the m^f- fenT^er of God, he is addrefftd as the Angel of the Church : f\s He is fent to declare the will of God to fmners, and to befcech them to be reconciled to God through Chrifl:, he is re- p efenied as AmhafTador : And, as He difpenfes the manifold grace of God, and the ordinances inltiiuted by Chrifl, he \s> fpoken of as Steward of the myfleries of God. Of Ruling Elders. N^me, s:c. Ruling Elders are properly the reprc- fentatives of the people, chof^n by them, for the purpofe of exercifmg govcrnmeat and difcipline, . * As tlie offireand charaft-r of the Oofp-1 Min'lfr is pirtlcu- larly ani fully defcnbed, in the holy Scr.ptui-s, u • 'er the title .4 BKliop ; and as this term is peculiarly exi^rcITivr of A>s 4ul}f a« •»« Over Jeer ot the flock, it uu^t not to be icjedlcd. in ( 9 ) \n con]un<^ion Vviih Paflors or Minifters, This oillce has been underflood, by a great part of the Proteftant reformed Churches, to be defig- tiatcd, in the Holy Scriptures, by the tide cf Governments ; and of thofe who rule well, but do not labour in word and do(Sl:rine. Of Deacons^ Name, ice, x[^e Scriptures clearly point out Dea- cons as din:in(^ officers in the Church, whofe bufi- nefs it is, not to adminiAer any of the ordinances of the Gofpei, but to take care of the Poor, and to didribute among them the colle(Si:ions which may be raifcd for their ufe. To them alfo may be properly committed the manage-^ ment of the temporal affairs of the Church, Of the Ordinances in a particular Church c Ordinances of TheCrdinances,e{labIi{lied by Chrift the Church. t]^eHead,in a particuIarChurch,^/^/^^ is regularly conRituted with its proper officers, •are,Prayer; fmgingPraifes; reading, expounding, ind preaching the Word of God ; adminiftring Baptifm and the Lord's Supper ; public folemii Fafling and Thankfgiving ; Catechifmg ; making collections for thePoor and other pious purpofesj cxercifmg Difcipline ; and bleiTing the People? Of Church Governvient^ and the feveral kinds of Judicatories, DifFerent ji /^ ahfokitch neceffaTy that the ff o-* Judicatories. ^ J -I' / » vcrnnicnt or the Church be exerciied ilnder feme certain and definite form : And we hold it expedient, and agreeable to fcripture arid B the ( 10 ) the pra<^Hcc of tlie primitive Chriflian*;, that the Church be governed by ConQ;regational, Pref- byterial, and Synodical AlTemblies. In full con^ fijhncy with this belief we embrace, in the fpirit of charity, thofe Chriftians who differ from us, in opinion or in practice, on thefe fubje£ls. Their Pow. Thcfe Aflemblies ought not to pof- •'s. fefs any civil jurifdi(!:l:ion, nor to in- fii<^ any civil penalties. Their power is whol- ly moral or fpiritual, and that only miniftcrial and declarative. They poiTefs the right of re- quiring obedience to the laws of Chrift ; and of excluding the difobedient and diforderly from the privileges of the Church. To give efficiency, however, to this neceffary and fcrip- tural authority, they poflcfs the powers requi- fite for obtaining evidence and i^iflifling cen- fure t They can call before them any oiFender againil the order and government of the Church: They can require members, of their o"\;vn fo- ciety, to appear and give teillmony on the caufc ; but the higheft punifliment, to which their au- thority extends, is to exclude, the contuma- cious and impenitent, from the Congregation ^f believers. Of the Congregational A[femhly or fudicatory^ ufually Jiiled the Church Sejfion. conftitucnt The Church Scffion confifts of the Members of , _ , _,- , ^ the Church Minifter or Minifters^ and Elders ot Seirion. ^ particular Congregation. Its pow- j-/,^ Church Sejfisn is competent to the fpiritual government of the congrega- tion : For which purpofe, they have power to inquire into the knowledge and Chriflian con- duft ( " ) d\i6t of all iff members ; to call before them offenders and witneffes, zi/bo are of their own denonwiution ; to admonifli ) to rebuke ; to fuf- pend or exclude, from the Sacraments, thofc who are found to deferve the cenfures of the Church ; to concert the bell meafures for pro- moting the fpiritual intercfts of the Congrega- tion ; and to appoint Delegates to the higher Judicatories of the Church. Hosv to be The iViiniller fhall have a right to convened, ^onvene theSeflion when he may judge itrequifite : And he ought, in all cafes, to con- vene them, when requefled by any two or more of the Elders. Regifters We think it proper, that every to be kept. Qiy^y.^}? Seffion keep a fair regifter, of Births 5 of Baptifms ; of Marriages ; of perfons admitted to the Lord's table ; of Deaths in the fociety j and pother removals. Of the Prefbyterial AJembly. Necemty jhe Church beino; divided into man\r •fthcPref- f. ^ ^ T ^ % bytery. leparatc Congregations, ihefe need mutual counfel and aillilance, in order to preferve foundnefs of dodrine, and regula* rity of difcipline ; and to enter into common meafures, for the promoting of knowledge and religion, and ^or the preventing ^the encroach- ments of infidelity and error. Hence arife the importance and ufefulnefs of Prefbyterial and Synodical Aifemblies. Conftitucnt ^ Prefbytery confiils of all the Minify Members fers^ aud one ruling Elder from each Congregation, within a certain diflrift. Every Congregation, which has a fettled Paf- tor. C 12 ) tor, has aright to bcreprefented^in Prcfbytery^ by one Elder; and every Collegiate Church, by two or more Elders, m proportion to its Minif- ters. Where there are two or more Conirrc- gations, united under one Paftor, all i'uch Con- gregHtions ihall have but one Elder to reprefeat them. Every Congregation, which has no fet- tled Mlni/ier, and is able and willing, in the judgment of Prcfbytery, to fupport oney ihall be entitled to be reprefented, by a ruling Eider^ in this "Judicatory : and where there are two or more fuch Congregations, united for the main- tenance of the Go(pel, and. in their united Hare, are of the defcription aforefaid, then fuch uni- ted Congregations may be reprefentcd by onc^ Elder. Every Elder, not known to the Prcf- bytery, fliall produce a certificate of his regu- lar appointment, from the Church which he re- prefents, Qyorum Any three Miniflcrs, and as many. oiihc Pref- J.lders as may be prefent, belonging to. ^ "^' tJj^ Pr-ibytcry, being met, ar the time and place appointed, fhall be a Judicatory, com- petent to the dlfpatch of bufmefs ; notwlthfland- ing the abfence of the other Members. of tiiTpref '^^^ Prefbytery have cognizance oi^ byt:ry. &c. all things, that regard the welfare of the particular Churches within their bounds, which are not cognizable by the Sef- fi on : They have alfo a power of receiving and iiTuing appeals from the SeiTions ; and referen- MifcT*"of -^f^cr fermon, the Miniller ^^2^\pr0' EMers and psfe to him, in the prefence of the Con- Deacons. grcgatioH, the following queilions : viz, L ( '7 ) I. Do you believe the Scriptures, of the Old 3Qi New Teilarnentj to be the word of God, the only infallible rule of Faich and Pra£tice ? IL Do you fmcercly receive and adopts the Confeffion of Faith of this Church, as containing the Syllem of do6lrine taught in the holy Scrip- tures ? III. Do you approve of the Government and Difcipline of the Preibyteriaa Church, as exer- cifed in thefe United States ? IV. Do you accept the office of Ruling El- der [or Deacon as the cafe may be] in this Con- gregation, and promife faithfully to perform all the duties thereof ? To be fee After having anfwered thefe qucftions apart by in thc offinnaHvc^ he fhall be fet apart, P'"^y*=''' by prayer, to the office of Elder [or Dea- con as the cafe may he ;] and the Minifter Jhall give hitn^ and the Congregatisn^ an exhortation fuited to the occafiGUo Of Licenfmg Candidates^ or Probationers^ to preach the Gofpeh r^'h^Ti" '^^^ ^^^y Scriptures require, that cenii Pro- fome trial be previouily had, of thofe i»?iioners. ^yT^^ ^^c to be Ordained to the miniflry of the Gofpel, that this facred office may not be degraded, by being committed to weak and un- worthy men 5 and that tlie Churches may have an opportunity of judging of the competency of the talents of thofe by whom they are to be in- ftrue iicenfed to preach the Gofpel, pro- piyir^g to be ducc fatisfaftory teflimonials of their good moral character, and of their be- ing regular members of fome particular Church : And it is the duty of the Prefbytery, for their further fatisfaftion with regard to the reai piety X)f fuch Candidates, to examine them refpe6ling their experimental acquaintance with religion, and the motives which influence them to defire the facred office. And ic is recommended, that the Candidate be alfo required to produce a diplo- ma, of Bachelor or Mader of Arts, from fome College or Univerfity ; or at lead authentic tefli- monials of his having gone through a regular courfe of learning. Trials in Bccaufc it is highly reproachful to re- order to h'gion, and dangerous to the Church, to Ljcenfc. jp^^j.^(|. ^Y\^ ]^Qiy minillry to weak and ig- •norant men, the Prefbytery fhall try each Can- didate, as to his knowledge of the Latin lan- guage, and of the Original languages in which the holy Scriptures were written : They fhall examine hi7TJ^ on the Arts and Sciences ; on Theology, natural and revealed ; and on Eccfe- fiaflical hiflory. And, in order to make trial of his talents to explain and vindicate, and prafti- cally to enforce the dodrines of the Gofpel, the Prefbytery fhall require of JAjn^ an Exegefis on fome common head of divinity ; a Homily ; a Prefbyierial exercife ; a Lc^^ure or explica- tion of a portion of Scripture ^ and a popular Sermon : ( '9 ) Sermon : Or other fimilar cxcrciles, to be held^ at feveral fuoceilive feflions, till They fhall have obtained fatisfadHon, as to his piety, literature^ and aptnefs to teach in the Churches. The ftudy of That the moft efFeflual meafures Divinity tauft j^j^y j^g taken, to j^uard againil the continue at , "^ . ^ ,- - r m ' • i. leaft two years admijjion of mlufhcient men mto the before Hcenfe. f^crcd officc, it Is rccommendcd, that no Candidate, except in extraordinary cafes, be Jiccnfed ; unlefs, after his having completed the the ufual courfe of academical fiudies, he flialt have ftudied divinity, at leafl two years, under fome approved Divine, or ProfeiTor of Theo- logy. Engagements Bcfore the PrcfBytery proceed to Probationers', Hcenfe the Candidate, the Moderator before licenfe. ^^jj requrc of him the following en- gagements : vi%, I. Do you believe the Scriptures, of the Old and New Teftament, to be the word of God, the only infallible rule of Faith and Praftice ? II. Do you fmcerely receive and adopt, the Confeilion of Faith of this Church, as contain- ing the fyftem of dodrine taught in the holy Scriptures ? III. Do you promife to ftudy the peace, uni- ty, and purity of the Church ? IV. Do you promxife to fubmit yourfelf, in the Lord, to the government of this Prefbytery, or of any other Prefbytery in the bounds of which you may be ? Manner of Thc Candidate having anfwered thefe hccnfing. queflions iu the affirmative, and thc Moderator having offered up a prayer fuitable to the Qccafion, He fl^all addrefs himfelf to the Candidate^ ( 25 ) Candidate, to the following purpofc : " In the name of the Lord Jefus Chrill, and by that au- thority, which he hath gwcn to his Church for its edification, we do hcenfe you, to preach the Gofpel, wherever God in his providence may call you thereto : and, for this purpofe, may the bleffing of God reft upon you. and the Spirit of Chrid fill your heart. Amen. *' And record fliali be made of the licenfure, in the following form : vizo Form of At thc day of licenfe. ^|^^ Prefbytery of having receiv- ed fafficient teftimonials, in favour of of his having gone through a regular courfe of li- terature ; of his good moral chara6i:er ; and of his being in the communion of thc Church ; proceeded to take the ufual parts of trial for his licenfure. : And he having given fatisfadlion, as to his accomplifhments in literature ;, as to his experimental acquaintance with religion ; and as to his proficiency in Divinity, and other ilu- dies ; the Prefbytery did, and hereby do ex- prefs their approbation of all thefe parts of trial : and he having adopted the Confeflion of Faith of this Church, and fatisfa£rorily anfwercd thc queftions, appointed to be put to Candidates to be liccnfed, the Prefbytery did, and hereby dp licenfe him, thc faid , to preach the Gofpel of Chrift, as a Probationer for the holy minidry, within the bounds of this Prefbytery, or wherever he fhall be orderly called, Teftir,oniais ^hcn any Candidate fhall, by thc of a Proba- permiiTion of his Prefbytery, remove *'"""' without its limits, an extract of this record, accompanied with a Prcfbyterial re- commendation. ( 21 ) commendarion, figned by the Clerk, Ihall be his (eitimonials?- to the Prefbytery under whofe care he fliaii comco Of the Eledioriy and Ord'mathn^ of Bijl^op: or Fajlors. A Church dif- When any Probationer yZ)^// have fofcd to pre- preached, fo much to the fatisfadlion order to ordi- 01 any Congregation as that the peo- n^tion, mall p|g appear difpofed to receive him as afk the afliil- r YV t ^ n ^^ r \' - anceofaMi- thcir mmtftcr^ the belnon mail lohcit nifter. ^^^ prefencQ and cou'ifel of fome neighbouring iv.inifter, to. ajjijt them in prepar- ing a Call for him ; unlefs highly inconvenient on account of diilance : in which cafe they may proceed without fuch affiflance. . The day for ^^^ a Lord's day, immediately af. i)reparing the tcr Dublic worfcjp, it fliall bc intima- ^cvio' ny.p! ted from the Pulpit, that all the m^m^ pointed oa a bers of that CongrcgatioD are requeft- Lord's aay. ^^ ^^ Tp^tci, QXi enfuing, at the Church, or ufual place for holding public woriliip ; then and there, if it be agreeable to ihem, to prepare a Call/or to be their Pailorp S ^rlcdve ^" ^^^ ^^y ^Ppo^^tcd, the Minifier, eke voces of whofe affillance has been obtaiiied, gakr^'mem- ^^^^ prcach a fcrmon, at the ufual fea- iers.'ani who fou for publlc %vorihip ; and, after pay^'^t^'w/rds'^^^n'-o"' H^ fliall anuounce to thePeo- thefupportof pie, that he will immediately proceed the Church. ^^ ^.^j^^ ^j^^^ ^^^^g ^f ^^^ Eieftors of that Congregation, in the cafe of whether or not he fliall be chofen to be their Mintfter. In this clefiion, no perfon fliall be entitled ( 22 ) entitled to vote, who refufes to fubmit to the cenfures of the Church, regularly adminillrcd ^ or who does not contribute his jult proportion, according to his own engagements, or, the rules of that Church, to all its necelTary expences. When the Whcu the votcs are taken, if it ap- People are , • r i not unani pear that a great proportion ot the "a"^ ^^^^^u People are averfe from the Candidate, Certify the and cannot be mduced to concur m dru',;L;c"t 'he call, the ^m\-,gMini/hr fhall en- oftheDiirea- deavour to dilTuadc the Congregation tients. £j.^^ profecuting it further. But if the People be nearly, or entirely, unanimous ; or if the majority (hall infid upon their right to call a Minifler ; then in that cafe, the Miniiler, after ufing his utmoft endeavours to perfuade the Congregation to unanimity, fiiall proceed to draw a call in due form, and to have it fubfcri- bed by the Electors ; certifying, at the fame tiine, the number and circumlfances of thofe who do not concur in the Call : all which pro- ci e dings Jhall be laid before the Prefhytery^' to- geihcr with the call. The form of Thc Call {hall be in the following, ^ ^^^'' or like form : viz. The Congregation of being, on fufncient grounds, well fatisfied of the minif- tcrial quahfications of you and having good hopes, from our pad: experi-^ encc of your labours, that your miniPirations in the Gofpel will be profitable to our fpiritual in- terefts, doearncftly call, and defire you, to un- dertake the Pafloral office in faid Congregation ; promifmgyou, in the difcharge of your duty, all proper fupport, encouragement, and obedience, in ( '3 ) in the Lcrd : And, that you may be free from worldly cares and avocations, we hereby pro- mife, and oblige ourfelves, to pay to you, the fum of in regular * payments, during the time of your being, and continuing, the regular Paitor of this Church, in teft-irao- ny whereof, we have refpe£lively fubfcribed our names, this day of A. D. Ait eft ed by A, B. Moderator of the meeting. A Call may, But if any Congrcgation {hall choofe in certain ca. to fubfcnbe thcir Call, by their El- fcribe/byEi- ^^^s aud Dcacous, or either, they {hall ders*or Dea- be at liberty fo to do : but it ihall, in fuch cafe, be fully certified, to the Prefbytery, by the Minifler who prefided, that they have been appointed, for this purpofe, by a public vote of the Congregation ; and that the Call has been, in all other refpe£ls, prepar- ed as above diremfort nnd honor of th; miniftry greatly dc- pcndi, on the cafy and decent provifion which is made for their fami- ilfes after their death ; it it highly cvpedirnt, that each Conjrregation fhould depoiit, in the widows fund, fucli a fum as fhall br fufiricient to fccure, to the family of tr.cir Paftor after his death, one of the annui- ties promifcd by them to the Contiibutors : provided that the Corpo- ration fhall (Kipuhtc with them, that the faid annuity fhall be paid, to the family of their Paftor, and to the fnn-.ilies of hii fuccef^ors iii the fame charge forever, who (hall die during the continuance of their paf- taral relation to the faid Congregation. And provided they further en- gage that no dcpnfition, fufpcnfjon, or removal, of eny of their Paf- »orn, fhall ever deprive their families of thecxpeftci< annuitiei : pro- vided that fnch d'pofcd, fufpendcd, or rctnoTcor fhall continue, during his life, to pay hii annual rate to the fund, or fhall fettle in a- nothcr Congregation that has made i fina.ljj- provifi** tof ths'f Pafto-' and his faintly. ( 25 ) which the Candidate was licenfed, fhall confift of a careful examination, as to his acquaintance 'with experimental religion ; as to his knowledge of Philoiophy, Theology, Ecclefiaftical hiflory, the Greek and Hebrew languages, and fuch o- ther branches of learning as to the Prefbytery may appear requifite ; and as to his knowledge of the Conflitution, the rules and principles of the Governm«?nt and Difcipiinc of the Church ; together with fuch written difcourfes, founded on the v/ord of God, as to the Prefbytery fliali feem proper. The Prefoytery, being fully fatis- fied with his quaiificarions for the facred office, ihall appoint a convenient day for his ordination, which ought to be, if convenient, in that Church of which he is to be the Minijler. Prefbytery be- The day appointed for ordination led a fefm,m '^^^^S ^-^^^^' ^^^ ^^^ Prefbytery con- Aa!i be vened, a member of the PreiLytery, preached, e^-c. pj-g^JQ^{|y appointed to that duty, ftall preach a fermon adapted to the occafiouo 7 he fiiine, or another member appointed to pre^ fide in this bufmefs, fhali afterwards briefly re* cite from the pulpit, in the audience of the peo- ple, the procecdinii^s of the Prefbytery prcpara* tory to this tranfa61:ion : He fhall point out the nature and importance q{ the ordinance ; and endeavour to imprefs the audience with a pro-« per fenfe of the folemnity of the tranfacrion. ^"uKeT'^'of "^'^^^ addrefTmg himfelf to the Can- Sfewhoare didate, he fliall propofe to him the fol- ordained. lowing queflious : 'ui'Z, I. Do you believe the Scriptures, of the Old and New Tef{:ament, to be the word of God>, the only mfalliblc rule of Faith and Pradicc ? D II. ( 26 ) II. Do you fincerely receive and adopt, the Confeflion of Faith of this Church, as contain- ing the fydem of doctrine taught in the holy Scriptures ? III. Do you approve of the Government and difcipline of the Prefbyterian Church, as exer- cifed in thefe United States ? IV. Do you promife fubjc£tion to your Bre- fiirtn in the Lord ? ' V, Have you been induced, as far as you Icnow your own heart, to feek the office of the holy minillry, from love to God, and a finccre defu-e to promote his glory in the Gofpel of his Son ? -- VI. Do you promife to be zealous and faith- ful in maintaining the truths of the Gofpel, and the purity and peace of the Church ; whatever perfccution, or oppofition, may arife unto you on that account ? VII. Do you engage to be faithful and dili- gent, in the exercife of all private and perfonal duties, which become you as a Chrillian and a Miniiler of the Gofpel ; as well as in all relative duties, and the public duties of your office, en- deavouring to adorn the profeffion of the Gof- pel by your converfatiou ; and walking, with ex- emplary piety, before the flock, over which God ihall make you Overfeer ? Eng g-nienti ^^^^ Candidate having anfwered rr^u eu of thcfc oucflions io the affirmative, the People, t^e Moderator (hall demand of the People : I. Do you, the People of this Congregation, continue to profcfs your readinefs to receive , whom you have called, to be your Miniver ? II, ( ^7 ) , 11. Do you proraife to receive the word of truth from his mouth, with meeknefs and love ; and to fubmit to him, v/ith humility, in the due exerclfe of DilcipHne ? III. Do you promife to encourage him, in his arduous labour, and to aflifl his endeavours for your inilru^lion and fpirirual edification ? IV. And do^you engage to continue to him, while he is your Paftor, that competent worldly maintenance which you have promifed; and what- ever elfe ypu raay fee needful, for the honour of religion, and his comfort among you ? Moit of 01-. The People having anfwered thefe dination. queftious, in the affirmative, by hold- ing up their right hands, the Candidate {hall kneel down, iu the- mod convenient part of the Church : Then the prefidicg Biiliop fliall, by prayer, and with the laying on of the hands of the Prefbytery, according to the Apoilolic ex- ample, folemnly ordain him to the holy office of the Gofpel minillry. Prayer being ended, he {hall rife from his knees ; and the MiniHer who prefides iliall firil, and afterwards all the mem- bers of the Prcfbytery in their order, take him by the right hand, laying, in words lo this purpofe, " We give you the right hand of Fel- lowffiip, to take part of this miniftry with us. *' After which the Minifter prefiding, or fome o- ther appointed for the purpofe, ffiall give a fo-- lemn charge, in the name of God, to the new- ly ordained Bifhop, and to the people, to perfe- vere in the difchargc of their mutual duties j and ihall then, by prayer, recommend them both to the grace of God, and his holy keeping : and finally, after fmging of a pfalm,7y?)r7//difmifs the Congregation with the ufual bleffing. And the Preibytery fliall duly record the tranfa A Sfrmon WbcH the Prefb^tcry,' or Comniit- fhai! be dell- tee, (hall be convened and conflitn- ^^'^"* *' ted, on the day appointed, a fermon (hall be delivered, by fome one of the members prtvijufly appointed thereto ; immediately after ^f-hich, the Bilhop, who is co prefide, (hail ftate to the Congregation the deiign of their meeting and briefiy recite the proceedings of the Pref- bytery relative thereto. And then, addreffing himfelf to the Minijler to be inflalled, {hail pro- pofe to him the following or firailar queftions: irft.iment ^* Areyou now willing to take the confiits in charge oi this- Congregation, as their r^emLsof Pallor, agreeably to your declaration Miriiicr and at accepting their Call r c p e. jj-^ -Q^ ^^^ confcientioinly believe"^ and declare, as far as you know your own hearty that, in taking upon yon this charge, you are influenced by a fmcers deiire to promote the glory of God, and the good of his Church ? III. Do you foiemnly promife, that, by the ajfy'iance of the grace of God, you will endea- vour faithfully to difcbarge all the duties of a Paftor to this Congregation, and will be careful, to maintain a deportment in all rcfpe£ls becom- ing a Minifter of the Gofpel of Chrift, agreea- bly to your Ordination engagements ? J o all thefe having received farisf^ftory anfwcrs. He rtiall propofe to the People the fame, or like quellions, as thofc directed under the head of ordination ; which having been alfo fatisfaci:o- rily anfwercd, by holding up their right hand, in tefbmony of aiTcnt, He iliali folcmnly pro- nounce and declare the faid Minifter to be regu- larly conHiiuted the Paftor of that Congrega- tion. C 31 ) tion. A charge tfiall then he given to both par- tics, as directed m the aitair of ordination ; and, after prayer, and fmging a pfalm adapted to the tranfa^lJon, the Congreg.:tion fliall be difmilTed with the ufual benediction. llildl o/flf ^^ ^^ highly becoming, that, after the niiiies fhaii folemniry of the indaiment, the heads give their Qf Pamilies of that Con^rregation who riant hand to in thth Minif are then prefcnt, or at lealt the Elders, ^^'* and thofe appointed to take care of the temporal concerns of that Church, fhould come forward to their Pailor, and give him their right hand, in token of cordial reception and affec- tionate regard. Of rejtgni7ig a Pajloral Charge. TheCongrc- When any Mimjier fliall labour be cited and Under fuch gnevanc's, in his Congre- heara. gatiou, as that hc Ihall defire leave to refign his pafloral charge, the Preibytery fliall cite the Congregation to appear, by their Com- milTioncrs, at their next meeting, to jQiew caufe, if any they have, why the Prefbytery ihould not accept the refignation. If the Congregation fail to appear, or if their reafons for retainino: their Pallor be deemed by the Prefbytery infufficienr, he fhall have leave granted to refign his pafloral charge j of which due record ihail be made, and that Church fhall be held to be vacant, till fupplied again, in an orderly manner, with ano- ther Minifies : And if any Congregation fhall defire to be releafed from their Paflor, a fmiilar procefs, mutatU mutandis^ fliall be obferved. Of ( 3^ ) Of Mijp.ons, When vacancies become fo numerous, in anj^ Prcfbytery, that they cannot be fupplied with the frequent adminiflration of the Word and or- dinances, it (hall be proper for fuch Prcfbytery, or any vacani Congregation within theii-boundsj with the leave of the Prefbytery, to apply to a- ny other Prefbytery, or to any Synod, or to the General Council, for fuch affidance as they can afford. And, when any Prefbytery fhall fend any of their Mlniflers or Probationers to difl^mt vacancies, the MilTionary fhall be ready to pro- duce his credentials to the Prefbytery or Pref- byteries, through the bounds of which he may pafs, or at leaft to a Committee thereof, and ob- tain their approbation. And the General Coun- cil may, of their own know^ledge, fend miflions, to any part, to plant Churches, or to fupply Ta- cancies : And, for this purpofc, may dire O N T E N Preface* Of the SanBifuation of the Lord^s Day. Of the Affembling cf the Cong-egation^ ^c. Of the public reading of the holy Scriptures, Of thefingitig of Pfalms^ Of public Prayer before Sermon, Of the Preaching of the Word, Of Prayer af^r Sermon, Of the Adminififation of Baptifm, Of the A dminijl ration of the Lord's Supper, Of the Admiffion of Perfons to Scalirig-Ordinances, Of the Mode of inflifting Church-Cenfure^, Lf the Solemnization of Marriage, Of the Viftaiion of the Sick. Of the Bu iai o the Dead, Of Pafiing ; and of the Obftrvation of Days of Ihankf giving. Of the Ordination of Minifters of the Gofpel, The Directory J or Secret arid Family Worjhip, ( 51 ) PREFACE. THE Prefbyterian Church in America, from fmali beginnings, through the great goorl- fiefs of God, hath rifen to be a numerous and refpei^able body. It is of the la(t imporrance, that great care be taken to prefcrve, in this ex- tenfive community, not only foundncfs of doc- trine, but alfo purity of manners, and regularity of worfbip. This Church firmly believes, that her doc- trines, and modes of worfliip, are moft agreeable to the Word of God ; to the Pradlice of the primitive Church in the three firfl Centuries ^ and to the beil reformed Churches. She thinks it the indifpenfible duty of all her people to ufe their utmoft endeavours, to have regular fettled Minifters of their own perfuaiion ; and dated worfhip, in their own v/ay, every Lord's day. At the fame time, the Prtfbyterian Church maintains a high refpe£i: for the other Protellant Churches of this Country ; though feveral of them differ from her in fome forms of govern- ment and Modes ofworfliip: particularly for the regular Congregational Churches to the eaftward; •for the AiTociate, Low Dutch, and German, re- formed Churches ; and for the Lutheran and Epifcopal Churches. In places where there are only a few Prefby- terians, and they are not able to have worfliip ufually in their own way ; it is recommended to them, to attend with the Chriltim brethren, of any of the above denominations, which may be moft convenient, rather than fpend their Sah» baths without public worfhi--. But this Church v/arns all her People againft illiterate, vagrant, and ( 52 ) and dcfigninq^ perfons, who, nndcf pretence of greater zeal and llrictnefs than others, only go a« bout to make a party. Ir is much better for them, to ftay at home on the Lord's day with their families, than to encourage thofe men, who, by condemning regular, known and pious Church* es, give too much reafon to fufpe^l that their own views are dangerous and wrong. Although the Prefbyterian Church belieyes her Government and worftiip, as well as her Faith, to be the purefl and befl ; yet thefe are far from being perfect. This impcrfe^lion, however, is not fo much in her conftitution, as in carrying her government, and modes of worr fliip into clfeft. 'J he Form of government and diicipline is intended to obviate the imperfedlion, in the one cafe ; and the following direftory for Vorihip, in the other. One great and apparent imperfe^lion, attend- ing the public worfhip of this Church, as well as that of other denominations (for which we have great reafon to be deeply humbled before God) is the manifeft deficiency of folemn gravity, holy reverence, and a devotional fpirit, in the time of performing divine fervice. It is abfolutely nc- cefTary that fomething be done to revive the fpi- rit and appearance of devotion. Where there is real devotion ; there the appearance of it will be. This, we doubt not, is the cafe with a num- ber, through divine grace, in all our Congrega- tions. It is readily granted, that there may be the appearance, without the fpirit of devotion ; but there cannot be the fpirit, without the ap- pearance : and, did we attend more to the ap- pearance, it might hnve a happy tendency to 4- wakcn and revive a devotional fpirit. Many t 53 ) Many things fcem to contribute to banifli the appearance of devotion from our worfhipping AiTe mblies. I. Perfons going out and in, during divine fer- vice, is an odious practice. It is highly ofFenfivc to God, difturbs the Congregation, and mars their worlhip ; and is never to be allowed, but in cafes of abfolute neceility. The Rulers of every Church ought to be careful to correal this jdiforder. II. Another evil, increafmg in our public wor- fliip, and tending to deftroy the fpirit and appear- ance of devotion, is, that many, in fome of our Congregations, do not join in fmging the praifes of God. Every perfon ought to keep his eyes fixed upon his book, his heart engrt^^ed, and his voice employed in this delightful fervice ; ar.d to iing, with folemn reverence and compofurc, as in the prefence of the mod High. None can juflly pretend, as an cxcufe, their want of voice, or their want of an ear for mufic ; for there is no perfon who cannot, at leall in a low voice, follow the tune : And, if the Officers of the Church be careful, that all have books and do fmg, there is reafon to hope, that, with the divine bleffing, the fpirit and appearance of de- votion will be reftored to this branch of our worlhip. III. There is a want of devotion, awfully ap- parent in our Congregations, during the time of public prayer. Some are gazmg about, fome turning their back to the Miniller, and others putting themfelves into different attitudes of eafe ; and but few, cither are in the pofture, or have the appearance of devotion. It is the indifpenfi- ble duty of the whole Congregation, ferioully and ( 54 ) and devoutly, to joirx with the Minifter in offer-. ing up ilie defires of their hearts unto God. 1 here ought not to be a wandering heart, a ga- zing eye, a carelefs or indevout poilure, in any part of divine fervice. The fcriptural pofcures, in prayer, are, in general, franding or kneeling ; the former of which is in ufe, with us, in the Church ; and the latter, in the Family, In this duty. All ought to put thcmfelves into the mod devout attitude, as in the pref^nce of the holy God, having their eyes fixed, covered or clofed ^ and fo continue throughout the whole of the f.Tvice : and we doubt not but a due attention to the poflure in prayer would have a happy tendency to bring on a praying frame of mind, and to revive a devotional fpirit. IV. As the reading of the holy Scriptures is a very important pan of divine worfhip, it is much to be lamented, that this ihould be negle<5>- ed In any of our Congregations. It is provided for, in the Direflory, that, where it has not been ufed, it fhould be introduced and faithfully pra£^ifcd. In order to give folemnity to this part of worfliip, and to teftify our reverence for the Word of God, it would be decent, and not im- proper, for the whole Con:;regation to (land up, during the reading of the Scriptures ; as was the ufa ^^e under the Old Teftament difpenfation, and among the primitive Chridians. It is alfo re- commended, that all have their Bibles ; and that they, filently and devoutly, follow the Mini- fter while he is reading. Thus the fpirit of de- votion will be promoted and cherilhed. V. There are alfo fome things amifs, while the Minifler is preaching, which ihould be cor- i*e£tcd. None ought to ftand up ; much Icfs to turn ( 55 ) turn their back upon the Minlfler ; to place thcmfelves in fluggifli or carelefs poflurcs j or to indulge to fleep, whifpering or laughing. All ought, ferioufly and gravely, to attend to the whole of the indruftion or exhortation ; and to receive it with faith and love. Were thefe things duly obferved, during the preaching of the Word, there would probably be fewer com- plaints among us of its want of fuccefs. Now may God, of his infinite mercy, grant, that folemn reverence, and. a devotional fpirit, may be revived and flourifli, in all our Churches, through Jefus Chrift our Lordo Jmerio THE ( S6 ) THE DIRECTORY, &c. Of the San^ification of the Lord's Day. IT is the duty of every pierfon to remember the Lord's Day, arid to prepare for it, before its approach. All worldly bufmefs, fhould be io ordered, and feafonably laid afide, as that we may not be hindered thereby from fan<5lifying the Sab- bath, as the holy Scriptures require. The whole day' is to be kept holy to the Lord, and to be employed in the public and private cxercifcs of religion. Therefore, it is requifitc, that there be an holy refling, all the day, from unneceflary labours; and an abftaining from thofe recreations, which may be lawful on other days ; and alfo, as much as poflible, from worldly thoughts and converfation. Let the provifions, for the fupport of the fami. ly on that day, be fo ordered, that fervants or others be not improperly detained from the pub- lic worfhip of God; nor hindered from faaftifying the Sabbath. Let every perfon and family, in the morning, by fecrct and private prayer, for themfelvcs and others, cfpecially for the affiftance of God to their Miniller, and for a blcfBng upon his mini- ftry ; by reading the fcriptures ; and by holy meditation ; prepare for communiou with God in his public ordinances. Let ( 57 > Let the people be careful to affeinble at the appointed time, that, being all prefent at the be- ginning, they may unite, with one heart, in all the parts of public worfliip : aiid let none unnecefla- rily depart, till after thie blefllng be pronounced^ Let the time, after the folemn fervices of the congregation in publlci are over, be fpent in read- ing ; meditation ; repeating of fermohs ; cate- chifmg ; religrous converfation* ; prayer for a blefling upon the public ordinances ; the fmging of pfalms, hymns, oi" fpiritual fongs ; vifiting the fick ; relieving the poor j and in performing foch like d'ities of piety, cnarity and mercy. Of ihe affeiyihling of the Cqngregation^ and their behavioiir during Divine Service, When tfte tihie appoint-sd for public worfhip is come, let the people enter theChurch, and take their feats, in a decent, grave, and reverent man- n-er. AvA., after the Congregation is aifembled, the Minifter (liall begin the ferVide with prayer^ to the following purpofe : , . , ' Holy, holy, holy. Lord God Almighty, who * art, and wail, and art to come ; We, who arc * unworthy of the lead of all thy mercies, humbly" * prefent ourfelves in thy counts, to offer homage, * adoration, and praife,toThee, our Creator, our * Redeemer, and our God. Enable us, O Lord, ^ by thy good Spirit, to attend to the hcly duties ^ to which thou an calling us at this time, without * diftraftion of mind,andwith reverence and godly * fear. Admit us, we befeech thee, with humble * boldnefs, to enter into the holieft, by the blood * of Jefus, by the new and living way, which he * hatk coafecrated for us, through the vail.—- I 5? ) ^ ii^llrucf ns from ihy lioly ■word. May we read ' it Vv'rai V. iic and uriderlla.nding hearts. Prepare ^ us for liP.giiH^ tliy praifeSjthatwc may make me* ' lody in our lieaits iiiKo ilie Lord, and olTer ^ up an .icce})rable ferviec to our God. Teach ^ us to pray, infpire us ^^ith a Iplrit ol devotion, * enable us to extrcile iaith in all the parts of * divirie worfliip. And let all be done to the *- rjlory of the Father, of the Son, and of the ' iioly Gholl; and graciouily accept us, through * Jcfus Cliriil: our Lord. Jimen' 'Ihis, and all the other prayers in the Direc- toj-y, may and ought to be varied, according to the' variety of circum.flances which may occur ; ;igreeably to the view's and judgment of every miniiier. Thus the fpirit of pr:iyer Vviil be en- couraged ; and the undue rejdraint of this fpirit^ whith is the too freOjUent diii^b. of Forms of pray ^ er, will be guarded a|>,Hin{U In the tinie of public worfliip, let all the peo- ple atiend Vv'idi gravity and reverence ; forbear^ ing toread any thing, except what the minifler is then readino; or citing ; abdaininp- from all v/Iiifperings, from falutations of perlons prefenc or coniing in ; and from gay/mg about, lleepiug, fmiling, and all other indecent behaviour. \^ anv one be ]:!revented from being present at the beginning of iervice, he oupht not, \vhen he enters the Church, to betake himfelf to his pri^ vatc devotion ; but to compofe his mind, and reverently join in the public worihip, with the Congregation* Of the public rvatiitig of the Holy Scriptures, The reading of the holy Scriptures, in the Con- gregation, is a part of the public worihip of God; and ( 5^ ) and ought to be pcrfonned'by.-the Mimiiers and Teachers. . ; . All the canoniciii books, of rlie old and new Teflaineiit, ihall be publicly reiid. From the moil: approycd, trautiation, ia.the vulgar rongaie, that ail may hear and undcriiand. . . •■. How large a portion ihall be read at once U left to tke-dil'brer-ioU'of'Wer^- Mmifter': howe- ver, in each fervice, li/^ oir^ht to read, at ieall, one ch2.-ptett ^ And raore, when the chkpters''rtrc (liort, or the conneftioa requir^^' it, 4de iri^ay, when, he thi tiles It expedient, expound any pare of what is i^ead -, always having Tegard"^ tcy the time, that- neither reading, 'fiuging, ''prayl'ng, preaching, or any <)ther ordinance, be dlfprbpor- lionate the one to the -other •; nor the whole i;endered too ^ihor^ or- too tedious. 0/ ibejngi^ig of PJlilms. It is the: dmty of Ohrifl'ians to praife -G-od, by fingiiig plalms and hymns j-pubhely intheCburch, as alfo privately In the family. In fmging the praifes of God, we are to W^ig with thefpirit, and with the iiEfderitandhig alfo ; making melody, in ourhearts, unto the Lord, iv is alfo proper, that wc cultivate fom€ kilow-led'gr of the rules of mufic ; that we may praife 'God with our voices, as well- as with our' hearts. The. whole: congregati<)n(liou Id- be furnifhed with books, and oughtto jolu in this part ofw^or- fhip. It is proper to fmg without parceling oat the pfalm, line by line. The pra(R:ice of readmg thr pfalm, line l5y line, \vas introduced in times of ignorance, when many in the Congreg'at'oii could not read : therefore, it is recommended, that it be hid afide, as far as convenient. The ( 6o ) The proportion, of the time of public worftiip to be fpent in fmging, is left to the prudence of ievery Minifler : but it is recommended, that "more time be allowed, for this excellent part of divine ferVice, than has been ufual in moft of our Churches. Of public Prayer before Sermon. After the introductory prayer, reading the word, and fmging praife ; the Miiliiler is to pro- ceed to a more extenfive adoration of God, con- feffionofrni, thankfgiving for mercies, fupplica- tion for bleffings, and interceffioii for others ; in a longer prayer, to this efFe that he may have .comfort in this life^ many feals to his miniflry, and, when he has finiihed his labours of love, a crown of glory in the world to. come. VIII. As one^primary defign, of the public ordinances of the Sabbath, is, to pay a6ls of fe- cial homage to the moil high God, the Minifter is to be careful not to make his fcrmotis too long, fo as to interfere therewith. He is parti- cularly to guard againftiliortening the djeyotion- al, and more important parts of the fervice, to make way for long difcourfes. But, when there i«v only one public fervice in the day,as is the cafe, in the winter^in many of our country Churchesjthe fei « mon, With all the other parts, may be fomewhat longer, than where there arc two or more fervices. And, when there are two or more public fervices, ftatedly every Lord's day, we think the fermons, in general, ought not to be.iliorter than thirty, nor longer than forty or forty -five minutes. Of Prayer after Sermorio The fermon being ended, the Miniiler is to pray, turning fome of the principal parts of his fermon into confeflion, humiliation, petition^ thankfgiving and praife, as the nature of the fub- jeft may direct'. In a fpecial manner he i^, * To give thanks, for the great love of God * in fending his only begotten Son to be the Sa- * vionr of the world ; for the communications of ' the Holy Gbofl ; for the hght, liberty, prlvl* ' Ifgts and rich blcflings of the gof^el ; for c- '^ letting love, redeeming mcrcvj fanchfying " grace, i\:A the joyful hopes of glory. *• 'i o pr.iy fur the continuance of thie gofpel, ' with ;i!l its ordinances, in their purity, fpiritu- ' aiity and povver ; for a blcfling to accompany • the word of his grace, with which they have ' been now favoured ; for preparation for death *' and judgment 5 for the forgiyenefs of the ini- ^ quitics of our moil: holy fervices ; and for the ^ acceptance of ourperfonsand ofFeriDgs,through ' the merits and itiediation of our great High • Prieft and Saviour, the Lord jefus Chrifl ' After this prayer, let a pfalm be fung. Then let there be a colleclion for the poor, or other lifes of the Church ; and let every one lay by, upon the firfi day of the week, as God hath profpered him, agreeably to the Apoftolic direc- tion. Then let the Minifler difmifs the Con- gregation with a folemn bleflmg, to the follow- ing or like purport -^ ' The grace of the Lord Jefus Chriil, and the' '- love of God, and the communion of the holy ' Ghoil, be with you all. Jmcru' 0/ ihe Adminijl^-aiicn of Bapt^fm, Baptifm is not to be unneceflalrily delayed, nor to be adminiflred, in any cafe, by dny private perfon ; but by a Miniller of Chrifl, called to be the Steward cf the rayfleries of God. It is'ufually tu be adminiflred in the Church, in the prefence of the Congregation ; and it is convenient that it be performed immediately af- ter fermon. After ( n > After prevh)us notice is given to the Minifters; the child to be baptized is to be prcfented, by one or both the parents, fignifying their defire that the child may be baptized. Before baptifm, theMinifter may, occafionally^ ufe fome words of inflrudion, refpctliis holy- ordii>aR6? * of baptifpj, which has now been adminflred in ' thy name. O Lord, enable theie parents fo * live in the faithful dircharge of every chriitian ^ duty, towards this Child. ReGciye it into thy * fatherly care and protCiStion. May ii liye.-and ■ grow up before xhee, ^and do -worthily in- its f day and generation. SancWy it by thy Spirit; ' uphold it by thy power. May it be a ufeful * member of thy Church here ; and be kept, by * faith, unto falvation, through' Jcfus Ghrifl: our f Lord. Amen,', ,/:—•": . : • This will form ap^^rt of;the concluding prayer of public worihip. It is proper, that baptifm be adminiftred in theprefence of the Congregation: yet there may be cafes, when it will be expedient to adminiO.er this ordinance in private houfes ; of which the Minifter is to be the Judge. ■ , Of the Adminiftratton of the Li^d* s' Supper . The Comniunion, or Supper of the- Lord, is to be celebrated frequently ; but how often may- be determined by the Mini(ter and Elderihip of each Congregation, as tbey raay judge moll for edification : but, we think it ought to be adminiflered, at lead, once in every quarter of the year. The time for the celebration of this ordinance, we judge convenient after the morning fermon : But if any choofeto celebrate it in the afternoon, they are at their liberty. • The ignorant and fcandalous are not to be ad-- mitted to the Lord's fupper. It is proper that public notice fliould be given to the Congregation, at leall, the fabbath before the adminiflration of this ordinance, and that, on fomc ( So ) iovnc day of the week, fomething bctauqht con- cerning its nature, and a due preparation for it, that ail may come in a fuitabic manner to this holyfeafl. When the fcrmon is ended, the Minifler fhall fliew ; ' That this is an oniinance ofGhriftjby reading ' the words of inftitution, either from one of the * Evangelids, or from i Cor. XI chapter, which, ' as to him may appear expedient, he may ex- * plain and apply ; that it is to be qbferved in * remembrance of Chrift, to (liew forth his death * till he come j that it is of ineftimable benefit, * to flrc^ngthen his people againft fm ; to fup- * port them under troubles ; to encourage and * quickcii them in duty ; to infpire them with ^ love and zeal ; to increafe their faith, and ho- * ly rcfolution and to beget peace of confcience^ * and comforrablc hopes of glory.' He is to warn the profane, the ignorant, and fcandalous, and thofe that fecretly indulge them- felves in any known fin, not to approach the holy Tabic. On the other hand, he (liall invite to this ho- Jy- Table, furh as, feniible of their loft and hclp- Icfs ftate by fm, depend upon the atonement of Chriil for pardon and acceptance with God ; fuch as, being inftru^led in the Gcfpel do(^rine, have a competent knowledge to difcern the Lord's body ; and fuch as defire to forfakc the ways of fm, and are determined to lead a life of pra(n:ical godlinefs. The table, on which the elements are placed, being decently covered, the bread in convenient difhes, and the wine in large cups ; and the Com- municants orderly and gravely fitting around it, (or •IT) ( 8i 5 ,(or m tlicir feats before the table) in the pre- fence of the Miniiler : Let hirn take a portioq' of the. bread in one hand, and one of the cups in the other ; and then pray for a blefiing, to this or the like effect : ' O thou eternal God, Father, Son, and holy "". Spirit ; We adore thee as the fountain ofbe- * ing and bleilednefs. We praife thee, that < thou hall creeled a Church in this fallen world; * that we are called to be m.embers of it ; and ' that thou haft appointed vai'ious ordinances to ^ be obferved therein « , ' Now, O Lord, we are invited to come and * eat of Wifdom's bread, and to drink of the ^ wine that (he hath mingled. Caufe us fo to ^ hunger and thiift after rightequfnefs, that we? ^ may be filled. Draw us, and we will run after * thee. Bring us into thy chambers, that , we * may be glad and rejoice in thee, and remem- * ber thy love more than wnne. . ' Moft gracious' God, we give thee glory for * all the purpofes of thy love; for the million, * fuiferings and death of Jcfus Chrift, in. whofe; ^ name alone we have accefs to the throne of * thy grace, and hope for everlafting life, We * thank thee for this holy ordinance. We de- * voutly pray for thy divine blelling upon us^ ^ in our attendance upon this feaft of love. * Blefs, O Lord, thefe elements of bread and * wine. May we receive them as the Symbol 5 * of the broken body, and filed blood, of our *, Lord and Saviour Jcfus Chrift. May we, by ' faith, eat the fiefli, and drink the blood, of the * Son of God. O letthis cup of blelTing, which *, we blefs,be to us the communion of the blood of ^ Chrift ; let this bread, which we break, be to us * the communion of the body of Chrift. L ' Moft t i= ) * Maft merciful Father, keep our ticarrs and ' minds in the r/holc of this duty ; and pre-^ ' ferve us from the fuggeflions of the evil one. ' May our fouls feel the lively exercifes of every * grace. Suit thy mercy to our various circum- ^ fiances. May we be joined to the Lord in a ^ new and everlafliiig covenant, and made one * fpirit with him. May thy continual grace ' and aid further, r:nd aflifl: us, in the perform- * ance of every duty of the Chriflian life. Seat * unto us,we befeech thee, the remiiTion of all ouir * fms, the gift of the Holy Ghoft, and the pro- * mife of eternal life. * Now unto him who is able to keep ni * from falling, and to prefent us faultlefs before * the prefence of his glory with exceedmg joy^ * to the only wife God our Saviour be glory * and majefty, dominion and po^er, both now * and ever. J men.* The elements being now fet apart by prky- Cr, the Minifter is to take the bread, and brealc it, into fmall portions, in the view of the peo- ple. While h€ is performing this facraiiientaf afiicn, let him make fuch obfervations, upon the body of Chrift Jefiis, which was broken, for us, as to him may appear proper. Then he is to fay in expreificns of this fort :. ' Our Lord jefus Chrifl:, on the fame night * in which he was betrayed, having taken bread, * and bleffed and broken it, gave it to his Difci- * pies \ as I, miniflring in his name, give this '* bread unto you ; faying, [here the Bread is * to be diftribuied] Take, eat ; this is my Body, * which is broken for you : this do in remem- * brance of me.' After having given the Bread, he fliall take ihe Cup, iind fay ; ' After ( S3 ) *■ After tlie fame manner, our Saviour alfo * took the Cup, and, having given thanks, as ^ hath been done in his name, he gave it to the ^ Difcipies ; faying, [while the Minifter is re- ^ peating thefe words let him give the Cup] This * Cup is the Ne\y Teflament in ray blood, which ^ is filed for many, for the remiilion of fms : Drink ^ ye all of it.* The Minifter himfelf is to communicate, at fuch time as may appear to him moil convenient. The Miniiler may^in a few words, put theCom- jnunicants in mind j ' Of the grace of God, in Jefus ChrifJi, held ^ forth in this facrament, and of their obligation * to be the Lord's ; and may exhort them, to ^ walk worthy of the vocation wherewith they are * called ; and, as they have profeffedly received f Chrid Jefus the Lord, that they be care- ^ ful {o to walk in tiim ; and to maintain good ^ works.* It m.ay not be improper for the Minin:er to give a word of exhortation alfo to thofe who have been only fpciSlators, reminding them ; ' Of their duty ; ftating their fm and danger, * by living in difobedicnce to Chriil, in negiect:- ^ ing this holy ordinance ; and calling upon them ^ to be earned in making preparation for at- ^ tending upon ir, at the next time of its cele- ^ bration.* Then the Minifler is to pray and give thanks to God ; * For his rich mercy, and invaluable good- * ncfs, vouchfafed to them in that facred com- * munion ; to implore pardon for the defeats * of the whole fervice ; and to pray for the ac- ^ ceptance of their perfous and performances ; ' for (. 84 ) * for the gracious afTiflaRce of the Holy Spirit., * to enable them, as they have received Chrill ^ Jefiis the Lord, fo to walk in him ; that they * may hold fail that they have received, that no * man take their crown ; that their converfa- * tion may be as bccometh the gofpel ; that they * may bear about with them, continually, the * dying of the Lord jefus ; that the life alfo of * Jefus maybe manifcfted in their mortal body ; * that their light may fo fliine before men, that * others, feeing their good works, may glorify •J their Father who is in heaven.' The collection, for the poor, and to defray the expence of the elements, may be made after this, or at fuch other time as may feem meet to the Elderfliip. ' * Now let a pfalm or hymn be funpr, and the Con-^ grcgation difmiffcd, with the following or fome ether gofpel benediction ; * *- Now the God of peace, that brought again ' from the dead our Lord Jefus, that great fliep- ' herd of the iheep, through the blood of the * everlafting covenant, make you perfe<^ in every ' good work to do his will, working in you that * which is well pleafmg in his fight, through Je- ^ fus Chrift; to whom be glory forever and ever. It has been cuflomary, in fome parts of our Church, to obferve aFaft before the Lord's Sup- per ; to have Sermon en Saturday and Mon- day ; and to ailemble two or three Miniflers, with their Congregations, on fuch occafions. "Whereas thefe feafons have been blelTed to m:\ny fouls, and may tend to keep up a ilriifler union of Minillcrs and Congregations ; we think it not improper, that they, who. chufc to conti- nue ( Ss ) niic in this pra^lice, fliould difpenfe the Saci:^» jnent, in this way., once a year : but we judge if highly expecient and necelTary, that each Conj gregation celebrate the Communion, as befqrp directed, at Icail once in each quarter of the year* Ofibe AdmiJJi07i ofPerfons to Sealing-Ordinances, Children, born within the pale of the vifiblc Church, and dedicated to God in baptifm, are Chriftians. They are under the inirtct-ion and government of the Church-Scfiion' ; und are to be taught to read, and repeat the Catechifm. the Apodles Creed, and the Lord's prayer. They are to be taught to pray, to abhof fin, to fear God, and to obey the Lord Jcfus Chrift : And, when they come to years of difcretion, if they be free from fcandal, appear fober and Heady, and to have fufficient knowledge to difcern the Lord's body, they ought to be informed, it is their duty, and their privilege, to come to the Lord*s Supper. The years of difcretion, in young Chrifcians, cannot be precifely fixed. This mud be left lo the prudence of the Elderfliip. The Officers of the Church are the fo!e Judges of the qualifica- tions of thofe to be admitted to Sealing-Ordinan- ces ; and of the time when it is proper to admit young Chriilians to thera. Thofe, who are to be admitted to Sealing. Or^ dinances, fliall be examined, as to their know- ledge and belief of the following things : viz. * That the Scriptures, of the Old and New * Teftament, are the Word of God, the only in- * fallible rule of faith and practice ; that thefc J contaip, plainly and fufficientiy, every doc- ^ trine ( »6 ) trine needful for falvaticn ; that there is one, only, living, and true, God, poUelled of every perfection and excellency, the Creator, the Preferver, and the Governor of the univerfe ; that there arc three Perfons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and that thefe three are one j that all men are Iq a loft eftate, and, as finncrSjiland judly condemo- ed by the hrvv of God, and are liable to his wrath and curfe j that Jefus Chriil, the on- ly begotten Son of God, who is God and man in one perfon, came into tliii; world, to feek and to fave them that are loil ; that he fuffered, and made atoiicmcnt, in iheir room and flead ; that he died for their oiTcnces, and rofe again for their juftificatioi) ; that he fit- teth at the right hand of God in heaven, ma- king coniinual intcrceilion for them ; that the enlightening aud fanctifying influences of the Holy Ghofl: are abfolutely neccflary, to lead us into the faving imderftanding of the facred Scriptures, to renew the heart, and to enable a Chriftian to live Godlily in the world ; and that watchfuinefs over the life, holy meditation, a confcientious aiicr.dancc upon public, pri- vate, and fecret worfliip ; together with the ftcady practice of righteouficfs, truth, finceri- ty, and charity, tov/ards men ; and of fobricty, chaftity, and temperance, towards ourfelves j are the indifpeniible duties of every Chriflian.* - When the knowledge, of thofe who are to be admitted to fcaling-ordinanccs, is judged to be fatisfa<^ory ; and nothing appears in their life and converfation to hinder their admiffion ; the Minifter fliall, cither in private, or in the prefcncc ( S7 ) prtfcuct of the Seilion, or In the prcfcncc cf the Congregation j as fhall be mod expedient, aflc the profelTion of their faith, in the following ©r like manner : / Do you believe Jefus Chriit to be the Son of * God ? Do you afTent to the Covenant of grace, * and acknowledge the obligation of your bap- * tifmal engagements ? Do you take God, the * Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, to be your God? * Do you renounce your former fins? And do yoa * promife, through grace, to live in the diligent ' practice of all the duties required in the * Gofpel ?" it is not improper that this be accompanied with fuitablc exhortation and prayer. And the perfons, fo profciiing their Faith, are^ immedi- ately thereupon, entitled to fealing-ordinanees* Unbaptized perfons are not members of the vi- fible Church ; they are not Chrillians : There- fore, when they offer themfelTes, they are to be coniidered as candidates for admiilion into the Church, and to be taught the do£lrines. of the Gofpel as above directed. When their knov/ledj^e fiiall be deemed fatis- fa(ftory, and nothing appears in their life againfl their admiilion, it is molt expedient, in ordinary cafes, that they fhould publicly profefs their Faith, in the prefence of the Congregation ; [in the fame, or like manner, as directed above ii» the admiilion of young Chriflians to Sealing-Or- dinances:] After which they ought to be immedi- ately baptized, and admitted to all the privilcget Cif the Ghiarch* <>/ C ^^ ) Of the mode of inficling Church-Cenfures. . The rower, which Ghrifl: hath given the Ru- lers <)i his Church, is for edification, and not for deftru^ion. As, in the preaching of the Word, the wicked are, miniderially and docrrinally, fe- parated from the good ; fo, by difciplinc, the Omrch authoriiatively makes a diilinction be- tfvcsnthe holy and the profane. In tliis fhe afts the part of a tender Mother, ccrredting her Children only for their good : And that every Oiie of rhem may be prcfented faulrLefs, in the day of the Lord Jefus. When any perfon, belonging to the Congrega- tion, is r<-,portcd of, as being guilty of a fcanda- Jou^ a id cenfurable offence ; the Church-Sellion jfhall confider it as their duty, to enquire into the matter ; to call the perfon before them, and ta deal with him, accordins: to the rules of the Church. When any member fliall have been guilty of a fault, d'icrving cenfure, the Judicatory iliall proceed with all tendernefs, and redore their of- fending brother in the fpirit of meeknefs ; con- fidcring rhemfelYes, left they alfo be tempted. Cenfure ought to be infiicred with the grcatell pclTible folemnity ; that it may be the means of imprf- fling the mind of the delinquent with a pro- per fenfe of his danger, while he ftands excluded from the privileges of the Church of the living God : and that, with the divine blefling, it may lead him to repentance ; and earneftly to defirc to be reconciled to the Lord whom he hath of- fended, and to his Church, which he hath, by his fm, fcandalized and grieved; Whea ( 89 ) When any pcrfoa fliali voluntarily confefs him- ielf guilty of an olknce ; and the ofFcnce be of a fmaller nature ; and He (hall appear penireat, tab Judicatory may give hiiii an admonition, to be more \Vatclifal for the future, without proceed- ing to fufpcnd or exclude him from privileges. When the Judicatory has refolved to pafs {cn-^ tence, fiifpending a member from Church-privi- leges, the Moderato'r fhall addrefs him, to the following or like purpolc : ' Whereas you are guilty [by your own con- * feilion, or convicted by ItifScient proof as the * cafe may be], of the fm of [here mention the: ' particular otfent'e} we declare you fufpended. ' from the privileges of the Church ; till you give ' fatijifa^Lory evidence of the lincerity of vour ^ repentance.' We. now foleninly rebukt:" you for your fm. ConfideT-, that this is one of thofe works of the fiedi, which exclude from the kingdom of Hea- ven. Yoii muft ha\^e been far left of God, thus to crucify afrefh the Sou of God, and put him to open fliarae. Seriouily refleft, that the wrath of God is repealed, from Heaven, againft all unrighteoufnefs ; and that you (hall have his wrath poured otit upon you to the u'trermofl: ;. unlefs you repent. Out ofChrifl, there is na fafety : for our God is a confamin^ fire. But, while faithfulnefs to your foul obliges us to wara you ot ydiirdailger, we call upon you to repent ;, to turn uilto the Lord, v)ho wilt have rnercy up- on you y and to our God, who will abundantly pardon. O be perfuaded to flee to the blood of fprinkling. Apply anew to Chrift Jcfus the Lord : for he is able to fave them to the utter- moll, that come unto God by him, feeing he e- vcr liveth to make interceiTion for them, - • M Then C 9^ ) Tlieii let the Miiiider pray, in the foilowing 5r like manner : * O Lord, do thou, who haft: given authori- ty to thy fcrvants xo bind and to loofe upon earth, blefs thine pwn ordinance. May this pcrfon be recovered from thefnare of the De- ftroyer. None are able to pluck the people of Chrift: out of his hand. Do thou, O" com- paiTionate Redeemer, v/ho didft; pray for Pe- ter, in the hour of temptation, that his Faith might not fail^ and. who didft: rcft:ore him after he had fallen, grant repentance unto this Of- fender. May his heart be filled with godly forrow, which worketh repentance not to be repented of. O Lord, deal not with him, ac- cording to the demerit of his fm ; but do thou magnify thy grace,; by the forgivenefs of all his iniquities. Blefs thy Church, O thou King of Saints, and preferve thy fcrvants from fuch heinous offences* Let the time to favour Zk on come, when the people fliall be fubdued under the anointed of the Lord. Enable us, O Lord, to watch and pray, that we enter not into temptation. Let not the Adverfary tri- umph over thy chofen. Hear us, moft: gra- cious God, for the fake of J efus Chrift, theon- ]y Mediator between God and man. /Ijiien.^ It is moft: expedient, that all this fliould pafs only before the Judicatory. But, if any Church think it moft: expedient to rebuke the .Ofl:ender publicly, this folemn exclufion, from the privile- ges of the Church, may be in the prcfcnceof the Congregation. After a perfon has been excluded from Church privileges, it'is not fit, that he be given over as loft:. The Minifler, and Elders, and other Chrif-^ tians. ( 91 > thins, iliould take occafion to converfe with him; ;is well as pray frequently in private, that it would pleafe God to give him repentance. And it may not be improper, at tim.es, particularly 'on days preparatory to the difpenfmg of the f ord's Supper, that the prayers of the Church be of- fered up, for thofe unhappy perfons, who by their wickednefs, have fhut themfelves out from this holy communion. When the Judicatory Ihall be fatisfied, as to the reality of the repentance of any Offender, he fii?dl, on his earned importunity, be admitted to profcfs his repentance ; and be reftored to the privileges of the Church. It is mod proper, that Penitents, appointed by the Seiiion to be reflored to Church-privileges, fliould be reconciled in the prefence of the Con- gregation : [yet this is not fo indifpenfible, but that a Judicatory may, on good grounds, do it by tbenrifelves] and it ihall be doiie in the follow- ing or l:ke manner : The Minider, having called the Penitent, in the prefence of the Congregation, fnall lay : ' Do you now profcfs your repentance for * your fm ; your fmcere defire to be reilored to * the privileges of the Church ; and your pur- ' pofe, through the aififtance of the grace of * God, to Hve as it becometh the Gofpel ?* Upon his anfwering in the aiRrmative, the Mi- nifter fliali addrefs him thus : Dear Brother, it gives us fmcere plcafure to be allowed to entertain a hope, that you have feen your folly, your fm, and your danger, and have been led to flee for refuge to the only hope fet before us in the Gofpel. Permit me to re- mind you, that you have now to do with the heart- ( 9^ ) hcart-fearchiiig God. It is eafy to iirpcfe upon the Cfmrch ; you may deceive irijr., but God cannot Ve deceived, and miiy net be mocked. Oh ! th;i: ycur heart may be ri^^ht with him. If you, in tiiis foicmn manner, profefs repentance, V'hih: you feel no true repentance, but are dill drawn with the Cords of fm, be afraid : for the h^ind:\ of mockers fhail be made ilrong. But, Brot|iei, we iiope better things cfyou; and tnings v/nich accompany falvation, though we tiiu^ fpeak. girtTcr me to rem/md you, that much cr^umfpectionis necciiary; "and that a humble, ho- ]} walking withGodis your fpccialduty.' Youhave grie:ved the people of God, and given occafipn to the Adyerfary to biafpheme. Ibeicech you,endea-; your,by your modeil un.iiTected piety, to edify the one, and to (loo the mourh of the other. V our late fallhas, no doubt, convinced ycuof thegreatneed you Iiavc of the grace and Spirit of God. Live in confrant dependance thereon : and may you J^e enabled, for the future, to adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. Then let the rvllniilier pray to the following purpofe ;' ' Moil gracipus God, thou art the Father of mercies ; thou art the God of all grace, and of all confokition. Judgment is thy (Irangg \'fork. There is forgivenefs with thee, that * thou maycil be feared." With the Lord there * is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemp- * tion. We dcfire!, O God, to join with this * pcrfon in confc fling his iniquity. O may his ' fm be ever before him. May he be wafhed in * the founitiln opened for fm. " Lprd thou hail * faid, there is joy in heaven over one fmner that |..fcpentcih, more than ovcrnincty and nine juft ' perfgns. (' 93 ; ^ perfons, who need no repentance. O Lord- * we befeech thee to magnify thy grace by fa- ^ ving this precious foul. Do thou loofe in \ ca- * yen, as we now, in thy name, loofe hira ort * earth. O Lord, hide thy face from his fim ;. * and blot out all his iniquities. Create in b.in ' a clean heart, O God ; and renew a right * fpirit within him. Rel'^oreunto him thejoy of * thy falvation ; and uphold him with thy free * Spirit. Elefs all thy Church. Keep us fron^ * falling. San(^ify us wholly in body and fpirit t f And may we all, at lad, be prefented fau'tlefs^ ' before the prefcnce of thy glory, with exceed- * ing joy : for the f ike of Jefus Chrill, for whoni * we thank thee: and may, BleiTrng, and honour^ * and glory, and power, be unto him that fitteth r upon the throne, and ucro the Lamb, forever f and ever, y^;?/^;/.' Then the Minifler fnall fay to the Penitent : * By virtucr of the authority which Chrift hath f left in the Church, for its ediiication, I pro- * nounce you loofed from the fentence of exclu- * fion, and received again to all the privileges f of the Gofpel. Go and hn no more, left a f worfe thing befal you.' When any perfon has been, with the advice of the Prefbytery, (as directed in the Form of government &c.) adjudged to be cut off from the communion of the Church, ir is proper that the fentence be pronounced againfl bim ; even although, as is to be expt^fled in fuch cafes of contumacy and wickednefs, he fliould pretend to defpife thecenfures of the Church, and either call off all profefhon of religion, or go to ano- ther denomination. The delign of excommuni- cation is, both to operate upon the Offender as the ( 94 ) tl^c means of reclaiming him, andalfo to purge out the old leaven from the Church, that otherS: may not be reproached for his vilcnefs, or con- ^miiiated with his. example. Ihe Minider fliali, after the advice of the Prefbytery has been obtained, at leaft tv/o Lord's days before the excommunication, give the Con- gregation a ihort narrative of the feveral ftep^ which hjave been taken with their fcandalous and, obiliuate brother, and inform them, that ii; has been found neceflary to refolvc to cut hiii\ off from their communion. On the forenoon of the Lord's day appointed for the purpofe, after all the other parts of wor- fliip. are over, before pronouncing the bleillng, the Minifter ihdW denounce this awful fentence, in the following or like manner : lie fliall begin by fliewing the authority of the Church to call out unworthy members, from 3Vlat. XVm. 15, 16, 17, 18; I Cor.V. 1,2, 3, 4, 5; and iliall briefly explain the nature, ufe, and confequences of this tremendous cenfurt; warning the people, to avoid all unneceilary intercourfe W'ith him who is call: out, and to let him be unto them as an Heathen man and a Publican. Then he fhail fay : (ior it is not to be cxpe(^- cd the perfon will be prefent) ' Whereas A. B. hath been, by fufficient * proof, convicTted of [here infert the fm,] and, * after much admonition and prayer, obilinately * refufcth to hear the Church, and hath manifell- * ed no levidence of repentance : Therefore, in * the name and by the authority of the Lord Je- ** fus Chriil, I pronounce him Ihut out from the * .Church of God, and delivered unto Satan, that ^* 1^5 fpirit may be favcd in the day of the Lord '*'Jtlus:' 'ilieu C 95 ) Then the Minifter fliall pray, to the fbllowin^^ purpofc : '^ ' Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, thotf art of purer eyes than to behold'iniquity, -or to look upon fin. Evil fhall not dwell with thee, nor fools (land in thy fight. O Lt»rd^, do thou blefs this ordinance v^hich thou haft iridituted. As we have, by thy appointment; fliut out this obdinate fmner from the Church of the living God ; do thou bind in hea^ ven, whom we now, in thy name, bind upoh earth. Let not thy Church or people be con*- taminated with this unworthy member^ whont, as old leaven, we have now purged out. Let not his fins prove a reproach to our moil hohr profeffion. But, O m.oft m.erciful God, thoti feekeft not the deftru^lion of the fmner. ' TaFe not, we befeech thee, thy holy Spirit wholly from this unhappy Perfon. O caufe him tb feel the tremendous danger of being without God, and without hope in the world. Con- vince him, by thy Spirit, offm, of righteouf- nefs, and of judgment. O Lord, from a deer> fenfe of guilt, may he, in diie time, be lard under the happy neceiTity,' of feeking tMe peace of God and of his Church ; that fo he, ,who hath been bound with much grief and. re- 'lu6lance,. may be loofcd with the joy ■ of 'all Saints. And, O Lord, m.ay thy people^ warn- ed by this dreadful example, fear and' dona 'nibre prefumptuoufly. O Loi*d,-hear, anfwer, and do, for the fake of Jefus Chrld: : and to thy name be afcribed glory, dbriiiiiion, and praife, world without end. AmcnJ It ( 96 9 V J ^^. may - perhaps, happea, tka-t- -fome, wKon^/ feoJ haih given up to a fcart J cbiifcicPiCc and to hardnels.Qf b;^art, whI ailFecl to derpife ihls ientence, and to be highly offended \vitfi the Cliurch. Bat in general cxcoinihunicatcd per- fpnsrwbea they coolly rcflcd- on rhci;- fin, and re- ^niember that this is the orviiuaiice of Chrift, will it is Iioped be \^ounded in then; h5."ai"--^^hd prickcc! hi -their reins.-, Like Cain, Avh^u^God proiiounceil fen: nice upon biin for the miirdcr of his brbth-^r, they will find, tilth punc an execration , and ,. a curf^ In the earth, . they will, for the naofl: part, .be.defirous of bemg delivered from tlfis unhappy .roadition. As the Father ran to meet the prodigal fon, when he ^vas yet a great way olf ; fo t'lie Church (l^iOuki cheriili every ■ fymptom of '^humility and re- pentance. When the Church-Scpuon fliall have obtained fatisfa^tion, as to the ficc,eriry of his penitence, and have confultcd the Prtfbytery, the Miniiler fliall, at Icalf two Lord^s days before, inform the Congregation ofthefEeps which have been taken with the excommunicated perfon ; a^d that it is refolved to reflore him to Ghurch-pri-vilegcs. On the day appointed ib,r his abfolution, when all the other parts of divide fervice.are over, be- fore pronouncing the blei&ag/m the forenoon, the Miniller fliali call upon the excommunicated per- fon, and propofe to him, in the prefencc of the Congregation, the following queflions : ' Do you, front a deep fcnfe of your great * v.ickednefs, freely confefs your fin, obHinji- * cv and prcfumptlon, in thus rebelling againfl t God, and in refufing to hcai* his Church } an^ ^ and do you acknowledge that you have beeov ' in juftice and mercy, cut off from the commu- * nion of the Saints ? Anfwer, I do. Do you * now voluntarily profefs your fnicere repent- * ance, and deep contrition, for your fni and ob- ' ftinacy ; and do you humbly aik the forgive- * nefs of God and of his Church ? Anfwer, I ' do. Do you fmcerely proraife, through di- ' vine grace, to live in all humblenefs of mind * and circumfpe6i:ion ; and to endeavour to a- * dorn the do<5lrine of God our Saviour, by * having your converfation as beeometh the Gof- * pel ? Anfwer I do.' Here the Minifler fhall give the Penitent a fuit-- able exhortation ; addreffing him in the bowels of brotherly love, encouraging and comforting him. Then he fliall pronounce the fentence of abfolu- tion, in the following words : ' Whereas you, A. B. for your fin and obdi- ^ nacy, have been fhut out from the communion * of the Faithful, but have now manifefled fuch. ^ repentance as fati sties the Church: In the name "" of the Lord Jefus Chrift and by his authority, ^ I declare you abfolved, from rhe fentence of ex- * communication formerly denounced againft ^ you ; and I do, with pleafure, receive you in- * to the communion of the Churchy that you' * may be a partaker of all the benefits of the ^ Lord Jefus to your eternal falvation.' Here the Minrfter (hail pray to the following cfFea : ' Almighty God, and mofl: merciful Fatherj,' * thou wilt not execute the fiercenefs of thine ^ anger, thou wilt not return to deftroy ; for thou ^ art God, and not man, the holy One in the ^ raidfl of us. Thy thoughts are not as our N * thchughts J ( '98 ) thoughts ; therefore the fons of men are not confuiried. Thou art a faithful God, keeping mercy for thoufands, forgiving iniquity, tranf- greffion, and fms, and that will by no means clear the guilty. Wc humbly adore and yield thee hearty thanks, for the exceeding great riches of thy grace in Chrifh Jcfus. In him thou art reconciling the world unto thyfelf ; not imputing unto them their trefpaffes or their fms. Encouraged by the numberlefs intima- tions of thy mercy and grace, O Lord, we pre- fent this Penitent unto thee, Againil thee, thee only, has he fmned, and in thy fight done this evil. O Lord, he hath hardened himfelf againfi: reproof. Like profane Efau, he hath de- fpifed his birth-right. He hath counted it a fmall thing to be cut off from the Church of the living God. We muff confefs before thee^ O thou moft High, that he hath trodden un- der foot the fon of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was fane- tified, an unholy thing. O Lord, let him not be hke Efau, who found no place for repent- ance, though he fought it carefully with tears. We befeech thee, O our God, to fill his heart, more and more, with godly forrow. May he receive, from the Prince and Saviour exalted, true repentance, and remiffion of fins. May his heart be fprinkled from an evil confcience, and his body wafhed with pure water. Re- ceive him, O Lord, into thy fold, as we now^ in thy name, receive him again into the Church. May his foul be bound in, the bundle of life. Prcferve him from temptation ; and may he henceforth live in thy fear. O God, blefs all thy peopk. May their love be coiifirmed to * this t 99 ) * this penitent. Let him that thinketh he lland- ^ eth take heed left he fall. Let no evil hirmi- ^ fmg, againft their brother, find place in their * hearts : but may love, which covereth a mul- * titude of fms, polTefs every foul. Forgive, we ^ befeech thee, all our fms, and preferve us un- * to thy heavenly kingdom and glory : for the * fake of Jefus Chrift, who is our Advocate in * heaven ; and who, with the Father, and the * Holy Spirit, ever liveth and reigneth, in one * undivided Godhead. A?ne}h* Of the Solemnization of Marriage* Marriage is not a ilicrament, nor peculiar to the Church of Chrift. It is proper that every Commonwealth, for the good of fociety, make laws to regulate Marriage, which aU Citizens are bound to obey. Chriftians ought to marry in the Lord ; there- fore it is fit, that their marriage be folemnized by a lawful Minifter, that fpecial inftrudion may be given them, and fuitable prayers made, when they enter into this relation. Marriage is to be between one man and one woman only ; and they are not to be within the degrees of corfluiguinity or affinity prohibited by the word of God. The parties ought to be of fuch years of dif- cretion as to be capable of making their own choice ; and if they be under age, or live with their parents, the confent of the parents, or o- thers under whofe care they are, ought to be pre- vioufly obtained, and well certified to the Mi- nifter, before he proceeds to folemnize the mar- riage. Parents ( lOO ) Parents ought neither to compel their childre* to marry contrary to their own inclinations, nor deny their confent without juil and important reafons. Marriage is of a public nature. The welfare of civil fociety, the happinefs of families, and the credit of religion are deeply intercfted in it. therefore the purpofe of marriage ought to be fufficiently publiilied a proper tirtie, preyioufly to the fjlemnization of it. It is enjoined on all "Miniilers to be careful that, in this matter, they neither tranfgrefs the laws of God, nor the laws of the community : And that they may not de- ftroy the peace and comfort of families, they mud be properly certified, with refpeft to the parties applying to them., that no jufl objc(flions lie a- gainil their marriage. Marriage muH always be performed before a competent number of v/itnefTes ; and the Min- jfler is to give a certificate of the marriage, when required. When the parties prefent themfelves for marri- age, the Minillcr is to defire, if there is any per- fon prefent who knows any lawful reafon why thefe perfons may not be joined together in the marriage relation, that they will now make it known, or ever after hold their peace.- No objections being made, he is then feveral- ly to addrefs himfeif to the parties to be mar- ried, in the following or like words : ' You, fu-, declare, in the prefencc of God, * that you do not kijow any reafon, by precon- * trark, from age to age, and throughout the feveral Parts of thy Church. We thank lliee, that thou hail: inclined the heart of this thy Servant to devote Himft:li to the Lord, in the W^ork of tjie iViiniilry. W^e pray that Thou wouldll graciouily accept of the Dedi- cation which He now makes of Himfelf to 1 hce, in the Gof[)el of thy Son. ' We do, in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghoil, ordain him Bifliop of this Church ; and fet him apart to the Ollice of the holy Miniflry. We mofl humbly pray, that thou wouldcil graciouHy approve and ratify in heaven, v.hat we now do in thy name, upon earth. ' O mofl merciful God, grant this thy fervant a double portion of thy Spirit. Enable him to be diligent and faithful in the difcharge of the great duties of his mini dry. May he be wife in winning fouls to Chrifl. Make him an e- m.inent bltfling to thy Church in general, and tp;thefe thy People, over whom thou art fct- ting liim, in particular. Enable him, O Lord, ■ tp take heed unto himfelf, and to his doCirinc, and to continue in them, that he may both favc himfelf, and them that hear him. ' Gra- ( ^^3 ) ^ Gracig in more thLin midnight darknefs. cind ki.o.w not lliee? the true God^ 'iior Jefiis Chrilt, whom thou hailfent ; while we arc favoured >vith thy Sabbaths and thine ordinances^ au^ .enjoy tni glorious jight of thy gofpel, .\;;t •■;■', ' O Lord, we con/efs we are unwprtliy of the lead of . all thy mercies ; and that thou a ; t diflingui filing us above others, is owing to.lihy mere^ free,, holy, and fovercignpleafure..^^ich propriety may we afcribe all to the glory of rhy name, 2;i\d-fay, even fo/Father> for fo it fecnieth good in-tliy fight. We call upon ourrToiuls, and. all within us, to blefs and magnify l:hy name, for thy diilinguifliing favours to Us,. thine undeferviqg: creatures. A/e praife, thee for the gift of thine only begotten Son ; for the redemption of Chrift Jefus our Lord ; for the covenant of tiiercy ; for the means of grace, and the hopes of eternal hfe. : > - ' 0»?thou Father of mercies, forgive jwliatrthy pu're eyes)irave feen -amifs in us this dayo^rFor- giv-eus? that we have not ferved thee with-i^ve love, zeal.,; and godly fnicerity.. Inf* aH .-t^irn^s we have fmiaed, and come.iboTt.'of; liiy ;,0 mod merciful ^ Father^ that thou wouldd forgive us, and ac- * cept of us in the beloved. Accept of us, and *' of our poor aud imperfevc ' ua i 124 ) us grate, O God, that we m<\j never for- fikc thy ways, nor turn from following af- ter thee ; bin that, with purpofe of heart, we rr.ay vilways cleave unto the Lord. Let us not count our lives dear unto ourfelves fo that wc may finilh our courfe, with coir.fort aqd joy, to the glory ol" thy name. ^ O Lord our God. we pray that thou wouldft follow thy word and ordinances with a bltf- fmk^ wherever they have been difpenfed on thi5 thy holy fabbath. Bhfs all the Minifters of thy gofpel. Make them faithful to Chrifl, and to the fouls of men. Pity the poor, the af- fli and f we rejoice before thee. ' Thou p Lord, art the God of the f^imilics ^ of Ifrael ; thou art the God of our family. ^ O caufe thy blcfting to reft upon our houfe, * and fill cur fouls with joy and gladnefs. We * acknowledge before thee, O God, that we ^ are guilty ftnners. We have fmned agaiufl ^ thee, as individuals ; we have fmned againft ' thee, as a family. ParentS; and children, and ^ all of us, arc fmners in thy fight. We were * ihapen in fm, and brought forth in iniquity : ' We are altogether as an unclean thing before * theq, ' thf^e. Y'etj^lory to thy name )« 'the highdl, ' notwithflandiiig our unworthincfs, thou arc * good, and doing us good continually. ,^ We praifc th^e for thq. gofpel, for Jefus V ChriiL, and the method of falvation through ' faith in him. It :is an unfpeakable privilege, * thfet we haveace^feto.che thrpsQ^of thy grace, ' through the Lord Jefus, thine only begotten * and eternal v>on, O look in compailion upon * us, and, for.Chrift's fake, pardon all our of- * ffj&ccs. Oairl; our. iniquities into the depths of ^ the iea, i-naV .remember our tranfgreifions no •* mor« ; btit be Hieroiful unto ; us, -^s ihou art f unto thofe that love thy name, banftify us ' thoroughly by ihe-jpowerpf thy grace j fubdue * all our lulU and ,c6rmptions,i'and Riake us holy i^ ' as "thou, the Lord- o>ur God, art holy. Let thy * ^eace rule in>our hearts, and thy law govern in * our mittds ; and let. the coxifblatipns of our God * be-ouritretigth and our fong, in the houfe of / our pilgrimage. O thou^ Father of Mercies^ * be thou the portion of our fouls .; lift upoti, l^s * the light of thy countenance ; put gladnefs into * our hearts, • more ihan they, have, .\vhofe corn * and wine and oil are increafed. * We commit onrfelves, O Lord, to thy care * andkccping this day ; watch ovcr.us for goad j * compafs ns'jubout: with thy .fayour^ as with a ^ ihic:)d. Prefe!r\ie \!S from evil ; yea, the Lord ^ prefer vc and keepour fouls ; p*cferve our go- ' ing out and coining in ; keep 115 in health and * fafety ; blefs our employments ; profpcr us in * all our lawful undertakings, ; gfve. us comfort * and fucccfs in our biifmeis ; let us eat of the ^ labour of oiir hands ; and may it be well with * us. Prepare us for all the eventt> of this day ; ' for ( 127 ) * for we know not what a day may bring forth. ' Give us grace to do the work of this day, ac- * cording as the duties of it may require. Give * us the rule over our fpirits, and the govern- ^ ment of our palhons. Keep us from fm ; and * may we not fpeak unadvifedly with our lips. ' Make us confcienr ious in ail. our dealings. ' Arm us againd temptation ; uphold us in our ^ integrity ; and may we be in thy fear all the ' day long, ' Lord, plead thy caufe in the world ; and * build up thy Church, in its beauty, glory, and * purity. Blcfs miniflers and people, rulers and * ruled. Be gracious to our relatives and friends. * Dwell in the families that call upon thy name. ^ Forgive our enemies ; and grant unto us a right ' and charitable frame of fpirit, towards all men, ' and all that is their's. Vifit thofe that are in ^ affliftion. Heal the fick ; eafe the pained ; ' fuccour the tempted ; relieve the oppreiTed ; ' and give joy to thofe that mourn in Zion. ^ Deal with us and our family, according to the * tenor of the everlafling covenant, which is well ' ordered in all thinps and fure. This is all our ^ falvation, and all our defire. We afk and of- ^ fer all in the name of our once crucified, but ' now glorified and exalted Redeemer, in whom ' we defire ever to be found, and to whom, ^ 'With thee, O Father, and the co-equal Spirit ^ of grace, be afcribed all blelTrng, glory, and ' ■ praife, both now and forever. Amen.^ An EVENING PRATER for a FA MILT. * O thou bleffed, ever glorious, and eternal ''Jehovah; we adore thecr an our maker, as ' our bur prcfervcr, and as our God, Tlioii srt tn^ benefactor of the univeric- ; thou givcfl life, and breath, and being, unto all I'hou had carried us throui^h the toils and bufinefs of another day ; thou haft ftrengthened us, fed and clothed us all our life long. Having ob* rained help of God, we continue to this time. We are the monuTients of thy fparing mercy ; and wirnefies for thee, that thou art gracious. Thou art God, and not man ; therefore we arc not confuted. Day unto day, and night unto nightj do teftify, that thou art good, and doing good continually. None who feck, and put their truft in thee, fliall ever be put to fliame. Thou makeft the outgoings of the mornin^^, and of the evening to rejoice over us. By thy indulgent goodnefs, and merciful loving kind- ncfs, we are brought to the clofe of anr-ther day* BlefTed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with his benefits. We have received the TTicrcies of the day, though we have come far Ihort in the duties thereof. ' We thank thee, with our whole hearts, for the favours and bU flings of another day, for the comfortable ufe of rhy good creatures, our bod'ly healrh our friends and all our enjoyinents. We bleA thee, that thou baft fucceeded us, in the labours of our hands, this day ; that no evil accident hath befal'en us ; that thou haft not n\iuh the wi'den cfs our habitation, ;md a barren land curdwcl.inr. We praife thee for our public tranquillity; and tlvat thou haft given us a good land in which we dwell fafely. Above all we blefs thee for Jefus Chrift, and the glorious plan of reconci- iiatiun through faith in his name. Glory to « thy ( 129 ) thy name, O thou eternal God, that thou haft caufed us to hear the joyful found of falva- tion through a Redeemer, * We confcfs, O Lord, that we are fmncrs, and that we are lefs than the lead of all thy mercies. This day hath added to the fms of our lives. Alas! we mifpendour time, fail in our duty, follow after vanities5and forfakeourown mercies. We offend with our tongues. Who can underftand his errors? cleanfe us from our fccret faults. We pray thee to grant us repentance for all our fms ; forgive us all our trefpaffes ; pardon the tranfgrelTions of the day paft; O that the blood of Chrill may cleanfe us from all iniquity^ May we lie down this night in peace with God; may our fouls return unto thee, and comfortably repofe in thee as our reft. May we live penitential, believing, humble, and thankful lives. Accept us gracioufly, and love us freely. Make us holy for thy name's fake ; and may we live in thy love, in thy favour and friendlliip, all the days of our appointed time. We commit ourfelves to thee, O Lord our God, and defire to dwell in the fecret place of the Moft High, and to abide under the fliadow of the Almighty. Let the Lord be our habitation and our heritage forever. Make a hedge of prote^lion around us this night, around our houfc, and all that we have, that no evil may befal us, that no plague may come nigh our dwelling. May the God of Ifrael, who neither {lumbers nor fleeps,be our keeper. Refrefli our bodies with quiet and comforta- ble reft, and bring us to the light of another day, and fit us foi* all thy will therein. And as we are brought one day nearer to our latter R * end ( 130 ) ' cYid, Lord, help us fo to number dur days, as to apply our hearts to true wifdom. When we put oil our clothes for reft, may we be mindful, that we muft foon put oiFthefe mortal bodies, and make our bed in the land of dark- nefs. O prepare us for the fleep of death., that, when we come to refjgnthis mortal breath, we may fee!, in our fouls, the joyful hope of an eternal reft with God. Do thou.-, in whom all the families of the" earth arc blefied, blefs our family, \vith all fpiritual blefUngs in Chrift Jefus \ and grant us ^11 thofe temporal bleilings thoU feeft convenient for us. « In con^paftion, O Lord, look upon a loft world ; fend thy gofpe'l where it is not, and make it futcefsful Where it is. Let the church of Chrift every \Vhcre fieiurifti and prevail ; and let not any Weapon form'cd againft Z.ion prof- per. Blefs oui- land, th'it, in the peace there- of, vre may have peace. OW'n thy minifters in their work ; and rule in the hearts of our rulei-s. Let the riflng-generation be blefTed of thee ; and fill the whole earth with thy glol-y. Do for us, we pray thee, abundantly above what we carl aik or think, for the fake of our divine Redeemer Jefus Chrift'j td'Whom, with the Father, and the eternal Spifit, be all glory! dominioil, and power, for ever iijid 'i^ver, ;r:di , ' MORNI^^G PRATER for a FAMILT, ' O Lord cur God,; the Gbd'.of'tti^ prits of all fltili, all arc thine ; the fouls of parents and the fouls of children are thine ; alid tliou hall mercy, gmce, and goodncfs, fufficient for all. Wc bow before thee this morning, in a ' familr ( ijl ) ' farriily capacity, to ack^ov^'kdge our family fiViS^ * and to prailc thee for family mercies, and to ^- make fupplication unto thee, for family blefnngs, * O Lord/ thou hail built up our family by thy ' good providence. Thou haii given us chiU ' dren j O that they may be made bleffmgs to ' us ; that we may never, have reafon to wifli ^ that we had been written childlefs, ' O Lord, we, and our children, are fmncr^. before thee. We lament the origiuai pollution of our muure. We are all guilty, parents « and children, before thee. And wherewith, O thou Mod High, fiiall we come into thy fight I Should we bring thoufands of rams, or., ten ^ thouHmds of rivers of oil ; fliould we oiFei* ihe ^ fruit of our body for the fm of our fouls ; ail .^ would be to no purpofe ; all would be in vain. ' But glory, glory to thy nam.e, O thou mud: "- merciful God, that thou had provided a Lamb ^ for a facrifice, even thine only begotten vSun, ^ who hath made atonement, for fm. We thank ' thee, that vye have heard of the name of Je- - fus; ihat there is away of falvation opened ^ through him ; that ^^^e are favoured with the ^ light of the gofi:)cl, with thy word .and ordi- ' nances, with the means of falvation, and the ^ hopq oiP eternal life. We bitfs thet, that we, * and o^r children, have been baptized into t^iy * name ; that we have had liberty to dedicate ', our little Ones to God ; that they have been * admitted to the feals, . and are under the blef- * fmgs of the covenant : they are born in thy ' houfe, and made members of thy family , on * earth. O thou, who art the God of Abja- * ham, of Ifaac, and of Jacob, the God and Fa- " ther of tb<; faithiul, we humbly befeech th to ( ^32 ) to form us, and our children, for thy holy pleafure. Saniflify our fouls ; fanftify our children. May this be a family in which thou wilt delight to dwell : and may we all be made "the fervants of the living God. * O Lord, grant unto our children a good capacity ; open their minds to receive inftruc- tion ; may they be fitted for ufefulnefs in the world, made pious towards God, and meet for cverlailing happinefs. Enable us to teach them, and to fet holy examples before them ; to train them up in the way wherein they fliould go ; to bring them* up in thy fear, in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Mofl gracious God, pardon all our offences j may our fms be forgiven, and our iniquities remem- bered no more. May each of us be united to Chrift Jefus in faith, clothed with the robes of his righteoufnefs, and juftilied freely by his grace. ' We thank thee, O Lord, for the mercies of the laft night ; that we have flept, have been refrelhed with reft, are in health this morning, and have this opportunity of paying our grateful acknowledgments to thee. Now, O bountiful preferver of men, take care of us this day; keep us in thy fear; preferve us from every hurtful danger ; may we walk with thee, and be enabled to fet the Lord always before us. Whether we eat or drink, or whatfoever we do, may we do all to the glory of thy name. May we glorify thee in our fouls, and in our bodies, which are thine. ' Mod merciful father, extend thy mercy to a guilty world ; pour out thy Spirit upon all flefh ; revive thine own work in the midft of ' thcfe ( 133 ) « thefe years. Blefs our friends and relatives^ < Forgive our enemies, and reward our benefac- f tors. Look, in mercy, upon us worihipping ^ before thee this morning. May we follow our < daily buHnefs, under a fenfe of thine all-feeing ^ eye. Help us to live in an habitual readinefs ^ for our lad day. O that we may live, as Vv^c « fliall wifli we had lived, when we come to die. * Be our friend in life ; our hope in death ; and * our everlafling portion. All we allc is in the ^ name, and for the fake of our Saviour Jefus *' Chrill, who is the Lord our Righteoufnefs ; to * him, with the eternal Father, and the ever ' blelTed Spirit of grace, be given all wifdom, ' thankfgiving, and dominion, and might, world ^ without end. /ImenJ* An EVENING PRATER for a FJMILT. * O thou eternal God, in the morning we ^ feek thee, and in the evening we would cele- * brate thy praifes. We, and our children, by * thy good hand upon us, have lived another day, ' We are in health, and have enjoyed many ' comforts. We praife and magnify thy name. ^ Thou art calling us from our labour, and giving ^ us an opportunity to reft a while, and refrefh ^ thefe weary bodies. Thou haft dealt bounti-. * fully with us this day. BlelTed be the Lord, * who loadeth us with his benefits. We have * received from thee our daily bread, and now ^ we lie down, and fleep ; for thou, O Lord, * makeft us to dwell in fafety. < Vifit us, O God of our falvation, in the ^ night, and enable us to commune with our ^ hearts upon our beds. Le;the 4°gels of God ^ encamp C ^34) encamp around us for our protection. Let our Heavenly Father give us counfcl ; and let our reins inftrud- us in the night fcafon. May v/c remember thee, O God, and m.fedirate upon thee, in the night watches. We praifc thee, O Lord, for thy mercies and thy bleffings to us. We humbly befeech thee to look upon thine anointed Son, and, in him, be our recon- ciled Father and friend. Forgive us all our fms ; put us among thy children ; fpeak peace to our fouls, and may we ever glorify thee. Sanclify us more and more. Enable us to die daily to fm, and to live unto righteoufnefs. ' Pardon, O Lord, the fms of which we may have been guiicv the day paiL May our hearts be lefs attached to the world ; and may wc ferve thee better than we have heretofore done. Thou art oiu- life. Hitherto our bread hath been given us, and our water hath been fure. Thou givefl us all things richly to enjoy. Merciful Father, accept of our humble thanks, for all thefe thine undefi:rved mercies. Take care of us this night : m^ay v/e lie dov/n in thy fear, and fleep in thy favour ; and in the morn- ing, when we awake, may our hearts be flil! with God. ' Have mercy upon all we fliould remember, when we bow before thee. Supply the wants of the poor and needy; reflore a found judg- ment to thofe whofe underflauding is taken away. Be a huiband to the widow, and u Father to the fatlierJefs, Heal the fick ; fpare ufeful hves ; comfort thofe who mourn ; and ^ prepare the dying for death. Let true and undcfilcd rehgion prevail, more and more, in the world. Water thy church -with the dew ' of C ^35 ) ' of thy heavenly grace* Blefs all the minlftefs * of thy gofpel ; dwell in our land ; order the * feafons in mercy. May our rulers be a ter- ' ror to evil doers, and a praife to them that * do well. ' And now, O Lord, we commit ourfelves unto ' thee ; we hope in thy mercy, and we trufl in * thy name. Prepare us for all the difpenfations ^ of thy providence towards us. Preferve iis ' from all the dangers and fnares to which we * may be cxpofed. Let neither the fear of man, ^ which v/orketh a fnare, nor cruel mockings, ^ nor even the fears of fuffering death, tempt us < id make fhipUTCck of ftiith and a good confd- ' ence, or td be afhamed of the gofpel of Chrifl. ^ Enable lis to fightthe good £ght of faith, and' ^ to iiniih our coiirfe ; tllat We may receive the •^ cfown of righteoufnefs, v/hich the Lord, the *■ righteous Judg6, fliall giye ufito all theni that^ ^ . love his appearing.^ And no^', to the Father, * the Son, and the Lloly GhoO:, three Perfons, * but one' God, be afcribcd all glory, honomv '^ and praife, forever, and ever. ^ Amen/ J MORNijSf(^PRAii^ERj^^rid^^ / O Lord, thou art the Ggki oftfae fpirits or, ^ all fleflV, " tlie Creator \ arid Prefery^r of all, things. . We, thiiieunv/orthy dreatures, bow, in thy prefcnce, to x^ffer up unto thee, in whoiu we live, move and have our being, our morn- ing facniice of prayer and praife. We count it our higheft honour, that we are permitted to ■worfliip thee. It" is our inefllmable privilege to know the only , true God ; and to have boldhefs* to enter into the holicfl. by the blood of Jefus, * We ( '35 ) * Wc acknowledge, before thee, we have for» feited all title to thy favour ; we have render- ed ourfclves unworthy of thy regard. 'Thou madeft man at firfl upright, but he fought out many inventions. In one man all have fmned ; and in the fame Adam all die. To us belong- eth fhame and confufion of face. O Lord moil holy, we are not only by nature unclean, but we have broken thy commandments, and have dared to refill the ordinances of him who is higher than the higheft. When the awful denunciations of thy wrath were founding in our ears, v/e have hardened our hearts againd fear. We have remained unmovecl, amidH the fullefl declarations of thy mercy, and the warmcll: invitations of thy love* Juftly might- efl thou have given us up, to purfue our own devices, without reftraint or poitibility of being recovered. But, glory to thy great name, the thoughts of Jehovah are not as our thoughts ; the ways of the Lord are not like the ways of man. When we were cafl out, as to the loath- ing of our own foul, without eye to pity, and without hand to help, thine own eye pitied, thine own arm brought us falvation. * We thank thee, mofl gracious God, that we are not left to fay, Will the Lord be pleafcd^ with thoufands of rams, or with ten thoufinds of rivers of oil ? fliall we give our firft-born for our tranfgreiTion, the fruit of our body for the fm of our foul ? Thou, O Lord, haft fhewed us what is Good. Thou hail fet forth thine own Son, to be the Propitiatioii, through faith in his blood. Glory to God in the highefl:, that peace is now proclaimed on earth, and good-will is pubhfhed to the fons of men. Now ' there ( ^?>7 ) xhtrc fs tio condemnation to them who are iii Chriil Jefas, who walk not after the fleih but a^^ter the Sph'it. He is able to fave them to the lurermoil that come unto God by him, feeino; he ever hveth to make intercellion for them. ' O Lord, let none of us reject the counfel of God againft our own fouls. Leave us not in unbelief. Give us not up to hardnefs of heart. We pray for the gift of thy Holy Spirit. O may wc be adorned with his fruits. Grant us fo to feel his quickening grace, and his flrength- cning influence, that we may be enabled to perfe6l holinefs in the fear of the Lord ; to work out our own falvation, with fear and trem- bling : for it i^ God who worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleafure. * Almighty God, keep us from every tempta- tion. O let not the allurements of the world, the deceitfulnefs of riches, the cares of this life, or the enfnaring pleafures of fin, draw off our hearts from thee. May we feel the pow- ers of tlie World to come. Ma/ wc fet thee, the Lord, always before us ; and walk by faith, nothy fight. ' We befeech thee, O Lord, to blefs all our friends and relatives, wherever they may be. Make them partakers of thy grace, and heirs of thy glory. Blefs our enemies. Enable us • to forgive them, and to overcome evil with ■ good. ' Accept, O Lord, of our hearty thanks for ' thy preferving care of us through the filenc ' watches of the night. We have flept, and ire ^ refreflied. Thou haft raifed \m up in health, * and hall girded us with ilrength for labour. S * Enable ( 133 ) • Enable us, O our God, to perform the duties of ' the day aright. Lctusnotbe flothfulornegligent ■ in bufmcfs* Whatever our hands find to do, may we do it with our might, as unto the Lord. ■ May we ever remember, that we are only pil- grims and Grangers ; and that every return, of night and of day, is bringing us nearer our eternal home. * Forgive, we befecch thee, all our fins. En- able us to cleanfe ourfelves from all filthinefs, both of the ficih and fpirit, perfe£ling holinefs in the fear of God. Hear us, O Lord, in Hea- ven, the habitation of thy holinefs, and graci- oufly anfwer our prayers ; for the fake of jefus Chrill, our glorious Redeemer and Advocate* Amen,' An EVENING PRATER for a FA MILT, * Our Father who art in Heaven, thou art the hearer of prayer. The gods of the nations were idols, filver and gold, the work of men's hands ; thty faw not ; they heard not ; nor could they relieve their deluded worfhippers. Bui thou, O our God, art he who flretched out the heavens, and who laid the foundations of the earth, and formed the fpirit of man with- in him. Thou upholdefl all things by the word of thy power. Thine eyes run to and fro, throughout the whole earth, beholding the evil and the good ; and thine ears are ever open to the cries of thy people. We humbly prefent unto thee our evening devotion. * Thou, O Lord, hafl prcfcrved us this day j thou had fed us ; thou haft clothed us ; thou haft enabled us to labour ; and thou haft bit f- * fed ( 139 ) fed the work of our hands. It is becaufc of our rebellion againfl God, tha: wc mud eat our bread in the fwcat of our brow. But we give thee mod hearty thanks, that, arnidfl all the toils and burdens of the day, we can refrefh our fouls, by meditating on that reft which thou haft prepared for all thy people. * Enable us all, O Lord, to difcharge every duty of our flation, in fuch a manner.^ that each of us may receive that moft enlivening com- mendation, Well done, good and faithful fer- vant ; thou haft been faithful over a few things, I v/ill make thee ruler over many things : enter thou into the joy of thy Lord- It will avail us nothing to attain to riches or to honour here, if we are ftill the enemies of God, O give us grace to feek firft the kingdom of God, and his righteoufnefs, and all needful things ftiall be added unto us. ' O God of grace, let thy bleiling reft upon us at all times. May this houfe be alioufe for God. May we be bleilt-d in him in whom all the families of the earth are bldied. Elefs us in oiu: bailvct and in our ftore. Blefs us in our out- going, and in our incoming : but, above all, may our fouls be in health and profper. * May the good Lord pardon whatever we have done amifs this day. Blot out the Uns of our whole hves,. We confefs, that in all things we offend, and come far fliort of thy glory, O Lord, we are unprofitable fervants, Know- ing that a man is nor juftified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jefus Chrift, we deCre to believe in Jefu3 Chrift ; that we may be juftified by the filth of Chrift, and not by the works of the law. O grant us grace to * adoxa ( 140 ) adorn the do^lrinc of God oi:r Saviour in iS\ things. Fill us witL thy Spirit. Enable us, through the Spirit, to mortify the deeds of the body, that we may live. Let the time mind be in us, which was alfo in Chrift Jefys ; that^ learning of him, who was meek and lowly, we may find reft unto our fouls. Ilide pride from our eyes. Clothe us with humility. ' We pray, O Lord, that tliou wouldeft keep us from all danger. Preferve us from fear in the night. Let our reft be fwect ; and in the morning, when we awake, may we be. flill wirh thee. We pray for all who are in fickncfs and dillrcfs. Provide for the poor and needy. Make the m fenfible of their fpiritual wants ; and may they be dire^ftcd to him iji whom all fulntfs dwells. Blefs thy church throughout the world. Encourage, aiTifl, and profper all the miniflers of the everlafting gof- pel. Biffs our rulers, 2^nd enable them to rule in thy fear. Grant us whatever thou fceft to be good for us : and let our prayers . come up before thy tlirone, and fend us an ;infv/er of peace ; for the fake of Jefus Chrift, thy well beloved Son. Amen,* A PRATER fo^- a FAMILT in AFFLICTION « Almighty and eternal God, the heaven is * thy throne, and the earth is thy footilool. * Thoufands of angels furround thy throne ; ten * thoufand times ttn thoufimd of thefe blefled * fpirits minifter unto thee. The heavens are * not clean hi thy fight. Behold, God put no * truft in his fervants; and his angels he charged ' with folly. The molt exalted of the ccleflial y hofts ( 141 ) hofts veil their faces in thy prefence, and reft not, day and night, faying, Holy, holy, holy Lord ood Almighty ! Juft and true art thou in all thy ways, and holy in all thy works. Day unto day uttereth fpeech, and night unto night iiieweth knowledge of thee. * O Lord, although thou had not left ihyfelf without a witnefs, in that thou dofl: good, and giveft us rain from heaven, and fruitful feafons, filling our hearts with food and gladnefs 5 yet we have forgotten thee. O Lord, we have often mifnnproved the bounties of thy provi- dence, and have abufed thy goodnefs, and have not remembered or acknowledged thee, the bountiful giver of all good things. What (hall we fay unto thee, O mod righteous God ? for we have forfaken thy commandments. Juftly mayell thou fay unto us. In the day of your profperity, your hearts waxed fat, and ye kicked againll the heavens ; now in your dif- drefs 3^e come unto me. ' Lord, we confefs, with ftiame and confufion- of face, our thoughtlelTnefs, our fm, our dupi- dity, and our folly. Thou mighted judly hide thy face from us, and turn our prayer into dn. But, be not wroth very fore, O Lord, neither remember iniquity forever : Behold,, fee, we befeech thee, we are all thy people. Our fathers truded in thee, and were not put to diame. Thou art dill the fame merciful God ; forgiving iniquity, tranfgreffion and dn. Thine ear is not heavy, that thou cand not hear ; thine arm is not diortencd, that thou cand not fave. O Lord, hide thy face from our fins ; and hear us for thine own name's fake. Should- cd thou lay judgnient to the line, and righte- ' o^fncfs ( 142 ) oufnefs to the plu'iimet, none could (land before thcc. Bill thoii haft given thine owti Son, to he a fcicrilicc for fin ; and art in Chrifl recon- ciling the world unto rhyfclF, not imputing their trefpalTes unto them. Encouraged by the grace and promiils of the gofpel, we have felt in our hears to pray unto thee this prayer. ^ OLord, wc do not, aik thofc things which the world calls good. Our heart's dcfire, our moll fervent prayer unto thee is, that we maybe found in ChriH Jefus, not having our own ri;>ht- eoufnefs, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Chrift, the righteoufnefs which is of God by faith. O may we pafs from death unco life; and have reafon to fay, it is good for us that we have been allli^led ;'for before we were afflifted we went aftray ; but now have we learnt to keep thy holy law. ' O Lord, we befeech thee, of thine infinite mercy, to blefs, unto each of us, this afBi6live difpcnfation of thy providence. In this day of adverfity may we confider. Let us not defpife the chaftening of the Lord ; nor faint when we are rebuked of him. Enable us to poifefs- our fouls in patience, and to fay, whatever thou: art pleafed to order in our lot, the will of the Lord be done. * But, O Lord, contend not with us forever. Remember that we are but duft. Deliver us, we humbly intrear thee, in thy good time, and in thine own way, that we may yet praifc thee in the land of the living. Grant, O graiit unto us, the pardon of all our fms. May we be walhcd in the fountain opened for fin and for unclcanucfs. May we receive, from the Prince and Saviour exalted, true*'ai^ unfeigned re- ' pentance ( H3 ) pentance. Beautify our fouls "with thy falva- tion ; and let the confolarions of thy Spirit abound in us. O teach us (o to number our days, as to apply our hearts unto wifdom. May we daily die unto fin, and live unto righ- teoufnefs. * O Lord God of Hods, let none of us fo far deceive our own fouls, as to put off prepa- ration for eternity to a dying hour. In this our day, enable us to attend to the things which belong to our peace, before they are forever hid from our eyes. For us to live, may it be Chrift ; for us to die, may it be gain 5 that fo, when our flefh and our heart faileih, God may be the flrength of our heart, and our portion forever. Now, O Lord, what wait we for ? Our hope is in thy word : all our defires afe before thee. O Lord, hear ; O Lord, forgive ; O Lord, hearken and do : defer not, for thine own fake,0 our God. We offer all our fupplications unto thee. In the name of Jefus Chrifl, the High Priefl of our profeffion^ who is God over all bleffed forever. MEN. m v> -i A SERMON ON THE DUTY OF CIVIL OBEDIENCE, AS REQUIRED IIST SCRIPTURE. •»u»..>..»..»..».^4.<4,.<..i..4..1.,l Delivered in Christ Church and St. Peter's, April ^5, 1799) being a day of general Humiliation, appointed by the President of the United States^ / By Wm. White, d. d. Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church, In the Ccmmonzvcalth of Pennsylvania, fElNJFV BY JOli]^ ORMRODy No. 41, Chpsnut-stieet, 1799* -^' ADVERTISEMENT. The following fermon was preached in fub- ftance, and the greater part of it in the very words in which itftands, in Chrift Church and St. Peters' on the 5th of November 1775, at the beginning of the revolutionary war -, and in the prefence of ma- ny members of the Congrefs, then aflembled in this city. It iz well known, that the aforefaid day was celebrated in this country, as in other parts of the Britifh empire, on the double account of the difappointnient of the gunpowder plot in the reign of king James the firfl, and of the revolution at- chieved by king William the third. In the afore- faid year, the commemorrition happening on a Sun- day, and one of the events being the failure of a wicked confpiracy againft legal government, while the other was the fuccefs of an honourable refifl- ance of arbitrary power ; and the ferviceof the day being full of reference to the tv/o fubjeds ; it ap- peared to the preacher a fuitable opportunity, for ftating the ground of civil obedience, as it is laid in Scripture ; and for drawing a line of diftinc- tion, of which the events referred to appeared to him an happy illuftration. Not many years ago, the fermon was again preached in the fame church- es, on the return of the anniverfary of indppend- ence. The author, having preached it the third time on an occafion lately paft, with a fmall addi- IV. tlon relating to prefent clrcumftances, complies with the requefl: for publication, prefented to him by many whom he efteems. He can with great fincerity declare, that when the propofal was made, he felt great reludVancein complying with it: And yet, on refleclion, this was confiderably IcfTened by the confideration, that he was delivering to the prefs a ftandard of what are and have been his fen- timents on a fubjedl, on which he has fometimes, from a fenfe of duty, addrefled his hearers : A fub- je£l, on which, perhaps more than on any other, a preacher is liable to be mifunderftood and mifrepre- fented. A DISCOURSE, &c, i.»4»..»v>-<' •><—.► ROM: Ch. 13, V. i, 2. « Let every foul befubjeSi unto the higher powers : ff' For there is no power but of God : The powers " that be are ordained of God: Whofoever there- ^^ fore refijieth the power ^ refijleth the ordinance of « God: And they that refiji^ /hall receive to them- ^^f elves damnation. A HE only way in which a minifter of the gofpel can adapt his difcourfe to the civil conduct of his hearers, is by explaining and enforcing cer- tain precepts of fcripture, which have a reference to the fubjeft. This falls within his fphere and may be fometimes ufeful ; becaufe thofe precepts have been varioufly mifreprefented, as it has fuited the purpofes of fa£lion or of defpotifm ; and thus> doctrines of the moft deftru£live tendency have been founded on a fyftem of divine truth, in itfelf wholly calculated to give glory to God and to pro- mote peace and good will among men. ( 6 ) You will bear me witnefs, that if, on very f^vr occafions, and when appointments by pubHc autho- rity invited to it, 1 have applied my fubjeft matter to the civil concerns of our country, it has gone no further, than to the refcuing of the word of God from fuch abufe^ I have conceived this to be one of the opportunities, when, for fo good a purpofe, I might bring before you fentimentSy which accom- plifh their efFedl on a future life, thro* their inter- mediate influence on the civil interefts of the pre- fent. And as to the duty to which we are principally fummoned, of humiliation under a fenfe of our tranf- grefTions, I truft, that it will be perceived to have a near connecSlion with my fubjedl. For the motive of the chief magiftrate in calling our attention to the duty, is its relation to exifting dangers : which can never bring material injury to the Hate, except through the inftrumentality of licen- tious pafTions, in their refiflrance of the divine will. Accordingly,! cannot more properly conform to the dcfignof our being aflembled, than by opening to you the ground of civil obedience, as it ftands in fcripture. And altho' the religious fupport thus to be erected is to fuftain what you will daily hear rcftcd on the nature of the fecial ftate; yet let it be remembered, that no fuch theoretical contemplation of thefubjc6thas been found fuflicient in pra(5liccy for the retaining of men in fubjedlion to law and government. No j it is nothing lefs than the fcnfe { 7 ) of an over-ruling Being, and the convi6lion of his exerciiing his adminiftration on earth, thro' the de- legated authority of thofe, who, through his pro- vidence, are clothed with power, which can be a fufficient counterpoife to the bad paflions of our na- ture : PafTions, which are continually exciting in fome members of the community, the expedation of raifing private gain and happinefs, out of public lofs and mifery. I therefore proceed in my defign : And this is, ift. Toftateto you two opinions, which feem to me un- favourable to civil happinefs ; and are alleged to be founded on my text and other places like it ; altho', as I conceive, not taught in thofe paflages, nor fairly to be inferred from them : ad. To fet before you, what I take to be their true interpretation : And 3d. To eftablifh the leading duty they enjoin :— ^Firft, I am to ftate to you two opinions, which feem to me unfavourable to civil happinefs ; and are alleged to be founded on my text and other places like it ; al- tho', as T conceive, not taught in thofe paflages, nor fairly to be inferred from them. The firft of thefe opinions. Is the indefeaflble right of Princes, to the obedience of their fubje^ts; a right not to be fet afide, it is faid, nor altered, by any law, for the avoiding of any evil, or for the ob- taining of any good to the community. 1 mean the ( 8 ) opinion, which, within the prefent century, and in an empire of which we were a part, produced two rebellions, in fupport of this imaginary right of a lineal fucceflbr, in oppofition to the double right of legal fettlement, and of peaceable pofTeflion. Far be it from me to abridge any meafure of charity, which it may be thought reafonable to extend to unwarrantable adlions, when they flow from a mif- guided confcicnce : And indeed, I think, that in the prefent inftance, much is due. But there can hard- ly be a principle, more diredly tending to kindle and to keep alive the flames of civil difcord ; and that, not for the obtaining of any public good, but to alTert the pretended right of an individual, who may happen to be one of the moft weak or the moft wicked of his fpecies. And as it is a principle full of mifchief, fo alfo, it fecms to have no foundation, either in reafon or in the gofpel. It has none in reafon, becaufe, if it were true, we might expe£t to find the rule of fucceilion as clearly defined by that faculty, as the other rules which are to be the guides of our moral condudl; whereas fuccefTion, whether applicable to fovereigns or to individuals, has been various in different na- tions, and always held to be the fubjctSl of law :— I fay of law; who being allowed to fpeak on thequeftioiH may be expelled to declare her felf, in a matter of pub- lic concern, with a view to the public goodj and not ( 9 ) to be limited to the narrow fcale of individual inte- reft. And it has as little foundation in the gofpel ; becaufe whatever may be either the limits or the ex- tent of its precepts, they evidently relate to the prefent pofleflbr of the power ; without any refe- rence to the means by which it was obtained. On this account, I confider the fecond opinion, «s the more confiftent, although the more extrava- gant error of the two. The opinion 1 mean, is that of the duty of fubmiflion to the civil authority, in what- ever hands it may be lodged ; to whatever extremes it may be abufed ; and whatever conftitutions or laws it may contradi6l:. But this is inconliftent with a univerfally acknowleged chara6teriftic of Chriftianity ; viz. its not intermeddling with the civil conftitutions of countries ; and its leaving of their different policies, to the principles on which they have been refpecSlively founded. Whereas, let the opinion mentioned be admitted and a6led on in Chriftian States ; and immediately it follows, that all legal boundaries of prerogative are done a- way; that one fimple and abfolute dominion fjper- fedes the various modifications of power; that the firft Prince, or the firft Robber, who will fcize all, fhall from that moment pofTefs all, to be govern- ed by himfeif, and by his fuccefTors, as theii lufts cr ^ their fancies may diredi. ( 10 } 1 am not contending, either that the fcriptures in- culcate refiftance, or, that the lawfulnefs of it be- ing fuppofed, they juflify Chriftian minifters in de- claring, at what point it may begin : And if the prefcnt were a time when you might be mifled by me in this matter, I fhould be careful, as I was in times not long paft, to guard you againft the mlf- take. But at prefent, my only objedl is to (hew, that the fubmifTion due to government does not neceflarily extend to a principle, which counteracts its very end ; and which would deftroy that mofl amiable property of it, its being an image of the divine government; which, though co-extenfive with the univerfe, and without beginning or end, is yet regulated by the unchangeable law of right. In order therefore to feek a foundation for the duty before us, which (hall be afufEcient check of fa6lion, without upholding defpotifm, I proceed, 2dly, to fet before you, what I take to be the true interpretation of my text and of other places like it. The moft remarkable pafTages bcfides that of my text, are thofe in the ad chapter of the ift Ep. of St. Peter; in the 2d chap, of the ift Ep. of St. Paul to Timothy, and in the 3d of the fame Ap. to Titus. They are fo much alike, that a comment on the text itfelf will ferve for the reft alfo : And ( " ) you will find the fenfe of the whole to be, that there is inculcated, in general, the duty of obedience to the civil magiflrate, without any nice difcufHons concerning the origin, or the extent or the difcon- tinuance of his power; but leaving the do6lrine to be applied, in thefe refpedls, according to the na- ture of the duty and the end for which it was or- dained. Nor need we wonder that it {hould be left on this footing in the fcriptures ; fince it is fo, in common with all the other focial obligations. Take, for inftance, the authority of father and that of mafter, with the correfponding duties of child and of fervant ; and you will find the one required and the other afTerted, without limitation or exception. Not however that there are no limitations and excep- tions, for there are confefledly ; and it is the bufi- nefs of judgment and of confcience to afcertainand to regard them, and to apply principles to cafes, as they occur. In the enjoining of all the focial du- ties, and efpccially that before us, it became the apoftles to be the more pofitive, and at the fame time the more general, becaufe of the flander that had gone forth, reprefenting the Chriftians as fet- ting up the licentious plea, that, being the fervants of God, they were not fubje(St to the ordinances of men: And there is evidently an eye to this very reproach, in all the pailages which I have mention- ed to you. ( li ) » But to attend to that which we took, as the lead- ing pafTage: It fays — " Let every foul he fubje6t to " the higher powers." There is a fpecial ufeinthe vague expreffion here applied to the civil magiftra- cy. St. Peter, in his epiftle, which was addrefled to the Chriilians difperfed through Afia Minor, a country where monarchical power was the moft fa- miliar and ackinowleged, injoins them " to honour " and obey the king :" But St. Paul, here writing to citizens of Rome, where the government was in the hands, partly of an emperor, and partly of a fenate, the boundaries of their refpedive jurifdic- tion being not precifely drawn, and it being no part of his commiffiort to define the rightful government of the country, adopts the more comprehcnfivc term, "the higher powers." He goes on— " for there is no power but of God : " the powers that be are ordained of God :" That is, the vifible poflelTors of the power, without any c!iftin(5lion as to hereditary right, to which there was not the fhadow of pretenfion in the then Roman emperor, " are ordained of God." St. Peter, in his epiftle, calls their authority "the ordinance of men." But there is no inconfiftency between the two : For although the perfon be appointed and the power be guided by human a£^ and law; ftill, the necefllty of government for the conducting of the affairs of the world, and of confequence the rights which it in- ( 13 ) Volves for the accompllfhing of that end, flow from the will and the determinations of God. " Who- " foever, therefore, refifteth the power, refifteth " the ordinance of God.'* Submiffion being a ge- neral duty, refiftance muft of courfe be criminal. " And they that refift fhall receive to themfelves " damnation.'* Laws would l»e to no purpofe, with- out penalties : And we have here the higheft penalty annexed to a crime, which threatens ruin, not mere- ly to an individual, or to a family, but to the com- munity. And this is a fanttion which religion will always extend to the fupport of juft government, by adding the terrors of an eternal, to thofe of tempo- ral punifliment. But whether the cafe of an ex- treme abufe of power be at all in contemplation, will appear from a confideration of the verfes im- mediately following my text, in w^hich the apoftle goes on thus. " For rulers are not a terror to good " works but to the evil. Wilt thou then, not be " afraid of the power, do that which is good and " thou (halt have praife of the fame. For he is the f minifter of God to thee for good. But if thou " do that which is evil, be afraid ; for he bcareth " not the fword in vain: for he is the minifter of " God 5 a revenger to execute wrath upon him that " doethevil." Now this is nothing el fe, than reafo- ning from the nature and the end of Government, which are always good, to the fuitable fubmifTion and C ( 14 ) obedience. But what relation it has to a continued courfe'of the wanton abufe of power, or to the perverfion of it from its true end, as here fet forth, can not be fhewn from the expreflions ufed. No, this is a cafe of which the pafiage decs not fpcak ; leaving it to what reafon, under the guidance of religion and of morals, fhall point out, as the pro- per means of afcertaiiyng and fccuring civil rights. But fuch extraordinary occafions being out of the queftion, the apoftle repeats his precept, with a fpecial ftrefs on the principal motive to it. " Where- " fore, ye muft needs be fubjecl, not only for " wrath, but alfo for confcience fake ;" that is, not merely from the low confideration of temporal pu- nifhment, but as ye fhall anfwer for your condudl to God. And as this duty of obedience extends to actions generally, fo efpecially it requires us to contri- bute our proportion to the neceffiiry fupport of government, by the payment of all legal dues. " For, for this caufe, pay ye tribute alfo ; for they " are God's minifters, attending continually on this " very thing.'* " Pay ye tribute," fays the apof- tle. To whom ? " To the powers that be," — that is, thofe who have the acknowledged right and have been in the known practice of impofing it. Still the fame fpirit pervades the whole pafTage; that where prerogative and privilege interfere, there ( 15 ) is no determination on that point ; but it is left to be determined by reafon and right, according to the refpedive policies of different ftates. Accordina;ly the paflage goes on thus — " For << they arc God's minifters, attending continually on <' this very thing :" which is ftill arguing from the ordinary executing of the policy of a ftate ; and has no relation to any extraordinary proftitution of its powers* And in the fpirit which has pervaded the pafiage all along, it thus concludes — " Render <^ therefore to all their dues : tribute to whom tribute " is due ; cultom to whom cuftom ; fear to whom " fear ; honor to whom honor." Now what is to be the meafure of thefe dues ? Certainly the moft reafonable meafure is the venerable authority of conftitution and of law. And although, where there is neither conftitution nor law, mere power may be a foundation of the claim, on account of the abfolute neceflity of government to mankind ; yet this can be no reafon for afTertlng the caufe of pow- er againft conftitution and againft law ; or for the fetting at nought of thefe, in order to give to the other, an exclufive claim to tribute, to cuftom, to reverence and to honour. I have fet before you what I take to be the true fenfe of this and of fimilar paffages of fcripture : And although I have not and indeed in confcience ( >6 ) cannot fo explain them, as to raife the civil magif- trate above law, yet 1 truft, that I have taken fuch a foundation, as is a fufficient check to faction ; and will a/Till us under the 3d head ; which was to eflab- lifh the leading duty which my textinjoins. This duty may be exprefTed as follows — That when the civil magiftrate is in the exercife of his authority, agreeably to conftitution and to law, it is criminal to refift him, on any pretence what- ever,. I know but of three principles, on which fuch re- fiftance can, with any colourable plea be founded. Refentment of private injuries; a fuppofed ufe of projected changes ; and a motive of religion. — ift. It is criminal to oppofe, or interrupt the lawful au- thority of themagiftrate, from refentment of private inj uries ; whether we be accidentally expcfed by law to heavier burthens than others ; or fufFer from the infirmities, or from the miftakes, or even from the vices, which may be the lot of rulers. I fay, that neither of thefc cares juftifies refiftance. For, in the former, the inequality is the refultof the imper- fection inherent to human law ; or rather of the imperfection of human reafon, which finds it diffi- cult to apply the eternal principles of law, to the circumdances of individuals. And in the other, partial diitrefs can never be a juftification for en- ( 17 ) gaging in mcafures, which would produce general misfortune. What are public fpirit and the love of country, not to fay Chriftian charity, but mere names, if they will not induce the fu fFering of wrong, ra- ther than to fet an example, which tends to the de- ftrucEtion of all law and government ; and may give a beginning to calamities of great extent and dura- tion ; and out of all proportion to the injury fuf- tained ? The fecond pretence, is that of a fuppofed ufe in projedled changes. Butaltho' the door fhould never be (hut againft thofe iRiprovements, which the cul- tivation of general knowlege may make in the fci- ence of civil governtnent, yet the introducing of them muft be left, partly to the conviction of the public judgment; and partly to the moral influence, which fuch improvements will filently obtain over the fentiments and the manners of the corsmunity. The lawfulnefs of a forcible introduction of them muft be rejected, becaufe of its pernicious confe- quences. It profefTes t;^ have in view the public good, which cannot confiil with a continued ftate of tumult and confufion ; the necelfary refult of everyone's fetting up his ov/n ideas pf perfection; and his feeking of it, thro' the horrors of civil war. The beft of governmentG may fhew fome trr-cc^ of human infirmity and imperfection ; and v.'hij^:: an endeavor to rectify by force, will certainly produce ( i8 ) Moodfhed ; it is uncertain, whether it will accom- pliih the end propofed. On this fubjedV, there is great variety of opinion : And, if all were to aflume a right to model things to their refpedive fancies, the probability is, that anarchy would prevail for a while ; until at laft there would follow a general fubmiffion to defpotifm, as the more tolerable griev- ance* The 3d pretence is that of religion :' which, fure- ly, can never warrant refiftance of the juft authority of the magiftrate. For it is impoffible, that a fyf- tem of duty, which profefTes to make man peace- able and mild to man, (hould juftlfy its followers in involving their country in bloodfhed and defolation. There has been, indeed, fet up the bold pretenfion of an ccclefiaftical authority, to abfolvc fubjedls and citizens from their allegiance. But could that amiable InftruiStor, who taught his apoftles to " ren- *' der untoCaefar the things that are Caefar's," give to thofe very apoftles and their fucceflbrs, a com- miflion fo inconfiftent with his precepts? Or will that excellent fyftem, which di£Vates the pureft morality, admit of a difpenfing power, to releafe its profclibrs froip their moft folemn obligations ? Cer- tainly, no. It was not thus, that the firfk followers of our Saviour publlfhed the glad tidings of falva- tion. On the contrary, they recommended their ( '9 ) religion) not by perfecuting their fellow creatures^ but by enduring perfecutions with patience. This pretended prerogative over moral duties^ is not the only way in which religion has been abuf- ed to the purpofes of fa6lion. There have been other falfe zealots, who have difturbed the public peace, by pretending, that dominion is founded in grace; that the faints are to rule the earth; and that it is lawful to extirpate thofe, whom they call the enemies of Chrift. It was not thus that Chrift fought, either to fubdue his enemies, or to exalt his faints. The latter forfeit all hopes of being ac- knowleged by him at his fecond coming, when they make his kingdom of this world. Their warfare is to fubdue their pafTions : And although their re- ligion is far from prohibiting them from being fer- viceable to their country in public ftations, yet it reflrains from an immoderate defire of rule ; much more, from feeking it by injurious methods. It gives a fanclion to the relation between rulers and the people : And the idea of Chriftians being ex- empted from obedience, even to unchriftian gover- nors, is the very error, againft which the fcriptures caution us, under the penalty of damnation. Thus there has been laid before you the founda- tion of civil obedience, as it appears in fcripture. And your preacher entertains the confcioufnefs that ( 30 ) his fentiment?, after having been the fruit of his earlieft ftudies, have been continually confirmed in him by refle<5lion; and by obfervation of the great events, which have been afted on the theatre of the world. He alfo knows, that the views of the fubjtdt to which he has been accuftomed, are the moft favorable to the higheft irr provements of focial life: For th:fe feek the foftering care of a govern- ment of laws ; which is always in a medium be- tween arbitrary power on the one hand, and mad de- mocracy on the other. On thefe principles it is, that he never doubted of the lawful nefs of the great change, which raifed our country to a rank among the nations of the earth : An event that had its origin, not in a denre on our part to remove the eftabliflied landmarks of law or of prerogative; but in an attachment to in- vaded rights, which had been handed down to us from the firft fettlers of the country; on the faith of which they had left the land of their nativity, and braved the dangers of the wildernefs ; and which had become endeared to their pofterity, by opinion, and by long enjoyment. Rights like thefe we might reafonably afiert, confiflently with the ties which bound us to the parent flnte. Rights like thefe we might reafonably defend, by breaking thofc ties, when fecurity could no otherwife be ob- tained. This is one of the great cafes in the hif- ( « > tory of mankind, which muft be produced by exift- ing circumftances; but which would be wickedly mif^^pplisd, fhould it be fet up as a pretence for the reiiftance of legal government : efpecially of a go- vernment, which, having been eftablifhed by the general will, involves in itfelf a peaceable mean of of remedying any imperfe6lions, fhould they be dif- covered, in its conftrudlion. Under fuch a government, to deny the right of expr^-fling private fentiment on the adminlftr.'.tion of its powers, would be contrary to the liberal fpi- rit \vhich it breathes. But when this freedom is abtfed to the rendering of rulers odious by mifre- pre Mentation and fallhoods ; When recou rfe is had to the low artifices of fa