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TRINTED AT THE CHRISTIAN MESSEXGER OFFiCE. ^ -'■■'■-<'■■■: '1844. ?(•• '• . V ^,./^./^ '^ BAPTIST PRINCIPLES VINDICATED: * r-" ytC i: IN REPLY in TO THE REVD< X W. D. GRAY'S WORK ON BAPTISM. *! #^' BY CHARLES TUPPER, PASTOR OF THE BAPTIST CHURCH IN AMHERST, N. S. HALIFAX, N. S. PRINTED AT THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER OFFICER 1844. «r ; .1 *• f ^^ip I*- .i-,i ■'^S;;, •i\.:-yt€^-': -«-V.. "Vl,. ■',,v- •-^ ■*• i ^■j" "*S/i 1. .- , r \K -«(» • 1 INTRODUCTION. \\ \ " Herein," says the Apostle Paul, *' do I exer- cise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men." This example unquestionably ought to be imitated. Since, therefore, Baptism is "the answer of a good conscience toward God," it is incumbent on every Christian to endeavour to ascertain the path of his duty in reference to this divine command ; and to yield to it, as well as to all others, prompt and strict obedience. The Baptists generally, regarding the sacred Scriptures as a full and explicit rule of faith and practice, deem the instructions contained in them quite sufficient to guide the sincere inquir- er, whose mind is free from prepossession, to the right discharge of this duty. Accordingly, the Baptist Ministers in these Provinces have never published any books on Baptism, except in reply to works published by Pedobaptist Ministers, adapted, in our opinion, to increase the popular prejudice against the scriptural view of this ordi- nance. ' Several of these treatises have been suffered to remain unanswered. Such, has hitherto been the case in regard to "A Brief V ^ 4 INTRODUCTION. View/'&c, written by the Rev. J. W. D. Grayr* in reply to Rev. E. A. Crnwley's Work on Baptism, which contained an answer to Rev. W^ Elder's Letters on the same snbjeet. When Mr. Gray's Work first appeared, tho opinion prevalent amonj? tlie Baptists seems to have been, that no reply to it was requisite. It appears, however, that our silence has been rc- g-arded by many as a tacit acknowledgment, that our peculiar sentiments are indefensible : and because this Treatise has remained unanswered, it has boon inferred, and extensively proclaimed, that it is unaswcrahU.* It is desirable, there- fore, that the erroneous impression produced by this incorrect inference, should he removed : and the most direct and cffcctunl way to evince the incorrectness of the inference, is, to refute the arguments contained in the Work. As the station which Professor Crawley fills, and his ninncrous and onerous duties, render it inconvenient for him to discharge this duty, and as no one else has undertaken it, the writer, though naturally averse to controversy, has been led, upon mature and prayerful consideration, to regard it as devolving upon him. Between * One specimen of (Iiis rnny siifricc. A writer in the iSt. Joint Chronicle of Aiijjiist 4, 18i.j, while rrcommending [lev. Mr. Bullock's recent ScriTion, oniillcd " Tli Haplist Answered," says, " Tlie Work of ilio Rev. J. W. IJ. Gray on this siibjccr, wtiicli was pulilislicd some years ago, lias nevei been answered, liecause it is unansn-erclile." As lliis Work is justly con'^idcrcd much the al)!esl of those that have been puhli'ihcd in tlic^e Provinces in defence of Infant Sprinkling, it may he reasonably expected that a refutation of ihisf will be acknowledged lo supersede the necessity of answeriu^ those of iufcrioMiotc. .' t INTRODUCTION. the Rev. Mr. Gray and liimsolf, bo far as lie knows, no other feelingH have ever existed than those of mutual fricndsliip and esteem. Il is his sincere desire that the same friendly dis- positions which have hitherto hcen cultivated by them, .should continue and increase, not only between them,'"' but also between the Baptists and Ped«)ba|)tists j^enerally. He has, however, upon a careful, attentive, and candid conside- ration of the sacred Scriptures, accompanied with earnest prayer for divine guidance, con- scientiously embraced the peculiar principles of the Baptists : and while he does not see sulllcient reasons for chan«jfin<>^ his views, he feels himself obliged to maintain these views ; but he hopes to be enabled to do so in a s])irit of love and Christian aifectiou. Our doctrinal sentiments are well known to bo consonant with those of oitliodox and evangeli- cal Christians generally; and our manner of church government is the same as that of the Independents or Congre.'j;iitionalists. The prin- ciples, therefore, Avhicii urc peculiar to the Baptists are : — 1. That belli v/r^, and not irfanta^ arc the scrip- tural subjects of Christian hapthm. 2. That immrr:h'ony and not sprinJclitig, is the scriptural mole of Cltrhi/an baptism.i * As a persoiKil fricii'l, a ("luisiinn tudilicr, anil an rslprmcd minister of Christ, ii is il,.' wiitii's iiicuiitiii lo iriMl .Mr. Gray with courtes)' and km liu ■;> ; l.u! ;i« a oonirovcrsiriiisi, [ not differ from the Greek ('lmrc!i, i^liicli Ims iiiv:;r;;i!>!y practised ;ininersiij0 only, and which coinii:iii. s to lU, ,^u ai this, i!av. IIVTRODUCTION. Tlint believers arc proper Hiiitjects for hoptiRmr and tlint iiniiiersioii is a valid mode, are pointii ««) generally acknowledjrt'd to be correct, that wo are not required to prove tbein. It in, tlicre- fore, incumbent on the redol)npti.''ts to provc^ from the plain testimony oi' the sacred Oracles : 1. That infants are scriptural subjects of Chris- tian baptism. , i2. That sprinkling is a scriptural modo of^ Christian baptisnii As it would bo tedious and uninteresting to most of my readers, to enter into all the mi- nute points of the arguments bctw* on the Rev. Messrs. Crawley and (irny, all that appear* necessary for me to do, is, to examine the argu- ments adduced by Mr. (iray in support of the two last named positions. In doing this, it will not always be convenient to follow Mr. ( J ray's method ; but the pages that contain the- arguments to- which I may refer, will be constant- ly cited. Our author justly remarks (p. 1,) "In our in- quiries after truth, it is certainly of primary im- portance to ascertain whither we ought to look, us the true and legitimate source of information." Though I regard history as being decidedly in our favour, with reference to both the subjectsi and the mode of baptism, yet I do not esteem it & source whence we are to learn our duty with regard to the positive commands of God. I am ready, therefore, tojoin issue with him in making " The whole Bible the Christian's rule of faith.'*' INTRODUCTION. nptiBnir point» >t, that , there- prove, raclcs : 'Chri«- 3do of ting to he mi- e Rev. ppear» 3 argu- ort of this, it w Mr. tin the- istant- •ur in- y im- look, ion." dly in ijectsr cm it with I am king ftitli.'^ I suppose, however, he will not mnintnin, fhnt every command found in the OKI Tef^tnment xtt hinding on hehevers under the New Teftnment dispensation; nor that Kometliing else iH to bo substituted instead of every mucIi command. To say that our duty in regard to an ordinance of the (iospel, is to be ascertained from such por- tionsofthe Scriptures as do not relate to that ordinance, involves a pal|)able absurdity. Every discerning and unprejudiced person must see, that it is to be learned from those texts, and from those oidy, which either directly mention the ordinance, or manifestly allude to it. If, then, our Ptrdobaptist brethren can adduce pas- sages from the Old Testament which either men- tion Christian baptism, or manifestly allude to it, I am i)erfectly willing to allow the full weight of such passages in regard to the subject. Con- sequently the Baptists are not, as Mr. G. states, (p. 277,) "obliged to deny that the whole Bible should be the standard of reference." Our author asks (p. 3,) "Does the ordinance of the Jewish Passover afford us no information in reference to the Lord's supper?" I ask, in reply. Is not the ordinance of the Lord's sup- per exhibited in the New Testament with suffi- cient clearness to enable the conscientious to n^ certain their duty in regard to it, without having recourse either to the Old Testament or to Church history ? Will he venture to contradict Bishop Hoadley, who says of this ordinance, " The passages in the New Testament which relate to 8 INTRODUCTION. this duty, and they alone, are the original ac- counts of the nature and end of this institution, and the only authentic declarations upon which we of later ages can safely depend."* Is not this judicious statement, made by an eminent Pa;do- baptist, strictly applicable to the ordinance of baptism ? By this rule, which must commend itself to every enlightened and unprejudiced mind, let the subject be examined. Mr. G. can- not deny the indisputable fact (p. 196,) lliat the young children of the Israelites partook of the Passover, t and yet he does not allow young chil- dren to partake of the Lord's supper. To what purpose, then, does he refer to the passover, since the inference deducible from it, by way of comparison, is adapted to overturn utterly all the arguments tliat he attempts to draw from the circumcision of the Jewish children. The observance of a Sabbath, (p. 3, 4,) or of one day out of seven, devoted to the service of God, which was establislied from the creation, is equally incumbent under all dispensations.! The case in regard to Christian baptism, which is acknowledged by all to be peculiar to the Gospel dispciisation, is by no means analagous. We would, however, learn our duty respecting each from the texts, wherever found, wliich * See Boollrs Pseclobaplism Examined, p. 11. t A Iamb was to be provided for one or two families, " Aceord- injj to the number of souls/' thai is evidently, of those capable of eating any of it : and none, vvhetlier old or young', were suffered to eat any bread for seven days save the unleavened bread of the passover, and consequently every child that ate bread, must have' eaten of this. Exodus xii. 3,4, 15, 19—21. \ Gen. ii. 2, 3. Ex. xx. 8. Acts xx. 7. \ i INTUODUCXrON 9 either mention it, or manifestly allude to it. Let any one produce plain apostolic example of the baptism of infants, such as we have of the religious observance of the first day of the week, and tlie debate with reference to the sub- ject of baptism (so far as I am concerned,) will be at an end.* The Baptists do not undervalue the Old Tcs- tament.t They expressly maintain (Article 3,) "That the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament arc the Word of God, in which He hatli given us our only rule of fai^li and prac- tice." They must, however, sec mucii more con- vincing arguments than those adduced by Mr. G. before they can lie induced to abandon the self-evident axiom, " Tliat the ordinances of the Gospel, v.liiclj arc enioincd in the New Testa- ment only, and are neither mentioned nor nmni- festly alluded to in the Old, are to be observed according to the instructions contained in the New Testament only." Having thus ascertained the rule by which we are to be guided in our enquiries relative to the ordinance of Christian baptism, it appears most natural and convenient to consider : — 1. The Subjects. 2. The Mode or Aciion. • Acts XX. 7. 1 Cor. xvi. 2. Rev. i, 10. John xx. 11), 26. tTlic llnv. Jann;s Robertson of nriln^clown, spcakin;^ of llin Baptists says '• IMr. liooili was llic first of that tleiinininaiinn wlm h'lldiy fiiiO uiiliosiiaiiiigly voulurcHl to declare merely lor tlie sake ofsupponiiiif a particular point ofa sjjoculaiivo nature, that Ihe Old 'restaiiieiil iiad Ut) connexion witii the New." (Treatise on Infant IJapiisni. p. 43 ) I a?k, \vl:crc hes Mr. Booth, or any olhor IJaptist, made this nsserlion. \'- PART I. THE SUBJECTS OF CHRISTIAN BAPTISM. CHAPTER I. BAPTISM BEFORE THE RESURRECTION OP CHRIST. Positive divine institutions mnst necessarily de- pend wholly on the will of Cod. As they are purely subjects of revelation, we are not to be guided in our inquiries res])ecting them, by our views of expediency, convenience, or utility. The Baptists are sometimes accused of cruelly excluding infants from the church, and unfeeling- ly de])riving them of their rights and privileges.* But, I ask, have they not as strong natural affec- tion for their offspring, and as earnest desires for their salvation, as others ? They approve of the diligent and prayerful use of all scriptural means for the eternal welfare of children. But it must be evident to every reflecting mind, that if God has enjoined the baptism of infants, it is both right and useful; if He has not, it is both wrong and injurious. The whole debate, there- fore, resolves itself into this simple question, Has God commanded that infants should be baptized, or has He not ? If He has command- *Mr. Roliorison represents our conduct in this matter as " un- feeling — reckless," &c. and says " It is a sin of cruelly to those infants who are tiiiis refused an entrance into a state of grace." Treatise, p. 114, 1(58. VVIiy are not both Baptists and Pedobap- lists equally cliarged with cruelly for excluding infants from the Lord's Supper, which is evidently as necessary and as useful as baptism. BAPTISM BEFORE REST/T SECTION OF CHRIST. 1 1 jrace. dobap- om the eful as ed it, that command cei\ iinly can be distinctly shown in some part oi* His word, either by express precept, j)hiin example, or certain infe- rence. Ill order to ascertain whether it is enjoined in eitlier of these ways, or not, it is obvionsly proper to examine the passages of Scripture wliich relate to the subjects of bap- tism, and especially those that are allejjfed in support of tlie l)ji})tism of infants. In doing this, we naturally commence with the first mention of the ordinance in the New Testament ; for we are not ti'catiiig of the ceremonial ablutions (p. 9,) " practised under the Jewish economy," from which this is iiianifestly distinct. It is not necessary to enter into a particular discussion respecting the exact nature of the baptism administered by John. The only ques- tion in point is, Did Jolm baptize infants ? Mr. G. (p. 0,) re([uires us to prove, "that John bap- tized no inlaiits," wliicli lie says, " cannot be proved." Is he not aware that no disj)utant is bound to ])rove a ncialivc ? As he ttdvcs the atliruiativc, and maintains tbat infant baptism rests on diviiic autliority, it is manifestly incum- bent on liini to ])rovo it, by decisive scripture testimony. 15ut has lie produced any ])roof, or even the .di'hte.st de2'ree of probalnlity, that John ba[)tized infints ? •' The scripture account of tlie matter is tliis : — " In those days came John tlic l]a})tist, proaciiing in the wilderness of Judca, and sayinn", Il, IMork i. 4— 0. l.uke iii. 2-9. t llev. J. lioh:rlson cone \V(! ii;itiiinlly (•oiicliide, that those wlio siibiiiiiled lo llic l)apiizod l)y iho Aposti(;s. sinco it is fortalu that tlicy required ropeiitancc, as well as laiili 'I (Ads ii. 38. viii.37.) ij: Various learned Pcdnliaptisis have done so. Ca/vin says, I' John was precisely the "It is very certain that the niinistry o .same as tiial which was ntiorwards comniiiled lo ihi' Apostles.— TlfC .sameness ol' their doolriiio sshews their Imptism to have heeii the same. — 'I'he. I)apti>m administered l>y the Apostles dniing His [Christ's] lil'e on earth, was called His. yet it was aUiMided with 110 grcaier almndanco of the ^|)iiit, than the bapii-ni of John." (Insl. B. iv : C. xv. 7. 8 ) llev. Isucic Ambrose >a\s. •• 1 cannot see bill the haptisin we use and the baptism oC .John, are in nature and substance one and the very same." (Iiookint;' nolo Jesus, p. 181.) So also Mr. BurlciU says " John's baplisni and Christ's were the same I'or substance." (Note on .Acts .xix 3 — 5. Mr. Robcrlson seems to havti adopted a middle eomse. in rcf^ard to the dispen^aiien to which John's mi\iistry bulmi^ied ; for lie repre- sents him as •' having one loot under the ly of the Mosaic law, and the oilier in the kingdom oi' the llcdecmcr." Treatise, p. 70. RESURRECTION OP CHRIST. 1^ ■III says, sv\y ihe OS lies.— ive l)pcn ling His U(\ with J oil 11." cannot nature sus, p. iirisl's Mr. aid to given to the Apostles, and their subsetiuent prac- tice, in accordance with it, fully substantiate our views. But, whatever shades of difference they may suppose existed between the baptism of John, and that administered by the Apostles, they are unabic to show any satisfactory reasons (though Mr. G. has attempted it, p. 12,13,) why John should not have baptized infants, if they were to be baptized at all ; or why the action, expressed by the same word, should not have been the same. A few additional remarks, in reference} to the manner in which our author endeavours to dispose of the ministry and baptism of John, may suffice. That any man should mistake the import of an obscure text of Scri])turc, arg^ucs nothing against the correctness of hirf sentiments ; but when a polemical writcrs's system compels him to put a forced, far-fetched and unnatural con- struction upon plain passa«>;^cs, it can scarcely fail to induce strong sus[)icion, that his views, in regard to tlie point under consideration, are un- scriptuial. One or two specimens of this may be given. To a well informed mind, uninfluenced by prejudice, the general import of the language of the Evangelist, Mark i. 1^4, cannot be other- wise than intelligible arid plain : — " The begin- ning of the Gos])el of Jesus Christ, the son of God ; as it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thco. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare yc the way of the Lord, make his paths strait. John did bap- tize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remis-sion of sins." Does not this passage manifestly inform us, that the Gospel was introduced in accordance with the prophecies cited, by the preaching of John ? B 14 BAPTISM BEFORE THE The inconsistency of representing the first verse, (in the way that Mr. Gray's system requires him to do, p. 7,) '* as a kind of title to the following narrative," is sufficiently obvious, from the cir- cumstance of its immediate connexion with the next verse by the words " as it is written in the l)rophets," &,c. The candid exposition of this passage, given by the Rev. Thomas Scott, a minis- ter of the Church of England, must commend itself to every impartial reader : — "Mark* — be- gan his history with a brief account of John the Baptist's ministry. This was in fact " the begin- ning of the Gospel," the introduction of the New Testament dispensation ; the opening of the glad tidings relating to Jesus Christ the. anointed Sa- viour, the incarnate son of God ; according as it had been foretold by the prophets." So the Geneva translators of the Bible, t who vvere Pcdo- baptists, observe in a marginal note on Mark i. 1, " He sheweth thai John Baptist was the first preacher of the Gospel." Mr. Burldtt says {in loc.) " St. John the Baptist was the first publish- er and preacher of the Gospel doctrine :" and Dr. A. Clarke observes, " It is with the utmost propriety, that Mark begins the Gospel dispen- sation with the preaching of John the Baptist." Our author also puts a manifestly forced con- struction on Luke xvi. 16. " The law and the prophets were until John : since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it." Unwilling to admit that this kingdom was commenced, and unable to inform * For ihe sake of brevity I sometimes omit, in quotations, clauses that do not relate to the subject under considernlion ; bin to avoid misrepresenting llie aulliors, 1 mark such omissions by a dasii — — hets, Mas the subject of express prophecies, was filled with the Holy Ghost from his birth, was pre- eminent in piety, saw and baptized the Saviour, and preached Christ fully and distinctly, as the only Redeemer of sinners, saying, " Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world — And I saw and bare record that this is the Son of God — He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life : and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him."* Mr. Gray also relies confidently on what he takes to be the meaning of Acts xix 4, 5. Con- cerning this text, he alleges, (p. 14, 1.5,) that his opponents " have evinced no little ingenuity to evade its force." It is true, indeed, that Bap- tists, (though I ho])e none of them attempt " to evade its force") are not unanimous in regard to the import of this passage ; but neither are Pe- dobaptists. Of these Glassius and Beza, two eminent writers, strenuously maintained, upon philological principles, that the persons spoken * Matlh. xi. n. Tsa.xl. 3—5. Mai. iv. 5, 6. Luke i. 13—17, GO. 7(),— 80. Mark vi. 20. Mallh. iii. 15—17. Mallb. xi. 7—15. John i. 6-8, 15—18, 20, 29, 34; iii. 27-36. b2 18 BAPTISM BEFORE THE 11 11 of were not baptized nptiin.* The former under this RiiU), " The udversiitivc ct)ii junctions men and dc. mutually fjjHow eacli other in u sentence, jlnd the one necessarily corresponds to the other," oIiscrvc'H, " From this it foMowH, that in Acts xix. 4, 5, the words Avhere tojrctlicr, andhy them is denoted one continued discourse of Paul, as they arc connected by the particles men and de, : ' Then said I'aul, John verily (men) baptized with the l)ai)tisni ol' rejnMitaiice, sayin<; unto the people that tluiy should b(!iiove on Him who should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus; and when (dr) they heard (the pror.ciiiiifj; of John conccruia!; Christ) they were bapHzcd (by John) in the )iame of the Lord Jesus.' The lifth verse, therefore, does not express the act of Paul, or acertaia re-baptisin ; but in verse 0th it follows, concerning' the act of Paul, that he ' laid his hands oa them,' &.c.t Br^rt says, " 'i'he particle men — necessarily answers to the j)arti('le dc, and in no wise, (I say in no wise,t) suffers that we should break the series of this discourse, as as if the former part were to be attributed to Paul, and the latter to Luke, the writer." The divi- sion of the sentence into distinct verses, the insertion of a period where there should be only a semicolon, and the addition of the word this^ which is not in the orijjinal, have tended to pro- duce a wrono- impression on the minds of gene- ral readers. II The Greek words men and de, * Calvin also mfiinlainecl the same. Inst. B. iv. C. xv. 18. iSo did likewise ilic Geneva Traiislalois, in he. t Glassii Pkilologia Sacra, Lib. iii. Tractat. vii. Canon xiv. t " Nu/lo modo, inquam, nulla, mcdo," &.c. Beza in Acts xix. 4, 5. Ij One wonltl nadirnlly suppose, on readiny the passage without inveslisa>i«n, tliat Luke vii. 29, "And aH tlin people thai lipard (/iinj, supplied as this is in Acts.) and die puMicans, justified God, being baptized widi the baptism of John," was a remark of the Evangelist, relnlivc to tlie elFect of our Lord's previous observa- tions, (verses 26—28;) leading His hearers to apply to John fo? RESURRECTION OP CHRIST. 19 mer under ctioiis men I sentence, <1h to the vvs, that ill •er, and by ^e of Paul, !.s mm and ) l)aptized 'X unto the Him wlio ist Jesus ; iff of John (l)y JoJin) ifth verse, " Paul, or it follows, 'laid Iiis e particlo [c de, ajid ^crs that >urse, as to Pan J, 'lie divi- des, the he only ord this, to pro- of ffenc- and de, cv. 18. So on xiv. ■a ill Acts fe without that heard ified God, ark of the s observa- Jofan fo7 wiiich unite verses 4th and .'itli, connect tlie parts of tiie same setiteni'e, lik!y main- tained by (ilassius anil Bt/a, more than two lumdred years a^o. If, h»)wever, it be still resohitely insisted on, that these persons were ba|)ti/( d aixaia, the most rational cause to be assii-iied for it, is, their ig- norance (ver. 2,) at tlie time of their former baptism- This, therefore, w'lW tend to establish the fact, that instruction must precede baptism. Surely, then, Pcdobaptists ought not to blame us for baptizing, after instruction and conversion, those whom their ministers have professed to baptize w!iile in a state of entire ignorance. The hdijjtism of the llohj Ghost (p. 13,) was indeed distinct from that of John ; but it was baptism. " But," as Dr. Cami)l)pll oh.eprves, " lliis cannot bo llie sense ; for John was Ih^n. as we loarn from fllallh. xi. 2. in prison, wliore he remaiiieci till liis cloath. — Resides, it was John's office to !>riiig' dispjpjrs to Jrsiis — ;iiireccding ver'^e, be properly considert-d as a continuation of the discourse o( Paul ? * See Malih. iii. 11. ix. 37. xxvi. 41. Acts i. b. v. 23. 1 I i SIO BAPTIRM nF.FORE TIIi: I i! rqiinlly distinct from thnt ndministcred by tlio "Apostles.* lluviii^ thiiH noticed the bnptiMm of Jolin, nnd shewn that it nfTords no Himdow of countciiunce to infant baptism ; nnd that onr anthor's method of treatinrr. (J. seems in do»d)t whe- ther to regard this us Christian baptism, asbearinif a "close affinity to that of Jidin," or as distinct from both ; yet he does not, of course, deny, that it was commenced before llu! close of John's ministry. He appears to think, however, that it miijfht extend to both " adults and infants." Let us examine the scripture account. " Jesus made and baptized mor*; tlisci|)les than J(din, (thous^h Jesus himself baptized not, but Hi» dis- ciples. ")t It is certain that these persons were not made discijiles by baptism ; because, accord- ing to the plain injport of l!.o statement, they were not baptized till after iney had be(!n made disciples, which consecpiently must have been done by instruction. Since, therefore, infants cannot be made disciples by instruction, (nor in any other Avay) it is evident that they were not baptized. This view is confirmed (if a fact so obvious can receive confirmation) by a passajrc urj.!;cd with peat confidence by Mr. G. (p. 37^ 38, 88—93,) in support of infant baptism; viz. Mark x. 13 — U). " And they brought young children to him that he should touch them : and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Je- sus saw 7*/, he was much displeased, and said * See Ai - X. 44, 47, 43. xi. 15, IG. t See John. ' '^2-24, ?6. iv. 1,2. nEsi'nnixTioN op ciiRiflT. 21 unto tlicm, SiitlVr tlic little cliiMreii lo rome unto me, aiKi lorliid tlicni not : (or of hiicIi jh thv kiii^doni of (iotl. Vnily I m\y iiiu.i you, >\ ho- Bofver hIiiiII not irccivp the l\iiiuiri of ' ehildreii ; for i'" t| \ had dimv sf ehildren wvvv not hroiiphl lor hap- tism, and they did not r<'eeiv(( it.f Indet'd Mr (». distinctly eoneedes this (:}7, hH,) ; hut In; <*n- deavours to lU'.eount lor it hy alleiiini»' (p. HI,) that " (.'hristian haptism was not yet instituted." It is certain, however, that prior to this time Christ's disciples hapti/.ed hy His authority, and under Jli.s dir<>ction, so that lie is said to have hapti/ed those who received the orilinance at their Imnds.J If this was not " His haptism (p. 38,) whose; was it ! If no (trdiniiriee can l)e "Christian" tiuit was instituted hefore Christ's * Rev. (ieo. Jcc'cson, aware of ilie forro of this decisive argu- ment agniiiijl infant tmptism, eiidfHvoMrs lo evade it by denying that Ciirist's disciples haplizcd any diiriiii,' His personal ministry} and so translates Jolui iv.ii, " Tlmuj^li ifiilyjpsus liinnelf baptiz- ed none, but, (or except) His disciples." (A Further aUcmpl, &c. p. 1)8.) Hut. as the word rt-udercd " tism was neither enjoined ncn* intimat- ed, o)i an occasion which could hardly have failed to call forth a full and exj>ress declaration upon the subject, if the Saviour had intended that the Apostles sliould baptize infants after His resurrection. * See Mr. A. Crawford's able work on Baplism, p. 103. t " Laissez veiiir a iiini ces pelils eiifaiis, ci no los vn empechez ipoiiitj car le lloyauincdc Diou est pour ccux qui leuriessumbleHt/ CHAPTER II. THE APOSTOLIC COMMISSION. li i' 111 " Go ye therefore and teach all nations, bap- tizing thorn in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I have com- manded you : and, lo ! 1 am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." Matth. xxviii. 19, 20. " Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved ; but he that believeth not shall be damned." Mark xvi. 15, 16. Our Lord had previously commissioned the Apostles to preach and baptize ; but this was their final commission. As they had, by His command, baptized those who were previously made disciples by instruction, but had not baptiz- ed infants, (as has been shewn, and as Mr. G. concedes, p. 38, 8S,) if Jesus had designed that they should baptize infants in future. He would assuredly have given them clear and expli- cit directions in this last commission, relative to this part of their duty.* If therefore, infant baptism is not enjoined in the above cited texts, it evidently cannot rest on divine authority. Suppose, then, that these passages were to be shown to a discerning man, who had never heard * Dr. VFii/i justly observes, " The baptism, iiicleed, of the na- lioiis by ihe Aposilcs, ou^ht to be regulated by the practice of John and ofChiisl himself, (who by the hands of his disciples baptized many Jews.) rather than by any preceding custom of the Jewish nation." — Vol. i. p. 27. And ftlr. Robertson, of Bridge- town, after having considered baptism as administered by John, and by the disciples before the resurrection of Christ, makes this concession, •' In as far as we have hitherto examined the New Testament, we see cause for admitting to its fullest extent, the opinion of the Anti-pedobaptisis, that it was administered only to grown up persons."— Treatise, p. 76. i: THE APOSTOLIC COMMISSION. 27 or read anything about baptism, would he infer from them, that infants ought to be baptized 1 Would he not readily perceive, that the persons who are to be baptized must be first tavght, or have the Gospel preached to them, and believe; and consequently, that to none but believers iv this ordinance to be administered ? There are, however, several reasons assigned by our author for s.upposing, that the Apostles would understand their commission as including the baptism of infants, viz., circumcision, proselyte haptism and the meaning of the original words. Each of these, therefore, requires to be briefly considered. I. Circumcision. — It is observable, that Mr. G. when treating of John's biiptism, could clearly perceive (p. 12) " a broad distinction" between what, in his opinion, belonged to the Jewish economy, and what pertained to the Christian dispensation, " Avhich must render it impossible to reason with fairness from the one to the other, upon this point." Therefore, because he con- ceived that " the kingdom of God was not then commenced," and (p. 37) "the New dispensation had not superseded the Old," he would not admit (p. 10, 12,) that we could determine any thing about Christian baptism from that administered by John. But, after writing a few pages, he en- tirely loses sight of this "broad distinction," and tells us (p. 39) that " the kingdom of God was always essentially the same," and that (p. 31,) "the rite by which they [the Jews] were admit- ted into God's Church, was to them precisely what baptism is to us." It seems, then, that the baptism which God commanded John to admi- nister, which was wholly distinct from the rites of the ceremonial law, and which Christ sanc- tioned as being from heaven,* is to be considered * See John i. 6, 33. Mallh. iii. 13—17. xxi. 25. 28 THE APOSTOLIC COMMISSION. ! 'iii ■' as SO intimately connected witli the Jewish dis- pensation, that we can learn jiothina: iiom it in reference to the same ordinance as administered, by the A]»ostles soon aftcr>vdrds; but a rite en- tirely ditlcrejit, enjoined on Ahraiiani and his carnal male olVsj)rini^ nearly tAvo thousand years boibro, and incor[)orated with the ceremonial law,* (p. 8.'5) " is to be our rule and j>uide," in relercnce to Chri,!stianl)a])tism. Is not this truly an extraordinary mode ol" rcasoninjjc 1 IJocs not the a(h)|)ti()n of it evince, that our author was compelled to involve a })iain iiubjcct in obscurity, in order to furnish an arfiunicnt that may appear j)lp.n.sible to «(»ine, in support of a sentiment im- b>il)ed Irom tlic .'•tronf.v prejudice of education, cherished l)y jxipuhu* opiiii«>ii, and strc'njj;thcned by many ]M)\i crfid inchu-cnirnts ? It is vecll known, that from this mode of rea- sonin*'; by way of an.alo<>y from .lewish rites, (topl^ether with, ancient history) the lioman Ca- tholics derive their principal ari';)imeutsinsup])ort of numero\is ceremonies added to iIk; orihnances of the ?sew Testament. Protestants ouirht, there- fore, to be very cautious aliout a(1mil;tin«r a prin- ciple, or a mode of reasoning, wbich, when once admilteil, a (lords s|)ecious [jretexts ibr a multi- tude of ujiscriptural and sui)crstitious ceremonies. WliiU;, however, no su])posed analojiy can be safely coiisidcred as furnishing' an ariiument, if any similitude may be thoujiht to exist between circumcision ami baj)tism, in reference to the subjects, this is obviously the most natural : — 'Circumcision was enjoined on Abraham's carnal seed, and baptism is incumbent on his si)iritual' seed.' To say ' that circumcision was enjoined on Abraham's carnal seed, and that therefore- baptism is incumbent on his spiritual seed, and' their carnal seedy is incongruous and inconsistent, in the extreme. * Gen, xvii. 10. Lev. xii.3. Iobn,vii..22,, »N. THK APOSTOLIC COMMISSION. S9 Jewish dis- nc: from it in administered, lit a rite eii- 'am ami his ^usaml years ceremonial ' yiiitlc," in if)t this truly ? JJoes not aufJior was n obscurity, in;ty ajjiiear Jtimoiit im- ediictition, reiii-thcned >d(! of rea- ivish rites, ^oman Ca- in support •rdiiiaiiccs !i'ht, th cre- dit" a prin- vlien once a muJti- rcmonies. y can be "aent, if between e to the lural : — '■•^carnal •'^})i ritual' 'Jijoined icrefore- ed, and' iisistent But, do our Pedobaptist brethren themselves make the law of circumcision their " rule and guide" with regard to baptism ? Certainly not. They generally admit, that baptism requires both faith and repentance in the adults who receive it ; but circumcision required neither.* They extend baptism to female infants, f but circumci- sion was restricted to males. The circumcision of infants was fixed precisely U])on the eighth dfiy4 without any allowance to hasten it in the prospect of death, or to delay it for convenience ; but the Council of Carthage decided (]). C6, 07,) that the rule of circumcision should not be fol- lowed, but that infants might be baptized as soon as they were born ; while it is often delayed by Pedobajjtists for yeirs. It was allowable for a female to perform circumcision, || while this is not approved by Protestant Pcdoba};tists in regard to baptism. Many Pedobaptists strenuously main- * Thougli Mr. G. ndmils, (p, 23) " llint iiistriiclion and cordial failli — must preccih^ l>n|)lj,sin in the case of adults,^' yet lie maintains (p. IOj) llial when a masler believes, his aduil servants, ■whether helicvers or not. (n\g}\i to be baptized with him. ll is presumed, however, that IVdobaplisis generally will not subscribe lo this last position. I'ut Abraiiam was directed to circumcise "all the men of his iinuse," wiihoul exception, and he certainly did so. Gen. xvii. 13, 23, 27. Exod. xH. 48. t The language of ihe Apostle, (Gal. iii. 2") " There is neither male nor female; for ^e arc nil one in Christ Jesus," evidently has no reference to the carnal ollspring of believers j but it does shew, that such females as are in Christ, being neiv creatures, (2 Cor. V. 17) have -->:; equal right with believing males to Chris- tian ordinances. The cavil, therefore, about female communion, is utterly groundless. It might with just as much propriety be alleged, that females are not bound to keep ilie seventh Com- mandment ; for every Hebrew scholar knows, that it is expressed in the masculine gender only. 'J"he commanci, " 'I'his do in re- membrance of me," (Luke xxii. li),) was given to the twelve neither as Apostles or as nudes, but as disciples ; and it is obvi- ously incumbent on all' the disciples of Christ, whether male or female, without distinction. (See JMatth. xxviii. I'J, 20. Acts viii. 12. XX. 7, ' 1 Cor. xi. 23, 21,28 ) In the last cited text, the word rendered " man" {anthropos) may signify either a man or a wo»- man^ like our English word person. t Gen. xvii. 12. Lev, xii. 3. Luke i. 59. John vii. 22, 23, II Ex9d. iv. 25.. C2 30 THE APOSTOLrC COMMTSSlWW:' tain, tliat cliildnMi must not be ])a])tizcd nnlesis- one of tlioir parents is a believer ; bnt no Israel- itisli cbild ronltl bo denied circunu'isioii, though botli bis |)!ueMts bad been notoriously impious unbelievers. Cirenmeision amoiijjtbe Israiditcs was a iiationdi marlc ; but br.ptism is re<:a rded by Pedobaptists as an initiatory rite, by wbieh per- sons are admitted into Christian eburehcs. Cir- cumcision was an end)lein ol" the renewal of the heart; bat baptism is a reprcseiitatitm of the wasbin'j^ away of sins, and of the union of be- lievers with (Jhrist in His death, burial, and re- surrection.* It is evident, thereiore, that they themselves depart from tlie hnv of cireumeision in rei^iu'd to the (juaiifieations refpiired in adults, tl»e sex, the an:e ol" infants, tlie administrator, the parentiiii":', and the object of the ordinance. Of what avail, ti.en, are all "Mr. (Jr;iy's iiim^inary traces of annlony, (p. 4'2— 4.">, Klo—l !0,) since he and his brethren deviate so Avidely froiu their own rule ? As oI)served on another occasion, it is not in- cumbent on \\s to jirovc a n{!.Tative. Bnt, while our ojiponeiits cannot ])roduce even any {)hiusiblc evidoacc to sustain their affirmative position, (p. 45,) that " l)aj)tism has taken the jjlace of cir- cunu'ision," va^ can evince its incorrectness by conclusive ar^nuncnts. 1. Had il hecn so, thrrc, were (Itjfcrrnt occasions on wlilrli thr Apoiitlm, ti:fio inusf .'Oirchj hai'c hiown it, coiihl not liaiw. faiU.d to state. jdalnJij, in effect y that ^^hapiisvi has tnhcntltr place of cirrvmrision.''^ Mr. fr. indeed sn])poses (p. 44,) that in (,'ol. ii. 11 12, there v/as " in the Apostle's mind the amilo- ^y^ ^cc Rut certainly the mere ]nention of different thinL!s in the same passajie, docs not indicate that the latter has taken the place of the* *"Deut. XXX. G. Rom. ii. 29, Acts xxii, 16. Komi vi. 3,4 •'Mi •tized imlef/s- iiit no Israel- ^ioM, lliounrll i'ly iui|)ious Jie IsracJitcs ^•ejiardcclby ^ wliich per- l-flics. Cir- ( " nl of tJie 'ifiii of the I'ion of be- '»!> and re- N tliat tliey ii"f"iiKi.sion 'tNii adults, strator, the IIMIICO. Of iiiianijiary *J siiK'c he i'iojn their is not in- ^:plicit statement of this, would have imme- diately settled the Mhole controversy. This .statement, tluM-efore, woidd certainly have been made. Had xMr. (i. been i)resent, with the views which he now maintains, woidd he not have made it, and so have decidetl the matter at once ? But among all the arguments adduced, there was no intimation of the kind.t In Paul's Kpistles, also, there are many argu- ments against the circunu-ision of the (Bcntiles.^ Among these, or rather instead of all these, he unquestionably would have written distinctly to this eifect, if it had l)(;en so, "iJrethrcn, you have no need to bo circu'mcised, for you linve been baptized, and " baj)tism has taken the place of circumci.'^ioii'" 15ut, v, hat;ner it may be fancied that he " had in his mind," it cannot be pretend- ed that lie has any v.liere made such, a state- meiit ; nor that it was ever made by any inspired writer. If baptism had been considered as oceujjying the place of circumcision, hou- came Peter to decline, ior a time, to cat with baptized Gentiles, on accoinit of their bcinu: uncircumciicd ? (Gal. ii. 11, 12.) *Seel Cor. vi. II. Phil, iii.5, G. t Acts XV. 1, 2, T), 7, 20, 21—29, $Rom. iv.y— 12. 1 Cor. vii. 18,19. Gal. ii. 3/1 /liii 14,^.1—6'/ II i; 92 THE APOSTOLIC COMMISSION. WHli! !;ji Ji'l:' '4 I I' 2. One thing cannot take the place of anothir till ihc former is taken aivay. Now, it is certain, that the believing Jews continued to circumcise their children ;* iind therefore it is equally certain, that they did not have them baptized instead of bein«;j circumcised. " Noinfjenuity can evade the evidence thus afl'ordcd" (p. 44) that " bajitism has [not] taken tlu; place of circumcision." Though the Ai)ostles would Jiot allow the Gentile con- verts to be circumcised, we have no intimation that they attempted to ])revent the circumcision of JcAvish children. It is manifest, also, that all the male Jews who were baj)tized by these inspired servants of Christ, had been ])reviously eircumscised ; and consequently, that the one rite was not perform(!d instead of the other. 3. The Gentile converts were clirected, in evident reference to eircu?ncision, to '^observe no such thing.^^ The report concerninjr Paul, which j)rincipally disquieted the believin<>" Jews, a])])ears obviously to have been, that he tuu<;ht, " that they ought not to circumcise their children." It was, therefore, un(piestionably with reference to circunieision, which was the main subject under consideration, that it was said, " As touching the Gentiles which l)elieve, Ave have Avritten and concluded, that they observe no such thing." t This certainly could not have been said, if baptism, which they were to observe, had taken the place of circum- cision. Having thus clearly shewn, that circumcision and baptism arc distinct ordinances, and that the law respecting the one can furnish no direc- tion with regard to the other, a few remarks with reference to the Ahrahamic covenant, as it is called, may suffice. * Acisxv.1,5. xxi. 20— 24. t Ads xxi. 21, 24, 25, ]f frnothr tilt <'ci'tain, that imicise their iJJy certain, d instead of 111 evade the haptism lias Though I entile con- intinuition ire II incision > also, tliat ;d by tlieso ])reviously it the one other. , m evident nch tiling.'' )rineipalJv obviously ouglit not tJiorcfore, inii vision, "deration, es which ed, that :crtainly ich they circum- iincision uid that o direc- emarks ^t, as it TUB APOSTOLIC COMMISSION. 33: It is not drnicul by our author (p. 124, 125,) that the " coveiuiut" which the Ajiostle says, "was contiriMcd before ol" (lod in Christ four hundred and thirty vrais" be lorrabani, or revealed to hiin, a nuMd)cr ol" years In fore circunjcision was enjoined.* It is obviojis, also, that llic calliiif^ of the covmaMt of circunicisiou " an cvcrlastini^ covenant," docs not |)r()vc it to be llu; covenant of f»race, or tli(! " new covcnanl," since precisely the same expression is \\thh\ in reference to the possession of the land of Canaan. t The proiuif-Jc ol* Cod to Abraham nnrpiestion- ably included a niniicrons olt'sprinu" accordinu'to the llc.-li, and also, as the iatiu'r of the faitlilul, a vast mjillitude of spiritual (bildren. Some that wer(! bis literal descendants, became like- wise \\ui cbildren by I'aitb ; but the distinct i(Mi be- tween bis carnal and bis spirilnal seed, which is plaiidy marked in !Scii|>tnrc, oii'ibt always to be carefully borne in mind, when any reference is made; to the covtnmnt, ov |)r()n)ises, relative to Abraham's seed, jl: is obvious tliat tln^ promises of tem|)oral blcssin^;s, as of the liantl of Cuiuiau literally, could beion.*' only to Al»rabanj'» seed according: to the fiesh. 7\nd it is certain, that the prondse of s])iritual \t essini;'s, as of divine con- solation and eternal life, can beloni!; only t() his spiritual seed, that is, all true believers, whether Jews or (» entiles. '* Therefore," says the Apes- tic, " it is of faith, that it might be by jrrace ; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed ;: not to that only Avliieh is of the law, but to that also which is of the laith of Abraham, who is the father of us all — and if ye be Christ's, tlien are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs accordinj^ to the 'SeeGen.xii. 1—3. xv.2, 17— 21. xvii. 2— 8. Gal. iii. 14— 18,. and Drs. Gill and A. Clarke on Gal. iii. 17. t Geii, xvii. 7, 8. Ps.. cv. a— 11.. II ii II I : II :i I"' r; ' ,11 THE APOSTOLIC COMMISSION. promiso.* Ncmic, tlierrforo, cnn he scripturnlly c()iisi(lc'r(!(I ns Ahrahnin'.s spiritual scchI, or as in- t«rcst('(l ill the new covenant, but those in whose hearts th(^ hiw of (Jod is written. t ('onsecpiently, all att(Miipts to extend any promise made to Abra- ham to file eurnal and nnreji;«;n(!rate ofVsprin^ of his spiritual seed amon<^ tlu^ (irntiles, are both ineoriirruouH and directly o|iposed tu the plain dc'clarations of ludy writ.| That, in accordance with the lanfruaj^e of in- Mpiratioiijl (p. Sir*, !>(>,) an especial divin<' blessing frecpiently attends the families of jiions parcMits, who diliycntlv ami in'averfullv instruct and ad- monish their childriMi, and set an exam})le of piety before tlunn, is a deliijhtful I'act, which should stimulate and encoura;ji^e |)areiits in the faithful discharii^c of parental duly. This is il- lustrated and conlirmcd by numerous instancea in na])tist families, within the circle of the wri- ter's ac(juaintanc(;. I'liis favour, therefore, is not obtained in conse(pi(!nce of the children beinj^ externally in the " Abrahamic covenant," or their rcceivinfj ba|)tism in infancy ; but it is conferred by the divine bl<\ssin the arjiunient which he attempts to draw, (p. ;i!) — 42, lOlJ — |:JH,) from the alleged attempts of the Jewish and ChriMtiaii churches. Instead of enterin*];; int. I :1 iSni:! 'Ill i 'fi! ! 11 iiilil iiiiii ^;i I 36 THE APOSTOLIC COMMISSION. «earch the Old Testament in vain to find either the phrase, or any society that can be reasonably con- sidered the same as a New Testament church. Our Translators, in reference to the Israelitish people, includinj^ the pious, and the ungodly, have properly used the term " assembly" or *' congre<;ation."* The dissimilarity between this coii|L>reei'iine!is of discipline in his "Jewish ciiurch," n'tiinely, the pxeciuion of malel'actois ! (Lev. xx. 2, 7 \ xxiv. 14 ; Dout. xiii. 10 ; xvii. 5; xxi. 21 ; Josli. vii. 25.) Indeed, 1 see not how any man who cliooscs to continue in a '' national vhurch," (embracing the nation) ran i)e excluded from it, unless lie be citiier put to deatli, or banished from the nation. X Jude 4; Acts v. 1, 2 ; viii. 13 ; Gal. ii. 4. ||Rom. xvi.' 17, 18; I Cor. v. 5, 7, 11— 13; 2Tlies. iii. 6. Can any reasonable person imajjine, that the Apostle would prohibit the pious from eating a common meal (ICor. v. 11) with a man ■on account of his immorality, (p. 293) and yet require tliem lo •cal the Lord's Supper with the same immoral character ? D ''I*. :! I' 38 THE APOSTOLIC COMMISSION. the Apostle Peter addresses the members of Christian churches generally " as lively stones — a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices."* The conversion of multitudes of Gentiles is, indeed, predicted as a great increase of the people of God ;t and believing Jews and Gentiles are represented as forming one body under the Gos- pel dispensation,! (p. 89 — 41,) ; hut this by no means proves, that what constituted a member of the congregiition of Israel, would also consti- tute a member of a Christian church ; Avhich has been shewn to be contrary to matter of fact. Neither can the identity of Christian churches with the Jewish people be proved (p. 39, 134,) from the consideration, that those Jews who persisted in unbelief were deprived of their re- ligious [)rivileges, whih' believing Gentiles were admitted to a partici])ation of tlie blessings of the Gospdl. (Rom. xi. 15 — "24.) Dm. Ilcuiimond and Doddridge, two celebrated Pedobaptist Commen- tators, understand the statemcjit, " If the first- fruit be holy, the lump also is hob) ; and if the root be holy, so are the branches," as denoting that the salvation of a 1^e\y of the I[obrews might be considered a pledge of the future conversion of the nation generally. t)r. Whitby thus para- phrases the text ; — " For if (the patriarchs, who' toere) the first-fruits (of them) be (were) holy, (called and separated to the service of God from all the people of the earth) the luini) (of the whole na- tion) is also (in God^s designation) holy ; and if the root (of them, viz. Abraham) be (was) holy (and beloved of God) so are the branches (also beloved still for the fathers^ sake, and so ivill be once more, in His good time, admitted to His fa- vour." Other Pedobaptist Expositors also, as * Heb. ix. 1 ; x. 1 ; John xviii. 36 ; 1 Pel. ii. 6. + Isa. xlix.22; liv. 2, 3 ; Ix. 1—3. i Acts XV. 14—17} Rom. xv. 8—12; Epli. iii. 6. THE APOSTOLIC COMMISSION. 90 the Geneva Translators, Glassius, Mr. Scott, and Mr. G. himself (p. 134,) regard " the root" as denoting Ahrahain. Whatever opinion may be formed with reference to the other parts of the allegory,* it is certain that uncircnmcised Gen- tiles can be engrafted, and so obtain union with this " root," only by faith." (Verse 20. Gal. iii 7, 9, 14.) This passage is, therefore, so far from teaching the sameness of the Jewish congrega- tion and the Christian churches, that it evinces exactly the contrary : since it shews us, that be- lievers only, whether Jews or Gentiles, constitute the latter, while Jews, Avhether believers or not, composed the former. In accordaijce with this view, the Apostle Paul represents Christ as eflecting a great revolution by making " in himself of twain [believing Jews and Gentiles] one new man." It also accords with the prerliction of the prophet Daniel, which evidently marks a striking change at the com- mencement of the Gospel dispensation — " In the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom." So the prophet Isaiah, speaking to the Jewish people, says, " The Lord God shall slay thee, and call His servants by another name."t Having thus shewn, that circumcision, with the collateral arguments urged from the Abrahamic * Must the figure of an " olive tree" be necessarily employed by Jeremiah (xi. IG) and Paul in precisely the same sense ? Have not the Psalmist and the Saviour used the figure of a " vine." iu senses entirely diflercnt? (Ps. Ixxx. 8; John xv. 5.) Is there any incongruity in considering the believing Jews (of whom Abraham was the " root" spiritually as well as naturally, and who constituted, not the Jewish congregation under the law, but the first Christian churches,) as '• the good olive tree," from which the unbelieving Jews, — branches springing naturally from Abra- ham, weie " broken off," and into which the believing Gentiles were '•' graffed" by faith, so that '' the blessing of Abraham" came upon them ? With Kom. xi. 13—27, compare Isa. vi. 13; Rom. ix.27— 2y ; xi. 1,2.3— 7 j 1 Thes. ii. 14; Luke xxiv. 47 ; Acts xiii.46— 48; Gal. iii. 14; Eph. i. 12, 13: ii. 14— 22} iii. 6. t Eph. ii. 13 } Dan. ii. 44 ; Isa. ixv. 15. :'|! 1 '. ym mi M^i 40 THE APOSTOLIC COMMISSION. covenant and tlie alleged sameness of the con- j^regation of Israel and Christian churches, af- fords no countenance to infant baptism, and that there is no reason to imagine it would lead the Apostles to understand their connnission as ex- tending to infants, I proceed to notice other reasons as assigned by our author. II. Proselyte Baptism. When two pleas, in- compatible with each other, are urged in support of any cause, the urging of the one necessarily destroys the other. If the Apostles had adopted infant baptism from circumcision, they could not have adopted it from the baptism of proselytes. But Mr. (j. as if distrustful of either of these arguments, urges both. Speaking of the custom of the Jews with regard to proselyte baptism, ho says (p. 83,) " They applied the rite to parents and cliildren, adults and infants, without distinc- tion. — We conclude, therefore, that previous cus- tom would naturally lead them [the Apostles] to baptize the infants with their parents." To this argument, however, plausible as it may appear, there are several insuperable objections. I. No satisfactory proof has yet been adduced, that proselyte baptism was introduced as early as Christian baptism. Many Pedobaptists have thought so ; but on what does their opinion rest I It is not pretended that there is any mention of it in the Scriptures, the Apocrypha,. Josephus, or Philo. Dr. Jennin!Ts, a learned Pedobaptist, who had diligently studied the antiquities of the Jews, says, " It remains to be proved, not only that Christian baptism was instituted in the room of proselyte baptism, but that the Jews had any such baptism in our Saviour's lime. The ear- liest accounts we have of it are in the Mishna and Gemara ; the former compiled, as the Jews as- sert, by Rabbi Juda, in the second century j THE APOSTOLIC COMMISSION. 41 though learned men in general bring it several centuries lower ; the latter not till the seventh century."* Rev. H. Home, an eminent Pedo- haptist, says, " There are no traces of Jewish proselyte baptism earlier than the middle of the second centuri/.^^f And Dr. John Gale, a learned Baptist, has largely shewn, that the authorities cited are either too obscure, too unworthy of r.edit, or of too recent date, to afford ony con- vincing evidence, that Jewish proselyte baptism was in.troduced as early as the commencement of the Christian dispensation.! 2. If it had existed, tkz Apostles would not have adopted it, since it must haiic. been a mere human tradition. They hal heard their Divine Master express His strong disapprobation of tlic tradi- tions of the Jews. II Is it, then, by any means credible, that these faithful and inspired servants of Christ would have adopted one of these super- stitious additions to the 1 iw, which required only tlie circumcision of proselytes.§ If, however, Pedobaptists will resolutely main- tain, (for want of better arguments,) that prose- lyte baptism was introduced before the Christian era, and that infant baptism was adopted from it, the following consequences must be admitted : — 1 . The Saviour did not instruct his Apostles to baptize infants. Had He done so, they could have had no need to refer to Jewish customs in order to ascertain the path of their duty in regard to this subject. To imagine that the extent of a positive Christian institution was to be learned only from its supposed analogy to a Jewish un- authorized tradition, is inconsistent in the ex- treme. • Jewish Antiquities, Book I. chap, iii, p. 92, 93 94. t Imroduclion, vol. iii. p. 261. i Reflections, Letters ix. x. See also Dr. Chapin's StricfurcA^ p. 27-33. II Math. xv. 3, 6, 9 ; Mark vii. 6—13. $ Exod. xii. 4». d2 4^ tHE ATOSTdLlC COMlVriSStCfN*;^ 2. Infant baptism was introduced without Divint authority. It is not pretended that the Jews had any command from God to baptize the infant children of proselytes. And yet it seems, this practice, with many other unauthorized additions to the divine law, has been introduced, at some period, by their leading men. Mr. Gray's ob- jections, then, against the supposition, that infant' baptism could have been introduced after the" days of the Apostles, may be answered by apply- ing his questions (p. 164,. 165,) to the case in regard to the Jews : — " Where have we any de-- claration in their writings that sufchan alteration- was made ? Where an account of any discussion that arose in regard to it ? Where any hint that it was a novel custom ?'* &c. 3. Pedobaptists depart uxidely. from their own rule. At whatever time this practice was intro- duced, it is generally agreed, that unregenerate adult children and servants, as well as infants^ were baptized with the master of the family — that the children horn to parents after they be-- came proselytes, were not baptized — and that the rite was invariably performed by the immer- sion of the whole body in water.* As it cannot be requisite to enlarge on a sub- ject so plain, I proceed to notice our author's third principal argutnent, viz : III. The meaning of the original words of the Commission. If the word* of the commission contained in- structions to baptize infants, the Apostles could have no occasion to infer this duty from either circumcision or proselyte baptism* Our author, therefore, by urging this last plea, has virtually * Dr. Wall, vol. i. p. 6, 1, U, 18 ; Dr. Jennings' Jewish Anti- quities, p. 90, 91 ; Dr. Hammond <>ii Mauh iii. 1 ; Dr. Whilbr «m Math. iii. 16, & John iii. '23 ; Or. Lighifoot in Df, A.; Clarke's^ Ceok. OD Mark xvi. L6.. w: THE APOSTOLIC COMMISSION. 43 ithout Divint the Jews had B the infant seems, this ed additions ed, at some Gray's ob- i» that infant d after the >d by apply- he case in we any de- fi alteration ' discussion ly hint that their own was intro- regenerate as infants, family — ' they be- -and that 'he immer- on a sub- author's ds of the lined in- es could n either r author, virtually *isb Anti- >r. Wliitbr U Clarke V abandoned both the former. It is not strange that he has not adventured to rest his cause upon either of tliem ; for it has been clearly shewn, that neither of them affords the slightest degree of countenance to infant baptism. All that re- mains, then, in reference to the commission, is, to examine this last argument, which is profes- sedly drawn from the import of the words used. Mr. G. observes, (p. 84,) '* Jesus does not say, " Go, disciple, baptize and teach," '* but, '* Go, disciple ; How 1 Baptizing and teaching ;" the two latter terms being comprehended under the first."* It would seem, according to this theory, that only one duty was enjoined on the Apostles, viz : to " disciple" all nations, by baptizing them,- previously to giving them any instruction, and teaching them subsequently, in order to make disciples of them. The glaring inconsistency of this, with the import and order of the words,, with " common sense," and with the recorded proceedings of the Apostles, is too manifest to require an elaborate exposure. There are, indeed, instances in which a parti- ciple followilig a verb in the imperative mood, expresses the manner of fulfilling the command. But there are numerous instances in which a participle following a verb in the imperative mood, denottts a distinct action, so that it may be properly turned into the imperative. Thus in Acts xxi. 31, " Watch, (mnemoneuontes ) remembering,^^ the par- ticiple is correctly translated " and remember.'* In Rom.xii. 14 — IG, (he imperative is followed by two infinitives and three participles, which are all properly translated in our version by the impera- tive — " Rejoice-^weep— be of the same mind—' * This 'fallacious argument has been urged also by Rev. Geo. Jackson, in his " Further AUeinpt," &o. p. 63. It is likewisef well known to be a main pillar in the scheme of a modern secf that baptize adults in order to regeneration and the forgiveness of >i)». 44 THE APOSTOLIC COMMISSION. I'r V iillli (mephrnnountcs, not minding y) mind not — condes- cend." In the end of the IGth verse the Apostle u^ain eniph)ys the imperative (me ginesthe) "he not," after which follow four participles, [apodi- dontcs — pronooumenoi — eircueuontes — me ekdikoun- tcs) which our vcnerahle Translators have judi- ciously rendered in the imperative, "Recompense — provide — live peaceably — avenge not." They are likewise so rendered, as evidently denoting actions quite distinct from the imperative which they follow, by Luther, Ostervald, Diodati, tho Hebrew Translator, and Drs. Doddridge and Macknight. Who sees not, that when it is said, •' Let tliem pray over him, anointing him with oil," "Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God — casting all your care upon Him,"* there are actions enjoined by the participles altogether different from those commanded by the impera- tives which precede them ? So in Matth. xxviii. 19, 20, as the participle (poreuthentcs) " going," is translated in the im- perative " Go," (baptizontes) " baptizing" may be properly rendered and baptize. Lideed, it is so rendered by the Hebrew Translator, by Tre- mellius from the Syriac, and by Luther, who expresses the sense thus — " Und taufct sicy i. o. and dip them." The correctnees of this view, and the fallacy of the criticism by which it is maintained, that people are to be made disciples by baptizing them, are manifest from the statement, thai "Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John," (John iv. [2,) whence it is evident, that these persons were first made disciples by in- struction, and were subsequently baptized. Indeed, our opponent has desvroyed his own cri- ticism by admitting (p. 87,) " that the example of * James v. 14 j 1 Pet. v. 6. See also Eph. v. 18—22 ; vi* 17;. 18 i Col. iii. 16, 17, 23, 24 ; I Pet. v. 9. ^iili: i jr L\ ,;'r ON. not — condes- e the ApostJe inesthe) ''he ipies, {apodi- •me ekdikoun- s Jiavc judi- '^ecoinpenso not." Tiicy 'y denotiijgr ative which >ioduti, the drid^o and 'n it is said, r him witJi iglity hand m,"* there altogether le impera- participJc n the im- ing" may «ed, it is by Tre- ler, who sie, i. o. 3 fallacy »ed, that aptizing nt, that es than nt, that by in. d. 3wn cri- mple of ; vi. 17;. THE APOSTOLIC COMMISSION. 45 the Apostles tenches us that, in the case of adults, we ought to demand a credible pr' fesj^ion of faith. And this demand ncro,«pariiy excludes those adults who cannot afford this evidence of their title to this ordinance."* Certainly, then, adults were not to be made disciples by baptism, but by previ(ius instruction ; and then to mani- fest tluir faith, or disciplcship, by submission to that ordinance. How could he, alter this ad- mission, {illirni (p. 78, 105,) that the Saviour "commisioned His A|)()stles to go forth and bap- tise all nations ?" Did Christ direct them, (as Mr. G. suggests, \i. 87,) to baptize all nations, with the " exception" of adult unbelievers ? Certaiidy not ; but first to " teach," or make disciples by teaciiiii«j,', and subsetpicntly to bap- tize those who, bein<>' effectually taught, believed the Gospel. Some Pedobaptists, a\vare that the term "teach" is utterly ii!aj)plica!)le to unconsciou^j babes, and that it entirely excludes the possi- bility of their being included in the commission, have endeavoured to substitute some other word, as " proselyie"t " disciple," (fcc. Rut that the word (mathdcuo) necessarily includes the idea of tcac/iiitff or instruction, and therefore cannot 1)0 pro|)erly used in reference to any who arc incapable of being taught, has been fully evinced by Dr. Cede 4' ^md neither Dr. Wcdl,\\ nor Mr. G. has produced a solitary instance in which it is employed with regard to infants. With what • Mr. Riherlson, of BridgelDwii, adinils, " That only adults were bnplizcMJ in liie first insiaiico, and dial a belioviiig' mind was a necessary preparation in the first converts." Treatise, p. 80. t " To make a proscl.v tc," is not expressed in Greek by mathe- teno, but by '• poiesai prosehiton." JVldlth. xxiii. 15. The use of the words " prosolyio" and '■ disciple," as verbs, is disapproved of in Dr. Johnston s Dictionary, (llondon Ed. 1837,) the former being said t(> be " a bad word," and the latter, " not in use." Bee also Dr. G. Campbell on Mallh. xxviii. 19. t Reflections, Letters vii, viii. U Defence, chap. vii.. 46 THE APOSTOLIC COMMISSION. I;'! :!iiti ill shew of consistency, tlien, can it be mnintnined that it here refers to infants, in direct opposition to the well known, established, and constant usasej)h of Arirna- thca," of whom it is said, that lie " was Jesus' disciple " It is manifest that he became so by instruction, and not by baptism ; since we are informed that he was " a disciple, but secretly," (John xix. JJH,) which leads us to the njitural conclusion, that lie had not bt'cn baptized. In Acts xiv. '^1, we are told, that Paul and Barna- bas {mafhctritsuntcs) " had taufjht many." This they evidently had done by " prca('hiniit .sceretlj," ' tlie natural •iipf'zcd. In and Barna- 'i"7." Tills mU'tlie Gos- "lei part of ^'on ten dif- |»(^nt, made I>laccs, in 'luian, and words siff- ])eriy ren- l)serves in I't instruc- ich it was nd sul)niit mitted to rt ;" and anifestJy nctjj en- quite Jimit- he sense i» ■ phrase, iu joins his Apostles to execute with rejjnrd to the nations, to Mit, {mnihctvuiin., haptizcindiflnsktin,) that is, to convert them to the faith, to initiate the conv(!rts into the church hy haprisni, and to instruct th<; hapti/ed in all the duties of thu Christian life." The U'anied Stv kins defuu^s the word {mnthc- teun) " To ind)uc with the first principles of the (christian rcli<>ion."* Mr. W. Girrnjii/f/ ex|)lains it, "Tonuike, or cause to Ik; a disciple, hi/ iiiipllrufion, to teach, instruct. "t It ajjpears, then, that if ' what IJaptists say about tlic word ' teach' is foinided in error," (p. 29,) numerous eminent P(Mlol)a|)lists have in di- rect opjxisit'on to their own sc'Mtiments, slranjjjely falhiii int(> the same "error." Out of jnany more similar concessions tbat mijiht be easily adduced, tne f()lln\vin<»' may su(fu'»!. Dr. ffaiiniioiid 1 mis ])araplirases tin; text: — "Teach all the nations tin; Christian doctrine, and ])crsua(le them to end)race it, and to live accordinji" to it, baptizini>' them," »Scc.| Bishop Burnet remarks on tin; same ])assaire, "By the first teaching' or makinu,' of disciphis, that must <>;o before baptism, is to be m(!ant, the couvincinu of the world, that Jesus is the Christ, the true Mrssias — And wIumi any were brouiibt to acknowledj^e this, then they were to baptize them. "II Dr. Wliithy says, jMntheteucitihv.rc'i^ to prrar/i tha Gospel to all the nations, and to ena,a2;(; them to believe it, in order to their })rofession of that* faith by l)ai)tism; as seems ap])arent, 1. From the parallel commission, Mark xvi. 15. 2. From the Scripture notion of a disciple, that being still * " Primis rplizionis Clirisliancc elemenlis imbuere." Claris Nov. Test.- in Mut'.ietaio. t Gr. Lex. in Matlieteuo. X Paraphrase, &c. Ed. of 1G53. y Expos, of 39 Articles, ArU 27, p. 300. 48 Tin: APOSTOLIC jommission. I i-! !>' .'I tlio snino as a believer.* If it he said, that I ^'ield too iniicli to tlie Aiitipedoliaptisls [Haptist.s] l>y saviiij;, that to be made diseipb's here, in to be taiiuht t«t belixt : — Tcitrh nil nafion.'i — " I\lake disciples of all mitions ; whi(di means, instruct them in the f;:ilh, and i)er- fiuade them to the belief and r(!ce|)lion of it ; for liow else should men be mad(! disciples but by iiK^truetii!*;; ihcm in the doctrine ludd out to their acce|)1ai:ce. — TIu; truth is, that adults could only l)e .s|)(dven of i:i the text; and the ri<;ht of tim eiiildrcn of believers rests on other !j^roundH,| and may be sufliciently established by them."|| Do not those coiicessioiis clearly shew, that the commission ^ives no (countenance! to the bai)tisni of infants, and therefore, iti ellect, ])r()liil)its it ? Mr. («. has, indeed, Avarily cautif)ned his rea- ders, (p. 278,) "not to sufl'er" their " minds to be shaken by any bold assertions about the con- cessions of learned Pedobaptists." But these are not " bold assertions :" they are fair quota- tions, fj^iven in the express words of the writers, with full references to their respective Works.§ " Acls vi.1.2, 7; ix. 1, 10, ID, 2G, 38 ; xi. 2G. t Annointion in lor.. i or course all tlio wrilors from wlioni lliesc concessions are taken, supposed llinl infant l)a|iiism may l>e supported on .some j^ronnds •, Iml lliey conceded, at least in olToci, thai it is not con- tained ill lite commission. |1 Watson's Exposition in Inc. ^ All my quotations are lalion directly from the Works of the ruiliors cited, except where it is otherwise signified in the Notes. Passages quoted from Latin works, as those of Glasiius, Stockius, &.C. 1 translate 3 but the learned arc referred to the original Works. Bl. WiN> Xffa ION. TllK APOSTOMC TOMMIHSION. 49 C Mid, tlint r '•"tfifMnjifist.-,] ';'« 'h'IO, i^ to ^iru any ono {tiiatlttimiin) I niil)c|i(.viii|tf '"» ; « lu'tJicr ^«' tliat could 'y pi-cjiclicd, 'y t*' l»Ji])tizo t AVcsIcvrm xt:— 7Wi " nations; '•> and ])cr- " o/'it; lor |di',s I)iit |)v 'lit to tliciV could only fi''t of t)i"o tVromids,!.- tli(>jn.")| V, thattJio '' I'Mjjtism iil»its it ? I 1 1 is rca- minds to riu',lice of diiiw iiiir Miuiiiiiciits iVitiii tlic cniiccs- Hioiis of o|ij)oiiciits ; for he has professed to adduce concessions (|». I(», 'ilM,) from Professor Ripley, and Dr. (lale. If, ilien, tlic taUini; of a conccH- sion from an author, estahlishes his authority, and ol)li;Ljcs us to receive all that h<' has writ- ten in fa\our id' his own views, Mr. <•. must ad- mit that the immersion of apr(dessed believer is the only scriptural haptism ; since fhis sentiment is strenuouslv maintain«'d hy Messrs. («ale and llipley, \\honj he has (pioted. IJut, if he is not <>bli > ssions and practice, that it aifords no ci iteaaucc to tlieir own views, hut that it «loc^ !;t\ our the sentiments of their o[)p!)neuts, such concessions may be justly rejjfarded as decisive in reference to that particular word, or text. When, therefore, \hc candid and attentive render (hily cfmsiders the import ami order of the words used by our Lord, and observes, that what in one Kvanirelist is expressed by " Tcarh all nations,^* is in the other, ''^ Prcnr/t the Gospfl to every crcatiirr,^^ and that " haptizini( them,^* [the persons tausjjht] is equivalent to, ^^ he that believeth and is baptlzprW^ and with the arj^uments urged above, compares the full and cx|dicit con- cessions adduced from many eminent Pedobap- E i i 50 THE PRACTICE OP THE APOSTLES tists, including noted Lexicographers, Transla- tors and Expositors, he certainly cannot fail to arrive at the only natural and rational conclusion, viz : That tliejinal Commission which the Saviour gave to His Apostles, docs neither enjoin, counte- nance, nor even permit, the baptism of infants. CHAPTER III. m m I M THE PRACTICE OP THE APOSTLES AFTER CHRIST S RESURRECTION. Having shewn, that the Commission which the Saviour gave to His Apostles, plainly directed them to " teach" such as were capable of being taught, — to " preach the Gospel" to those who could understand it, and to baptize those, and those only, who being taught believed, I proceed to consider how they understood and fulfilled their Commission. In doing this, it is proper to examine the passages which exhibit their view, by the course which they pursued. 1. Baptism on the (lay of Pentecost. The Apos- tles first preached the Gospel, (Acts ii. 14 — 36.) The people " were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter, and to the rest of the Apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do ? Then said Peter unto them. Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins : and ye shall receive the gift ofthe Holy Ghost." (Ver. 37, 38.) Here none can fail to see, that repentance was required previously to baptism. But the next clause, " For the promise is unto you, and to your chil- dren" — is strenuously urged (p. 47, 93 — 93,) in >STLES lers, Transln- caiinot fail to al conclusion, h the Saviottv njoin, rounte- ^' infants. AFTER CHRIST S RESURRECTION. 51 '^R Christ's " which the ly directed 'e of being- tliose who f^'ose, and » I proceed id fuIfiJIecl proper to leir view, rhe Apos- • i4— 36.) 'Gfirt, and Apostles, ? Then ^>aptized * C?hrist, I receive •) Here I'equired clause, 5nr chil- 08,) in favour of infant baptism. The languapje of the Apostle, however, which immediately i'ollows — " and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call," clearly defines his- meaning', and manifestly limits the words "your children" to those who should hear the Gospel and embrace it. If Peter had intended to in- struct these people to present their infants for baptism, he would unquestionably have enjoined this as distinctly as he did their own baptism ; and the sacred historian would not Imve neglect- ed to inform us of the baptism of the young children of these converts. ]3ut, is there any intimation of the kind ? It is distinctly stated, " Then they that gladly received his word were baptized ; and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued steadfastly in the Apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." (Ver. 41 , 42.) The su))position, there- fore, that any infants were baj)tized on this oc- casion, is not only unfounded, but it is in direct and palpable opposition to the full and minute statement of the inspired writer. Mr. G. very unscripturally speaks (p. 93,) of " the promise which St. Peter makes the warrant for receiving baptism." All persons, whether Jews or Gentiles, had an ample warrant t(» receive baptism as soon as they became true i)enitents or believers ; and they alone had such warrant. But the promise referred to was evi- dently that expressed by the Apostle (ver. 38,) "And ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost ;" in which he alludes to the promise, or prophecy, mentioned ver. 17, IS. Our author has assigned no sufficient reason for supj)osing (p. 94,) " that the Apostle refers to the ]>romise made to Abra- ham," to which there is no manifest allusion in the whole discourse. Indeed, to what promise ^t ,m:/ I 52 THE PRACTICE OF THE APOSTLES ■iii'ii' 'I'!'.'' E*, ; soever the langnaijc may lie thought api)UcahIe,. it is certain tliat licHevers oiilv can " receive the promise of tlie Spirit" (or any other Ciospel pro- mise) "through faith." (Gal. iii. 14.) Because the word *' children" is used here, some are led to infer, that it muKt necessarily mean vifanfs. This, however, is a great mis- take ; for the same word {tchia) children^ is fre- quently used to denote adult desrmdants, or pos-^ tcrity. * As the Jcavs had imprecated the ven- geance of Cod on their pracious ])romise of the hestoAvuuvnt of the ^^pirit should he fulfilled, n'cn, is ire- ''^/'Vi^A-, or pos- ited the ven- is weJi as on s bJood be • ^-vvii. 25,) tJic iiracioijs J^iiit sJioiihl 'eii present, ^vho sJiouJd be conces- Idriilijf,^ hj '*^'Je hj tJio ^'■i^<^t's con- ('i-<'d from '/'" oi" the Doddridge ' to evade led Pedo- ^J^'^rds no )r- Dodd- t^icfence >c under- 'tl niueli ^'i'-'g- his »is most ' to the istinctlj;- AFTER CHRIST S RESURRECTION. 63 admits, that " these words will not prove a right of infants <^o receive baptism ; the promise men- tioned heir being that only of the Holy Ghost, mentioned verses 16, 17, 18." Drs. Hammond and A. Clarke have, in effect, conceded the same ; for they both understood the promise as referring to the Spirit predicted by Joel ; and neither of them explained the text as giving any countenance to infant baptism.* No reasonable man can imagine, that if, (as Mr. G. represents, p. 98,) the '* offspring, whe- ther adults or infants," of all believers had been baptized, the inspired writer would have stated, as he has done (ver. 47.) — " And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved." The case of Annanias and Sapphira, who appear to have subsequently joined themselves to the church, furnisl' i exception to this statement. On account t i'lr hypocrisy and falsehood, they were presently struck dead, (Acts v. 1 — 10,) and this awful visitation is represented as prov- ing beneficial to the interests of religion, by preventing the introduction of any but believers into the church, and so tending to promote its purity : — " And of the rest durst no man join himself unto them, but the people magnified them. And believers were the more added unto the Lord, multitudes both of men and women." (Acts V. 13, 14.) Here we are distinctly inform- ed of what materials the first ■ churches were composed, viz, " believers — both of men and i». women. 2. The baptism, of the Samaritans. *' But when they believed Philip, preaching the things con- cerning the kingdom of God, and the name of the Lord Jesus, they were baptized, both men and women." — (Acts viii. 12.) Must not every person, whose mental vision is not utterly ob- * See Drs. Uammoiid, Whitby, DoddridgC; and Clarke in lot.. e2 54 THE PRACTICE OF THE APOSTLES' ^mi iM m soured by prejudice, distinctly see, that if the' children of tJiese converts Jiad been baptized, the inspired liistorian, when stntin^^ the particulars so minutely, would un(|iiestio ably have men- tioned the baptism of the children, as well as that of the women ? How does our opponent attempt to a': unt for this unacrnuntuhlc. omission ? He says, (p.^ 2:2,) " We ajiswer, Because about the rights of children no cpicstion could arise, but about that of women there miiiht." Can any reasonable man imaiiine that Luke, who had a little bel^)re (Acts v. 14,) ex])ressly related the reception of " multitudes both of men and wo- men," could be apjirebensivc, that the riifht of believini^- women to baptism and church mem- bership, woidd ever l)e «|uestioned ? Will Mr. (t. himself atlirm, that ho thinks there was a jjreater |)robability, upon his owji jirinciples, of the right of pious woinen to bajitism being called in quesl ion, than that of fauak infants ? It is well knov/n, that the ins[)ired wiiters were accustomed to mention children in cases in which they were concerned, especially >\here women were mentioned. Tluis wc read of " utterly des- troying the men, v (uneii; and children." (Deut. iii. 0.) " They that hjvd eaten were about five thousaml men, beside women and children." (Matth. xiv. '2L) " They all brought \is on our way, with wives (^rnnixi, icnmcn) and children." (Acts xxi. ;>.)* It is, thercfcn-e, perfectly evident, from the entire silence of 8cri[>turc respecting the baptism of infants, or young children, espe- cially on such occasi«ms as this, that th'^v were not baptized in the days of the Apost. . In- deed, when a ma)i of Mr. Gray'^ kiutwledge and ability is c(mi])elled by his sysicm to adopt aa hypotlicsis so evidently untenable, as that pro-^ ^ See also 1 Saml. xxii. 1s'rrE3' AFTER CHRIST S RESURRECTION. 5S^ c, that if the I)aj)tized, the 'c particulars 'y iiave men- is well as that "out attcinpt issioji ? He i*e ahout the jl arise, hut who had a lelatod tJie en and v/o- thc ri!,rht of 'urch mem- ^Vill Mr. »ere Avas a inciples, of tiiiig- called i ? liters ivere ill which Women ttcrly des- (I>eut. Iiout five liidren." ^ on our lildrcn." evident, specting- '•» espe- V were . In- 'li^e and t'opt an at pro-' ro pcsed by Jiim in rcijard to this case, this very circumstance strongly indicates, that he is la- bouring;' to support a sentiment at variance with the plain dictates of the vobime of inspiration. Mr. Jiurkitt remarks on this text, " Believed and theji ba|>tized : these are adults or grown per- sons, not infants." Is not this a candid admis- sion of the evident ffict, that when a nundjer of *'men and women" were baptized, no infants re- ceived the ordinance ? It appears that Simon (usually surnamed Ma- ^MS,)was baptized on a profession of I'aith, wlale destitude of real piety. (Acts viii. 13, IS — 23.) Such cases may be expected to occur in the purest cluirches ; and no denomination ought to be censured for the occasional, but unintentionar admission of unworthy members. Ijut does it thence follow, (p. 2'^,) that infants ought to be baptized, or adults without even making a pro- fession of faith '? 3. The h((ptUm itf the I^iJiinj/lan^ and of Paul. (Acts viii. 27 — 40 ^ix. 17, 18; xxii. IG.) These instances clearly evince, that the ministers of religion ought to enjoin ba}»tisra on converts to Christ ; ami that as soon as persons have " be- lieved witli all the heart," but not before, they ought to be baptized. Mr. G. ojiscrves, (p. 23,) that these examples are held firth by his " op[»(tnents as triumphant proofs, that instruction and cordial faith must precede the rit(! of baptism ;" nnCi he remarks, " Triumplumt proofs they are indeed, that these things must precede baptism in the raac of achtlts.^^ And yet he iidis us ([). 47,) in reference tf» the persons addressed by Peter (Acts ii. 30,) " Their oifsprinir, whetlier adult or infant, ought to be baptized." And in reply to Mr. Crawley's ob- jection (p. 58,) relative to circumcision, "In like manner we mjiy prove, that a man*s leervants and p m i :i 56 THE PRACTICE OF THE APOSTLES fi i' ijl5' il dependants ought to be baptized, as well as hi» children," Mr. G. says, (p. 105,) •' We freely grant it. The proposition is perfectly true. — Jesus said, ' Go, baptize all nations.' * Ser- vants are a part of natrons, as well as children.'* Where, I ask, do the Sacred Oracles furnish us with any exception to the rule which requires faith before baptism ? Is it not evident, that those adults who remain impenitent and unbe- lieving, when their parents or masters embrace the Gospel, are so far from being entitled to re- ceive Christian ordinances, that they are more deeply criminal and inexcusable than other un- believers T Would, then, so able and cautious a disputant as Mr. G. have so palpably contradicted himself, if his views in regard to baptism were consonant with the tenor of Scripture, which is always consistent with itself ? 4. The baptism of Cornelius and his friends, (Acts X. 33 — 3S.) Here Peter, in accordance with the commission, first taught the people, by preaching the Gospel to them. When they gave satisfactory evidence of the possession of faith, he said, " Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we ? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Lord." It is very improbable, that among the "many that were come together," (ver. 27,) there were none wha had any young children : and if Pedobaptist views were correct, the parents aust, in ^"11 reason, have been directed to present their chil- dren for baptism. 5. T?ie baptism of Lydia, the Jailer, Stepha- nas, and their households. (Acts xvi. 14, 15, 32 — 34. 1 Cor. i. 16. xvi. 15.) As Mr. G. is unable (p.. 46, 142 — 147,) to shew the slightest shadow oi * Tho incorrectness of this statement i& shewa at p. 29. i i :-Es well as his. We freely ly true. — ^.'* Ser> children." furnish us ► requires Jent, that md unbe- em brace led to re- are more urther un- autious a tradicted sm were which is friends, ordance )ple, bj ey gave f faith, It these ved the tianded ' It is It were le wha Japtist ill .-U • chil- tepha- 32—^ )Ie (p.. )w of AFTER CHRIST S RESURRECTION. 57 probability, tJiat Lydia had cither husband or children, while tlicrc arc stioiiii" probnbiiiticH ajjainst the conjecture that slic had,* (ver. UJ, 14, 40,) it is unncccssiiry to cnliujic u|»on this case. Even Mr. llohrrlstin, oC Brid^ct(>wn admits, "It is not said that there wcr(! cirhcr chihircn or iii- faiits in thld." In all the otlier instances in which jjaptisms by the A[)os- tles, or tiieir associates, are recorded, if I mis- take not, we are informed of the rejjoitance, faith, t conversion, or piety, of tin; ])ersons bap- tized. Ill accordance Avitli these numerous ex- plicit accounts, the one brief remark, tluitLydia's household or doijustics \\ were, baptized, is mani- festly to be miderstood as distinctly implying,, * Sec I\lr. (Crawley's Troniisc, p. 52. X Thotinli Simon's iiii:!i wns iiol genuine, yet it is slated that' be " believfcl." Acl.s vlii. 13. II TrempJIiiH rcin'ers it^ from liie Syriac. dnmeslici, domestics. See also Gon. xviii. ID ; and Jol>. i. 2,3, wiicrc " liousfhold" de- notes the servauis, a:j distinguished from the cliiklren. 08 THE PRACTICE OP THE APOSTLES that they also believed. Some Pedohaptist Com-' iiiciitf'tors themselves have so understood it : — Dr. iVIiitby remarks on Acts xvi. 15, "And when she, and those of her household, were in- structed in th'^ Christian faith, and in the nature of haj)tism rc;quired by it, she was baptized and her household." (Quoted by Pengilly, p. 23.) Dr. A. Clarke observes on verse 14th, " She attended unto the things ; she believed them, and received them as the doctrines of God ; and in this faith she was joined by her whole family ; and in it they were all baptized." After all Mr. G's fruitless eftbrts (p. 144—147,) to render it probable that " the brethren refer- red to (Acts xvi. 40.) were all the members of Lydia's family," and his conjecture " that they were the members of the Philippian Church," every unprfjjudiced reader will undoubtedly regard it as most probable, that the persons re- sidfent with Lydia who had .been baptized were the *' brethren," or at least among the brethren, whom Paul and Silas " comforted." Whether the Philippian Jailer had either a wife or children (of which there is no intimation) or not, is immaterial ; since we are expressly in- formed, that " Paul and Silas " spake unto Inni the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house," and that he " rejoiced, believing in God with all his house." (Ver. 32, 33.) Some have attempted to evade this by giving to the word panoiki another meaning, or rather no meaning, as, " all his house over, or " doincstically :" but all the Lexicons and Versions that I have exam- ined render it agreeably to our Translation^ " with all his house." If this is connected with the word •' rejoiced," it still plainly shews, that the Jailer and thocr baptized with him rejoiced together in the exercise of faith. See Acts viii. 39. Rom. v. 1, 2, II. xv. 10, 13. Phil. i. 25. fe i 3 iiaimiji'^w; AFTER CHIUST H RESURRECTION. 59 Hence it is ceitain, thnt the persons who were l)nptized had the (iospel previously preached to them, and that they helieved. Indeed, Mr. (t. himself, earnestly as he has lahoured, (p. i(>, 14'2, 14;},) to estahlish infant haptism from this case, has in efl'ect conceded the same ; for he says, (p. '2'V), '^36,) in reference to the (nitcr apartnumt of the prison, " Here, then, it seems, the interestini^ communication was held with the Jailer and the meni!>ers of his family, who, from their own feelin ujito such." It is unnecessary to dwell on a case so ])lain ; but it may he interestinir to the reader to see Mr. Gray's conjectures and laborious rea.soninffs, confronted by a {cw extracts from Pedobaptist Commentators : — Rev. John Brown tlnis paraphrases 1 Cor. xvi. 15 : " And I eanu^^stly beii^ that you will shew a particular resjiect to tlu^ family of Ste])hanas, Avhicli were the first converts to Christ in your country, and a pledjje and earnest of the great multitudes Avhich have since been converted, and which luivc all alonjr behaved tliemselves as the sincere disciples and faithful servants of the Lord .Tcsus, and have in an orderly manner de- voted themselves to assist and supj)ly his minis- ters and ])oor members." Rev. T.Scott: " The several persons belong- ing to this family were qualified for usefulness — they had habitually devoted themselves to every t Drs. Hammond, Gill, DoiKlridorc, and Messrs. J. Brown, «iid T, Scotl, reckon il liol more than livo years. LES I (1 Cor. rtorwards ; statement" »ii(; s.iiiits) ^ilit years 'ifiia ; i)iit tJic Jirst- I'oic, Avlio f^orrect,* ' st'veji or to a cori- 'loy Jiave of t}ie enjoined ,) "8iib- 'O ])Jain ; osoeMr. usoniiiffs, lobajitist ^or. xvi. shew a '])lianas, '» your >t! great t'd, and as the of the icr de- minis- )elong- ness — I every Brown, AFTER CIiniST S nESUIlRECTION. 61 service, by which they could minister to the good of their hrclhrcn. The Apostle therclore he- sought the Chii.sdaris (ver. Ki.) to "huhinit them- selves" to the (Counsel, inllueiice, or luiniistry of this family." J)r. Mathiiiiyht, on 1 Cor. i. 10, says, '* The fa- mily of Stephanas ,s<;em all to have been udultu when they were baptized." Mr. (i. says, (p. 142) " We have mention made in the New TcHtanieiit of at least eij^ht diHerent fumilies or households, besides those of the Jai- ler, Lydia, and St(!phaiiaH, to all of whi(di such acts and emotion;-i are ultril)uteil as infants are incapable ol"."* Now, sonic of these eii»ht house- holds contained iniants, or none of them did. If none of these contained infants, then surely it is by no means marvellous, that amon«>j the multitudes baptized there should have been three households without iniants. If any of these eight did contain infants, then, by our author's own shewinu', the term housrhold is used to de- note the mruihirs of a family that have attained in years of tindchtanding ; and so does not ne- cessarily include the iufunts. The argument then, attempted to be drawn from the baptism of these three households, would be destitute of force, jven if we had no intimation in Scripture that tho persons composing these househoulds were be- lievers. It has, however, been fully demonstrated, that all the Jailer's house believed, and that the household of Stephanas consisted of pious per- sons. In the only remaining case there is pro- bably a reference to the piety of the persona composing the household, in the mention of "the brethren" in "the house of Lydia," while there is not even the lowest degree of probability that she had either infants or husband, as she was •Phil. iv. 22; Rom. xvi. 10, 11 j 2 Tim. iv. 19} John iv. «3j 4c ts X. 2 j Col. iv. 13. F W. m THE PnACTICE OF THE APOBTIiES n m a mcrchatit-liuly, remote from Tliyatirn, th© plncc of her .sl.-itcd residcnct' ; and slu; is con- stantly jspokrn of as tho aolo luistruHS of her liOUSO. But Mr. (i. su,^j?<'sts, (|). M;J,) that infants aro cnpahlu of rcccivin;^!,' haptisin, and that lliore- fortj u lion hf)Ms('h(d(ls are said to have heen hap- li/cd, if there were infatits in l\w lioiises, they u'onhl he ine!nde(!. Th.at (jiod can j)reparc for iieaven those wliom lie i.s ph'asetl to call away in infancy, (p. '25, 140, J II,) is indispntahle ; but tliis \v\A no contiexion A\illi the Hnhj(!ct. It is alno true, that Issraehtish nifde infants were ca- IHible of rcceivin;^ an indeUhle national mark. if (jiod had instructed us to bajjlize infants, we sliould know it to l»;3 riuht ; and would never (juestion their caj):;city to reccsive an ordinance a[)j)ointed for theai. IJut since Fie has given no such command, and the Scriptures represent baptism aa a sii^iiificant and voluntary act of Christian ohedioncc, a " puttin;»' on of Christ," .and " the answer of a good conscience toward God," we know that unconsciotis babes are in- capable of receiviii!!; it in a scriptural manner.* It is notorious, however, that there are many households ia \\]u'.'ii either all are nnnrarried — the master and mistress have; been married re- cently — never have any children — all their chil- dren die — or all have come to years of discre- tion ; so that tho houses contain no infants. Of such fiimilies there are many of which every member b(don' to the IJa|)ti.st ehnrch in that <'ily.| 'IMiese facts oui;ht smely to ho considered deeisiv*', aa to th(» arj;unient nr«;fed from honsehold haptistns. Mr. (r. however, in the ntter ahMeiiee of any shadow of prohahility, hazards the Ixdd conjec- ture, ([>. 14!)) that there were; "three hundred households which were thus ha|)ti/ed." If hia system were correct, h«^ mijjht reasonably sup- pose there woidd have heen at least t/ircr tinus three liu.iflrrd households ha|)ti/ed in the days of the Apostles. 'V\\v. fact, therefore, that the bap- tism of only thre Our author tells us, (p. 157,) "The ancient interpretation of the passage was as follows : * For it has ordinarily come to pass, that an un- believing husband has been brought to the faith, and so to baptism by his wife," (fee* But upon this view it would unavoidably follow, that in those cases in which one of the parents continu- ed to be an unbeliever, (ver. 16.) the children would be " unclean." To represent the Apos- tle as inferring, that bccr.iise an unbelieving partner is sometimes converted by means of a believing partner, therefore the children in every case in which one partner is a believer, " are holy," is to make him reason, not only from par- tial premises to a universal conclusion, but also directly against his own express declaration, — •' else" [on this scheme, ' if the unbelieving hus- band, or wife, were not brought to the faith,'] '* were your children unclean." This view, therefore, is directly in opposition to that gene- rally entertained by Pedobaptists, who consider the faith of one parent sufficient to entitle the children to receive baptism. The modern view of some Pedobaptists, which Mr. G. approves, (p^ 154, 155,) is, " The unbe- lieving husband is, in a certain sense, set apart and consecrated to God, by his connexion with a believing wife ; otherwise, your children would not be thus set apart and consecrated to God, which, you know from their baptism they are." He may well admit, (p. 154,) that ♦' difficulties attend this view of the subject." If "it retains," (as he says, p. 155,) " substan- tially the same meaning to the terms " sanctified" and " holy," in the different parts of the passage where they occur," it must unquestionably prove, that the " unbelieving husband" or wife, being, " Tbitvicw U adopted by Dr. Hkminoiid, and Kcv. J. Wesltji; f2 I '^1 .,jlli THE PRACTICE OP THE APOSTLES^ I* ii ■ ;! ':: sanctified or holy, has an equal right to baptism with the cliildrcn. To evade this, however, he suggests, (p. 155,) that the same word is some- times used in different acceptations in the same sentence. This is admitted ; but to use the same word in the conclusion of an argument in a sense different from that in which it is used in the premises, is a species of sophistry which the Apostle could never have employed. In what- ever sense, therefore, the Avord (hegiastai) sanc- tified or made holy, is to be taken in the former member, in precisely the same sense must the word (hagia) holy bo taken in the latter ; for the holiness of the children is manifestly predicated upon the holiness of the unbelieving parent. Mr. G. objects to the sense in which the Bap- tists generally understand the word here, that it is not soused elsewhere.* But lias he produced an instance, or can he produce one, in which it de- notes the strange paradox of (p. 155,) the " conse- cration to God" of an unbelieving heathen 1 The word pri'irarily signifies to set apart ; and Dr. Gill (in loc.) has fully demonstrated from the writina-' of the .lews, that the corresponding Hebrew word (kadash) is fre(iuently used by them to denote the setting apart of persons in marriage. t Rev. J. S. C. F. Frey, a converted Jew, and a learned man, says, " Amongst the Jews it is a common form of speech used at the ceremony of espousal and marriage. The man putting a present into the * I am nol aware that (hat this word (hagiazo) is employed inoro tliaii once in Scripture wiih reft;rence to the lawful use of ordinary iootl, " received with lliatiksi^ivin^ •" yel ii is cvidenlly io employed ill ITim. i\.J — 5. Sanctified— " M&y lawfully b© used."— Dr. IIomKtojul, in loc. t The word has^iasiiios, sanclification or holiness, appears to be Msed iu relercnce lo iliissuliject : — " In sanclifi(;ation and honour,"^ probably moans. ' in llie lawful and honourable ii-se of marriage.' 1 Tlies. iv. 4. Compare Heb. xiii. 4 ; 1 Cor. vii. 2—6; 1 PoU iu. 7 i I'rov. V. 15, l«, 19. fcscc Ur. A. Clarke, oti 1 Thes. iv. 4. AFTER CHRIST S RESURRECTION. - er Hand of the woman, says, " With this thouf art (mekadashfi) sanctified to me ;" thou art now set apart as my Avife, according to God's institu- tion."* That the sanctification of the unbeheving hus- band, or wife, (which must necessarily determine the sense in which the children are sanctified or holy) refers to legitimate marriage, is admitted by several learned Pedol)aptists ; and some of them, in accordance with this view, admit that the children are said to be "holy," because they are born in lawful wedlock, and therefore ar« not " unclean" in the sense in which illegitimate children were so considered. (Sec Deut. xxiii. % Zech. ix. 6. John viii. 41.) Dr. Doddridge, (though he inconsistently at- tempts to support infant baptism from this text) thus translates and paraphrf.^es the former part of it : — " For in such a case as this, the unbelieV' ing husband, has been so sanctijied to t the wife, and the unbelieving wife so sanclifed to the husband, that their matrimonial converse is as lawful as if they were both of the same faith." Dr. Collings, one of PooVs Continuators, re- marks on the text, " I rather think it signifies, brought into such a state, that the believer, with- out offence to the law of God, may continue in a married state with such a yoke-fellow ; and the state of marriage is an holy state, notwith- standing the disparity v/ith regard to religion." Stockius, in defining the term (hagios) holy, says, '* It signifies legitimate and agreeable to late r for whatever is legitimate and agreeable to law, is separated from that which is illegitimate and contrary to law. So in 1 Cor. vii. 14, children are called holy, as they are legitimate, [being J • Essays on Baptism, p. 41, 42. t The proposition (en) is pro- rendered "to" or " unto" in ver. 13 j Mallh. xvii. 12 } Cob i lThes.iv.7; 2 Pet. i. 3, 6, &c. \\\ 1 : 1 ] ( U-Pi^ 68 tllE PRACTICE OF THE APOSTLES born in lawful marriage, entered into according: to the divine law."* Mr. Thomas M^////ffw. may have beJieved and been baptized ; but Me are constrained to think it far more probable, that they were baptized, and then believed." According to his view, x\\? cVtildren here address- ed were believers. What possible ground then has he to " think it far more probable" that the Apostles had inverted the order of their Com- mission, and adopted a course in direct opposi- tion to that which is uniformly recorded of them in the Acts, timn that tliey had, in accordance with both, baptized tliese young people after they had believed ? Not to insist on the unques- tionable fact, that children* however old ought to obey their parents, it may be remarked, that there are many children in Baptist churches who are under the immediate authority and care of their parents. Of the ten persons Avho weie bap- tized and added to the church under the pastoral charge of the writer in the year 1842, six were legally under the authority of their parents. To tJiese the language of tlie Ajjostle might be ap- plied in the strictest sense, " Cliilden, obey your parents :" and v/ith regard to several of them, it might be naturally and appropriately said to their parents, "Bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." But, I ask, is it not incumbent on all children, irrespective of baptism and church-membership, to obey tlieir paroits, whether ])ious or not ?t Do not Baptist ministers, witli perfect consist- ency, admonish children generally to obey their •The Greek wird {tekna) like the English uoifl '• ciiildreii," i« indeteriniiiale wiiii icspecl l<> nije, and is frt'qunnlly npplied lo adults. Sre Mfilih. iii. 9 -, John viii. 31) ; \cls xiii."33. t As tiie obodjcnce ofcliildreii is not to l)o rosiricicd to pious rarenis, die words " en Kiirio,inthe Lord," may mos' ' ;"';iraliy he understood as ineaninjf, accordhin; to the irill of Hie Lord. So ill John iii. 21, "en Tkco, in God," cvidcMilly means, according to the will of God. (See Dr. G. Camphell in he. ) In accordance wi,h this ilev. J\I. ilenry defines tht- uords 'in the l.ord," " For the Lord has commandod it." So also Dr. A. Clarke. Compare, verses 2, 3, & Col. iii. 18, 20. ■J- 70 Tlli'. PnACTICTS OV THE APOSTLES lii if' (i •i;i I I ■ III parents, nnd exhort parents to train up the»r children reliciously ? The fact elicited by the exnmination of these passafifcs (1 Cor. vii. 14, and l.iph. vi. ].)th.'it the advocates of irifunt hapti-rii, if they will cite any texts in support of it, are (blinded to adduce such as have no relation '»"hateror to baptism, si!'*ely evinces tliat the pracace ciuniot be sustaine 1 by Scripture ])roof. Our aullior, thouc^h ])e d<.xI'orousiy nrges al- most all the arncnmciits profes^'diy drrrrn from Sncn d Writ, which have o\eY been tlioiijihi by any to possess the least degree ff plausibility, as if aware of their futiJity, attempts to accov^nt for t'if? silence of tlic in- nired v/'-ifers in referenoe to ti(ebn|U,l&ni 'o' infants, as v, ell atv he can. Evi- dently inirndiv.g to i u>it In- !;ay.s, (p. 27,) " We have in Acts a sJcftch of the iJliristian Church for fliirtv vtars of its existence : — where is there a hint to be disco /ered tiiat any descendant of the tiarb/ tonvcrts — came forward to baptism ai an adult ai;e '' No case of the liind stands upon record, ^cripture is utterly silent upon the sub- ject." The reason which he assigns for this is, " because tlieir children were baptized in infancy.^'' Was a more fallacious ari»;iV(iient cver urjfed ? Cavi he produce a solitary instance in which wo hav an accoui t of the administration of baptism in connection with any church iive years after the first members of it Ave re baptized ? If this cannot be done, how can it be expected ihat we isfiould have any distinct accounts of the baptism of believers' adult children, who were either in- fants when their parents were baptized, or were subsequently born ? Upon our principles there was no need of any " direction about the ndmis- sic i of the children of Christians to baptism," as t' <: one rule, requiring/a«Y/j, is aliks applicable to all persons : but if infants were to be baptized^. Hi^ LE3 BEFORE CHRIST S RESURRECTION. 71 1 up their >n of theso J.) that the ill cite any Iduce such sin, sKvely s fain el by nrges al- iwn from unifihi by il'iiity, as ' accoint referenee an. Evi- 7,) "We i C^'hiirch B is there ndant of ptism al >fls upon the sub- i' this is, ifancyj''' Mi'^ed ? liich wo baptism fs after If this that we •aptism her in- r were s there admis- •tism," licablo )tize(t» without faith, a particular direction was certain- ly requisite, and it would unquestionably have f»een given, includinjj^ females, specifyinj( the ajje at 'which the ordinance should be administered,* Havm'; now examined what Mr. G. calls (p. 28.'^ **'ri V Scriptural authority for infant bap- tism," \ •. »k, litis he, with all his diligent and laboriou)!^ research, produced an express com- mand, f a jiliiiu example, or a certain inference, from any passage of Scripture, in proof of it ? if iKi, lijw can it be called " Scriptural, au- thojilv ?" Can he assi- .Tows, " B(! bapti/cd, every one of you," and tiiat he " coinmauded" the converted Gentiles " to be l)a|)ti/,ed in the name of the Lord," how conies it to ])ass that we are not informed of his adding an injunction to thi« effcc!;, ' and present your yoiing children for baptism ?' Can it bo imnjrined, that those Jews and Gentiles, who needed to be ])ani(idarly in- structed, with reference to their own baptism, could so intuitively infer that their young chil- dren, both male and female, must be baj)tized, as to need no instruction with regard to this sub- ject ] Is it not utterly incredible, that, when the inspired writer givf^s a minute and circumstantial account of the baptism (jf multitudes of believ- ers at Jerusalem, Samaria, Cesarea, and Corinth, if their young children had been baptized, he should have entirely omitted, in every case, to mention it, or even to make the slightest aliusiop to it ? Can Mr. Gray's suggestion, (p. JO,) that *' in cases where infants were included, it is not to be supposed the sacred writers would pause •See Gen. xvii. 10—12; Lv.v. xii, 3 ; Ex. iv. 25; xii. 43 j, Josh. V. 7, 8 : Luke 1.-59 3 ii. f'l. John vii. 2'i : Acts xxi. 21 t i'hil. iii.-S. mPTER CHRIST S RESURRECTION. 78 ^o note the circumstance," satisfy the mind ■of any inijMirtial inquirer after truth ? They had no need to " pause," but merely to add th« two short words (kni briphn) and infants. Is it not, tlien, (|uite hcyond the reacli of rational "conjecture, tliat a faithful liistorian siiould con- stantly make un omission so needless, so contrary to tiie usual eustom of the inspired writers (see p. 5-1,) so extraordinary, and so (hrectiy adapt- ed to mislead his readers ? Indeed, the lanouage used does ali.-olutcly pretilude the idea that infants were bapti/od ; since it specifically dcscril)e8 the recipients of !)aj)tism — " they that j^ladly re- -ceived his word" — " when they believed — both men and woyien" — " which have received the Holy Ghost" — those who ''have believed," whicli thinifs certainly cannot be said of li.iants. This, therefore, elfectually cuts off the feeble pretext to which recourse is sometimes had, as a last resort, that ' there is nothinjy in Scripture «gain. ' the bai)tisin of infants.' This pli^a may be urged with equal plausibility in favour of ex- treme unction, prai/in[( for the di-acl, and many other unscriptural practices. Since, however, to " fear God and keep His commandments is the whole diitif of man," (Eccles. xii. 13.) what- ■ever God has not commanded, in regard to religious ordinances, He has, in effect, forbid^ den.* It must therefore follow, that unless infant baptism can be clearly proved, from the plain declarations of Sacred Writ, to be a divine com- mand, it can be no part of " the duty of man»'* and consequently ought not to be practised. That the Scriptures furnish no such evidence in favour of the baptism of infants, but that their testimony is decidudly against it, has b^en evin^ j Heb^ viti, 6. Compare Lev. x. I, ^^ G M m 74 THE PRACTICE OP THE APOSTLES. 1. That there is not a vcsti<]fe of proof thnt either John the IJaptist, or the Aponth's (hiriii}» our Lord's ))ert*(jiial ministry, hapti/ed infants, hut it is evident th.-y .\ 1 not ; and this is, in eftect, conceded b^ IVli. ^»»ny, (p. 88,) and is ex{)ressly adniit1«"'t; by. Mr. Robertson, p. 70. 2. Tliat the < ommand j;ivcn to Abraham, en- joinin"" the circumcision of his niah; descendants, is by no means a command to believers, ^^hether Jews or (j entiles, under anoth'»i' «.ii6pon>atioii, of which the orcHnances are entirely (hrt'crent, to have their ciiildron, both nnile and female, baptized. 3. Thai there is no reason to believe that the baptisni 'f the infants of proselv^es was intro- duced as early as the Apostolic ai>fe ; and since it was, whenever introduced, a mere human tra- dition, it could not have been adopted by the inspired Apost'"s. 4. Tiiat the lano;ua«]^e of the commission, which required tcarliihg mu\ faith to })reccde baptism, without exception, is wholly inaytplicable to in- fants ; and not only does not countenance their baptism, but indirectly forbids it. 5. That the mimito recf.rd of the sidisequent practice of the Apostles and their associates, renders it manifest that they baj»,ized none but those who professed faith in Christ. ; 6. That the Epistles, in which we mi^^ht rea- sonably expect to find direct references to in- fant baptism, if it had been practised when they Vvere written, and in which there arc repeated manifest allusions to the baptism of believers,* contain no such references to the baptisni of in- fants. ' The Conclusion, therefore, ? * hit h every person whose mind is free from j-repussession, * Rom. \i. 3, 4; 1 Cor. i. 13— IG -, xii. 13: xv.'i9 ; Gal. iii. 27. Eph. Ij Col. ij. I2i 1 Pel. iii. 21. .- ciiuncir msTonv. 7$ hml Avho nttrntivt'ly and inipnrtiiilly wt'ijrliit flic Avlu)Ie evidence, must iitituially iiriivc, is, That thr baptism of hcUivirs in diytind/i/ t(iVf>ht in the Ilohl SrriptKrvs, by crprcss prmpt and plain ex- mnplv ; but the baptism of injants is not taught in thin, but is, in (Jficf, prohibited by thim. CHAPTER IV. CHURCH HISTORY. Jf infant biij^tism ciin bo proved by tbe Scrip- tures, tliere in \\u need to resort to cbnrcb bi.story for proof of its divine oriyin. If it cannot be proved from the Sacred Oracles, testimonies drawn iVoui cbnrcb bistory can never i)rove it to be a fomni nd of (iod. Iji our en(jniries on sucb a snbji t, to leave tbe infallible Word of Inspiration, and to rely on tradition and tbe doubtful statements of uninspired men, is like ste[)pinj>' from a solid rock into (piicksjuids. 1 do not m an to in peacb the veracity of tbe fathers, in regard to things that transpired in their times, and under their ])ersonal observation. But it is well known, that all uninspired men are very liable to err in reference to events that took place prior to tbe time in which they lived, and of vvbicb no authentic records have been pre- served. (It does not a})pear, however, that any of tbe early fathers has testified that Christ enjoined infant baptism, or that tbe Apostles practised it.)*' IMoreover, .ill that are in any to- * Rov. Richard Walson lin« indeed staled, tiial " Irciiseus, who lived in llie second century, expressly declares, llial the church learned Irom llie Apostles to baptise children." (Biblical aud Theological Dictionary on Jtapiism.) It is to be deeply re- 7ff CHURCH HISTORY. lornMc ilcprcc ncqiiniiitrd villi llm mbjcct, ar«- awnrc, llmt it is wvy (!< iil)tliil vlictlitr ht'veruf of the iatli(!rs did ik tiuilly urilc ((Mtiiiii tliingit- wliicli iirv nttriluitrd to iIkiii. Siiiily, llicn, on n Huhjoct of lliis imiiiir, l<'f-tinnmi( s druMii from HourccM HO pi'i (-nrioiis uiid iiDccitiiiii, must be tjxccedinjjly duhioii.s ai.d iinMilisdulory. It is altio a ncll Uiiovii and approved adaht have made the same remark in reference to other ceremonial acts aceonij)any- ing the rite at this period, such as exorcisnir chrism, &c." Dr. Wally gi\'wg an account of the early practice in rep^ard to hajitism says, " "^A'hcn he" [the person baptized] " came out of the water^ gretlcd, tli<\l a Irnniod nml pious mriii should linvo made siicli no ungiinrdud and iiicorrt'ct stiiu-iiiciil, on a suhirci of so loucli im< |)oi'laiice. D()iil>lless many ol his rcarlcrs rci>aiil ihix as a dccisivo proof, ihal lln; AposiKs liaidizcd inlanis. lJni,l)V v\ ha lever means iVIr. Waison ranu' (o iinaui'ie Uiis, it was ceiiiiinly niihonl I'oun— tiaiion ; sinro iiciilher Dr. Wall, l\l i, (ir;i\ , n«>r an}" one else, lias- «vor lieeu ahln ■<> pioilnc« .sncli a |)assain('e it slicvs plainly, iliat great and gooil men are liahle uninicinioually to n)ake ii'correct state- ments, in reference tn liie acconnis coiuaiiied in ancient history' , and ordinary christians have nol access tn liiese documeiU&, a». tfaey have to the (Scriptures, lo exanuae lot tbainsclvcs< . a 111. tlltllCII lIISTOnY. n IT ^t'vt'rur "ill tliiiigtf. . I lull, on mm linm must be y- llOtlliiijr.' II ^'<;nc- iitJifrs, f>i' (li\ino V(3 lIMlliy l)t'.si(Jea !^t MiiiJior tlio hjip- • M'lllioiis !VIr. G. nptizfid" iftliinks )iccept ; mark in )iii])nnv- :orcism, e carlj icn he" water^. J such fitt iiutli im. a docisivo 'f'r inonns lilt J'oun- <''sp, iias- ritiiiffs of proof of' 'ar es, lias ■48 of this ranslated ml Mr. s applied I in age.'*' !ve years BtinMar- ivliom he 12. where JH." Com- Justin Mar- '••ks ef th9 lliose "who Dr. GaJe'g* writes, is sul)stantially parallel to that of Obadiah, ♦' 1 thy servant fear the Lord, from my youth."* So also there are many aged persons who have been members of Baptist churches from their cliildhood, or youth, to Avhom the same language is strictly applicable. This testimony, therefore, in which there is no mention made of either infants or baptism^ but whicli is perfectly compatible with the prini- ciples and practice of the Baptists, utterly fails to afford the least degree of countenance to in- fant baptism. sr; . But .Tustin Martyr, Mr. Gray's first witness, when expressly giving a particular account of baptism, in his Apology, gives no intimation of the ba])tism of infants, but speaks of believers only in a way which clearly shevvs, that infant baptism was not then introduced. He say&, " I will now declare to you also after what manner we, being made new by Christ, have dedicated ourselves to God ; lest, if I should leave out that, I might seem to deal vmfairly in some part of my Apology. They who are ])ersuaded and do believe that those things Avhich are taught by us are true, and do promise to live according to them, are directed first to pray, «fcc. Then we bring them to some place where there is wa- ter," &c.t Had infants been baptized at that time, he was surely bound, in giving a minute statement relative to baptism, to mention infant baptism, explicitly. To have " left out that" would cer- tainly have subjected him to the just charge of having " dealt unfairly." Neither can any satis- factory reason be assigned, why he should 'j^ve been guilty of such a glaring omission. In his second Apology, (p. 93,) he says, ** We were [corporeally^ born without our will * I Kings xviii. 12. See also, 1 Saml. xit. 2, aiul PsVlxxt.5;'y2v \ Dr. Wall's Hist. laf. iiaptisnn; vol.. k p. 67,, 68| . Iv 80 CHURCH HISTORY. ii [kaf anangJcen] — but we are not to remain chil*' dren of necessity and ignorance, but in baptism to have choice, knowledge," &c.* This Language distinctly refers to the baptism of adults onlyy and excludes the idea that infants, who have neither choice nor knowledge^ were then baptized* The testimony of Justin Martyr^ therefore, instead of proving infant baptism, fully demon" states that it did not exist in his time. It appears also that the Works ascribed to Barnabas and Hermas expressly mention the baptism of believers, without any reference to that of infants.f Indeed, though Dr. Wall cer- tainly could not, after the most diligent and la- borious research, find any record of the baptism of infants during the first two centuries, he dis- tinctly admits, that there are repeated instances in which the baptism of believers, in that period, is expressly recorded. | The early records of the churches, therefore, are beyond all contra- diction, decidedly in favour of Baptist principles^ 2. Mr. Gray's seconfel Avitness is Irenccus » who is represented (p. 58,) as saying, " Christ came to save all persons by himself, all, I say, who by liirn are regenerated unto God ; infants, and little ones, and children and youths, and el- der persons," This testimony is placed by Dr. Wall in the year a. d. 180 ; and he admits, *' This is the first express mention ihat we have met with of infants being baptized*"|| And yet this, his first direct testimony, near the close of tho second century, does not expressly mention the baptism of in-* fants. Is it not truly astonishing that Mr. G. should adventure to affirm, of this passage, (p. 69.} •See Rev. J. H. Hinton's Historviyf Baptism, p. 236, 236. t See Dr. Gale, p. 400. 401 , 405—409. Dr. Wall; vol. ii. p, 431' 43n, and Mr. Gray. p. 241. t Defence, p. 3^0. {] Hist. vol. i. p. 79, 80, CHURCH HISTORY. 81 emain chiU 1 iaptism to is language clnlts onJyy who have 1 baptized, therefore, ^7 demon-^ cribed ta iition the iereuce to Wall ceF* It and la- - baptism 5, he dis- nstances t period, cords of I contra- nciples, rencDus ; ' Christ I say,, infants, and el- in the he first infants direct ntury, of in-> hould 59.) 236. p. •* While it continues to be read in the records of antiquity, so long will it be an admitted fact, that from the very age of the Apostles, infant Baptism has prevailed in the Christian Church V* So far is this from being correct, tliatbeforo any tolerable proof can be deduced from this passage, that infant baptism was in existence prior to the close of the second century, it is necessary to establish three points, viz. 1. That it is genuine ;: 2. That it is correctly translated ; and, 3. That the term ( rniascuntur ) regenerated must certain- ly mean baptized. Dr. Gale has shown strong reasons for his opinion, that tlio passage is si)uri()us. lie shews that the latter part^of tlie ciia|)ter whence the words arc taken, contradicts the former ; since the former represents Christ as being baptized at about the age of thirty, while tl'.c latter speaks of Him as living till he was about fifry years old.* And Dr. Wall, in his attempts to support tho genuineness of the i^nssage, admits, "that it is plain Ireiicrus thought, there jjassed ten years between His [Christ's] bajjtism and His first go- ing up to Jerusalem — at, or i)resenily after, the beginning of His prcaching."t Whether, thereiore, we suppose, with Dr. Gale,, that Irenffius did not write this whole chapter, or, with Dr. Wall, that he was so extremely ig- norant of the Gospel history, the passage cannot be reasonably regarded, (even if it related to baptism, which cannot be proved) as possessing any weight. Its authority is also diminished (if diminished it can be) from the consideration, that the origi-^ nal Greek is lost, and only an inferior Latin translation is extant. | But, if the genuineness of the passage, and' the accuracy of the translation of it, were botrt • Refleciions, p. 405—475. t Defeucc, p. 327. \ Dr. Gale, p. 47G-479. W '1 82 CHURCH HISTORY- I established, the question would then anse> ' What did tlie writer mean ? If Je meant to say, « That all, whether young or old, who are renewed in Jieart by Jesus Christ, are saved by Him,' the sentiment is correct, but it ims no re- ference to infiuit baptism. To translate the words (qui per eurn rcnascuntur ad Dcum) ' who are bap- tized by Him [Christ] unto God,' is extremely incongruous and inconsistent ; while he idea, naturally suggested by the words, of being spiri- tually regenerated to God through Christ, is both congruous and Scriptural. It is certainly most natural and reasonable to understand the pa^- s!(ge thus, if the fathers ever used the word regenerate in this sense : and that they did so use it, has been shewn by Dr. Gale.* He cites Clement as saying, " The Father of all tilings receives those that ily to Him, and (anagcnnisas) having regenerated them in the Spirit, (or, by the Spirit, Pncumati,) to the adoption of sons. He knows them to be of a good disposition.'' — Ho that repents, being as it were {anagcnestheisa) regenerated by a change of manners, has the (palinggenisian) regeneration of life." He also cites from Irenrous the expression, ' The regene- ration Avhich is by fnith."f But Mr. Gray insists, (p. 58,) that " the term regenerated in this jiassage means baptized ; and that it is so used by " the Christian fathers ge- nerally." He remaks, " With the jiropriety^'or impropriety of this employment of it, we are not at present concerned." On this point, however, I must beg to differ widely from him. The preva- lence of a grossly erroneous view, on a subject of vital importance, would naturally jwoduce prac- tice equally erroneous. From the exposition which Mr. G. has given of John iii. 5, (p. 257, 258,) he is evidently aware that those fathers who ; * Rofleclions, p. 489—498. \ " Qucc est perjidem regenerationem," Lib. iv. Cap. 69 p 368. ;i m CHURCH HISTORY. S3 tJien arise ^ e meant to 1(1, wlio are le saved by hi\H no re- 'i the words '/sition . 257, s who P 35a. from their view of this text confounded baptism with regeneration, and hence inferred that salva- tion depended solely upon baptism, grossly mis- took the sense of the passage.* Was not tint* R practical and ruinous error, directly adapted to introdure unscriptural doctrine ? If then, Irena3us by the expiessi(>n " all who by Him are regenerated unto God," meant ' all who are bap- tized,' he must have distinctly taught, that all who die unbaptized, whether old or young, will be h.ybt. At whatever time, and to whate^'er *^ Mr. Gray's exposition of 'liis 'oxt, (John iii. 5,) is (p. 258,) "The being '• horn of water" ii necessary for an entrance into the /cinndom of (■' earL!i,\.e. liie visilile church of Christ j and the iieiiii; ' f ihe Spirit/' for our admission to the viijstkal. chiircit, 'lie uui-sed conii)any of all faithful people on earth and insjior}." >ul this, th<)uj;h entirely dilVerent from that of the fathers, is in;.. ;sil)k ; as il is loo complicated, and repre- sents our Lord as siranj^eiy di<^ressin<^ (Voin ihc suhjecl of his dis- course — the necessity of renovation by the Spirit of God — and as ir.eaninn; two distinct tilings by " tiie kingcre had it) those 'n Pedo- ion, and 5t, in the requent- others ; hfist im- on ; for 1" to ad-^ uag-e of natural i'ords of e it was id with* assign- lie true n. He or rule ism of tender* )arent8 3ssings ■ place r early at wo 7,p.306. «:'annot be determined by. The words of our tSaviour to Nicodenjus, (John iii. 5) were ex- pounded so as import the absohite necessity of baptism in order to salvation. — That expre:*siou of our Saviour's was understood to import this, that no man could be saved uidess he wert' bap- ti/.ed, so it was believed to be simply necessary to salvation. A natural consecjuence that fol- lowed upon that, was, to allow all jjcrsons leave lo ba})tize, clergy and laity, men and women, i«ince it seemerl necessary for every person to do tliat without which salvation could not Ix; imd."* The intelligent reader cannot fail to perceive, how distinctiy, though unintentionally these statements of a learned Pcdol)a])tist trace infant l)aptism to a human origin, and assign the rea- son for its introduction. If, then, the passage ascribed to Irentrus is to be understood in the way in which Mr. (i. pro- ])oses, f it will only teud to establish the fact, that the baptism of infants was introduced by uninspired men, under an erroneous idea of the saving efficacy of baptism, and the indis])ensa-- ble necessity of it for salvation. J3. " TcrtulUan is the next witness." Our au- thor says, (p. 59,) " He continues the chain of evidence from the latter part of the second into the early part of the third century." But when he introduces Tertullian's testimony in reference to the mode of Baptism, aware that it is entirely in /avour of Baptist principles, he places it ex- pressly (p. 243,) in the " Third Century." It appears, indeed, that Tertullian in the " third century," mentions the baptism of young chil- * Exposition of'.39 Arlicix.'S, p. 303. t This I do not adinil ; but I liave she'.vr. ihe consequence that must naturally follow the seutimeni ascribed to Irena-us, when it became prevalent •, as it doubtless did in the course of the third century. H ^4 80 CHURCH HISTORY. i* :^'i^ W (Iron ; hut he advises to dchiy it. We have seen, however, that t!ie circuincisioii of the Gentile converts was mentioned, as haviiifr been proi)os- ed by some, under tlic aporehension that none could be saved without it; but it was not prac- tised.* Tlie mention, therelbre, of the baptism of young children, in the way of disapprobation, does not prove that it had been actually intro- duced at that time. If the words ascribed to Tertullian, by which he is represented as approving; of the ba|)tiHm of young children " in case of necessity," are genuine, they evidently refer to the o])inion, that children dying unbaj)ti/,cd would be lost; and that therefiU'e, if they were likely to die soon, tliey ought to be ba])ti/,ed, without divine antliority, to secure their salvation. But if the words {Si nnn tarn necessc) " excejjt in case of necessity," are spurious (as they ]»robably are) t this i'athor does not countenance the baptism of young children, under any circumstances. Must Tertullian have had recourse to " obser- vation on past events" (p. O'J, 03,) to learn, that if persons stood as s{)' the latter sense, I observe that we i-eadily baj)ti/,e those who, " as new-born babes, desire tin; sincere milk of the word," so that our practice accords with that spoken o*' by Orijien. Our author, af, r admittin*!; (j). 174,) tli t "many s|)urious v\ " 'ks have been atliibutcd to Origen," labours to establish the genuineneis of "the passages relied on by Pedobaptists," and the tidelity and accuracy of the liUtin transla- tions of them, lie has, however, by no means, met the ojections urged by Mr* Crawley, i But what are the testimonies j)roduced (p. 5o, 54,) from the doubtful translations of the uncer- tain works ascribed to Origen, toward the middle of the third century ? " Infants are baj)ti/,ed for the forgiveness of sins. — i5y the sacramei of baj)tism the pollution of our birth is taken away. What is the reason why the baptism in the Church, which is given for the remission of sin. , is by the usage of the church" [N. B.] " given to infants also ? — For this also it m as that the Church had from the Apostles a tradition to give ba})tism even to infants. For they to whon; the divine mysteries were committed, knew, tha* there is in all persons the natural pollution of * Hist. Inf. Baptism, Vol. I. p. llf:, 117. t Treatise, p. 'JrJ, !»4. See also Dr. Gale, p. 519—527, and Dr. Wall, vol. i. p. IOC— 108. 8H ClURCII IIISTORl. fl h !i 'W>^ F(in, wliiclj must l)c done awny" [nblui, washiii nwai/] " hi/ iratcr atui the Spirit ^ It* tlif.it; |)»,sK>i!.*>^ AV(!r(' ;jj(Miuino (wliicli is, to i^wy the It'Jist, ver . " (.'t/prian is the ii'Wt witness.* (p. 05.) " ridus, an African l)isli(>p, had ccnisidted him, as to \\ lielher the haj)lism (.>f infanls ouffht not to he dehiN'ed for a ihw days after their hirtli, and whether in this resjieet it Avould ))e proj)erto adopt the rule of circumcision, and fix upon tlm eiyhth day:" (ji. (10.) The Council of sixty-six Afri(;aM hishops, assemhled at (Jarthage, A. D. '^J-^'J, tlccid, no soul, if possihle, is to he lost." Thc.-o hishops manifestlj^ considered them- selves as legislating ahout a matter of the utmost * Rer. J. Mlliiry, spoakinjj: of ilio time oi' Cyprian, says. " Tlie corrupiioiis ol'supersiiiioii, in ro:^arcl to llie iminodeiate honours paid to fSaiiits and IMartyrs — had alukady entered the Church, iind containiiialod the simplicity and purity of tlie Christian f'ailli. It isf evident that a spirit extremely ddn>>ero»i.s to the cause oi piety, huiniliiy, and wliolesomc discipline, 'vas spreading fast i;» the Ai'rican Church."' History of the Churcli. Century III. Chap. i,x. p. hlCi. And yet on the deci.sion of the Cointcii of Carthage-, held at this period, as the first historical account of infant baptism, (with 1 Cor. vii. II.) Mr. Mihier appe-^-s to rest the proof of ilu divine origin. Chap. xiii. p. 151, 152. rilURCII IHSTORY. 89 ti, washiii nioii ' ■ i» in wliicli \\\v, ttcninl snivntion of soiilfl was ilirectly involved. Tin y evidently did not conceivo timt tliey Imd any divine rule to «»nide tlieni in reterenee to this njomeiit(»U8 si:l)ject ; l)Ut eoMsidered it iMcnmhent on tlieni to adopt .such a rule as their own prudence .suf:ri* infants. If there " was Jiot one faithlul man amonji them" to object against the premises, sure- ly none would object against the conclusion. Had our author duly considered this, he might have saved the inquiry, (p. (i8, (59,) " How came it [infant baptisnj] to be introduced at that pe- riod, if it did not previously exist ?" with the interrogations and exclamations that follow. «fe 7. The testimonies of Aui^dstine and Pe- lag'ms are urged. Their works which are cited were written, (excepting sonu' earlier quotations from Augustine) in the iifth coutury : (p. ()1>— 74.) There is no dispute between us as to th(^ general prevalence of infant baj)tism in their time ; and it is evident that they both regarded ba])tism as that by which alone admission into heaven could be obtained. f Augustine is intro- duced (p. 72,) as saying, " If they [infants] are not diseased with any sickness of original sin, why are they carried to Christ, the Physician, to receive the sacrament of their eternal salva- • Mr. G. evidently admits (o.2U, 245,) thai Cjprian deemed it allowable to alter the mode from immersion to sprinkling in cases of supposed necessity. And did not the same Cyprian, with his associates, manifestly extend the ordinance to infante newly Iwrn upon (he same principle ? t See Dr. Wall, vol. I. p. 450. vol. 11. p. 205. n2 tti IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET {MT-3) 1.0 I.I lllll 1.8 1.25 1.4 1.6 < 6" - ► Photographic Sciences Corporation ,\ d ,v ^^ o '^ o^ a^ ^,fHi . Jis i When Augustine affirmed, (p. 73, 74,) " So odd a thing never was said, never is said, nor ever will be said in the Church of Christ," ho was not treating of the universality of infant bap- tism, but of original «in; and therefore the "odd thing" to which he refers, manifestly is, the call- ing of infants "innocent creatures," that " have no need of a physician." But what Mr. G. with many other Pedobap- tists, evidently regards as most important, is, as he states, (p. 170,) "The particular testimony which these great men have borne to their never hmnng heard of any that denied infant baptism.^'' Dr. Wall has, indeed, so construed their ex- pressions ;t and many others have supposed that Augustine and Pelagius affirmed this ; but against tliis opinion there are insuperable objections : — 1. Neither of Hiem had any occasion, from the nature of their dispute, to say so. They were not contending about infant baptism, but about ori- ginal sin. If two modern Pedobaptists were dis- l>uting concerning the object for which infants are baptized, (on which point they differ widely among themselves,.) it would be quite incongru- ous and irrelevant for them to speak of the Bap- tists, or of either the prevalence or the antiquity of infant baptism. It would, however, be very natural and pertinent for one of them to say, in reference to Pedobaptists, that he never heard • In a Council held at Cnnhage, in 416. consisting ofsixty ei^ht hishops, it was decreed, " Whoever denies that infants are oy Christian baptism delivered from perdition, and brought to eternal' •nivation, let him be aaathema;" i. e. accursed. Di*. Wall, vof 1. p. 427. \ Vol. I. p. 4Q8. '.•X'j :\r.H 'U .V. CHrRCH HISTORY. 91 of any who denied, that it i^as for the object which he maintained. This is precisely what Augustine did say ; and what Pelagius said was in reference to the sentiment that infants might enter heaven without the redemption of Christ. 2. It could not have been true. Though Mr. Gray has laboured (p. 177,) fo evade the force of Mr. Crawley's proofs of this, (p. 95,) he can- not have satisfied the mind of any unprejudiced man. Augustine and Pelagius must have heard of Tertullian ; and that he opposed the baptism of young children in general, is a fact as fully established as anv one recorded in ancient his- tory ; as appears, indeed, from Mr. Gray's own Treatise, (p. 60, 66.) The Manichees and other sects that rejected baptism altogether, did cer- tainly reject infant baptism., No man can truly say, that the Quakers do not deny it.* Does not the very language which Mr. G. him- self has quoted from Augustine (p. 70, 71) " Men are wont to ask this question also, * What good the Sacrament of Christ's baptism does to in- fants?" and, "If any one do ask for divine au- thority in this matter,'* &c. evidentlyiraply, that some then questioned the efficacy and " divine authority" of infant bapti&m 1 How came it to pass, that Councils held about this time, (as well as afterwards) at one of which Augustine is said to have presided,t pronounced anathemas on the opposers of infant baptism, if there were no such persons ? Julian, who belonged to the party of Pelagius, is said to have stated, "I have replied to those * Oar author himself seems, (p. 78) to class "Baptists" and " Quakers" to&fcther, as the opposers of iiiTant baptism. Robert Barclay, the eelebr^ted Apologist for the Quakers, says, " As |o the baptism of infants, it i» a mere human tradition, for which nei- ther precept nor practice i» to be found in ail rfie Scripture, "-r- Apolopy, Proposition xii. p. 409. -i* - t.Rev. J. H. Hinton's History of JJaplism, pi S{74, 276. // m CHURCH HtSTORT f 1!. it who may think baptism is not necessary fop children."* From these considerations, it is obvious, that neither Augustine nor Pelagius could be igno- rant of the fact, that there were some who denied infant baptism ; and consequently, that, as men of truth, they could not have made the statement attributed to them. 3. No passage has been produced in which either Augustine or Pelagius has affirmed^ that "Ac never heard ofani/^ that denied infant baptism.'''* Mr. G. does, indeed, represent Augustine as saying, (p. 177,) " I do not remember to have ever read of any, not only in the Catholic church, but even in any heresy or schism whatever, who maintain- ed that baptism ought to be denied to infants." But I ask. Where is the passage in which Au- gustine has said this ? I have carefully examined the original extracts given from Augustine by Mr. G. (p. 69 — 74,) and by Dr. Wall, and cannot find this' statement in themv Mr. G. gives the following extract (p. 74,) " I do not remember that I ever heard any other thing from any Chris- tians that received the Old and New Testament; neither from such as were of the Cath ^'c Church,, nor from such as belong to any 8' «r schism,. I do not remember that I ever reuu otherwise in any writer that I could ever find treating of' these matters, that followed the canonical Serip-^ tures, or did mean, or did pretend to do so." The same extract is quoted by Dr. Wall, vol. I. p. 382, 383,) but the context, preceding and fol- lowing, plainly shews, that the "thing" to which Augustine refers, is neither the antiquity nor the universality of infant baptism, but the doctrine (p. 74,) that " infants obtain remission of sins by baptism." In the Index to Dr. Wall's Work,^. this passage is thus referred to : — " Augustine — * Wiggens's Hi«t. Pel9g- pi G9, quoted by Mr. Hinton, p. 276. ncv( uifai CHURCH HISTORY. 93 pessary for ^Jous, tJiat be igno- ^ho denied it» as men statement 'Aick either *'Ae never Mr. G. •Ving, (p. r read of but even n>aintain- infants." ; hich Au- 'Xamined istine by d cannot rives the -member 17 Chris- tament; Church,, schism,, berwise iting- of ' Scrip-, do so." vol. L nd foJ. which lor the *ctrine lins bv tine — '. 276, never found a Christian that did not own that infants were baptized for pardon of sin." It appears, then, that Augustine, instead of simply asserting what has been attributed to him, cor- roborates the testimonies produced from Origen and Cyprian, which shew that the sentiment, ^ That by baptism the actual forgiveness of sins and admission into heaven were obtained, so that the baptized were saved, and those wha died unbaptized, whether adults or infants, were lost,' was quite as ancient, and as extensive asi infant baptism. That this sentiment is grossly erroneous, Mr. G. surely will not deny. That it was directly adapted to introduce the baptism of infants, is indisputable.* Pelagius denied original sin. He was hence charged by Augustine and his adherents with denying infant baptism ; since he denied that which in their opinion, rendered it necessary : ind with maintaining that those who died in in- fancy, were saved without the redemption of Christ. To these he replied, (p. 76,) " That meu' slandered him as if he denied the sacrament of baptism to infants, and did promise the kingdom of heaven to any persons with* ut the redemption of Christ : that he never heard, no, not even any impious heretic, or sectary, Avho would say that" [hoc, this] " Avhich he had mentioned of infants. t The word " hoc,^^ this, (improperly rendered " that") naturally refers to the last part of the accusation, namely, that of maintaining that any could be saved v/ithout the atonement. And, as Dr. Chapin has justly observed, "by * On the opinion said to have boen expressed by Augustine, ia the fd'ih century, (as well as that ascribed to Origen) concerning Apostolic tradition, see a subsequent page, where infant commu- nion is noticed. ^ Se ab hominib'usinf'amari quod negat parvulis baptismi sacra- inentum, ei absque rcdemptione Chrisii aliquibus regna coelorum promitiat. Nunquam se vel impiiim aliqucm haereticum audisse> qui hoc quod proposuit dc parvuiis dicercl." . ^^, IS' i 'il I M Mr CHURCH HISTORY. ; 1 .;■ ;i I'l ( 'I ;|%i i- mh !: .}■ i t,i. i[.i ■, , 1 1 i , ■■'■ .. y - 1 Ir;, ■ ■: ix ii:i ■! the word aHquibus^ rendered ani/ persons^ h& meant infants ; because no one ever accused Pelagius of promising the kingdom of heaven to adults without the redemption of Christ."* PelagiuB, therefore, instead of affirming, '* that he never heard of any that denied infant bap- tism," merely stated ' that he never heard of any who held that infants could enter heaven without the redemption of Christ.' While Augustine taught that infants dying un- baptized would be actually miserable, Pelagius maintained, that they would be in a middle state ; but that, (according to his view of John iii. 5,) they could not be admitted into heaven.t It is evident, therefore, that he could not attempt, (as Mr. G. suggests, p. 75,) to deny infant baptism : though he regarded it as designed to accomplish an object diflerent from that maintained by his opponent, t Certainly, then, unless passages much more diecisive upon this point can be adduced, it must be manifest, that neither Augustine nor Pelagius has affirmed, " that he never heard of any who denied infant baptism." Indeed, if all the Bap- tists now living had been contemporary with these writers, they might have said exactly what they did say ; for, though we deny the propriety of it, none of us denies that infants were baptized at that time, " for the remission of sins ;" and we certainly do not maintain, that *' infants can enter the kingdom of heaven without the re- * Strictures on Mr. Moore's Keply, p. 67, t Dr. Wall, vol. I. p 225, 246, 247. i Pelagius was indeed puzzled, (as many others have been.) to t^II why infants ought to l>e baptized. Dr. Wall states, that the adherents of Pelagius " sometimes owned they [infants] were baptized for forgiveness, not ihal they had any sm — they were baptized into the ckurch where forgiveness was to be had for those that wanted it. — And some flew to that, that infants have sin, though not by propagation from a sinful stock ; but either before they were born, in a former state, or since they were born, by peevishness, &c." Vol. I. p. 466. aemi fore, utteri diving intro^ Oi stanc| shade of " this, they comi Is it bapti they sion -i 'f cnTJRCII HISTORY. Bl persons, h(t ^^ accused of heaven " Christ."* •«g-» "that nfant bap- heard of er heaven dying un- PeJ.'ig>ius ddk state ; 'n iii. 5,) n-t It is empt, (as haptisnj : ' , complish d bj^ his <^h more '» it must PeJagius inj who he Bap- 1*7 M'ith ^y what riety of aptized ;" and Its can the re- 3een.) to that the •sj were «y were or those »ve sin, ■ before )«!, by tlemption of Christ.' Their testimonies, there- fore, like those of the other witnesses adduced, utterly fail to afford a vestige of proof of the divine authority of infant baptism or even of its introduction before the third century. Our author, determined to omit no circum- stance tkat may seem to possess the slightest shade of plausibility, urges, (p. 78,) the practice of " the Syrian Christians." But what avails this, if, as he says, " the only church with which they appear in subsequent ages to have had communication, was the Church of Antioch? " Is it marvellous to find them practising infant baptism in common with the church from which they received their " Liturgy" and a " succes- sion of Bishops ?"* Mr. Gray was evidently pressed (p. 191,) by Mr. Crawley's argument (p. 9S,) drawn from the well knoAvu historical fact, that in the early ages of Christianity there were Catechumens, who were persons under instruction prior to baptism ; and that among these were the chil- dren of believing parents ; and consequently that they had not been baptized in infancy. Rev. C. Buck, a Pedobaptist, says, " The chil- dren of believing parents were admitted Cate- chumens as soon as they were capable of instruc- tion ;"t and this is not denied by Mr. G. How, then, does he attempt to escape from the inevi- table conclusion? By maintaining, that some had been baptized previously to their being " ad- mitted Catechumens.''^ But what proof of this does he adduce ? Simply the inference drawn by three Pedobaptists, who, taking for granted that infants were baptized in those times, hence inferred that they must have been baptized be- fore they became Catechumens. If upon such * See Dr. Huchanan's Christian Researches, p. GO, 68. + Theological Dictionary, in Ca^ec/mmens. ; ;■ •- > ^',; m 'lii'fc m cHunrn history. ,t! >' , U grounds we may venture to deny a fact as well attested, as that the Catechumens were uniformly unbaptized, sustained as it is by the express tes- timonies of many Pedobaptist writers,* may not every statement contained in ancient history be flatly denied ? Did not our author perceive, that the adoption of isuch a course must be ruin- ous to all his efforts to establish infant baptism by uninspired historical evidence. Since, then, the established facts relative to the Catechumens^ furnish as certain evidence as ancient history can furnish on any subject, that the children of the early Christians, after the days of the Apostles, were not baptized in in- fancy, it is unnecessary to insist upon particular instances in which historians have recorded the baptism of adults whose parents were believers at the time of their birth.t Neither is it need- * DuPin : '' They [ihe early Christians] baptized with some ceremonies, those who were iiistrucietl and tried in the Christian religion ; during' (he time of their iustructiou tiiey were called Catechumens.' Ch'trch History, vol. II. p. 72. Dr. Moslieim : " 'I'he latter [ Catechumens] were sucli as had not yet been dedicated to God and Christ by baptism." Eubs. Hist. vol. 1. p. 29. Dr. J. Collier : " The Catechumens had only some of the panis benediclus, (i.e. blessed bread,) " given tiiem ; for, not being bap- tized, they were not to receive the consecrated elements in the Eucharist. Great Hist. Diet, in Catechumens. Rev. Charles Buck : " Catechumens — had some title to tiie common name of Christians, being a degree above pagans and heretics, though not consummated by baptism." Theol, Diet, in Catechnniens, Dr. Wall : " Be he infant or adult that is designed to be a Christian, till he be baptized they call him Catechumerius ; and a Catechumen is not yet of the Churcli." Hisi. Inf. Bapt. vol. I. p. 148, 277. — See also an extract from A]. Pascal, near the close oi this Work. t As the debate is to be settled, not by Church history, but the Sacred Oracles, if I have shewn that the churches formed in the days of immediate inspiration were composed exclusively of per- sons baptized on a profession of faith in Christ, (See Chap. HI.) it is neither requisite nor consistent for me to exceed the limits which I have prescribed for this Work, by adducing direct proofs from ancient history in support of our principles, or by giving a history of the Baptists 'from the days of the Apostles, which forms I '.-i' ' OHUnCH niSTORY. 97 fact as tvefl ''« uniformly express tes- rs,* may not t Jiistory be 'r perceive, I'st be ruin- iMt baptism relative to evidence as •t>ject, that «fter the tized in in- particular ^ ;orded the ' 3 believers is it need- ed with some I tile Clirisiian y were calJed such im. «s had Eubs. 8 of the panis :)l being bap- ments in the title to the pagans and ol. Diet, in led to be a '««/ and a >t- vol. I. p. the close oi y, but the wed in the ply of por- 'hap. ni.) liie limits rect proofs '.giving a ))ich forins Till to repeat the address of Cyril, quoted by Mr. Crawley (p. 07,) which, notwithstanding «JI Mr. Cray's efforts to disprov« it, (p. 186— -168,) evidently -refers to the unbaptized children of believers. I would only ask, i« not Cyril natu- rally and obviously to be understood as address- ing the children of believers, who alone can be supposed ordinarily to have enjoyed such a privilege, when he says, " Having (ek nepiou) from infancy been instructed in the doctrine oif Christ, are you not yet familiar with it ?" This view is confirmed by the consideration, that Mr. G. who admits (p. 191,) that the children of be- lievers were among the Catechumens^ is unable to adduce any proof that they had been previously baptized, while the proof to the contrary is de- cisive. The fact adduced by Mr. Crawley, (p. 99 — 101,) that infant communion, wliich is agreed on all hands to be unscriptural and improper, rests on the «ame authority as infant baptism, directly overturns the argument drawn from uninspired historical evidence in favour of the baptism of infants. Mr. G. labours (p. 192 — 19G,) to elude the convincing force of this obvious con- clusion, by alleging, (p. 193,) that *' infant communion is not so early as the baptism of infants." He admits, however, that it is men- tioned by Cyprian, who is his first express and unquestionable witness that infant baptism was practised.* He also acknowledges that " St. Austin" (i. e. Augustine, another of his principal witnesses, p. G9,) " in common with many of the fathers, held that apostolic tradition taught, that no part of my undertaking On this subject the reader is referred Ki Jones's Church' History, Benedict's History of the Baptists, Hinton's History of Baptism, and the Baptist Memorial, Nos. for February and March, 1843. sheim See also DuPin's Ch. Hist. Vol. 11. Cent. iii. p. 73, and Mo- im's Eccles. Hist. Vol. I. Cent. iii. p. 79. ' : ' " PF'"'*' ,i>i^-> < ^^jS^-- -. 9S CHURCH MiaTORT. *'< ■ ¥ ■ vrithout the participation of baptism and the Lord's Suppor, none could be saved ; and," our author adds, *' by apostolic tradition he meant the words of Christ recorded by His Apostle, John iii. 5, and John vi. 53. Upon these decla- rations he built the inference, that infants must communicate in order to be saved. It was this general truth" (error, I should call it,) ♦* that none could be saved without these sacraments^ that Austin terms Apostolic tradition."* '< Though Mr. G. has strenuously endeavoured to assign reasons for the admission of infants to the one ordinance rather than the other, he has certainly, to use his own phrase, (p. 194,) "signal- ly failed." Are not both equally the commands of Christ, equally sacred, und equally incumbent on precisely the same persons? Whatever he may " think," he has produced no instance from either Scripture or ancient history, of the od- mission of any to the one ordinance who were not admitted to the other. Neither has he in- formed us who first introduced infant commu- nion, by what Council it was enjoined, nor yet of as much opposition to it as his own Work shews, (p. CD, 61,) was made against the baptism of young children. Both are supported by the same authority, both obviously originated from the same cause, and both' must, in all reason and consistency, stand or fall together. A few additional concessions from learned Pedo- baptists, besides those adduced by Mr. Crawley, (p. 102, 105,) may suffice : — * II appears, then, aHor all the cnnHdencfi that has been placed in "apostolic tradilion," or " tr.uJiiion from the apostles," in favour of infant baptism, that l>v thin expression the fathers only meant, that they thrmsolves inferred the absolute necessity of baptism, for both infants and adtilis, as also of the Lord's Supper, in order to salvation, from the above-cited texis, recorded by an apostle } and that from this mistaken view, they admiuisterei^ both these ordinances to iufani«. CItURCn HISTORY. W «nd the nd," our le meant -Apofitie, 96 decla- tits must kvas thig " that fitsj that avoured iCantB to '«e has ■''signal- ninands umbent ever he ce from the ad- o were ' he in- ommu- lor yet Work aptism i>7 the i from eason Pedo- wley, placed ?S/' ill » only i«y of ipper, by an Dr. Lieber i *' It is certain that infant baptism was not customary in the earliest period of the Chrifttian Church. In the middle ages it was declared invalid by many dissenting parties, as the Petrobrussians, Catharists, Picards, &,c ; but in the prevailing church, for important reasons, it was retained. — In the first centuries of the Christian era, generally speakingf adults only joined the new sect [the Christians] — But the doctrine of St. Augustine, that the unbaptized were irrevocably damned — made the baptism of children general."* >. Thomas Ctarkson, Esq, A. M. justly venerated for his humane and successful efforts for the sup- pression of the slave trade, speaking of the time of the Apostles, says, *' It must always be borne in mind, that tire proselytes of those times were adults. We, and others, in consequence of hav- ing changed adult into infant baptism, baptize for the most part persons, who, on account of their infancy, have not committed sins of which they can repent," &.c. He adds, in a note, *' The author does not mean to depreciate in- fant baptism, for both baptisms mean the same thing ; — but certainly adult baptim — was the ori- ginal practice, "t Rev. J. Jacobi, of the University of Berlin, in an article on baptism, prepared for Kitto's Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature, examined and approved by the celf.brated Dr. Neander, says, ** Infant baptism was established neither by Christ nor his Apostles. — Many circumstan- ces conspired early to introduce the practice of infant baptism. The confusion between the out- ward and inward conditions of baptism, the magical effect that was imputed to it ; confusion, of thought about the visible and invisible church,. * Encyclopedia Americana, in Anabaptiatt, and BaptUm. - t Essay on Baptism; qiiotad in tlie Ckris. Mas. Aug. 11, 1843^ ' ':.! > ■ I !1, ^Ki > vfJ \' r Hi ' < i< !l 10(» ciiuncH irisTonv; &c. — nil thPHO circiimstnnccs, and mnny more, have contributed to the introduction of infant bnpiisni, nt n very early period. But, on the other hnnd, the btiptisin <»f children in not at all nt variance with the principles of Christian bap- tism in general. — Nature and experience teach us, therefore, to retain the baptism of children, now that it in introduced."* -^ -> • Mr. G. may hence learn, upon what grounds Dr. Neander, and other Pedobaptists who admit that the baptism of infants was introduced after the days of the Apostles, (p. 197,) still ** adhere to that syatcm which upholds the propriety of in- fant ba2)tism."f M. Pascal^ an emrnent Roman Catholic, much more consistently with his avowed principles, distinctly admits, that infant baptism was intro- duced by the Church a considerable time after the days of the Apostles ; and he thus assi^^ns the reason for it : — ♦' When she [the Church] saw that the delay of baptism left a large portion of infaitts still under the curse of original sin, she wished to deliver them from this perdition, by hastening the succour which she can give."| It has been shewn in former Chapters (I. II. III.) that Pedobaptists can. exhibit no traces of infant baptism in the Scriptures, which undeni- ably furnish numerous and explicit accounts of the baptism of believers.. A brief examination, of the early history of the Christian churches^ produces the following Results : — _ i ' I f *9 t t I i * Quoted in Cliris. Afc8». Sept. 8, 1843. t An intelligent gentleman of the Church of Englaad, with whoia the writer was once converstug, remarked, " 1 know you are right ; but I think I can do more.good where I am." Thisi wa8, ilKieed, very candid; but the consistency of continuing in ae— knowledged error^ and negleetiug liiowo duty, is ceriaiuly ques- tionable. t See a more extensive extract from^jPoMo^' near the elese of CHORCff nilTOllT. m '"y more, "<* infant 't» on tho 'lot at all 'tinn bup- Hce teach ciiilclren» groiincU »o admit ed after •♦ adhere *y of in- 'c, much ncijWes, Js intro- ne after i^rns the ^'»J saw rtion of 'in, she ion, by 3. "I (I. II. ces of ndeni- nts of nation rches^ »u are is wan, '0 tit--. ' qaes- »• of t. That there ii no mention mode of infant baptism before the third century. 2. That, as in the first centttry, by (ho inspired writers, so alno in the second century, the bap- tism of believers is expressly spoken of, and mi- nutely described, without the least intimation of the baptism of infants, and in a way that evident- ly shews it did not exist at that tim^. 3. The first mention of the baptism of young children, in the early part of the third century, is in the way of disapprobation ; as the circufn-* cision of the Gentile converts, which wos pro- posed by some, but was not practised, is noticed in the Scriptures in terms of disapproval. '•'^'■■ 4. The' first account ^iven of the baptism of infants, is about the middle of the third century. The reason f hen assi^rncd for the baptism of new born infant's, is, not the command of the Saviour, nor the practice of the Apostles, but the opinion then prevalent, that all who died unbaptized! were lost, and that thos« who were baptized and died in infancy were saved by baptism. 5. After this period the baptism of infants is very often distinctly referred to, and expressly mentioned. This clearly evinces, that the only reason why it is not mentioned before (he third century, is, because \i did not exist. -,^ 6. Various unscriptufal practices are recorded' as having been prevalent, before there is any account of infant baptism. The supposition, therefore, that an unscript'ural practice could not have been introduced so early, is utterly ground' Jess.* •r.Oli'.'jl t.\>\ 1 .1 . ill'.''. ^ Jtl, ll^. _ ./.•fli'")_:*'t * The idea that tfie proressed Ctiurches of Chribt coulidnbt, iiii g;eneral, decline materially either in doctrine or in practice, for leveral clBOturies after the age of the Apostles, (which, wii6 tb« Solitary exception of John, appears to have extended to oalVi About the year A. d. 70,) is a mere ifroundiess assumption, which Savours strongly of the doctrine of /A« m/allibilUy of the Church.- n, agallProteflanlf maintain, the cburcoes Keoerafiy diddepvrt^ la 'ill m m m ,11 M. .• h J^-l [^ M A . vm loa CHURCH HISTOftY. 7* Thie feithers who speak of the baptism of infants, generally represent it as eftecting their regeneration, procuring the remission of their sins y. and as being the sacrament of their eternal salva- tion. When such erroneous views of the saving, efficacy of baptism prevailed, the ordinance must naturally and necessarily be extended to infants. 8. No passage has been produced from any of the early fathers in which he has ever assert- ed, either that the Saviour coniuiaiided the bap- tism of infants, or that the Apostles practised it. 9. None of the fathers have beeu shewn to have affirmed, ' that he never heard of any that denied infant baptism.' •• •, 10. The fact„ as well authenticated as any re- corded in ancient history, that connected with the early churches- were Catechununs, who '.vera persons under instruction prior to the reception of baptism, and that among these, as is admitted, were the childrfin of believers, clearly shews, that these children wej"e not baptized in their infancy. widely from their primitivn purity, mirsli ^enluries necessarily bave elapsed before tho commencemeiil of their defection ?. How Ibtig was it afier liie eslablisiimeiit of the worship o£ God, in all itsbeaiay and glory, in Solomon's Temple, before the ten iribeS) ,(lbe '"fiss of the professed people of God,) were- paying tlicir adorations to tho calms in Dan iind Bethel? 1 Kings viii. I— 3, iO, 11. xii. 2G— 33. Nay, how long was it after the giving of the law. oivMonot Sinai, in (he midst of the most im- pressive and awful manifestatbns of the majesty of a present Deity, before the Israelites generally, dtiring ilie temporary ab- sence of Moses, were openly engaged in the grossest idoutry? Exod. xix. 16 — 25 ; xx. 1 — 18 ; xxxii. 1 — 6. Indeed, tboujgit Mr. Gray speaks in glowing terms, (p. 163, 166,) of the parity of the churches in the second and third centuries, when, aceoro- ing to his own account, (p. 58, 51),) the doctrine of haplismal regeneration was generall} prevalent ; yet his representation of the Cburelies in the days of the Apostles, (p. 283 — 288,) when, as he says, '^Tbe Christian church was scarcely organized upon the model of the new dispensation, before the mixture of evil with the good, be<;aR to lie apparent," woulri hardly lead one to the con- olusion, ibat a long space of time ni*ist elapse before an errer^ either iihilacttiue or in practice, could be introdMeed. CirURCH HISTORY. 103 baptism of F^ng their ^heh sinsy. \nal saha-^ ' saving nee must o infants, pom any |ei' assert- tiie bap- ctised it. hewn to any that ? any re- ed with ho v,ere sce]>tion dciitted, ' shews^ in their arijy have » of God, e the ten * Kings after the most im- ' present 'ary ab- iomty ? ' (bough ' pnruy accorcf. ipiisinai 1 1 ion of lien, as Mn the 'iih the le con> 11. The early prevalence of /n/«n< commMwion, which the fathers represent as an apostohc tra- dition, and which they sustain on the same principles as infant baptism, evinces the incon- sistency of rejecting the one, while the other is retained ; since every argument that tends to invalidate the one, militates equally against the other. ;.--..., ,- .,.; T-j,, r.. '^r- :■ 12. The distinct admissions of eminent Pedo- baptists, who have been constrained, by the force of such convincing reasons as have produced convictions directly opposed to their preposses- sions and practice, to concede, that infant baptism Avas introduced by uninspired men after the apostolic age, leave no room to doubt, that such was actually its origin- ,, .... .• ■■;;!•••• ■ : .'.-'■ \ >' iii'..T ■• I. /•! ' »v, " ,• >(;1 ^ ... i , ' > - ; 1 1 ' u •'•'in , ■: •; '■•■)■ .'J ii ■'.•. ' . it ,. It •■!('; ;i : ■ ,\ ■ ; ;■ -i-.i) : '-■•''. . 'i' m ■'" :«;:•■ "1 ,f "i >(' . '. 1 • ;.'■: iM' ■'',■.'< 'I : i 'n . . ■ • it ; i! •' ,; . .. • f .'■'•! '' ' '■ '• •<;.••■')).'■ '>• ' 'I ': j ■,'\ ■-{•.*■■'. .■ i !•; . I i,i ,•.(!, ,;" f . M l.i5'* -li' A . ■■>' ■• -■ I . • ( i>!«M»i? •' ,• --Ii' '; > : :i.! M,^ ,:;■ ' . '••■•' ''i ' =' ' '■' •'■''. '■ ■ I . ■ *1'- • f,ii \\. li ;.) ' }:-r\.'i' y I •' i .' I'V . -It)-'. -iiii ... t 1 ' . ■■ ' < ',U y ■ \, \< ■ i> '< . ■ ■ ' < ■ ; V> ;;■„ = !.'';i '■ i;!. ■ ■ ■ "■"'V'T '" i< I. '■'•>■ ')"»*'' ■' '' T( l» ■'. '■■•Vr,-- ■•!((; I-:' f ■vi. - -■• ■ -J,! • ,'' , !,'■''• ■»' • ! ; • ■ , ■' ( i',; ^ ■••/!<. ■fill : I •■' i*^< '7,' 'r i * ..I. -' -1 . . .• ,; ,1 .; ; •»■( |i -. r / '■ ,, ,■ -, -!'>.. t,?t- I.,i.: ■ ^'r.r- V.T' ■1 ;■ ..»r. t ..■ ,P I i m^ ■'' »i r- III I; ' 'I f V ' li'l ■*. I (li :i H ■ ' II. ■ ti .. » ■»■ . tART 11. THE MODE OF BAPTISM. C If A P T E R I . THE MEANING OP THE WORD BAPTIZO. When the Saviour commissioned His Apostles to " teach all nations," He commanded them to initiate the converts by a certain action, accom- panied with a prescribed form of words. To this action the converts were required to yield sub- mission, as the commencement of a course of Christian obedience. Thcr supposition that it was left undetermined', or optional with the per- sons required to submit to it', what this action should be, is utterly incongruous, and directly at variance witl^ the constant manner of the di-' vine procedure. The corhmands of God have ever been given With precision and plainness.* Can any sufficient' reason be assigned, why this command should be thought to be entirely dif- ferent, in these respects, fronl all others 1 It is invariably expressed by one and the same word ;• and that word is definite and specific iii its mean- ing. * No attentive reader of the Scriptures can be ignorant of ihs exactness and distinctness oftbe commatnds given to Noah, those of the ceremonial law throughout, those relating to the Ark of thiB Covenant^ the Tabernacle, the Temple, Sic. See also Deut. xxvii< 8; Hab. ii.S; Gen. xvii. 11, 12} Exod. ixy. 40; MaitA. tmHi 26-29. MEANING OF WORD BAPTIZO. 105 IZO, Apost/ea theih to » accoin- •ds. To leJd sub- ourse of that it theper- ' action directly the di-' i have iness.* ^y this ^y dif- Itis ^ord ; nean- of ibe (hose ofth* xxvii, »anrt; The two actions by which obedience is pro- fessedly rendered to this command, by persons of differerent denominations, are, the immersion of the whole person in water, and the sprinkling of water on the face.* These actions are so entirely distinct and different, that it must be obvious to every unprejudiced and intelligent person, that they cannot both be one and the same act of obedience to the same command. If one of them is right, the other is unquestionably wrong. The question, therefore, to be decided is simply this, Which of these actions has the Saviour enjoined ? In order to determine this point, it is only necessary to ascertain, whether the word by which the command is expressed (haptizo) ordinarily signifies to immerse or to sprinkle. That Pedobaptist Lexicographers should, in some instances, through the prejudice of educa- tion, define the term too favourably to their own practice, is Avhat might be reasonably expected. It is not, however, to be sup[)osed, that they would in opposition to their own prepossessions^ define it too favourably to the views of the Bap- tists. What, then, according to the testimony of Pedobaptist Lexicographers, is the general sense, or the primary and usual meaning, of the verb Baptizo ? as also of the word Baptisma ? Without entering into the minuticB of definition in reference to the figurative meaning of the word, its primitive, literal,, and usual meaning is thus given in seven Greek Lexicons, which are taken without selection. Schrevelius : " Baptizo, To immerse, to wash, to bathe. Baptisma, immersion, dipping — (BaptisteSi He who immerses. " Jt * Arguments are frequently urged by those who practice sprink-t ling, in favour of ;;ounR^, as tiie mode; but this is so rarely practised, that it caiuiot be said to be the mode used by any de» nomination. t Baptizo, mergo, abluo, laro.-'lmmersio, tinclio.'-( Qui " im- mergii."-~Etl, Edinburgi, 180iK >'S)V V,1 106 MEANING OF THE ITORD DAPTIZO. ' i '' "^ ' ^ Hederic : " Baptizo, To immerse, to dip^ to cover with water. — Baptisma, That which is immersed,, immersion^* Stocking : ** Baptizo, — Properly is to immerse and dip into water. — Baptisma — Properly denotes the immersion or dipping of a thing into the wa- ter, that it may be washed or bathed.^^f Donnegan : ** Baptizo, To immerse, submerge, saturate. — Baptisma, An object immersed, sub' merged, 4*c."| Parkhurst : Baptizo, ('from Bapto, to dip,) To dip, immerse, or plunge in water. — Baptisma, an immersion, or washing with water.'''' \\ Greenfield: ^'■Baptizo, To immerse, immergCy submerge, sink. — Baptisma, What is immersed ; hence, immersion." Dunbar Sf Barker : " Baptizo, To dip, im- merse, submerge, plunge, sink. — Baptisma, Im- mersion, dipping, plunging. — Baptistes, He who dips or immerses." The intelhgent reader will readily perceive how it happens, that some of these Lexicogra- phers use words in defining baptizo which are not strictly definitions of it, such as to cover loith wa^ ter, to wash, to bathe, to sink, to saturate ; since that which is immersed in water, is covered with water, is washed, or bathed, and in some instances, sinks, or is saturated. So Stockius, after defi- ning the word baptisma, (or baptismos, of the same import,), " The immersion or dipping of a thing in water, that it may be washed or bathed," adds, ** Hence it is transferred to sacramental baptism, in which anciently the person to be bap" tized {in aquam immergebatur) was immersed ihtc * " Mer^o, immergo, aqua obruo.—Id quod immergiiur, immtr' no." Ed. RoTnce, 1832. t Proprie est immergere ac intingere in aquam —Proprit rtotat' itnmersionem, vel vdinctionetn rei in aquam ut abluatur, vtl lavi- tur." Ed. JencB, 1743. \ Abridg.ed Edition. || Piftb Edition. London; 1809. rizo. >dipy to cover is immersed,. fo immerse ^f^rly denotes ^nto the wa- sfiomerg'e, crsed, suC *o dip^) -Baptisma, mmersed ; isma, Im- f, He who perceive exieogra- 'h are not ' toith wa- « .* since ■red with •stances, er defi- of the ^S of a •athed," amental be bap- ^ed into' ^, imtntv nt TiotaC heamng op the word baftizo. 107 water, that he might be [figuratively] washed from the pollution of sin." (See Acts xxii. 16. Heb. X. 22.) No person at all acquainted with the lan- fruages, will for a moment imagine, that a Greek word has all the meanings that may be given to all the Latin words used by Lexicographers in defining it. For instance, lava, when employed as a definition of haptizo, is to be taken only in its proper sense of bathing the whole body in water. So in Hederic's Lexicon (Ed. Ronim) the word baptizo is defined, (Mark vii. 4, &, Luke xi. 38, Immergo me, i. e. lavor,) I immerse my self that is, lam bathed.^^ In the same manner the word lavo is used by Cyprian, expressly to denote im- mersion, in distinction from sprinklimg : — " aqua salutari loti, bathed with saving water," which Mr. G. himself defines, (p. 244,) ["immersed by baptism."] It appears, then, that while these Lexicogra- phers, with all others of any note,*) invariably define the word Baptizo, To Immerse, as its primary, literal, and usual meaning, in giving a secondary sense, they employ such words only as have immediate reference to immersion ; but not one of them gives the least degree of counte- nance to the idea of either sprinkling or pouring. Every considerate man must be aware, that if these Pedobaptist Lexicographers could have • Professor Slnart, of Arulovpf, an eminently learned Pedo- Jiaptist, snys, " Haplo and baplizo mean to dip, plunge, or im- merge, into anything liquid. A.II Lexicograpliers and critics of any nole are agreed in this," ( BiMical Ilcjiosiiory, No. X. p. 298.) Mr. Ewing's Lexicon is, tlierefore, nti auiliorily. He was a violenl opposer of immersion, ngainst which he wrote a Treatise; and one leading ohjecl whicli he hiid oUviously in view in confipiling a Greek Lexicon, wa'<, to put down immersion, and lo establish sprinkling, or " popping,'"' as ho would absurdly and childishly render the word baptizo. He says, '• II signifies, to pop, in any direction.— When applied to ihe ordinance of baptism, the ,word has its usual, natural sigiiiHcttioii. It consists merely in "popping a handful of water on the face." Hec Essay on Baptism, by iJreville E wing, p, 11, 15, 26-30, 49, 71 . m M m^ IM 1 Sfll il:' j'!'; i H^' J •?" 4 1' ;■,<: I, ! ■ I ■ ro8 MEIININO OF THE WORD BAPTIZO. found examples to support either of these senses, in favour of their own practice, they would have given that sense to the word. The only rational inference, deducible from the fact that they have not done so, is, that while the word unquestion- ably means to immerse^ it does not signify either to pour or to sprinkle. 1. As the word baptizo was employed by clas- sic writers, before it was selected to designate the action of a Christian m-dinance, it is proper to ascertain in what sense it was used by them. '* Heraclides Ponticus, a disciple of Aristotle, (Allegor. p. 495,) When apiece of iron is taken red hot from the fire, and plunged* in the. water (hndati haptizetoi,) the heat being quenched by the peculiar nature of the water, ceases. " Plutarch, (Parall. Groec. Rom. vol. vi. p. C33,) Plunge (haptison) yourself into the sea. Vol. X. p. 118, Then plunging ( baptizon ) himself into the lake Copias. " Strabo, (Lib. vi. p. 421,) speaking of the lake near Agrigentum, says, Things that elsewhere cannot float, do not sink (me baptizesthai ) in the water of this lake, but swim in the manner of wood. — xvi. p. 1108, The bitumen floats on -ihe top Jof the lake Sirbon,] because of thcnature of the water, which achnits of no diving, nor can any one who enters plunge in {baptizesthai,) but is borne up. " Josephus" (contemporary with the Apostles) *' speaking of Aristobulus as having been drown- ed by command of Herod, (Bell. .hid. I,) says, The boy loas sent to Jericho, and there, agreea bly to command, being immersed in a pond (baptizomenos en kolumbcthra,) he perished.Vt * I use Capitals and Ilalics, in quolalions, only vvlicre the wrilcrs cited have used ihem. Justice appears to me to require the adoption of this course. + I'rolessor Smart's Essay on the Aiotle of Baptism, Bib. Rep. No.x. p. 298,21)9,300. '120. MEANING OF THE WORD BAPTIZO. 109 ^lese senses, would have nly rational t they have tinquestion. rnify either ^ed by das- > designate t is proper ' ^y them. AristotJe, ^n is taken i the water J^ed by the vol. vi. p. ' *^e sea. n) himself f the lake elsewhere sthai) in aniier of s on 4he lature of can anj^ ') but is postles) drown- ') sajs, igreea if pond hed.Vf Iiere the require ib. i?cp. '<* The same transaction is related in the Antiqui- ties in these words ; '* Pressing him down always, as he was swimming, and baptizingf^^ (baptizontes, immersing) " him as in sport, they did not give over till they entirely drowned him."* It is evidently unnecessary to multiply cita- tions. Mr. G. himself admits (p. 204,) '* As to the fact that the word in question [haptizo] has generally in classic writers the meaning of to plunge or immerse, we never heard of a scholar or «, critic who denied it." After this candid concession of a fact which ought to be regarded a« deciding the point at issue, he should in all reason, have drawn the natural and unavoidable inference, that the action enjoined by the Saviour is immersion, and not sprinkling. Instead of this, however, he immediately un- dertakes to discover *' shades of difference in its signification." In the same way he may quite as easily evade the obvious sense of the word (phago)hy which our Lord has commanded His disciples to cat bread in the ordinance ol the sacred supper. Though this word ordinarily means to receive food into the stomach, yet it some- times* signifies to corrode, consume, or destroy ;f and hence it may, with equal consistency, be ar- gued, that we are not required to eat bread in the usual acceptation of the term ; but that we may fulfil the command by corroding or consuming the bread, without actually eating it. Nay, this mode of reasoning would be more plausible than that adopted by our author in regard to baptism ; for he has not produced an instance in which the word (baptizo) signifies to sprinkle either literally or figuratively. He ought, however, in ■order to justify the practice of the Pedobaptists, * Dr. Carson on Baptism, p. 93. t James v. 3. Rev. xvii, 16. j . , . 4 i '■■it ' 110 MEANING OP THE WORD DAPTIZO. : .if lii ■r' (1 •1 U ij i^i l3i i to have shewn, that the word in its literal an^ ordinary acceptation, means to sprinkle. But what do the examples in classic writers, which he has selected from Professor Stuart's Essay, prove 1 The reader shall be put in pos- session of all of them, (p. 205, 20(5,) that he may judge for himself. " Aristotle (DeMirabil. Ausc,) speaks of a saying among the Pha3nicians, that there were certain places beyond the pillars of Hercules, ' to/iich, lohcn it is ebb-tide, are not overjloioed (me haptizesthai) but at full-tide are covered with waves, (katakluzesthai.'* y^ " Diodorus Siculus, (Tom. 1. p. 107,) '•Most of the land animals that are intercepted by the riiicr [Nile] perish, being overwhelmed, (baptizomena.^) — Tom. vii. p. 191, ' The river rushing down with a stronger current overwhelmed (ebaptise) many icith water.^ " *' Plutarch, (Tom. vi. p. 30, ' The soul is ndu^ risked by moderate labours, but is overtohelmed {baptizetai) by excessive ones.'' " These are all the passages which our author has produced from the Greek classics in favour of sprinkling, and against immersion ; though he had before him, as he informs us (p. 104,) an ample list of " all the instances in which the term baptize [baptizo^ can be supposed to depart from its radical meaning of immerse or plunge.''^ Does any one of them afford the slightest de- gree of countenance -to sprinkling ? Does not the word haptizo in every one of them evidently denote immersion ? As land is said, by a natural figure, to recede, when a ship departs from it, so it is very naturally said, when overflowed, to be laid under water. Every intelligent person must at once perceive, that, whatever " shades of difr ference" may be noticed, as to the way in which it is effected, whea land is overflowed by the PO. MEANING OF THE WORD BAFTIZO. Ill 'teral an(i 'Most of the river ena.'') — « with a ^ny iDith ? is nour- whelmed author fovour '^^h he K) an 3J1 the depart tnge." St de- !S not ently •tural it, so to be nust dif. fiich thQ ifide, it is immersed, when either beaets or men are overwhelmed with water and drowned in a river, they are immersed, and when the mind is oppressed and overwhelmed, it is figuratively immersed.* The conclusion, then, is inevitable, that the classic use of the word (baptizo,) is evidently and entirely in favour of immersion, and wholly against sprinkling. * Mr. G. might, indeed, have adduced such inslances as that quoted by Rev. A. W. McLeod, (Conversations, ice. publiwhed ill 1843, p. 12,) in which Porphyry speaks of a person " in a river ^{baptizeiai mechri kephales) baptized up to his head." jBut such instances prove decisively, that to be baptized is to he immersed i since the person is said to be baptized just so far as he is under water. Our respected opponent's candour is lo be commended, that he has not had recourse to the very fallacious mode of rea- soning on this subject, which some have adopted. He has pro- perly kept to the investigation of the word \[se\f(baptizo.) and has not attempted to support sprinkling by connecting another word M'iih that which alone designates the ordinance ot baptism. Rev. VV. Thorn, (from whom Mr. McLeod has professedly taken a great part of his pnmphlel,) says, ''The won' baptizo is a de- rivative from/»tjp nnd iti. ]^y Testd- ?ra]J^ or ^ich Jie c. hut ! Word -my I (o a any I em- i by B in- ' lo I b6 frfr washing oneself by immersion, answering to the Hebrew tabal, 2 Kings, v. 14."* Isa. xxi. 4, the word baptizo ia -used figurative- ly ; (he anomia me baptizei,) which Professor RobinsonthuH explains, '* ^Iniquity baptized me,* that is, overwhelmed me, so that I was wholly immersed in it."t Parkhurst defines it, '•'^Ini- quity plung'cth mc, i. e. into terrour or distress^ He adds, '* So Josrphus (De Bel. lib. iv. cap. 3, § 3.) says of the robbers who crowded into Je- rusalem, tiiat (cbaptizan ten polin,) They plunged the city, namely, into c«/aw«7*cs."i Mr. Gray's objection, in reference to the clas- sic use of the word, (p. 211, 212,) taken from * Greek Lexicon, in Baptito. t Robinson's Ed iiion of Calmcl's Diclionary of the Hible, in Jlaplism. \ So the Sybilline vrrse concerning; Athens, represents that city as liable to he plunged into calamines, but as destmril lo rise acaiii above them, under the idea of n bladder, or leathern bottle, niled with air, which, though it may bo thrust under water, will rise as soon ns the pressure is removed: — f" Askos, baptize, dnnai de toi ou themis esti,) Thou mayesl bi immersed, O bottle, but thou art not fated lo sink ." Rev. E, Pond has grossly perverted the sense of this passage, by improperly rendering the wornn)ion for (>reek verbs to denote entirely ditferent actions in elassi* ral and biblical use, it has no>v been demon- strated, that the (ircek 'JVanslation of the Ohl Testament, from the ITebren, uses the >vor', baptizn in the sense of inmurnan oidy. \V hen the word bapiizo is employed fi frJiry to '■ ^'•'•eek "c/asni- tlio Old « M'oni 'f/v, ii V I'arli- i« tisod (>'•(! /a- >. iilO,) '<' con- < V. J 4, rit, tU(, 'Micni /« ////- lined, ■ Mas nncd 5e, it iffer- ■ft]y did) out by As she was treated uitli {rri;nt kindness by HoloftM'nct), hbc could liave ii* occahiou to go 'MMit ill the niirbt" in order to wn(*li her handn and face. This action, Mi(ire(»ver, is ( 'tHHtantly expresHcd hy another Mord, (vi/,. nipta.) It in evident, therefore, from tl»e circiirnhtanceiii, as well 1 lioni the word UHcd, that, a8 the Jcwii "c ■ ' (] ed in various cases of ceremonial I )llullon lo hdthc, that in, imnnrac thrrnsclvcs, ."lit' ''c rcfjarded herself as polluted hy her in- terctHirso with the heathen, ^he retired "in the night," and bathed or imnnirsed herself. Ac- cor.liji2;ly, it is added, (verse 10,)—" So she came ill clean [ceremonially clean,] and remained in the tent, until she did eat her meat in the even- ing. »» Ecclus. xxxiv. '25. " lie that (hnptizomnws) washeth himself after touching a dead body, if he touch it again, what availcth his washing ?" Mr. G. seems quite confident (p. 209 — 211,) that the word haptizo here docs not denote im- mersion. But why not 1 It was expressly enjoined, concerning one who wns unclean by reason of touching a dead body, ns the conclud- ing and principal part of his cleansing, "On the seventh day he shall purify liimself, and wash his clothes, and iiathe himself in water, and shall be clean at even." (Numb. xix. 19.) Mr. G. however, adopts the opinion of Professor S'aart, (p. 210.) that the word here rendered bathe (rachats) " does not imply immersion." But this unfounded opinion of one polemical writer, can be easily confronted by the united testimony of a host of competent authorities ; of whom numbers are Pedobaptists, who have fully conceded, that many of the ablutions en- joined in *he t ercmonial law, expressed by this word, were performed by immersion. Even !'• h Mir.-,' (■ ^^'Si li mm 116 MEANING OP THE WORD BAPTlZO. Professor Stuart himself concedes, " It may, in- deed, admit the idea of immersion, because washing or ablution may be effected in this "* way Rev. Mr. Frey, a Jew by birth and education, and a scholar, tells us, " The purification of un- clean persons and vessels, &c., rcquhxd hy the law of Moses — was always by immersion, f (See Levit. XV. 16. Numb. xix. 7, 8.) Dr, Wall^ a rtoted Pedobaptist, ^ives this rule from Maimo- nides, a celebrated Jewish Rabbi, " Wheresoever in the law the washing of the body or garments is mentioned, it still means the washing of the whole body." The Doctor also cites Aben Ezra and other Jewish Commentators, as stating, that "where washing of garments is mentioned, they always understand washing of the whole body. "J In the Septuagint when no particular part, as the face, hands, or feet, is specified, this word [rachats) is usually translated by the word louo, which signifies to bathe the hody.\\ In Numb, xix. 19, which refers to ablution after touching the dead, it is rendered [Lousetai to soma autou) He shall bathe his body. That the word by wiiich washing or bathing in enjoined in case of the leprosy, or after the touch of a dead body, {rachats, Lev. xiv. 8, 9. Num. xix. 19^,) denotes an immersion of the whole person, where no particular part is specified, is evident, from the instance of Naaman. He was directed to " wash (rachats) in Jordan seven timesy" (2 Kings, v. 10 ;) and we are informed (verse 14,) that he *' dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God." The word tubal (dipped) is used in the last instance; and Mr. G. himself says, (p. 210,) "The term that signifies to immerse or dip is- * Bib. Rep. Vol. x. p. .^il. t Essays on Baptism, p. 105. X Vol. I. p. 10, 11, II " Louein is to wash or bathe the whole- body." Dr.G. Campbell; on John ix. 7. Jli zo. llEANING OF THE WOHD BAPTIZO. 117 t may, fn. ^>Pcause' d in this clucatioii, ion ofun- xd hy the In- 1 (See Wall, a a Maimo- eresoever garments 'g of the ben Ezra ting, that ned, they J body. "J pait, as liis word ord louo, 1 Numb, touching tilling iy . ^ter the V. 8, 9. e whole ified, is He was I seven formed 1 times man of in tho' . 210,) dip is 105. Je whole- tahaV Certainly, then, the command which was obeyed by dipinng or immersion, must have been expressed by a word which signifies to dip or immerse. Rev. J. Robertson admits, " The Jcavs had two sorts of washing ; one of the whole body by im- mersion, which was used by tlie Priests at their consecration, and frequently in cases of leprosy,* the other of the hands or feet." He also ob'- serves, "The practice of dipjung or washing was common among the Jews for religious pur- poses."! Dr. W. Brown, also a Pedobaptist, says, "The first thing they [the priests] did after enjoying repose, was to bathe in the room provided for that purpose. For none might go into the court of the priests to serve (not even those that were ceremonially clean) Avho had not previously Avashed their whole bodies in water. But that immersion of the wliole body in the morning' was not repeated through the day."| Dr. G. Burns, when writing expressly against the views of Baptists, admits, in reference to Jewish ceremonial pollutions, " Persons were, indeed, on some occasions, directed to plunge or bathe themselves." || The word which is rendered " washing" [lou- tron) in the close of the verse (Ecclus. xxxiv. 25,) according to Kirchcr occurs but twice in the Septuagint. In both these instances (Cant. iv. 2.' vi. 5.) it is used in reference to the washing of sheep; which, it is well known, is performed by first putting their bodies into water. On the whole, then, it is evident, that in these instances (Judith xii. 7, and Ecclus. xxxiv. 25,) which are the ohly places where the word baptizo *See Exod. xxix. 4. Levil. xiv. 8, 9. f Treatise on Infant Baptism, p. GO, 170. | Antiquities oC liie Jews, Vol. I. p. 391. 11 Subjects nnd Mode of liaplisin, p, 70. See also Dr. Gale's RellectioHS; 146—150. H8 MEANING OF THE WORD BAPTIZO. . '■ ■■'! ' I . ■■ I' occurs in the Apocrypha^ it denotes immersion.' This is expressly admitted by Parkhurst. Hav-' ing stated that the LXX. use it " for washing one- seljf by immersion^ answering to the Hebrew tahal, (2 Rings, V. 14,)" he adds, " Thus also it is ap- plied in the apocryphal books, Judith vii. 7. Ec- clus. xxxiv. 25."* Every instance produced by Mr. Gray of the use of tlio word baptizo in any writer, prior to the time in which it was employed to designate the action to be performed in a Christian ordi- dinance, has now been examined. This able disputant, in the possession of the most ample means, has undoubtedly done his best in sup- port of the practice of the Pedobaptists. But, has he produced an instance in which the Avord [baptizo) can be reasonably thought to denote sprinkling, or any thing like it ? Not one. In- deed, all that he has professedly attempted to shew, is, (p. 211,) " That the word baptize [bap- tizo] is not employed exclusively in the sense of immersion, either in the Septuagint, the Apocry- pha, or in classical authors." But even in this attempt he has utterly failed ; for it has been fully evinced, that in every instance which he has produced, the word {baptizo) does obviously signify to immerse. What reason, then, apart from the prejudice of education, and strong attachment to a favour- ite system, has Mr. G. for supposing, (p. 211,) " that there is less reason to think it must retain this specijic meaning in the New Testament ?" Can it be reanonably thought, that the Saviour Avould enjoin spritikling by a word which did not mean to sprinkle, biit to immerse ? If He had chosen to appoint sprinkling, as the action to be performed, the word rantizo would have express- ed that action distinctly. If He chose to appoint * Greek Lexicon, in Baptizo. TI20. s immersion,' urst. Hav- ^ashing one- 'brew tabal, so it is ap. ivii. 7. Ec- r«7 of the r. prior to designate stian ordi- This able 'ost ample 'St in sup. ists. But, the word to denote one. In- empted to ^tizc [Lap. 3 sense of e Apocry- en in this has been which he ^bviousiy )rejudice I favour- (p. 2n,) '' retain iment /"' Saviour 'ich did He had •11 to he xpress- appoint MEANING OF THE WORD BAPTIZO. 119 immetsion^ I ask, What appropriate Greek word could He have employed, instead of baptize, that would have expressed immersion with more dis- tinctness and certainty ? Until, then, an appro- priate term can be selected from the whole range of the Greek language, which will express immersion more emphatically than the word haptizo does, it is manifestly inconsistent to at- tempt an evasion of the native and usual import of this word, by seeking to find exceptions.* Our author, however, instead of giving us a more suitable and definite Greek word to express immersion, after having failed to find exceptions elscM'^here, proceeds to the New Testament in quest of instances in which it may be thought that the word [haptizo) means something less than immersion. For this purpose he cites, (p. 214,) :— 4. Mark vii. 3, 4. " For the Pharisees and all the Jews, except they [nipsontai) wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the ciders. And when they come from the market, except they [haptisontai) wash, they eat not." Every intelligent reader must at once perceive, that two distinct kinds of washing are here in- tended. After the inspired writer had stated, * Orthodox Chrislians ought to be cautious how they adopt and sanction precisely the same mode of reasoning that is employed iiy Uiiiversalisis in support of their views. They allege, that the words rendered everlasting, eternal, and foreve.r, do not always denote endless duration. Holh Hapiists and Pedobaptisis, aware that there are some pretexts for this assertion, shew, that the words so rendered , in iheirnalive ^nd usual acceptation, signify endless duration ; and then require them to produce appropriate Hebrew and Greek words thai will express this idea more un- cxcepti^nably than tiiese words do, which are employed to indU dicate the continuance of the future blessings of the righteous., and of the very existence of Deityi But the course pursued by Pedohaptists in the debate respecting the mode of baptism, is evi> dently adapted to establish the erroneous and dangerous position, alike subversive of every part of doctrine and duly, ' that nothing; ,can be proved by words in the meaning of wbicb asiy " shsidea .of dtiTerence" c^aa be discovered.' 150 MEANING OF TUE WORD BAPTIZG. jif 1 :.>.: lu ill r. :?i ■■Si 1 hi \y ■■■■■ H ■?'i It tijir tbat the Pharisees always washed their hands before eating, it would have been useless and unmeaning tautology to add, that when they came from the market they did the same before, they ate. And why,- if the action were the same, rre two entirely different words used in the Greek ? Let, then, the latter part of the pas- sage be read according to the primitive and usual meaning of the worduged, and the propriety and force of the whole will be apparent : — " And 7/}hen they come from the market, except they (haptisontai) immerse themselves [bathe] they eat not." It has been shewn, both from the language of Sacred Writ, and the concessions of Pedobap- tists, that the Jews were actually required to immerse or bathe themselves on account of cer- tain ceremonial pollutions.* But the Pharisees, besides the unnecessary frequent washing of hands, had needlessly anO superstitiously multi- plied these ablutions by immersion. When, therefore, they came from the market, or any place of public resort, in which they were liable to contract some ceremonial defilement, they did not deem it sufficient to wash their hands, but considered it requisite to immerse their whole bodies. The correctness of this view of the passage is fully admitted by several learned Pcdobaptists. Vatablus says, " They washed themselves all over."t And Grotius observes, " They cleansed themselves with greater care from the contact of the market ; for they not only washed their hands, but immersed their bodies."| So Dr. Hammond remarks, " When they come from the hall of judgment, or any the like mixt assem- blies, they wash their whole body, (for fear they * See p. 115, 116, &c. t Quoted by Dr. Gale. p. 164 X Mijori eura, &c. Note on Mark vii, 4. ZQ. »■ ''M Dr. Gill, liowevcr, has given rules from tli^7 stated f't it isal- (lefiJcd, bd agt-in^ [aterj «!- fck clay, strenu- must be ore mo- ^ «re di- '■t Br. J>utting itlentiy iiuiner- lits and ler the ended le pro- leiioto divers re re- ivers 5r ar- "g-o er,'» oJJu- ig-n- tJio MEANING OP THE WORD BAPTIZO. 125 ordinances,") should not lie tlionght to refer to these imniersions, t^ince he has used the most appropriate term to express immersion ?* Though Mr. G. dees not deny (p. 218,) that the word {boptismois) refers to these hnthings, he thinks the term {diaphurois) divers " evidently points to the diflerent kinds of ceremonial ablu- tions, which the law enjoins, and not merely to those which were performed by immersion." But the diversities of ])ersons and things im- mersed on divers occasions, render the phrase divers immersions appropriate and expressive. . Accordingly, Dr. 3Iaehii£>fit, a Pedobaptist of eminent erudition, has not scrupled to translate the words ((liophorois boptismois) "divers immer- sions."! He has thus iully sanctioned the form of expression against which our author objects, and has distinctly admitted, that the word (Bap- tismos) here retains its original and constant im- port, that of immersion. So alsoPftrMi/rs^ defines it in the texts that have now been considered (Mark vii. 4, 8. Heb. x. 9.) "An immersion or washing in water." I have now examined all the passages in the New Testament in Avhich either the verb baptizo, or the noun baptismos, occurs without reference to a Christian ordinance, which are cited by Mr. G. in favour of sprinkling. And here it ought to be observed, that as he concedes, (p. 204,) " that the word in question has usually in classic writers the meaning of to plunge or immerse," it was not incumbent on me (though I have done it) * In Hederic's Lexicon (Latino'Graccum,) as also in that of Schrevelius, (wiili embamma, from the same root,) baptismos is the word selected to express in Greek the Latin word immersio, immersion. t In Ezra viii. 27. — " And two vessels of fine copper," the Hebrew word rendered "two," which evidently does not denote diversity of kind, but mere plurality, is rendered in the Septua- f'nt by the same Greek word (diaphora) divers. In the Hebrew ranslation of Heb. ix, 10, the word that corresponds to {dia- j)horois) divers, merely signifies many. K2 !,>() MEANING OF THE WORD DAPTIZO* il OJ 'Ki! ' l-f: yti. f. yi Mm m to show that in every nlleged instance it must, iVom the nature of the case, retain its original meaninjo; ; hut the onus probaniU (burden of proi'' ing) rests entirely on Jiini. Thougjh it would have availed nothing if he had produced several exceptions, such as are found in the use of almost uU words, yet to estahlish even one, he was hound to prove clearly, that the word ah?;o]utcly must, in the given case, signify something (p'; and t) be re- n whicli clearly ois) in- b M ero rtaijily vino of is fre- Light- estab- jsays, ig the J wish] r after 'octor I bap- Jews tbem- Acian both " wawliint^." Hence it is evident, tlint the use of this word by our Trunslatorn, does not indicate, tluit they thoufjht the word haptizo ever signifies any thi)i<; h>ss than inini(>rt>ioii, while it excludes tiie id<;a of sprijiklinjj;. Who kuows not the diilerence between the ordinary washing »)f garments, in Vriiich thoy are imnumrd, and the subsetjuent and distinct act of spriHkliiU'i \]\vu\ 1 So in Acts xxii. 10. " IJe bii|iti/ed, and wa.
  • »hed" in bap- tism who are immersed ? It thus a))pears that the word (Inun) by which allusion is made to the inode of baptism, as it Dignifies *' to wash or bathe the whole body,"* instead of afVordiiiff, (ns Mr. ii. seems to think, p. 25U}, 2.'J7,) any decree of eountenance to sprinklinjgf, tends directly to exclude every such idea, and to corroborate the fact already estab- lished, that immersion is the only scriptural mode, of administering that ordinance. Concessions from learned Pedohaj)tists to th« same effect, mijjfhi be easily multi])lied ; but the folio winjr, as a specimen, may suffice for the present : — Glassius : " Baptizo sij^niiies immersion. "f Castalio : " They [the persons baptized] were immers(Hl into water."| Dr. Liehur: "Baptism, that is, dipping, im- mcrsing, from the Greek baptizo.-— lu the time of the Apostles, the form of baptism was very simple. The person to be baptized was dipped in a river or vessel, with the words which Christ had ordered."|| Editors of the Encyclopedia Metropolitana : *' We readily admit that the literal meaning of the word baptism is immersion, and that the de- sire of resorting again to the most ancient prao tice of the church, of immersing the body, which •See Dr. G. Campbell on John ix. 7, & xiii. 10 } and Dr. Ham- mond on John xiii. 10. i Philol. Soc. Lib, Vi Cap. xiiii i " Immergebantur in aquas." Cited in Poole's Synoptii on Matth. iii. 6, U Encyclopedia Americana; in Baptism. lave heeii '>y which "^tn, fiti it l)ody,"» ^f> tliink, inrice to t'»7 «iich ly cstab- UEAMNO OF TilE >VORI) UAl'Tl/U. J29 t'J were time IS very Jippeil Christ tana : ng of le de- prao- vhich Ham- •lif oo hns born cxpre^ficd liy iiiany divinc8,is well \*or- \\\y of hein*!; c(iri>i(l( it r. Nraiidtr : " I'liptisiii wmh orii^lntilly per- formed hy iiimi- tisma of which wo read in Holy >\ rit, were hy dippings of the persons hapti/.c»l/'J Hiv. Thoinaa Chr/c.^un, A. M : " Certainly ndidt haptisni (the hcin"- plunged into the water wuw the orii>i/ud pra(;tice."|| Profissor Von^ini : " ll is ahsurd to ima«>'iue bapfizu has jiny other propir mmiiing than to dip entirely, topUinjje, to iniuierse." *§ Not to multiply concessions necHllessly, 1 may here observe, that the learned amonjr the (Qua- kers, or Friends, uho, niakinj; no use (d' baptism, may be regarded us impartial judj^r's in reference to the import of the word h(ipiizi), and the mode originally used, decide the point entirely in our favour. For instance : — Robert Barclay, the learned Apologist for the Quakers, says, " The (ireek baptizo signifies immerse, that is, to plunge, and dip in ; and that was the proper use of water baptism among the Jeios, and also by John and the primitive Chris- tians, who used it : whereas our adversaries for the most part only sprinkle a little water upon the forehead, whicli doth not at all answer to the word."* Our author admits the imquestionoble fact, (p. 252,) " that the Greek Church containing forty-six millions practice immersion." Among* * Encyclopedia Metropolilana, in Maplism. t Allg. Gesch. (let: Chr. Rel. vnd Kircfie, Vol. I. p. 647. iJiComniGul on Mallh. xxviii. ID. l] Essay on B.iplism, quoied in ihe Chris. Mcs. Aug. 11, 1843. § Cited by We.sliake on Haptism, p. 17; * Apology, Pfoposilion in. p. 440. M I i^i 130 MEANING OP THE WORD BAPTIZO, them fire all the people inhabiting ancient Greece, who still speak a dialect immediately de- rived from the former language, which they also sedulously cultivate. What avails it to suggest, that a greater number, (of whom comparatively very few have the sliglitest knowledge of Greek,) *' do not practise it ;" Jintl that many of the Greeks are " ignorant and vicious/" Does not every discerning man at once perceive, that the Arabs, ignorant and vicious as they generally are, understand such words as have long been in conmion use in their language, better than the generality (yea, better even than the most learned) of Englishmen do 1 Must not, then, the Greeks, in whose vernacular tongue the word baptizo has been in common use for thou- sands of years, be reasonably expected to un- derstand its import better than those nations who are, in general, utterly ignorant of the language ? The fact, therefore, that the Greeks, who ge- nerally understand their own language, and among whom there have been, and there still are, many learned men,* have invariably prac- tised immersion, and regard nothing else as baptism, ought, in all reason and justice, to be regarded as perfectly decisive. In conclusion, I ask, Ifwetting^, the application of water in any way, or any thing short of im- mersion, is baptism, how comes it to pass, that a ship, though it is occasionally wet in almost • Theocktns Pharmacides, a learned Greek, in a work publish- ed in Athens, in 1838, savs, "One mode therefore of baptizing, we learn from the New Teslarnent— thai b^ immersion, (katadu' seos.)" Alexander de Stcurdza, in a work published in I816iSays, " The Western Church lias done violence to the word and the idea of the rile, in practising baptism by sprinkling, the very enunciation of which is a ludicrous contradiction. Baptism and immersion are identical. See Rev. W. Hague's Review. &c. p. 17, 18. i uzo. MEANING OF THE WORD BAPTIZO. 131 ff ancient diateJy de- h they also Ito suggest, "iparatively of Greek,) '"7 of the I^oes not > that the generally ^ong been tetter than 1 the most •lot, then, '«ffue the for thoii- fed to un- e nations It of the . who ge- ^ge, and ^lere still >J7 prac- else as ce, to be every possible way, — sprinkled by gentle show- ers, drenched by torrents of rain poured on her, wet by the spray, and washed by the waves, &c., is never said by any Greek Avriter to be (bapti- zesthai) baptized, except Avhen she is actually immersed, while the word is frequently used in Greek authors in this sense, as by Diodorus Siculus, Hippocrates, and Josephus ?* Whence is it that a cork floating on the surface of the water, wet, but not immersed, is called by the Greeks (Phellos abapiistos,) an unbaptizcd cork ?f Is it not, then, evident, beyond all reasonable contradiction, according to this, and in accord- ance with the uniform view of the Greek church, that the man who has not been immersed in obedience to the Saviour's command, however pious, exemplary, and obedient he may be in other respects, is yet in reality an unbaptizcd man ? C H A P T E R II. CIRCUMSTANCES CONNECTED WITH THE ADMI- NISTRATION OF BAPTISM. >hcation t of im- »ss, that almost ^ publish- baDtizing, (katadu- 816* says, and the •jie very lism and ', &c. p. When we have ascertained the literal and usual import of the word rendered circumcise, wherev^er we read that persons were circumcised, Ave know, from the word itself, Avliat action was performed. Were any one, however, to raise a question re- lative to this subject, ho could easily suggest some circumstances, such as the apparent im- probability that God would enjoin such a rite, or that men would submit to it, the inconvenience attending it, the shortness of the time in which * Biblical Repository, No. 10. p, 299, 300. t Ibid. p. 29'J. See also Spaiihcim o» Mallh. iii. 11. 132 CIRCUMSTANCES CONNECTED WITH large numbers Avere circumcised, exposure to the attack of enemies, «fec., which might seem to render it doubtl'iil what tlie action really was, or, at least, wliether the same action invariably took place. In reply to these objections, it would be natural and ])ropcr to adduce suili circumstan- ces as lead to confirm the true sense of the word. Those who arc fond of tracing analogies be- tween circumcision and ba])tism,can easily apply these remarks to the subject under considera- tion. As the Greek words (haptizn and baptisma) express immersion more definitely and unexcep- tionably than the Hebrew words rendered cir- cumcise, uncircumciscd nud foreskin, designate the precise action of circumcision,* we have no need to refer to circumstances for proof, that immersion is the action to be performed in the administration of Christian baptism. Since, however, the advocates of sprinkling are accus- tomed to appeal to circumstances in order to make it appear improbable that immersion was practised by John and the Apostles, it is proper for us to refer to such circumstances as tend to corroborate the fact which the word itself (hait- tizo) implies, viz., thai immersion was the original practice. This is also the more requisite on the account, that our Translators, in accordance with their instructions, have not translated the original words, when they relate to the Christian ordinance, but have transferred them, by merely changing o into c in hnptizo, (baptize) and drop- ping the final a from baptisma, (baptism.) The mere English reader may therefore be assisted in ascertaining the import of these Greek words, by a reference to circumstances. The principal circumstances usually urged by the opposers of immersion, are, the want of time, •Compare Gen. xvii. H with Exod. vi. 12, 30. Lev. xix. 23. Job xiv. 2; xxiv. 21. Fs. xxxvii. 2, cxviii, 10, 11, 12. TU THE ADMINISTRATION OP BAPTISM. 133 ^"re to the seem to ['aily was, '"variably ~ it would Gunistan- the word, ogies be- iiy apply onsidera- 'nptisma) mexcep- ered cir- rnate tiie lave no >of, tJiat ill tJje Since, 5 accus- »'tler to on Wag proper ^end to ' (ba[i- I'iginal on the dance 3d the istian ereJy drop'- The isted 5rdg, dbj ime, C.23. in certain cases, for the administration of the ordinance in this way, and the scarcity of water. It is proper, therefore, that each of these objec- tions should be briefly considered. 1. The want of time. In regard to the baptism of John, it is not easy to ascertain the precise length of time that he exercised his ministry ;* and it is impossible to form even a probable conjecture as to the exact number of persons who received his baptism. The indefinite word all, which frequently denotes the same as many, can afford us no definite infor- mation on this point ; since it appears that among those not baptized by John in the land of Judea, " all men" are said to have gone to Jesus for baptism ;t and it is evident that many of the Jews >'ere not baptized at all.| It might be alleged by the objector against the received sense of the word circumcision, that Joshua, who is expressly said to have " circum- cised the children of Israel," could not have performed that rite upon the great number of m.ile Israelites who must have received it, in the short space of time in which it is evident they were circumcised. || Will it be suggested, ' that he doubtless had assistants V True : and why may not John have had assistants also?§ In many * See Dr. Wall's Defence, p; 335. t See John iii. 22, 26 ; Exod. ix. 6, 20, 21 ; Mark i. 37 ; v. 20 ; Acts xix. 19. X See Mallh. iii. 7—10 ; Luke vii. 30 ; John vii. 48. II Josh. V. 2— 8. Observe that the words (ver. 8,) "they had done circumcisino all the people," are in the Hebrew, as cor- rectly expressed in the margin, " all the people had made an end to he circumcised." (So Septuagint, Vulgate, Luther, &c.) The original text, therefore, does not intimaie that Joshua had any assistance in the work of circumcising the Israelitish males, whom lie was personally commanded to "circumcise," and whom he is twice expressly said to have " circumcised." (verses 2, 3, 7.) $ It is highly probable that A polios, who was certainly a preacher immediately connected with John's ministry, was the person who baptized the disciples whom Paul found in Ephesus. Acts xviii« 21—28 } xix, 1—3. 134 CiTRCUMSTANCES CONNECTED WITH i m v\\ mf- ! ¥•1 •; instances a man is said to have done what was done imder his direction.* So Jesus is said to have haptizod those to whom His disciples ad- ministered the ordinance : and there is no reason to imaijine tliat the Evan£;ehst would have intimated (John iv- 2,) that Jesus did not himself haptize them all, had it not been that He did not personally administer the ordinance to any. From these considerations it is evident, that this objection against the iiumtrsion of the per- sons who received John's baptism, is utterly destitute of foundation. Of the same nature is a Finiilar objection (p. 23*2 — 2tM,) a, Mr. ism to aJIow- k)"in ' two then ? 11 ad- " into and per- each hree cl in ight lore 1,2. i.l5. than would be required to sprinkle the same number individually, with the usual form of words. Rev. Mr, Frvij, an Israelite, well acquainted with the subject, assures us, that the labour which Abraliam is expressly said to have performed "in the selfsame day," (Gen. xiv. 14. xvii. 23,) would require more time than the bajitism of three thousand persons ; and yet he asks, "What :Jon of Abraham did ever question the truth of the statement ?"* AVill, then, our author take his "Bible" (p. 234,) and read Gen. xvii. " and lay it down again, under the strong conviction that there were no [circumcisions] on this occasion ?" If not, how cau he possibly infer from the want of time, that " there were no immersions" on the day of Pentecost, especially since it is nei- ther said nor intimated, that the candidates were baptized by the Apostles only 1 2. The searcitij of loatcr. Professor Stuart has himself unintentionally obviated this objection. In reference to John iii. 23, he observes, " A single brook, of very small capacity, but still a living stream, might, with scooping out a small j)lace in the sand, ans er most abundantly all the purposes of baptism, in case it were performed by immersion ; — but, on the other hand, a single brook would not suffice for the accommodation of the great multitudes who flocked to John ?"t According to this view, every intelligent man must be aware, that, though some places are more convenient for immersion than others, no body of people can reside per- manently, in a state of civilizetl society, where there is not a sufficient supply of water for the immersion of candidates for baptism. Even in a time of extreme drought in Palestine, when * Essay on Baptism, p. 104: t Bib. Rep. No. x. p. 321. 136 CIRCUMSTANCES CONNECTED WITH cf ■ '■■:>:• ■■ water was required for a religious purpose, on Mount Carmel, an abundant supply was forth- with obtained, without any apparent difficulty. (1 Kings xviii. 33—35.) In regard to facilities for immersion at Jeru- salem, (p. 233,) Mr. Frey states, that there were in that city, " many collections of water in the form of bathing houses, for the purification of un- clean persons, and vessels, &c. required by the law of Moses, and which was always by immer- sion."* So Calmet says, " All legal pollutions were cleansed by baptism, or by plunging into water. — Generally people dipped themselves en- tirely under water, and this is the most simple notion of the word baptize."! Independently of the provision that must have been made for these ablutions, the general pre- valence of the practice of bathing could not have failed to furnish conveniences for immersion. Even Mr. Thorn, though exceedingly averse to immersion, admits, " That some of the Jews had baths for amusement and medicinal purposes, we have no question."! Upon what reasonable grounds, then, can it be imagined, (p. 233,) that none of the three thou- sand converted on the day of Pentecost were in possessioa of baths, either for ceremonial ablu- tions, or for purposes of refreshment 1 That pools for fish were not uncommon in Palestine, is evident. Not only does Josephus, in a passage already cited, speak of the fish ponds in Jericho, in one of which Aristobulus was drowned, (being Baptizomenos, immersed,) but So- lomon mentions the " fish pools in Heshbon," and Isaiah speaks of " all that make sluices and ponds for fish."|| But it is superfluous to dwell on an objection so futile. Who knows not that the pools {kolum- * Essays, &c. p. 105. ] Calmel's Bible.Diclionary, iii Baptism, t Mudeia ioimersLon, &p. p. 319. ll^Caui. vit. 4,.lsa. xix. ICkt. ) ITH "'pose, on ^^08 forth- difficult^. n at Jeru- lere were ter in the ^(^n of un- ^^h the y iinmer- oJIutions ?inff into elves en- t simple >ust have raJ pre- not have persioji. verse to evvs had OSes, we an it be e thou- t^ere in I ablu- lon in ephus, ponds s was utSo- bon,'" sand ction ptism. THE ADMINISTRATION OF BAPTISM. 137 bethraif swimming places) of Siloam and Bethes- da, were both near ut hand, and accessible.* Fiach of these, as shown to Rev. Mr. MaundrcU in 1697, was ahout (iO rods in circumference.t Our author mi«»ht, indeed, well admit, (p. 234,) that " the stron«»' conviction that no immersions took place on this occasion — may be prejudice." If it were alleged, ' that the action usually de- signated by the Avord circumcise, could not have taken place in certain cases for the want of a suitable instrument,' would it not bo sufficient to reply, ' that the word itself invariably deter- mines the action ; and, moreover, that suitable instruments Avere in common use for other pur- poses. '| So when wc are told (Acts xvi. 33,) that the Philii)i)ian Jailer " was baptized," the Greek text {cbaptisthe) informs us that he was immersed, as distinctly as it can be ex])ressed ; and we know, moreover, that accommodations for immersion were in common use for bathing. Rev. Mr. Frey says, "All who have travelled in the East know, that few large buildings are with- out tanks of water, or bathing houses ; and this is particularly necessary to preserve health in pri- * Neh. iii. 15; John v. 2, 4, 7 j ix. 7, 11. t Journey from Aleppo lo Jerusalem, p. 91. Ilev. W, flagua, referring lo Dr. Robinson's Work on Palestine, observes, " In vol. 1. sec. vii. 9, lliere is an article of nineteen pages on the sup- ply qf water in Jerusalem. The exienl of the cisterns, reservoirs, fountains, and pools, for all the purposes of life, appeared truly amazing." Mr. Hague remarks, " The city how abounds in r^ lies of fountains, cisterns, pools, baths, reservoirs, bpsins, and conduits, which indicate an abundance of water, and great facili- ties for adapting its flow or confinement to every imaginable pur- pose." Review, &c. p.2L Examination, &c. p. 136. X When no convenient instrumenl was at hand, the act required by the law of circumcision could be performed wiih one less convenient, (b^xod. iv. 25.) If it is to be concluded that immersion did not take place where the accommodation for it is not specified, it must follow, that circumcision did not, where the instrument is not mentioned; and the argument of the Quakers against the; use of water, that where baptism is mentioned water frequently ig not, must be acknowledged lo be valid and decisive. See Bar- clay's Apology, Pfoposiiion,xii. I 138 CiRCimSTANCES CONPfECTfiD WlTtT sons, barracks, »fcc."* Dr. Judson, when preach- ing in Calcutta, observed, " This ca«e [of the Pliilippian Jailer) can present no difficulty to the minds of any of you, my brethren, who may have been within the yard of the prison in this city, or are acquainted with the fact, that prison yards, in the East, as well as the yards and gardens of private houses, are usually furnished with tanks of water."f Dr. Lirhur says, " Bathing un- doubtedly took place first in rivers and in the sea, but men soon learned to enjoy this pleasure in their own houses. Even Homer mentions the use of the bath as an old custom. "| Dr. Rees observes, " The practice of bathing if found among all the nations of antiquity. — The Ro- mans, who for a long time bathed in the Tiber, borrowed the idea of artificial baths from the Greeks. "II Dr. Collier says, " TheRoraanshad public and private baths," &c. § The convenience thus afforded for immersion is illustrated by a recent case in point. Profes- sor Chase, when in Rome, in March, 1833, bap- tized an English gentleman in a bath in that city.^ Whatever improbable conjectures Mr. G. may form, (p. 235,) that the preaching, the washing of stripes, and the baptism, all took place in "the tmter apartment of the prison ^^^ the facts narrated, (Acts xvi. 30, 32, 34,) that the Jailer " brought them out," and "they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house," (naturally implying that the discourse was deli- vered in his house,) that " he took them the same hour of the niglit and washed their stripes, and, was baptized," and that after the baptism, he " brought them into his house," are evidently fiavourable to the idea of immersion. *E9S«iys, &c. p. 105. t Sermon on Baplisra, p. 7. X Encyclopedia Amrricana in Bath. || Enc>'clopeclia Id Dathti ft Gr. Hist. Diet, in Baths. 1l Pi'ofessor Rip!ey''$ Christian Baptism, p, 102, T/r THE ADMINISTRATION OP BAPTISM. 139 '" preach- ^^ [or the n't>' to thfi may have 'is city, or ^n yards, Qrdens of th tanks '»ng un- in the pjieasuro tions the ^r. Rees ' found he Ro- Tiber, ■om the lanshad tnersion Profes- J3, bap- in that Gr«inay ashing- n "the •rated, ought Word ►use," deli- I the 'ipes, tiiiin, ently: 'iattm Our author having examined " the circum- (itances" connected with the auministration of baptism, adopts the language of Professor Stuart, (p. 237,) " I find none, I am quite ready to con- cede, which seem absolutely to determine that immersion was not practised ;" but suggests that gome " serve to render it improbable that im- mersion was always practised." Must we, then, on account of mere ap])arent improbabilities, re- ject the plain and usual sense of the words of inspiration, and substitute such a meaning as ei- ther our fancies or our prejudices may dictate T It may thus be inferred, from the appearance of improbability, that Samson did not actually slay " a thousand men with the jaw-bone of an ass," (Jud. XV. 15,) with much more plausibility tliaa it can be inferred from any circumstances, that any persons whose baptism is recorded in Scrip- ture were not actually immersed ; for the word rendered " slew," which frequently signifies to smite, does by no means so naturally and neces- sarily denote the taking awaij of lifcj* as the word baptizo denotes immersion.i The considerations, however, which have now been adduced, are quite sufficient to shew, that no circumstances present even a shadow of improbability, that immersion did really take place in every instance in which any person was baptized. I proceed, therefore, to notice some circuTO' » See Exod. xxi. 18; 1 Kings xx. 37. t 111 this manner Mr. T, Whittemore, a Universaiist, commenb- ing on Malili. x.28, " Fear not iliem which kill the body," adven- turns to substitute the word " torture" instead of kill ; and asserts, '' There are sufllicieiu reasons torrendertng'ape^eiV/o [kilt] torlaro in this instance." (Trumpet, vol. xiv. p. ir4.)- Truly, if men may so torture the words of inspiration, they can' easily ei'her prove or disprove any sentiment at pleasure. The words apokf teino, to 'iilt. and bajilizo, to imiverse, appear to me, upon attentiTO e'xaminaaon, to be equally definite iu significAtion } and as mucb so as any verbs that occur in the origiaai Scriptures. if 140 CIRCUMSTANCES CONNECTED WITH m stances which obviously refer to immersion as the primitive mode of Imptism. 1. The, places selected for the administratiou of the ordinance. The first account which we have in the New Testament of the adniinistration of ba})tism, is, that it M as performed " in Jordan — in the river (*• Jordan." (Matth. iii. G. Mark i. 5, 9.) This was n large river, that could not ordinarily ho forded,* and of course a convenient place for the immersion of multitudes of people. In like manner we read,. " John also was haptizin'iujc' for J" like ziii«r in »« much l«s, that circiim- V. 3.) ' that or cir- ■ justly •3 sense eiit for to at- Jxpiaiu ession. This nneet- nce of requi- invin- 3 any fact, coin- nrnnok )l doey ind of w« of Accordingly, many lenrncd Pedobnptisis have distinctly conceded, in direct contradiction to tiieir own practice, that tliis is unquestionably the true inqiort of the text. Dr. Hammond^ who candidly acknowledges, in reference to the baptism of the penitents by John, that he, " in token of their resolved change, put them into the water^ dipprd them all over, and so took them out again," observes Avith re- gard to immersion, " Hence was Johii's baptism in a river, in Jordan, (Mark i. />,) in a conjluencc of much waters, as in /Enon (Johu iii. '23,) because, us it is added, there teas much water thereJ*''* Dr. Whitby remarks on these words, *' la which their whole bodies might be dipped." Dr. Doddridge thus paraphrases this clause : — " He particularly chose that place, because there was a great nuantity of water there, which made it very convciiient for his purpose." The Doc- tor observes in a note, " Nothing surely can be more evident than that {poila hudata) many toa- ters signifies a large quantity of water, it being sometimes used for the Euphrates, Jer. li. 13. Septuagint."t Dr. Lightfoot admits, *' That the baptism of John was by plunging the body — seems to appear from things which are relaced of him ; namely, that he baptized in Jordan, that he baptized in j^Enon, because there was much water there, &c.i' Kuinoel thus translates the clause and com- ments on it : — " Because there was plenty of water there, namely so great, as Grotius has noted on the passage, that the human body might be easily immersed in it, in which manner baptism was then performed."] I * Annotalinn on Malih. iii. 1. t The same words (/iMrfci^c polla) are used in 2Sainli xxii. 17}. Ps. xxix.3 ', xxxii.G ; Rev. ii 15 ; xiv. 2 ; xix. 6. X Quoted in Dr. A. C!arke-s Com. on Matk xvi: 16. y '' Quoniam aquce ibi copiaerat, tanta," &c. Com. in loc. iil CIRCUMSTANCES CONNKCTKII WlTIf hi;: ii. T/ie (irninistdnrt of m>lii<>; to the nuttrr firr baptism. (Mattli. iti. .'>, (>, i:). Mur. i. 6, U. Joint iii. t»'J, '2,1 Acts viii. :JH.) liit«;lli^(Mit iiK'ii arc acciistoincd to accoinplisli ail ol)j<'<'t ill the most coiivrMiciit way : and »!V«mv one knows, tliiit, if l)n|itisiii wvrv, to lie* ndtniiiis- trrcd li} sprinkling, it wonid lio I'ar iiiori! con- venient to have a sniall (|nuntity of water l)ron<4lit, tlian lor tin; administrator and candidates to :oininwcvcr, ns imm<'rHi(»n ln' <•• snys, (p. 5211,) " In the niichllo of this [ihr third] rentury, w(! havr nii iicris(ni] tohapli/e him uitli." When the mode thus hei>aii, in some in- stances, to he chanjred, how manifestly clill'erent arc the acconnls frcMu tliose given in the sacred Oracles ! Dr. l)otly remarks, " It wonhl he very nnnatural to .^appose that they went °ht take np a litth; water in his hainl to ponr an tlie Finnncli. A p(!rse that this washinj^ was an immersion." And Professor Stuart expressly concedes, " I am persuaded that this ]iassaj(e,as a whole, most naturally refers to imnuirsion ; f»»r why, on any other ground, should the convert who is to he initiated, ^o om^ to the plarr where there is toatcr 1 There could he no need of this, * Burkill. Pocle's Continualors, and Dr A. Clarke ad. nit thw same. The extravagance of ihe Cancy ol some, Uial the Ethiopian learned the duly of baptism from Isaiah lii. 15, " So shall he sprinkle many nations." and was therefore sprinkled, is apparent from the fact, that in the Septjiagiiit, which he was reading, there is no reference (o sprinkling ; but this clause reads, "So shall many nz^Kiom (thoumasontai) wonder atilim." 144 CIRCUMSTAIfCES CONNECTED WITH if mere sprinkling, or partial affusion only, was customary in the time of Justin.*'* If, then, the circumstance of going to the water for baptism, furnishes decisive evidence that im- mersion was practised in the time of Justin, does not the same circumstance afford equally con- vincing proof, that immersion was also practised in the days of the Apostles 1 3. The circumstances of going " clown into,^^ being baptized *' /«," and coming *' up out of the water.'''' As the word haptizo was frequently used hy classic authors in reference to plunging, or heing plunged, at once (eis) into a river, lake, or sea, and Christian baptism was performed by going first (eis) into the water, and subsequently being immersed (en) in it, (as Aristobulus, after going into one of the fish ponds, was drowned, ^^ bapti- zomenos en kolumbcthra, being immersed «« a pond,^^) some difference in the construction may be naturally expected. But Professor Stuart's criticisms on the Greek prepositions, adopted by Mr. G.(p. 212, 213, 220, 222,) are irrelevant; because he was opposing a view of the subject strangely imputed by him to the Baptists, which they do not entertain. So Mr. G. speaking of the terms, in, doicn into, up out of, says of the Baptists, (p. 220,) " The common impression upon persons of their persuasion is, — that these very terms express the act of going under, and coming up from under the water." It probably will not be denied, that I am quite as well ac- quainted with the views of the Baptists as our opponent is ; a.id yet I am not aware that such an impression ever rested upon the mind of any one of them. We do, however, suppose, that, as men are not accustomed to '* go into the wa- ter" for the iccomplishment of an object which * Bib. Rep. No. x. p 35S. K; fTB THE ADUIN18TRATI0N OF BAPTISM. 145 only, was l« the ioater fe that im. •stin, does 'aJly con- I practised ^^'^ <>/ ^yic used hy or being or sea, PJ ping tJj being er ^oing ''baptt 1011 may Stuart's >pted by 'Levant ; subject > which Ling- of of the I'ession t these r» and ibahly iij ac;:. s our ' such f anjr that, 3 wa- i'hich 'y;An be effected equally as well without, tiie fact that the primitive disciples " went down into the water" for baptism, were baptized " in" it, and subsequently " came up out of the water," does furnish an argument in proof that sprinkling, which requires none of these things, was not then practised, but that immersion (expressed by the term baptizo,) which does require them, was practised, in accordance with these circum- stances. That Pedobaptists are aware of the force of this argument, and in effect acknowledge it, is evident from the strenuous efforts which they are continually putting forth, (p. 220 — ^22,) to alter the authorized Translation of the Bible, so as to make the words read '* .. Yours, &c. " ReD.Ci Tapper. j? wj* ;u Robert Skabs." m ■ Pi I 4i 'i m .i"i ■ ^;l 148 CIRCUMSTANCES CONNECTED WITH 12. (£« (/ma ^OK TVicott) rendered "«<" or " on rhe right hand of God-"* Every intelligent an/* unbiassed person roust at once perceive, that ii is much more suitable to refer to texts in which the prepositions are used with direct reference tc water, a river, &c. Thus we read, " Pharoah's chariots and his. horse hath He cast (eis) into the sea; his chosen cap- tains are drowned (en) in the Red Sea. — The depths were congealed (en) in the midst of the sea. — They sank as lead (en) iu the mighty wa- ters." (Exod. XV, 4, 8, 10.^ *' Every son that is horn ye shall cast {eis) into the river. — And the fish that is (eu) in the river shall die." (Exod. i. '^'Z ; vii. IS.) " The axe head fell {eis] into the * When any one is said lo linve gnni» into a river, or into the water, or to have beea in a river, il is undt'.rsiood, of course, from the nature of the element, that lie was actiiiiliy so f» il as to be wet; hut when one i» said lo have gone into a mountain, or into a ciiy, no man in his senses imagines thai such an one uent under the surface of the earth ; but he widerstaniis that the individual did acluail^y enier iyiic the region or place mentioned Rev. Mr. McLeod, apparently overhioking the obvious dJstinc- tina between a )j/aee, w h ch may be an extensive region, and a stream ov 1)001 cf vcater in that place, dies (p. 2G,) jolin x. 40. '•Josus vve.H away again beyond Jordan, into ( eis ) the plaa where Jolm at first hd\wzei\, and there he abode," with the follow- ing comment on il, by Rev. D.Isaac : — "Interpret this verse wiilt l^aplist strictness, and you make our Lord amphibious. For if Joiiu liletaliy went in/othe water and baptized b)' immersion; and if ou. biaviour went ?»/. 25— -27,.y in ord«>r lo prove what no Jtaplist acquainted wHh' ifbe subject ever quttslioned, via. that Greek prepositions, in some instances, vary in llieir significations- according (» (he oalure of thei subjecl^,oc the prineipaL wacd* wit^ w'lich they are connected.. [ITH tat' TF'5 ADMINISTR/.TIO.N' OF BAPTISM. 140 or into the "'^ course, o in ii a$ •noumai/i, f'» an one Js (hat (he "lenijoned •"* siluc. 7». aufj a 'l»i X. 40 [ ^he placi I'fe 'oliow. 'erse w/j/h . ^or a "o»5 aiirf !«fitl, and us I have lient re- ' Jmpro- 7 go, m '•e Was Bapii.v.t 'rought Mnin^ a cer- . sssary piure, ' (hat water." (2 Kings vi. 5.) " He drew me {ex) out o/niany waters. — He brought me up also [ek) oM^o/" an horrible pit, {apo) outof\\\^m\ry clay." (P.s. xviii. 16 ; xl. 2. Sept. xvii. 19; xxxix. 2.) " Oftentimes he falleth {eh) into the fire, and oft (eis) into the water." (Matth. xvii. 15.) *'And the unclean spirits went out and entered {eis) into the swine ; and the herd ran violently down a steep place {eis) into the sea — and were choked {en) in the sea." (Mark v. 13.) " I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me {eis) into the pool." (John V. 7.) Wlio sees not the gross absurdity that must follow the substituting of at or loith for in {en,) to for into, {eis), or from for out of {ek or apo) in these passages, and many others like them 1 With these let the texts that relate to baptism, in which the construction is obviously similar, be compared. ♦'And were baptized of him {en) in Jordan." (Matth. iii. 0.) " And were all baptized of him (e?i)* in the river of Jordan. — Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John (eis) m Jordan. And straightway coming up (aj)o) out of the water." (Mark i. 5, 9, 10. jt * Mr. G. insists, (p. 208,) that '• en te parembole," means " in the midst of iho camp." By the same method of translation, en to J jrd'tn'. polamo (Mark i. 6,) must mean in the midst of the. liver Jordan, t The opinion which some have adventured to propose, that our Lord was sprinkled to induct Him into the priestly office, rests on two gross errors. 1. Numb, viii, 7, relates to the selling apa/l of, the Leviies, (ver. 6, 11) ; but it is agreed by many P#- dobaptisls, thatllie priests were immersed at their consecration, according to Exod. xxix. 4, which is correctly rendered in the Heptua^iril , (Louseis autous en hudali,) Thou shall bathe them in water. 2. John was no priest, and therefore could not induct ano- ther into the priestly office, as is evident from bis raiment, his diet, and his place of residence. (Compare Malth. iii. 1,4, with Exod. xxix. 5, 6, 9, and Numb, xviii. 6, 8 — 13.) As oir Lord was not a descendant o( Aaron, nor of the tribe of Levi, He could nut be a Leviticai priest. (Numb. xvii. 6, 7; Heb. vii. 11 — 14.) His priesthood was of a more exalted character, as He was '• an hi^h Priest forever after the order of Melchisedec." (Heb. vi. 20.) Though the preposition apo may signify either /rwn or out 'o/> m2 ■''IK 150 CIRCUMSTANCES eONNECTBD VflMtt " And they U^eiit ^own both (eis) into the woter, I>()tl» Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him And .when they were come up (ek) out of the vater." ('Acts viii. 38, 39.;* If it be still alleg:ed, that these words might have been correctly rendered otherwise, I beg to be informed, wiiat Greek prepositions could have (an l^allb. vii. 4,5; x'tv. 29 ', Luke viii. 29,) yet Iha circum- .-itanroM relaied oi'ilic yavimir's haplism, llial He was " bapiize'J of John (eis) in Jordan, and sirai^lMway rotning up (uipo) out of \U& waler," iliuu^h He evidtMiilv did not leave the bank of die river l.tr some lime. (Mark i 9, 10 ; ftkith. iii. 13-^17 ; Lui(;elhcr wiih liie well Uiiown import of llie word bcrptiza, to im~ WW*/?, have const) ain«"d many erninem Pedobarptisis, as Drs. Ham- mond, Wkiiby. Doddridje, Siaclchvuse, &c. to adinil tlistinclly that lie was immersed. So Di\ Fleetwood says, that John "bap- tized tl» iimnactdale Jesus in the river Jordan. — When this cere mony was portiirmod, He weia up straighlwa}' out of the water, ;ind kneeling oiv the bank of the river fervently addressed His Almighty Father." 'I'he f>l)rt!)r observes, " It is evident that )tid motive was, to add a saiiciioii to ib&t ordiiianee tbrever after appointed to be the iniiiaiory rite of Christianity." (Life of Thiist, p. 66, fi-7.) A'm. Isaac Ambrose speaks of Christ as bein;? '• tn t^ic river," and as " comiiiij out of tire river," and assigns ai a reason why Me was baptized, " Tiiat He might give ars example himself of dial which He eiijoined on others." Looking unto Jes'.is, p. 179; * That eA- or ejr expresses out of the most decisively of any (Jreek word,is well knowrr In all who undv^rstand that language. According to the statement of \^cw . Jam^s Munro, a PresbyteriHn, ill the four Gospels eii'xs ir.cislated into 4K3 times, in 59, to'-)!, unto 34, and '• a< a few times." En is reiuiered in 635 times, at ^ti, and xoith 24. (See Rev J. Monro's Treatise on Baptism, Appendix, p 3"— 16,53— fifr) Ever> intelligent man will .Tloijce perceive, that it furnishes no argument in iBVotir of the Fedobripttsts, any more than in onr fa- vour, to allege (as Mr. IMcLeod does from Mr. Thorn, Conversa- tions, p. 24--28.) that these preposiiinns, vthen employed in rela- tion to other subjects, sometime have nteanii.gs different front those which' either we or they attribute to thciw when used 'in con nexion wiibhapiism. 'J'he only question Which touches the debate is, IXi they,most frequently signify vfto and in, or to,at and with T' According to the above reckonitig by a Pedobaptist, where eii is rendered te-ut tmio 1.^1 limes, it is rendered into or in 472 — majority in out favour 3417 aod where en is rendi&red at 36 times, and vavh 24 times, it is rendered til' 63d> limes— majority over ct 599, and over vsitlt &1 K VV ith what shew of reason or consistency, then, can the advocates of sprinkling insisf on- renderhig eis toot at, andM at or it)ilh. arcorditi" to the exigencies of their system, \eii AcU viii. 38 , Mark i.9 ; aidd en, Maltb. iii. 6. Mark i.'5, 8,)r Aisiead of translating these words, in relalibn to baptism, into bhv' iHf wbick »re undeniably their priiaarjF and usual bn»anii»s> ? ttre ADMINISTRATION OF BAPTISM. ir,V been employed to express that the baptisms took' place IN Jordan, or in the river of Jordan, and' that persons actually went into the water, and came out op the water, with greater clearness- and certainty. If this cannot be done, nor an ' appropriate Greek word be suhst'tuted foi bap-- tiza, that will more unequivocally denote immer^' f'ioTit must it not evince :!etermined pertinacity ih adherence to a favourite system, to attempt an evasion either of the usual and obvious sense of these words, or of the argument which they furnish in favour of immersion 1 It is manifest-^ ly necessary to go «M#o the water in order to be immersed ; but, whatever may have been done* (p. 222,^ in the dark " ages" of ignorance and superstition, no reasonable man goes' into the water merely to have a small quantity of it sprinkled in his face, or poured upon his head. In conclusion,! ask, Should the reader meet with a statement in modern missionary accounts^ that a number of people were baptized in a cer- tain j)lace, because there iffas much v)ater there — ■■ that they went to the Water for baptism — that they were baptized in a river — that they ufent down in- to the water^ir, that they come up out of the wa- ter, would he not infer, without hesitation, from any one of these circumstances, that they were undoubtedly immersed ? How, then, can he possibly fail to infer, from the express relation of all these circumstances in the Scripture ac- counts of baptism, that the ordinance was origi*" tially administered by immersion 1 ft ■ ■ V," (T"" .'■.-.; i- -■...!•,, A .-f ,'; ;|rfi»iJl' •■■;'-r ■f , ■», CHAPTER III. I ■' ^"i': •.-■ '>•>■ ALLUSIONS TO THE MODE OF BAPTISM. As some of the advocates of sprinkling eager- ly avail themselves of every pretext that s^eems to present even the faintest shade of plausibility in opposition to immersion, it is proper to view the subject in every aspect. That there are in Scripture allusions to the mode of baptism, which deserve attention, is evident ; but that the baptism of the Holy Gkoat hhs any direct reference to the action to be per- formed in the administration of baptism literally, remains to be proved. Mr. G. however, remarks on Matth. iii. 11, 12. (p. 229,) " This passage, we conceive, furnishes irrefragable proof, that the term baptize does not necessarily convey the idea of immersion ; but it is equally applicable, where the external mode is that of pouring * or affusion.^^ He is of coursd aware, that the term baptism [of the Holy Ghost] is used figuratively ; and he surely cannot be ignorant of the important and obvious rule in philology, ' that the literal meaning of words is not to be determined by the figurative use of them.' Who, for instance, could form any idea of the action to be performed in circwncision from the figurative use of the word ? Who could ascertain the mode of crucijixion from the figu- *Iiis manifestly inconsisienl for lliose who prAclice iprinA/zno" to attempt to prove, that tlie Scriptural mode nf baptism is jsour- Ing, since these actions are quite distinct. Can it be imagined that the Jewish priests were allowed to substitute one of these uciions for the other ? (See Exod. xxix. 7, 12, 16, 21 j Lev. xiv. 7, 16. 16, 18.) Dr. Wall, speaking of those who " throw no more than a Kprinkle or drop of water on the face," snys, "The Scripture will never justify these, nor the ancient church, norths rubric ot the church of England, lor that requires pouring iu lh» weakest child's ease," Defence, p. 111. AlXUSrONS TO THE MODE OF BAPTISM. 153^ rative application of the term 1 What would be thought of the reasoning of one who should in-- (er, that Christ was not suspended on a cross of wood, hecause Paul was not so suspended when he said, " I am crucified with Christ ]" (Gal. ii. • 20.) Though the Holy Spirit is spoken of as falling, being shed forth or jwurcd out, yet no person of discernment imagines that He is lite- rally poured o^u, as wiiter is emptied out of a vessel. The language is highly figurative, and therefore these cxpressi(»ns can afibrd us no in- formation respecting the manner in which per- sons were literally baptized. The communications of the Spirit are like- wise represented under the figures of drinking, being filled, breathing, blowing, shining, anointing, &.C.* Can it be ascertained from any r.f (hese forms of expression how the ordinance of bap- tism ought to be administered 1 As literal baptism was an overwhelming in- abundance of water, (Mark i. 5. John iii. 23,) it furnished a natural emblem, in one point of view, of aftwrerfancc of spiritual gifts. (See Ezek. xlvii. 1, 5. John vii, 38, 39.); In this view the phrase baptism of the Holy Ghost may be regarded as a figure used to denote the abundance of those ex- traordinary communications of the Divine Spirit, by which persons were endowed with miraculous powers, and in which they were so immersed a.«; to be filled and richly imbued with His sacred influences. By this reference to afiurarfawce the figure is explained by divers- Pedobaptists, as Glassius in his Sacred Philology and Stockius, Parkhurst, and Greenfield, In their Greek Lexi- cons. The last-named author, in accordance with the others, thus defines baptizo in reference to- the Holy Spirit, ♦* Metaphorically, to overwhelm« ♦ John vii. 37— 39 ; 1 Cor. xii. 13; Acls ii. 4; Eph. v. 18; Ezek. xxxvii. 9 ; John xx. 22 ; Cant, iv, 16 ; Acts U. 3; 4 ; 2 Cor. iv.G; ii. 2J,.22} IJohnii. 20. ;ii! tM ALLUSIONS TO THE MODE Of DAPTIIBM. J'i 01 I H one with any thin^^ to bestow iihnrally, imhiip Itirgely. Matth. iii. 1 1. Murk i. 8. Luke iii. Ki." i^o Leigh expountlH the words " Heslmll baptize you with the Holy (jhost" — " Dip you into the ocean of his grace, opposite to the sprinkhng which was in tlie law."* It is t() be obfcU'rved, also, that, though the i^pirit is Hpoken of as he'u\^ poured out, it does Jiot thence follow, that the pouring itself was tho baptism of the Holy G/iasf. As the consequence of this pouring, the Apostles and others were i;i the Spirit, as John says, " 1 was in the Spirit," (Rev. i. 10.)f In accordance with the corre(;t rendering of this text, the words (which are precisely the same in the Greek, en Pneumati,) may be rendered in Matth. iii. 11. Mark i. H, &,c., " He shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit.'* They are so translated by the learned Dr. lizfi(i " loith water," a< (ristin^uished from the baptism of ttie Holy Gho&t, though be is spcakjiiq expressly of immcrbioH. Ll . r'*M. AI.rURION» TO TIIR MODE OF BAPTISM. ir- )•> Ni ftiiii. l(i» I'i baptize M into t/i,. (Pf'nitiiii^r -' It does were /« pirit," /correct ic/i ar(, I'lrlt i. ^^ l>r. (;. ^ aiso in ' as Av« on ai;d !?» y//- >f this ostics in the Ho If ator, with m."| Ej^oes Jnd- "ties • IV. eh;s • is worfi baptized nil ovor by tlie Spiiit ; the water surrounds the body externnlly, but the Spirit incomprehensibly bapti/es the interior soul."* (Compare Acts ii. 2, 4. witli 1 Kind's, viii. 10, 1 1.) Uut it is unnecessary to dwell on this point. The specious ar«|;ument built on the tigurulive application of the word hapfizo, which may ap'^ pear plausible to superficinl readers, is utterly destroyed by one simple and undeniable fact. It is this : The words pour and baptize are so fjxr from bein^ synonymous, that the one cannot 1(0 substituted in the place of the other without exhibiting the most ptdpable absurdity. Thus, •' I will pour water upon him that is thirsty," (Isa. xliv. IJ.) would road, ' 1 will baptize water upon him that is thirsty:' " Teach all nations, baptizing them," (Mattli. xxviii. 19,) would bo • Teach all nations, pouring them,' [t!iat is, ' emp" tyin{T them out of a vessel.''] Is it not, then, clear to a demonstration, that pouring and baptizing are two distinct actions ? and consequently, that pouring is not the action to be performed in baptism ?t Our author has evinced both candour and prudence in not attempting to deduce an argu* ment in favour of sprinkling from J Oor. v. 1,2. As this text, however, is frequently urged by Pedobaptist writers, \ it seems to demand a brief notice. The statement of the Apostle is, that all our fathers were under the cloud, and al! passed through the sea ; and were all baptized unto • Rib. Rep. No. X. p. 358. ' ' " • fMr. (>. unable to find a sinrle instance in the Greek classief, the Septuagint. the Apocrypha, or the New Testament, in whirh the word baptizo ran be thought to denote pouring Iherally. pro- duces a passage from Ori^fn, a mystical writer o? the lliird cen- tury, who speaks in afancifiii way oi baptizin(ns^ into) Mosch in the cloud mid in the sen/' The imaginary Hiippnsition that they were sprink- led by the npray from the sea, or by rain from the cloud, is utterly tnndinissible ; because it wan not from (.'ilher hut (tn) in both, that they are said to have been [lia:uratively] bapti/.ed intn Moses, that is, into the Mosaic dit^pensation.* Ps. Ixxvii. 17. "The clouds poured outwater," is •t;ited to prove that the IsraelitCH were sprinkled. But, if, as some niuitltnin, the spray hud flown 'Over them, and these torrents of ruin had been poured out upon thcni, their condition must huvo been deplorable; and they ccrtninly could not have pn'Ssed over " on dry ground." (Exod. xiv 16.) Tiiia whole theory, hou (;ver, is built on a gross mistake. If the text ui Psalms has any reference to the passage through the Red Sea, it may denote, that a violent thunder-storm was sent upon the ICgyptians;t but the ** clouds" *^in the plural) there spoken of veere, entindy 'distinct from the one "cloud" or " pillar of ^cIoud,"J which accompanied the Israelites, and •' went from before their face and stood behind them." In this cloud, (which, instead of powrinij^ 'Out watery " gave light by night to these,") and the sea, of which " the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand and on their lef\," lliey were surrounded, encompassed, and so figura* 'tively immersed. Burkitt and PooWa Contimiators on the text, though they suggest that the Israelites may have ^been sprinkled, yet they sanction the view now given, while they both distinctly admit, that im- mersion is the original mode of baptism. The •former says, " The Israelites in their passage seemed to be buried in the waters, as persons in • See Parkkurst in Baptize, iv. and Dr. Macknight in lac. •f Were the " arrows" that " went abroad," as well as the rere put under the waters when they Mrerc hnptized." The lutter reinnrks, " Othern more prohtihly think, that the Apostle iiHcd thif term in regard of the j^reat analoi>y hetwixt bup- titim (a.s it waHlhen (ised) tlu; persons goini; down into the waters and bein. J3C.' N ,( •»{ 158 ATiLUSIONS TO THE MODE OF BAPTISM, l-fi ',' !r* It must surely be obvious to every person of intelligence and candour, that the sprinklings under the law, and the prophecies of sprinkling, which manifestly relate to the " sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ,"* or the efficacy of the Holy Spirit in virtually applying that blood, liave no relation to the mode of baptism. Rev. J. Broton thus paraphrases Ezekiel xxxvi. 25. " By my word and Spirit I will apply to your souls the blood of Christ for removing the guilt and filth of your iniquities." His comment on Isa. lii. 15. is similar. And Dr. Barnes^ in his comment on Isa. lii. 15. " So shoU He sprinkle many nations," candidly admits, "It furnishes no argument for the practice of sprinkling in baptism. It refers to the fact of His purifying or cleansing the nations, and not to the ordinance of Christian baptism."! Mr. G. introduces Cyprian, (p. 245,) about the middle of the third century, as referring to Ezek- xxxvi. 25, Numb. xix. 19, 20, &c. to justify the substitution of sprinkling for immersion in cases in which the latter was impracticable. He cited these texts, however, as affording encourage- ment to hope, that a little M^ater might be as efficacious as much '^ in sacred rites perform- ed as necessity dictates ;" but not to intimate that sprinkling was the original mode ; which he and all the oih^r fathers maintained was im- mersion. Cyprian's remarks clearly shew, that it was generally then considered very doubtful whether a man could be a Christian at all who was not immersed ; but he thought affusion might be substituted in cases of extreme neces-: cessity. If, then, his opinion is to be adopted by up, it will certainly follow, that immersion must be invariably practised, except in cases ia which it is absolutely impracticable.^ " See Heb. xii. 24; 1 Pet. i.2. t Quoted b^ R«r. W^ Hague, ]!l|Eaiminaiion, p. 137. % See next Chapter. '^1 oe. ALLUSIONS TO THE MODE OF BAPTI»M. 159 While, however, the texts which relate to isprinklinij cannot be shewn to have any refer- ence to baptism, nor is there any reason to sup- pose that they have, there are passages in the New Testament which evidently allude to the mode of baptism, and corroborate the well-estab- lished fact, that it was originally immersion. 1. Luke xii. 50. " I have a baptism to be bap- tized with, and how am I straitened till it be accomplished." (See also Matth. ^x. 22, 23. Mark X. 38,39.) As this is figurative language, I would not po- sitively infer immersion from it, if that were not known to be the literal import of tli'' word bap- tizo ; though this would not be so exceptionable as the attempt to prove, X\v,xi pouring isi the mode, because the Spirit is figuratively represented as being poured out, in order to effect the baptism of the Holy Ghost, while it is known tliat the word haptizo does not literally signify to pour. But since the literal import of the word is ascertain- ed, the allusion of our Lord to immersion in much water is manifest. If we suppose Him to allude to sprinkling, the idea must evidently be, that of slight afflictions ; while immersion implies the deepest sorrows. So the Psalmist, speaking in the person of Christ, in reference to His JTiexpressible sufferings, says, " I am come into d' cp waters, where the floods overflow me." (Ps. Ixix. 2.) The same idea, namely, that of being plunged into the most grievous calamities, under the figure of being immersed in water, is evidently expressed by the Saviour in the words, *' I have a baptism to be baptized with." Not a few Pedobaptirt Lexicographers and Expositors are constrained to explain the text in this manner. A small number of citations may euflice. '^;i '•m Iff i iv 169 ALLUSIONS TO THE MODE OF BAPTISM. Parhhurst defines the word, baptizo in this sense, figuratively, "To be immersed or plunged iji a flood, or sea, as it were, of gvievous afflictions and sufferings. Matth. xx. 22." Greenjield: " To be immersed in, or over- whelmed with miseries, oppressed with calami- ties." Bcza says, *' It is a metaphor common in the sacred writing^s, taken from immersion into wa- ter — to si|pify very grievous sufferings."* Dr. Hammond : " To be immersed in afflic- tions." i>r. Doddridge :■ *' And to be baptized with the baptism, and plunged, into the sea of sufferings, with which I am shortly to be baptized, and, as it were, overwhelmed ibr a time." Dr. G. Campbell translates Luke xii. 50. " I liave an immersion to undergo." He remarks on Math. xx. 22, which he translates in the same manner, "The primitive signification of bap- tisma is immersion, haptizein, to immerse, plunge, or overwhelm. — Phrases like these, to be over- whelmed with grief, to be immcied in affliction, will be found common in most Ituiguages." Rev. R. Watson, thou^gh an avowed opposer of immersion, (Mr. G. p. 231, 232,) is constrain- ed to admit, " The being immersed and over- whelmed with waters is a frequent metaphor in all languages, to express the rush of successive troubles*"! Poolers Continuators say, " To be baptized, is to be dipped in water: metaphorically, to be phini' d in afflictioBs.| 2. 1 Cor. XV. 29. " Else what shall they do which are baj)tized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all 1 Why are they then baptized fop the - dead ?" * Comment on I.iiki? xii. 60. t E.Kpositiun on Mallh. xx. 22. | Cotnir et) or!.Mxub>sz4i.22.' It) SM. ALLUSIONS TO THE MODE OF BAPTISM. 161 in thin \Mctions *r over- |n in the Into ^va- 1 afHic. If *'^^ //<<> ^ as it 50. ««j niarjfs e same 'f hap. over- 'ction, poser train- over- or in ssive d, is • be do ise • he- This is generally considered an obscure text. But has not the substitution of sprinkling for immersion tended to produce this obscurity 'J It is absurd to imagine, that the Apostle referred to the baptism of living persons on .behalf of those who had died unbaptized, as if such a su- perstitious practice had prevailed at that time. New converts were not baptized, as Dr. Dodd- ridge suggests, for the purpose of filling up the ranks of departed saints : but to discharge their own duty. Indeed, no consistent sense can be put upon this text, without reference to immer- sion ; which is obviously a striking representa- tion of a burial and a resurrection — the point which the Apostle was proving.* Accordingly, Pedobaptists are obliged to explain this passage as alluding to this mode of baptism, when they explain it at all. Dr. Hammond, by admitting this allusion, has thus given a consistent paraphrase upon the text : — " Now for them among you, (ver. 12,) which say there is no resurrection of the dead — I shall only make this demand, Why then have they in their baptism made profession of their belief of it, (see ver. 14, 17,) it being certain that the dead, or the resurrection of the dead (ex- * Rev. J.Monro, a Presbyterian Minister of Dorchester, N. S. though he strenuously advocated spiinklia*, observes in reference to this text, " Baptism is a sign and seal of our resurrection from the dead unto eternal life. 1 Cor. xv. 2ii. These words would naturally lead us to understand, iliat such of them as had been baptized, had been baptized into the iiopes of a glorious resurrec- tion unto eternal life. Tiiis seems to be the meaning of the Apos- tle." Treatise on Baptism, p. 32. Having mentioned this author, J may add here, that he, like several other Pedobaptists whom 1 have quoted, (p. 12,) says, " There is no essential difference between the baptism administer- ed by our Lord's fore-runner, and ihat of his Apostles." He also sayK, relative to the opinion thai the persons mentioned Acts xix. 3 — 5, were re-baptized, " I myself liiotiglit so, until considering; the words wiih more attention, and finding them to have been originally spoke by John to those who came to be baptized of him, and not by Paul on this occasion, as some suppose, of course dianged my miod." P. 21, 22. (See p. 17—19, of this work.), J ' I) ' 'A 162 ALLUSIb^'^i TO THE MbDt; Ol-* n'AF'T'isAf*. pressed here for brevity under that word [the dead]) is one of llie articles, and that a prime and spceiai one, to the belief of which' they were bajitiznd, and to which baptism^ (being the putting in fiiid taking out of the water) doth re- fer, as a signilic:>nt emblem, first of Cl)rist's, then of our resurrection from the grave ? And therefore to what end did these men in their bap- tism profes.s tiieir belief of this article, if they ])elievc it nol ?" Dr. 3Li.r/.:i'i>-)U considering the expression elliptical, a:; it evidently ir^, thus supplies — "bap- tized for Tin; i;ksuurectioiv of the dead." He remarks, " Jilnpiism being an emblematical re- jjresentarioM : )' the death, burial, and resurrec- tio)i, not oil!}' of Christ, biit of all mankind, CRom. vi. 1.,' it was fitly made the rite of initia- tion into ill;- < 'hristian Church; and the person who reccivcrl it, thereby j)ub]icly professing his belief of tiK^ lesiu-rection of Christ and of the dead, mi^i'i' v. fth the greatest propriety be said to have be( ;; baptized fo?' the dead, that is, for his belief (tized ctioii ?o be a/iu- met- and efe- big the ner. Dt. A. Clarke Kiijs, {inloc.) " As they receive i^aptism as an emblem of death, in volunfarilj going under Uie water ; so they receive it as an emblem of the rrsnrrrrtion unto eternal life, in coming up oat of the Avater ; thus they are bap- tized for the. dead, in perfect faith of the resur-- rection." 3. Rom. vi. 3, 4. " Ivnow ye not, that so many of us as were hajjtizcd into .lesus Christ, were- baptii-.ed into his donth ? Therefore we are l)n- ried with him by his !)a]irism into death ; that like as Christ was rais;;d uj) from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should w^lk in newness of Jife."^ (See also Col. ii. 12.) This language pliu::!y iin])orts, that in baptism believers are thcnforr. buried [immersed] in or- der that the external iK^tioii may significantly represent the thidg .signified thereby, namely, their union with Clirist, in llis death, burial, and resurrection. 1 arn iiot av»are that any writers have attempted to explain this text without re- cognizing its evident rcfcircnce to immersion, excepting those who (like the critics to whom Mr. G. refers, p. S"M — 2;27,) have had the con- troversy full in view.* Of the weight due to their prejudiced opinion, frn- which they can assign no consistent rcasci, in .^position to the candid judgment of the Lo^t oi i;minent Pedobaptists, who, in the face of their own prepossessions and practice, have expres -'.y admitted, that the pas- * Rev. Jnhi Wesley, v. !'.;i wriliii* liis Notes on llie New Tm- iament, remarked on the v irds hnricd ivilli Him in baptism, -~ " Alluding to the aiici(!iit mnnuor ol'baplizin" by immersion j" but when engaged in llie conlrov* rsy about baptism, he endeavoured to explain away the forrc of tlus t<^xl, by su;>ge.sting that it does not allude to the ordinance. Is it ""t p.Iso glaringly 'uconsisteni in Mr. G. (p. 224— 22G,) and oilier Hiuocalrs of sprinkling, !o at-- tempi an evasion of the <.l)V!oiis allusion to immersion i tliis text, by alleging, that ii;e langnagp i- figurative, while their niy plau- sible argument, (p. 229— -32.) ■', (a\ our of pouring, (which they «4o not practice,) is built on I ? 'litjlify figurative l^mguage res- pecting: the baptiim of the liuij Ghost ? ALL( :^;iONS TO TH£ MODE Of fiAPTlSlM. m »age unquestionably refers to immersion, as the original mode of Christian baptism, let the im- partial judge. Rev. George L. Hay dock, a noted Romaa Ca- tholic Coniuientator, has this note on 'he text : " The Aposi le here alhides to the manntt of ad- ministering (lie sacrament of i^aptisivi, v btoh wjl then done b} imrners'on, or plunging the person baptized under the v/rstev, in which he finds a resemblance of Christ's t loath and burial under ground, and his resurrection to an iujmortal life." Stnckiua, a judicious LuLhefan liexicooraph'' , in referi "nee to Rom. vi. 4. and Col. ii, 12^ sajy, *' B?^ptis?ii, wliicli was aucicntlj performed by iiiunersing, (1 ) exhibited a likeness of Chrisfs buriaii .vhfMi the whole body [of the person bap-- tlzed"] waa iuimerscd in a river: (2.) it represented the rciiurrccdon of Christ, when the immersed body was drawn again out of the water."* j}f. Hammond thus paraphrases (lie text : — • ♦' 'Tis a thing that every Christian knows, that the immersion in baptism refers to the death of Christ, the putting the person baptized into the water denotes and proclaims the death and burial of Christ, and signities our undertaking in bap- tism, that we will give over all the sins of our former lives— that so we may live that new re- generate life, answerable to Christ's resurrection, which consists in a course of all sanctity, a con- stant Christian walk all our days." Dr. Whithy says, " It being so expressly de>* clared here, and Col. ii. 12, that we are buried icith Christ in baptism, by being buried under the Water, and the argument to oblige us to a con-" formity to His death, by dying to sin, being taken hence, and this immersion bein;. religious- ly observed by all Christians for thi? -. centu-' fies, and approved by our own Chui ■. >f Engr *' Claxit '^'u', Test.in Snnthapto, ALLUSIONS TO THE MODE OF BAPTISM. 165 as t/ie ofad- >er8on 'ids a ' under lortr'? ip}i, >^ !(l hy 'prist's bap,- land], and the chanj^e of it into sprinkling, even without any allowance from the Author of the Institution, or any license from any council of the Church — it were to he wished that this cus- tom mig;ht be ajjfaiii of general use." Rev. George Whitcfitldfiays, (Sermon on Rom. vi. 3, 4,) " It is certain, that in the words of our text there is an allusion to the manner of baptism, which was by immer.sion." Bhhop Burnet, speakina^ of baptism by the Apostles, says, " They led them [the candidates] into the water ; and with no other garments but what might cover nature, they at first laid them down in the water, as a man is laid in af^rave — then they raised them up again, and clean gar- ments were put on tlieni : from whence came the phrases of being baptized into Chrisfs death, of being buried with him in baptism into death ; of our being risen with Christ, and of our putting on the Lord Jesus Christ ; of putting off the old man, and putting on thencuh''^* Abp. Leighton, speaking in reference to Rom. vi. 4, observes, " Tiie dipping into the waters representing our dying with Christ; and the re- turn thence our ri»sing with hiin."t Abp. Tlllotson remarks on Rom. vi. 3, 4, 5, •* To be baptized into the death and resurrection of Christ, is to be baptized into the similitude and likeness of them. — Christians, when thev V. t.rii bapti> ^ .. fe^ag£iiriei9t' ^^m^'' 1108 EARLY IlISTOnV OF BAPTISM. m ti:f which the Syriuc word used to denote bapti8m is evidently employed in the Old Testament to express immersion : — *' All ihnt abideth not the fire, ye sh«ll make jfo tliroufifh the water" — ye fihal' 'Ti. r'- ■ in water." He shews that Ephraim Sy.'Hi wl)»< lived in the fourth century, uses the word iu reference to Christian baptism ; and timt " in many cases the connexion in which it stands, implies that he understood by it immersion, as when hf says, " In the river in which Thou w;'ijt '»apiiz;Hl.* Sp(!aking again of Christ, he says, " Ilow wonderful is it that thy footsteps were planted on tlie waters ; that the great sea should sid)ject itself to thy feet ; and that yet at a small river that same head of thine should be subjected to be bowed doivn and bajjtiz- ed in it." Mr. Gotch also informs us, that in the Peshito the. pools [kolitmbcthroi, swimming places) of Bethesda and Siloani, are designated by a word denoting a baptistery : " a use," as he observes, *' which the noun signifying the place where baptism was performed, could scarcely have acquired, unless the verb designating the act of baptism had been understood to mean bathe or immerse." Is it not rational to infer, that this Syriac translator (p. 243,) in the be- ginning of the second century, called thesse pools baptistrries because believers had been ac- customed to be baptized in them ? According to Professor Stuart's statement, the ancient Syriac Version, making no reference to the mode of baptism, certainly can furnish no argument forspriakling ; but the diligent in- vestigations of Mr. Gotch clearly evince, that its testimony is altogether in favor of immersion, a* the mode th«n prr tised * * il^lr. Gulch iias v\& >wn, ■. accordance with the statements of the learned William Groentitid, who observed, that be was '* neither a Baptist nor (he son nf a Baptist," and in reply to tbw pariiul represeDiaiions made by Ur. Ueaderson, that in the Arabic. t-r w. k- EATILT niBTOrtY OP nAPTISJ'- im Mr. G. acknowlc(lp;os, (p. f212,) tliat *•• in the middle of the serotid century" the lanjjuHge of Justin Martyr " is thouprlit lo impfy that im- mersion was then practised," since speakirij? of the haptism of the Christian convert^, lio says, "Then we hriiij; thnm to some place where there is water — thoy are washed with water," fin to hudati, in the water,) &.c. ProfesJ'or Stuart, (as noticed in chap. ii.p. 14JJ,^ concedes that this passage undoubtedly refers to immerHion. Our author adinita, (p.213,) " In the early part of this [tiic third] century, we have a clearer witness upon the subject, viz. Tertulliau. What in the earlier writers is only conveyed by allu- sions and implications, in him becomes more di- rect and une(juivocal testimony. He speaks of being ' let down into the water — thrice immers- ed,' " &-C.* Professor Stuart cites Tertullian as saying, " There is no dilVerence whether any one is washed in a pool, river, fountain, lake, or chan- nel ; nor i thore any difference of consequence ibetween those whom John immersed, (tinxit,) in the Jordan, or Peter in the Tiber." The Pro- fesir or adds, " Here then we have in a very clear passage, the usual elements named, in which baptism was performed. It was done at or in «ome stream-, pool, or lake. What other good reason for this can be given, excepting that im- mersion was practised ?"t (I ask. Does not si- Ethiopic, Egyptian, Armenian, German, Dutch, Swedish, and Danish Versions of Uie New Testament, the words by whicb iaptizo is translated, do certainly sionify to immerse. How, ihen, can Baptist IVIi'^sionaries he censured for translating the word bap- iizo into foreign languanes by words which denote immersion " See A Critical Examination of the Renderihs^of the word Bap ' tizo, &c. by F. VV. Gotch, A.B. Trinity Coliege, Dublin. * What Tertullian means when he calls this tiine immersion, " fulfilling somewhat more than the Lord has decreed in tlie Gos*^ ^el," manifestly is. that they did thrice what the Saviour had en- loined should lie done once. Hi's language shews that he fully be* Sieved John immersed in the Jordan," and " Peter in the Tiber,** t Bib. JRep. No. ^. p. 356, 367. O 170 EARLY HISTORY OP nAPTIS.V. t' milar Inngiin^o usnd in tlio Now Tcstnmrnt, prove with «M|»ml rhiiirncHs, timt iinincrMioii was prartiHocl tit that tiniu 1 (Murk i. 5. 9. John iii. 23. &c.) Up to this period (the third century) Mr. G. plainly admits, that ininiersioii was the mode to which the fathera either alhide, or which tliey fully evpross ; and he does not ))rore.ss to adduce a single instance in which they can he thought to have made the slightest allusion to njiy other mode. lie says, (p. Q14,) " In the hej^lnning of tl.J!* [the third] century, Novatian, who was after- wards opposed to Cornelius as candidate for the Bishopric of Home, was l)ai)tized hy affusion, n» he lay upon his hed in sickness. In the middle of this century, we have an account of aRoman soldier, who l)rouj>lit a ])itclier of water for St. Lawrence [in prison] to hajjti/e him with." Here let the reader pause, and particularly note, that these arc the first instances which Mr. G. has been able to pr(»duce, after the most dili- gent research, in which any person was ever said to be baptized by ])ourini^ or sprinkling. This was in the third century, which is famed for in- novations. At this period the sentiment had become prevalent, that no unbaptized person could enter heaven. This sentiment, which na- turally led to the introduction of infant baptism, led also as naturally to the substitution of pour- ing or sprinkling in cases in which immersion was deemed impracticable. Our opponent, by relating these first instances, has unintentionally furnished an explicit account of the origin and commencement of sprinkling, as a substitute for immersion, in cases of supposed necessity. It is to be observed, moreover, that as soon as pouring or sprinkling began to be practised on special emergencies, a change of the mode is plainly indicated by the use of the word (peri- ehvtheis,) which signifies that water was poured RAItLY HISTORY OF BAPTISM. 171 soon Used deis peri" ured round about Novatian^ anil hy tlie circumstances of iiis lu'in^ Haid to he hapti/ed Ijiing in his bed^ and iho brini^iftir of apitilur of toatrr, in the case ot'tlic Moldier. Why is no such word (nH peri- chuthris,) noranyothrsr that HJi^nilicM either /o pour or .sy>r//«/iA', ever used in iho New Testnincnt in reference to the, orihnance of huptisiu ? Why i8 no inicU circiini.>!tance ever in(Mitioned as that of heini( hapti/cd in hcd, or (»f u vessel of wa- ter h«)in^ hroni>hl ? Docs not this marked chnn^^o of pliraseolot. Cent. i.cSLii. p 3G,58. See also DuFin's Cb lli&t. Vol. ii, p. 72. t Cyclopedia iu Uiiplisio. EARtY HISTORY OP BAPTISM. 175 leiif. Cii merely fof their use of dippiiif?." The Doctor reproves those who " go about to represent it as ridiculous and foolish, or as shameful and inde- cent ; when," he adds, " it was in all probahility the way by which our blessed Saviour, and for certain the most usual and ordinaiy wayby which the ancient Christians did receive their baptism. — Before the Christian reliivion was so far encou- raged as to have churches built- for its service, they baptized in any river, pond, &c. " France seenis to have been the first country in the world, where baptism by affusion was used ordinarily to persons in liealth, and in the public way of administering il;. " All those nations of Cluistians that do now, or formerly did, submit to the authority of the Bishop of Rome, do ordinarily baptize — by pour- ing or sprinkling. — iiut all tlic other Christians in the world, avIio never owned the Pope's usurp- ed power, do, and ever did, dip in the ordinary use. "# These statements are corroborated by the fol- lowing extract from a learned Roman Catholic : Rev. George It. Haijilock, m his Note on Matth. iii. C, says, — " Baptized. The word baptism sig- nifies a ivashing, particuhirly when it is done by immersion, or by dipping or plangiiig a thing un- der water, which was formerly the way of admi- nistering the sacrament of baptism. But the Church, which cannot change the least article of the Oiristian faith, is jiot so tied up in matters of discipline and ceremonies. Not onjy the Ca- tholic Church, but also the pretended reformed Churches, have altered this primitive custon» in giving the sacrament of baj)tisn), and now allow of baptism by pouring ox sprinkling water on the person baptized." Calvin, in accordance with this, but with far less consistency, as a Protestant, yet evidently influenced by his Catholic education, says,-*' * Hi£t. Vol. IJ. p. 381, 325, 39i/lM, 176 EARLY HISTORr OF BAPTISM. ill u4 \P: m': f^' -."ft " Whether the person who is baptized be whollr immersed, — or whether water he onl^^ poured or sprinkled upon him, is of no importance. — The very word baptize, however, signiiies to immerse; and it is certain that immersion was the practice of the ancient Church."* • Our opponents, in order to paralyze the force of concessions taken from their brethren, someiiines charge ps, (as does Mr. G. p. 239,240,) with quoting autho.s partially and unfairly. Mr. Ei- der censurea Baptist writers, hnd particularly Mr. Judson, (Rpa- sons, &c. p. 68, GO,) on the authority of J/r. i'ond, for havin(f " servilely copied" from Mr. Boolli; whose " treatment of his wii- nesses," he says, " has lioen generally re()rohaled as unfair." From this venerable author I have taken no quotations relative to baptism; but, on comparing several of his citations with the Works "whc'ce they were exiracied, I have found iiem very fair and ac- curate, lint why did Mr. Elder, if he saw the iiuproprieiy of fol- lowing Mr. Booth, implicitly follow Mr. Pond ? (8ee Reasons, &c. p. 38 — '10, G2 — G9.) It seems he was " not aware" (p. fi6,) that the correctness (f this author's quotations haa "ever been disputed." As Sir. Pond's statements have been " servilely co- pied" by several Pedohaptist writers in these Provinces, I will give a specimen of the undeniable pardnlily and unfairness of his citations, in the case of Calvin. IJe. quotes merely that part '.)f Calvin's remarks in which he speaks oi tiie mode as being " of no importance;" tut entirely suppresses the last sentence given al)ove, in which alone Calvin gives his testimony on the point, (See Mr. Pond's Treatise, p. 27, Ed. 1833.) If an affidavit were produced in Court, in which the absent wit- ness had at first improperly given \\\'i opinion thai the case was "of no importance," but had subsequently given his testiinomj so distinctly and entirely in favour of ihe plaintiff, that it must lead an impartial jury to give their verdict for him, would it be fair and equitable to suppress the tcslimoinj of the witness, and to allege \\\)i opinion in favour of the defendant? This is precisely what Mr Pond has done. No Baptist author can bo justly censured for not stating, in making a quotation from Calvin, or any other man who practised sprinkling, that he deemed sprinkling allowable, on some ground ; since this is obviously known to all from his practice. The opi- nion of Calvin, however, (or diat of a hundred of learned Pedo- baptists) that it is immatPiial which of two or three actions is per- formed in professedly yic Iding obedience to an express command of the Saviour, is ceriainly " of no importance ;'" but his testimony, which is all ttial any writer is bound to quote, and which Mr. Pond has entirely concealed, is of great weight. As a scholar, he tes- tifies expressly against his own practice, that the word baptize {baptizo) si^nifies to immerse, without intimating that it means to sprinkle, which he was certainly bound lo have stated distinoiiy, had such be>'n the fact ; and as an historian, he declares unequi- vocally, in reference to the early records of Church history, "It is certain that immersion was the practice of the ancient church." (Inst. Lib. jv. Cap. xv. 19.) Let, then, no Pedobaptist who has implicitly copied slatemem* EARLY HISTORY OF BAPTISM. 17T wholly fured oV —The fnierse; kactice "cessions is Mr. r;. Mr. Ei. 'f 'lavini^ ' bis wit. n'lftir." 'alive to « H'orks and ac- ' of foi. Reasons, (p. <:^6,) '■r been 'pIv co- ■', f will ' o<' liis part ,)f ' of no 1 above, • (See Drs. Slorr Sf Flatt, litithcrans, say, " The disciples of our Lord.could understand his com- mand in no other manner, than as enjoining im- mersion ; and that they actually did understand it so, is proved partly by those passages of Scrip- ture which evidently allude to immersion. (Acts viii. 36, &LQ. Rom. vi= 4. Col. ii. 12. I Pet. iii. 21.) Moreover, the old custom of immersion was also retained a long time in the Western Church, at least in the cases of those who were not indis- posed. And even after aspersion had been fully introduced in a part of the W?.3tern Churches, there yet remained several, who for some time Miered to the ancient custom. Under these . rcumstances, it is certainly to be lamented, that Luther* was not able to accomplish his wish fron. Mr. Ponr', (as iiave iMcssrs. J.u-kson, Elder, and McLeod,). ever accuse Baplist aulltoisi of nuikiiig unfHir quolalions, till he produces a more giariii;^ iiisiance oC |j;il|)aMe unfairnuss in llieir citations, tiian that vvliitli I iiave now exiiil)iifd from Air. Pond's- 1'realise on Baptism. * Tliat lather underslnod the word baplizo as denoting immer-- sion, (iee p. Ilj5,) v^illioui aliordim^ any cnuiilenance to eilhftr spiinlduig or pouring, is e\i'l(>iil fiDiii ilie lad, tliat he has uni- formly translated it, wlion rdiitinj^ lo the Cliiistlau ordinance, in opposition to lii.^own praclicc, hy ihe word ttiufcn, to dip, or im-- iiterst^. It is rendered nnfinesiiniial';! ihal tliis is the true meaning of the word tanfen, aii(i iliat l,iiihcr used it in tliis sense, from the manner') whicli heiiaseiii|)k)\ed ii clsewlu're. In his translation of 2Kii.gs, V. 14, he renders liie Ilelirew v,i)\{Mabal by " taiiftK sick." he dipped Inmse/f. It has lieen slie\Mi, (p. 112, 114,) thai. tubal is the most unetimvocal vNord in Uie Hebrew language to express immersion, and that N.iani.in ditl uii(|nestionably dip or i/nmer»'e himself in Jordan. So Diodnti,\-i v*c!l as Lullier anA onr 'I'ranslato.'s, reiideru it ' >S'i tnjj'o," he i/i/iped liimadf: Oscervald, (as a.ht\ Mar Lin.) " i^e plotigta." lie phniged hiiiiself : Junius ^ Tremellius, " Immersit se," he immersed himself Since 1 have been led to iioiico this tfxt ag^ain, in confirmation of a fact which ou^dit never to have been questioned, viz. that Luthe! has translatea i.(;7/i:o Uy a word wliiL-h sij^nifies ic bi'^ the Saviour ; but from needless scrui>h's bccau.sc the name of the Tri- nity has been called over thorn, they are pre- vented from (li.scliarii,ing their duty, and are, in ett'ect, thus deprived of the privilege of yielding obedience to the lirst command enjoined on be- lievers,* and of thereby ])ublicly ovvning their beloved Redeemer, and exj)ressing their obliga- tions to Him by being buried with Him hy hap- tism. By this means they sustain the loss of all the I eiulits of this sacred and useful ordinance of i /h' i :' ; t wh.ich is likewise, in many instances, hifxi.ly beneficial to spectators. 3. It tends to ohliiiratc the distinction between Christian churchm and the iinregenerate world. * Mark x'i. Ifc, Att< ii. TS ; x. in ; xxli. IG. Dr. Barnes, n Pedol)aptist ConiincMiiiior. in liis comment on !\Iark xvi. IG. jn'^tljr ol»servcs, " Fiiiili iiii'l linpii-in aie iIk- l-cj;iiiniMj;;s of a (>lirisliau life; the one, iIk! Ik ^iiiiiiii;; ol' pitU' in ilie foul, the oilier ol" itt( uianiiestation Ix'f'oie ini'n, ov of a nirTc^sion of rclinion." t The wiiUT has ln'cn cndililv inlbrniejl, that lie was Fprinklcd in infancy. As. hoxvcvor, he hj\d no knowledge of die transaction, which could l>e no ad oldli^ dieiico in him. so neither is he aware of having deiivt-d ilif sliuliirsl dcgice ot henefit from it. Rut the uolemnii) oi ilie seme, nt lie unio in which he was enabled to make R piil>iic and imicsiTvcd uirciK'rr of himself to the Saviour, in that Rijinificaiil ai.d iiiipiessi\e oic'iiiance whicli vividly com~ memorales the di-aili iMinal mJ resurrection of ihe crucified Re- deemer, iins man that yi t nc, in connexion with the momen- tous sulijptts ti» which the ordjiance reliurs, with much spiritual profit, under a Uvcl^' seuve of kis obli^atiou (o walk in nevnust. of life. % CONCLUSION. isn; To every one that attcriJivcly examines the New Testament, with an unprejudiced mind, it mut^t he evident, that the tiVHt chuiehes were composed of peiHOiiH wiio liad hecn hnpti/cd upon a credi- hle profession of faith ; and w ho, vvitli the excep- tion of a very few that hnd " crept in unawares, " Mere pos&CHsors of true piely. There are, indeed, ijarnlih^s (p. 282, > w«hich indicate, that there won hi he iii;iny w d peo- phi under tlie irospel di^pell^•;ltioH, miijr false professors of reli is BU.. *' dead in trespasses and sins — walking according to the course of this world," and in lis pomps and vanity, are consequently confirmed in an unrc- generate state, and are admitted to the Lord's ta- ble, and addressed and treated as real Christians, what can be reasonably expected, but that they should be miserably deceived with the vain hope of heaven,, while pursuing the broad road to des- truction 1 This is a serious matter. Many evangelical Pedobaptists of different denomina- tions, have expressed their conviction, that what they term " infant baptism " is frequently so relied on by those who have received it, as to prove dangerous and ruinous in the extreme. M. Ulaise Pascal, an emiiiently learned and pious Roman Catholic, born at Clermont, in Au- vergne, in 1G23, distinctly acknowledged, that infant baptism did not exist in the primitive Churches, but was subsequently introduced; and he deplored the sad consequences of this change. In his " Comparison of Ancient and Modern Christians," he sa3's, " In the infancy of the Christian Church, we see no Christians but those who were thoroughly instructed in all matters necessary to salvation. — No one was admitted but after a most rigid examination ; now every one is admitted before he is capable of being ex- amined. Formeily it was necessary to come out from the world, in order to be received into the Church ; whilst, in these days, we enter the church almost at the same time that we enter th« world. Hence, it arises, that whilst the Chris- tians then were all well instructed ; now there are many in a fearful state of ignorance ; then those who had been initiated into Christianity by baptism, and who had renounced the vices of the world, to embrace the piety of the Church, rare- ly declined again into the world ; whilst now we commonly see the vices of the world in the hearts- of Christians. The Church of the saints is de- filed with the intermingling of the wicked. — 188 CONCLUSION. ♦' But," he adds, "we inust not impute to the Church the evils that have (bllowed so fatal a change ; for when she saw" [N. B.] " that the delay of baptism left n larjje portion of infants still under the curse of orij^^inal sin, she wished to deliver them from this perdition, by hastening the succour which she can give ; and this good mother sees, with bitter rei^ref:, that the benefit which she thus holds out to infants, becomes the occasion of the ruin of adults. ; *' In the newly formed Christian Church, the Catechumens, that is, those wh«) arc offered for baptism, were instructed before the rite was con- ferred; they were not admitted to it — till after some eminent marks of real conversion of heart. *' Vv hen teaching preceded baptism, all were instructed ; — but in tlieso days, when baptism precedes instruction, as men are made Chris- tians in the first instance, without instruction, so they believe that they may remain Christians without being instructed. " She [the Church] cannot see without bitter lamentation, this abuse of licr richest blessings ; and that the course which she has adopted for her childrens' safety, becomes the almost certain occasion of their ruin."* Rev. Anthony JBurgcssc-, a godly Presbyterian: Minister, in a Work published in 1654, asks, " Do not most rest on their baj)tism as the ground of their justification and salvation, never attend- ing unto those qualifications of a holy life, and renouncing of the ways of sin and Satan, to which our baptism doth engage us ?" He also remarks, that " the corrupt opinion, as so much sweet poi- son, is received by most men, that they were justi- fied in their baptism, and therefore they need not trouble themselves with any fears in this point.'! Rev. Joseph Milncr, an evangelical Minister of the Church of England, observes, *' It has long been the fashion to suppose all persons, who* * Pascal's Thoughts on Helioion, (Crnisf's KtJftion,) Chap. xx'iT, f. 2'«i— 251. t True Doctrine of JustilicBtion, p. I'W, 14^ CONCLUSION. isa have been baptized when they were infants, to be, of course, when they were grown up, in a state of regeneration by the Holy Spirit; and thus they have learned to furnish themselves with a convenient evasion of all that is written in Scripture concerning the godly monitions of the third Person in the Sacred Trinity."* These appalling statements, made by Pedo- baptists themselves, require no comment. The alarming prevalence of the sentiments of Dr. Pusey, who expressly maintains, that "Baptism gives lifc,"t fully evinces, that the dangerous error deplored by these writers, is still produ* cing extensive and ruinous injury. But it may be said, 'that some Pcdobaptists do not place so much confidence in this ceremo- ny.' True : and the pious and observant reader can scarcely fail to be aware, that among these, together with such as do not practise infant sprinkling at all, revivals of religion, and serious attention to experimental and vital godliness, arc generally more ])revalent than among the other class. But they who profess to putiiode- pendance in the sprinklijig of infants, cannot consistently charge the Baptists with depriving children of any privilege. It may, however, be alleged, that, ' though the ceremony does not produce any change in the state of children, the promises made by the sponsors, or parents, tend to secure their reli- gious education.' But, in regard to sponsors, it is notorious, that as they make promises which they know they cannot fulfil, so they are gene- rally accustomed to disregard them altogether. And, with respect to parents, I ask, Where is the Scripture warrant for requiring them to promise to train up their children religiously ? That they ought to do* this is indisputable. But if parental affection,, a sense of moral obligation, and the express commands of God, enforced by suitable * Ch. History, p. LIT, Ed. of 1834, f Sermon on the Eucharist. 100 coNcmsioff, ministerial admonitions, ni-(; insufficient to m^ ducc them to disclmr^*; tl.is duty, may it not be reasonably expected (us oliservation constantly evinces,) that all the pioinijies which can be ex- torted from them, will pj- '^o utterly ineffectual ? In conclusion, 1 uouitl limst earnestly and af- fectionately entreat al! [init iits diligently to em- ploy all scriptural niejiiis I >r the eternal welfare of their offspring.* Let lirm parental authority, while exercising necdiil k ^Unint, be tempered with moderation and kiiuhiess.f Cautiously avoid giving your cluldriiii such unscriptural in- struction as may lend to oiicourai^e them to rest in the fallacious hope, tii.'.l ihe piety of their an- cestors, any ceremony p< i-lnrmed upon them, or nominal union with any ( 'iiiicli, can avail, either in whole, or in part, to i-CvUre the salvation of their souls.^ Faithfully is i.-t) uct them in the scrip- tural truths, in reft'rc'j;( e to their spiritual condi- tion, that they are "^h.•^| < ,i in iniquity," "con- ceived in sin," by n!Uu;i.' tlie children of wrath, in a state of de})ravity, •) > liition, guilt, and con- demnation ; and that without a new birth, repen- tance, faith and hoUnesS; c'UMiected with a life of self-denial, sobriety, ivnd obedience to God's commands, they can iM'-cr eiiter hoaven.|| En- deavour to exhibit the criicified Redemer fully before them, in all the riches of Ilis grace; and use all alluring and wtnni;i. xii- 14; Maik viii. 54; Tilu« ii. 14 j Hei). v. 9 ; 2 Mies. i. 8j 1 Pel. iv. 17. \ INDEX. Ablutions of the Jews, hy imin'T>iou, pn^e 115, 117, 122, 136. Abrahamic Covenant ccniMiUrcd, 32— 3k Acts ii. 39. Remarks on, 60-53 ; \lx. i, 5. do. 17—19, 133 •, ixii. 16. do. 127. Allusions to the mode of n.i|iti'.), 97—102; bad cflects of, 181 Infant Communion, notices nf, 8 10 Hi 97 98. Irenaeus's testimony eoasiicied, 80—85, 142. Isa. lii. 15, remarks on, 1 13. Jesus, immersed as an example to his followers, 149 150. John iii. 5. remarks on, 83 ; iii. 23, do. 140 141. John the Baptist's Ministry and l)nptism, II — 19. Justin Martyr's testimony considered, 78— 80, 143. 2 Kings V. 14, remarks on. 1 12 116; Lukexi.38, reiViarkson, 121 122; xii. 60,do.l59;ivi. 16. do. 1415 Hark i. 1—4, remarks on, 13 14 j vii. 3,4, do. 119— 124; x. 13—16, do. 20—26. \ \ ^' II, INDEX. 9>i) Matth. si. 1 1 , remarki on, 16 17 } ixviii. 19, SO, do. 36 42— M. Matfuteuo defined, 13—48. Old Testament eilepmed by thcRaplistt, 6—9. Origen'a testimony considered, 86—08. Participlfi, the'imperntive sometimes expressed by, 43 44 Passover, admission of voiing children to the, 8 Pelagius's tectimony considered, 89—95 Practice of the A^mstles after Chriftt'.s Resurreclion, 50—75 Prepositions, Greek, remnrlis (III, 144— 151 Prokelyte baptism, observalionsciii, 40—42 Quakers deny infoni baptism, 91 ; favour immersion, 1S9. Romans vi. 3, 4, remarks on, 163— 1G6 } xi. 16—24, do, 38 39 Sabbaih, observations on the, 8, 9 Sprinkling, when and wiiy introduced instead of immersion, 170 Tertullian'a testimony considered, 85 83 146 M^ashing, immersion may be so called — sprinkling cannot, 126 1*^7 [ERRATA.]* Page Line L^» 5 16 18 84 29 36 41} 61 63 no 82 83 84 92 96 105 119 il n 9 for ' consideration,' read examination. 12 for 'xi. ii.WL. 21, 'xiS'lread xi. 11. ' "' ' 6 for ' where,' rend cohere. , ■ - * ' 2 for ' toi outon' lead toiouton. v.i 20 (Notes) for ' or' read nor. 6 for ' attempts' read sameness. ' • ' 16 for 'malheleusontes,' rend viatheteuaarUca, 1 (Notes) fur ' prop()siti«)n,' read preposition. 14 do for ' Caineranius' read Camerarius. 1 do (& 91 7 do. ) for ' J. II Ilinion,' read I. T. Hinton 18 for ' anagemiisas' read anasenvesas; L 21 for ' He,' read She ; L.24 f«>r * pulmgz>'nision' read paliugenesian, 6 for 'doctrine' read practice. 3 for ' can follow' read ever followed ; L. 12, for ' princi- ples' read principle ; L. 1, for ' become' rea'd became. I (Notes) for ' Wiggins's' read VViggers's. 6 do for ' Eubs.' road Eccles. 6 do for ' laro' read lavo. 7 for 'emphatically' read uneKceptionahly ; L. 11, (Notes) for • blessings' read blessedness. 127 17 for ' laulologwns' read tautological. 129 10 for ' Rev. Thomas Clarkson' read Thomas Clartton.Esa . 132 7 for ' lead' read lend. 143 7 (Notes) for ' Ihoiimasontai' read thaumasontav ., , 145 2 do for ' ti Jordani' rc.a(\ to Jfrrdane. <;*•.. 168 18 for ' kolumbethroV read kolumbethrai. •Any slight typographical errors, that do not nffect the sense, as ^ «e' for «e, &c. can be easily corrected by those who observe them. t ilr l^~\ '■»>