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S. : WEEKLY "TELEPHONE" JOB PRINZ 1882. V ^ ■^'^-; y '-^-li* 'i^^' •<»!V £j» - .- V. %4 ^wn olive tree. It is clear then that the Jevvisli and Christian branche.s of the Churcli have both the same tree ; and if the same tree, then the same root -the same covenant, securing tlie same blessings to Jews and Gentiles. We have f| ! ' two Testaments^ but only one Bil^le ; and two dispen- satioJis, but only one Church. It is indeed true, that oertain changes were made by Christ and hii Apostles under him. These were necessary, as the head of th(3 Church designed to extend the blessings of salvation to the whole world. Among these changes, theal of Baptism, because of their membershf'p. Did the Jew- ish child require to believe before he was circumcised ? No. Was it circumcision that gave him church mem- bership 1 No. There is a great difference between baptism as administered to those who are born in the Church, and the baptism of proselytes or adults com- ing from the world into the Chur j1i. Wherever the Scriptures speak of faith as an essential qualification for baptism, it is always in reference to the latter. They never speak of faith as an essential personal qualification for the baptism of infants, who are bofm members of the Church. "And Philip said if thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest be bap- tized" Acts viii. 37. Yes, but he was an adult. The Apostles went forth under the great commis- sion which they received from Christ to preach the Gospel ; to disciple the people ; and to organize churches. Their work was to convince the world of sin — to an- nounce Christ as the only Saviour of men, and urge upon them the necessity of faith and repentance as es- sential to a participation in his purchased blessings. But does any one suppose they urged faith simply as a qualification for baptism 1 No ; but to put them in possession of Christ, and all the blessings of salvation ; pardon, purity, and eternal life. They urged baptism as a sign of discipleship, and as indicating that all 1 12 SEAL GIVEN ON FAITH OF PARENTS. i-^! these blessings were sealed to them — but when any one who was a parent becamo a proselyte — believed, and was baptised ; were his children excluded from a participation in the blessings of ohnr'li membership, which had from the very comm .ncement of the church as a public body, been granted to children upon the faith of their parents 1 The answer to this question we find in Exod. 12 Chap, and 48 verse. His chil- dren were to be circumcised, so now, chey are to be baptised. In both cases the seal is given on the faith of the parent. Tlie Apostles understood the nature of the Church. They acted upon the law enacted at the commencement of the Church. They required a profession of faith from adults before baptizing them ; and where there was a family, they baptized " all his straightway." 2. Answer, and which is involved in the one just given, is — allowing that belief is an essential pre-requi- site for baptism, it must have been equally essential for circumcision. Both are seals. Ko person doubts that circumcision was a seal of the "righteousness of faith ;" yet it was applied to infants eight days old, and the believing Jew was commanded to attend to it, under the most terrible threatening. ' ' And the uncircumcised man child whobo flesh of his foreskin is not circum- cised, that soul shall be cut off from his people ; because he hath broken my covenant." Gen. xvii. 14.] Kow, baptism being a seal of the righteousness of faith, is in like manner to be administered to the child of a believing parent without the prerequisite of personal faith on the part of the child. There seems to be a very prevalent opinion, that baptism consti- tutes a child a member of the Church, and puts th& child within the covenant ; whereas he receives bap- % SEAL APPLIED TO INFAXTS. 13 tism because he is within the covenant, being the child of believing parents. Accordingly the Presbyterian doctrine of infant baptism is, " Infants descended from parents, either both or but one of them profess- ing faith in Christ, and obedience to him, are, in that respect, within the covenant, and to be baptized." , , - One family, we dwell in Him, . ' One Church, above, beneath. Though now divided by the stream, Ihe uariow stream of death, M! i I ,1 ii . CHAPTER II CHRIST INSTRUCTS HIS DISCIPLES. Genesis, XVII. 7. I shall now proceed to establish more fully the doctrine of infant Church membership, by proofs de- rived from other sources, in addition to those already advanced. I. I shall consider the manner in which Christ treated children, in reference to His Church and Kingdom. Before considering this important proof ; there are some things which it is necessary to premise. (l) Our Saviour himself was a Jew, in respect of his human nature. He was of the lineage of Abraham, (ii.) He was educated as a Jew, amidst Jewish cus- toms and influences, (m.) He received in the Jew- ish Church the seal of circumcision, when eight days old. He was at the same time, the Son of God. Whilst he came into, the world and founded a new dispensation, viz : The Christian, under which we now live ; instead of passing any sentence of exclusion upon infants, or hinting any thing about their dis- qualification for Church membership in the kingdom ; he takes special pains to impress his disciples, and all beholders, with a sense of the deep, and tender interest, with which he regarded them in reference- to his kingdom. CHRIST RECEIVES CHILDREN. 15 ly the- ofs de- ilready Christ h and ; there remise, i of his raham. sh cus- B Jew- it days f God. a new Lch we elusion jir dis- gdom ; md all tender ference- There is onf^ instance especially in which he so ac5ted, which claims our ciireful examination. It is recorded by the Evangelist [M.\T. xix. 14. ** But Jesus said suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me ; for of such is the kingdom of heaven." Now, in order to comprehf»nd aright the import of our Saviour's words, we must first enquire into the meaning of the phrase " kingdom of heaven." It does not generally denote heaven in the ordinary acceptation of the term. That it cannot, is evident from these considerations. 1. Heaven in this sense, contains no imperfect members. Yet Our Lord himself employs the phrase in his parables, and tells us, that it consists of a mixed community — " wise virgins and foolish" — " tares among the wheat" — "good and bad in the same net." 2. It is the kingdom out of which the angels will gather everything that offends at the latt day — that kingdom in which the ambitious disciples were desiring pre-eminence. Now, the only visible repre- sentation of this kingdom which we have on earth, is the Church. When then Christ said, "suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me, for of such is the " kingdom of heaven," it was equivalent to saying, " of such is the Church on earth." Who then are the subjects of this kingdom, or of the Church on earth 1 Who does our Lord regard as being its constituent members 1 In the declaration which he makes, two classes are mwitioned. First, the children who were brought to him ; and Sf^condly, such as resemble them. Now, that Christ included the children themselves, as well as those who resemble them, is evident from the two following considerations. {I.) No person of ordinary understanding can suppose, t'l: 16 llflPA^'TS IN CHRIST'S KINGDOM. • t'lat those who res3mbled suoh children were entitled to membership on account of such resemblance, while the children, whom they resembled, were excluded. Sacha mode of spsaking would be calculated to rais- 1 3ad ; and we know our Lord never left His disciples in darkness, or in doubt, with regard to his real mean- i'lg, In this instance he at once removed the half Antipedobaptist notions which the disciples enter- tained. II. Our Saviours treatment of these children implies a recognition of their title to Church memb ^r- ship. We are informed that he was exceedingly displeased with the disciples, for rebuking those who brought them ; and ordering them to be brought to him, he put his hands upon them, and blessed them. Mark x. 16.] By so doing, he signified to all who stood by, that these infants were capable of receiving spiritual blessings, and not only so ; but by this re- ligious act, he hallowed, and blessed, and set them apart for himself — saying at the same time, " of such is my kingdom, or my Church on earth." This act of Christ is a sufficient answer to the objection often raised against infant baptism. " What good does baptism do a child?' " He cannot comprehend its meaning." I ask, did the children Christ blessed comprehend the import of his blessing 1 Will any person assert that the act was meaningless, aud the blessing useless, because not comprehended by the children ? Few will say so. III. The reason assigned by Christ for ■ receiving these children plainly implied their membership. Why did they come? Why must these parents be gratified in their desire that Christ would bless them 1 Because says Christ " tho I Nv lltlPORT OP THE TERM " SUCH. 17 any the the kingdom of heaven" is composed of such persons aa these. If our Lord intended to teach, as some say, that only adult persons, with a childlike disposition, were to be members of his Church ; in that case, he would state a fact ; but it would be no reason for the reception and consecration of the children. If the resemblance implied in the word such^ was merely a resemblance of disposition ; then as Matthew Henry asserts, " it might have served as a reason why doves or lambs might be brought to him ; but, is not a rea- son why the children should be blessed, and by the laying on of his hands consecrated to God. " IV. It is evident from the general use of the term " such," that it includes both the persons com- pared, and those to whom they are compared. Take the following passages as a specimen, Mark. iv. 33. "And with mamysuch parables spake he the word unto them," including certainly the two parables by which he had just explained to them the nature of the " kingdom of God," and other parables like them. Again John. ix. 16. "How can a man that is asinner tdo such miracles ?" including of course the miracle which they had just witnessed, and other miracles like it. When our Saviour then used the term " such" in this passage, he evidently included the children as well as those he compared to them. From the account given by Luke, it is clear that some of these children were infants. It seems equally clear that they were the children of believing parents ; for they brought them to Christ in faith, that he would bless them. From our Lord's treatment of them, it is natural to infer that all such children, or in other words, all the children of believing parents, are to be considered members of his Church, which is t 18 HOW THE APOSTLES ACTED. l|!i{ I the only visible representation of his kingdom on eirth. The reason why children are included among the subjects of Christ's -Jhurch, is not on account of their " innate goodness." Such an idea would contradict the great fact of the fall of man, and its consequences — also, many declarations of God's word. *' That such as are born of the flesh are flesh," and, that " all are shapen in iniquity, and conceived in sin, ' Psalm, lt. 5. If then the privilege was not bestowed on account of innate goodness ; it must have been, on account of the faith of those who brought them. Onr Lord did not ' baptize these infants, for he baptizsd none. Nor did he admit them to the Church. They were Jews, and as such members already. The Church under tlie new dispensation was not at that time organized ; but he declared them to be fit subjects of Church member- ship ; and laid down an important rule, that when the Church should be organized, infants should be mem- bers of it. 2. The doctrine may be established from the man- ner in which the Apostles acted. The great commision under which they acted, v/as this. '* All power is given unto me in he iven, and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all natio 'is, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, (fee. Mat. xxvin. 19-20.] Now, this commision considered in connection with the circumstances in which it was given, goes far to confirm the doctrine of infant Church membership ; not because children are expressly named, but because they are not expressly excluded. For how could a Jew, always accustomed to infant Church APOSTLES ALL JEWS. 19 inembprship, doubt its propriety, without express au- thority from Christ. Let us look for a little at the import of the com- mission. The word "teach" in the 19th verse is not the same at '* teaching" in the 20th verse. In the former, it means to disciple them ; and, in the latter, to instruct them. As soon as our Saviour's words were understood as extending to the Gentile world, the Apostles must have supposed themselves commis- sioned to go forth, and make proselytes ; baptizing them and their children ; and building them up, by instruct- ing them in their most holy faith. For observe : 1. These teachers were all Jews. As such thec^ were accustomed to infant Church membership. Cir- cumcision was uniformly administered to the children, not on account of their personal faiths as I have already observed, but because they were born in covenant with God. It was quite a common thing for them to wit- ness the introduction of proselytes into the Jewish Church ; in all which cases, (if parents) their children were introduced by the same rite. Now, suppose the Apostles had received a commision to go forth and make proselytes to the Jewish Church, with these words, " Go disciple all nations, circumcising them, and instructing them in all the commandments and ordinances of Jehovah ;" would any person doubt whe- ther the children were to be admitted and receive the seal ? No. On the same principle we must believe, that when they succeeded in making disciples, and baptized them ; that they administered the seal to their children at the same time. True, according to their Jewish notions, we might expect to find them bapti- zing none but males, were it not that we are informed, that this rite was administered to females also. In ^V^ 20 IMPORT OF THE TERM " HOLY." Acts viil 1 2, it is said " they were baptized both men and women." 2. Infant Church membership was recognized by Paul. In his 1st Epistle to the Corinthians he says, "And the woman which hath an husband that ,| . believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, fl! let her not leave him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanc- tified by the husband : else w^ere your children unclean, but now are they holy, I CoR. vii. 13-14. The first thing to do, is to ascertain the meaning of the word "holy." which is here set opposite "un- clean." In the New Testament it frequently denotes separation from a common to a sacred use. In this sense it is used in reference to places, cities, temples, and men. When applied to men, it signifies their separation from the world, to the service of God. It is evident that the holiness of the children in this sense, was a fact acknowledged by the Corinthian Church, and the Apostle here brings it forward as a reason why the parents should not separate ; because, the condition of their children threw a certain degree of sacredness around the unbelieving parent, in conse- quence of his, or her, connexion with a believer. The reason of the Apostle is based on the acknowledged fact, that the children of such a family were holy. The whole of the members of the Jewish Church were ^ called holy, because God had entered into covenant f with them, and their children were called holy, be- I cause they also were in covenant, and received the | I li^ same seal, circumcision. f j ,,i When therefore Paul addressed these words to f the Corinthian Church, he meant that the children of believers were holy ; not in hearty but in a Church I ; 1 I I I ■• ■ss APOSTLES BAPTIZED " ITOrSEHOLDS." 21 sense : as belonging nominally to the people of God, as members of the visible Church. It is on this principle that Presbyterians baptize a child, when only one of the parents is a professing Christian. 3. The practice of the Apostles shews that they regarded infants as members of tlie Church. Acting under their great commission to go and *' disciple all nations ;" they went forth to found and establish Churches, by making proselytes. Their course shews that they never baptized any adult, but upon a profession of faith in Christ. They never men- tion infants ; j ust, because, the principle was established, that when the parent was received into the Church, the children were received likewise. The form of the seal having been <;hanged could not in any way affect the subjects of it, or the blessings sealed. In looking at the history of their proceedings, we find them speaking of " baptizing" just as "circumcising" is spo- ken of, viz: "households." What was the direction given to Abraham 1 " And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed. He that is born in thy house, and he that is bouglit with thy money, must needs be circumcised ; and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlast- ing covenant. Gen. xvii, 12-13.] Kow, compare with this command the doings of Paul in the city of Phil- lipi, when Lydia was converted, " he ba{)tized her and her household," Acts xvi, 15.] In like manner he baptized the jailor "and all his straightway." But it may be said, " we have no Cividence that in these Jiouses there were any children." Those who urge that objection, would soon shift their ground, if, in 1 I i 22 SILENCK OF JEWISH CONVERTS. proving any other point, they were told the word *" household" did never include children. A '* house- hold" comprehends all the individuals living under the same roof, and subject to the same domestic govern- ment : and it certainly would be an unwarrantable use of the term, to limit it to the adults in a family. I cannot see how any unprejudiced person reading the doings of the Apostles, can coma to any other conclu- sion. These cases were not the only cases in which they ac jed so, but are mentioned as specimens of their mode of procedure : and it would be truly marvellous, if, in all the families of the early converts, there were no children. The man who can believe tJiat has more than common faith. The want of children is not what is common in families ; but the exception to the rule. It seems clear then, that the Apostles did baptize in- fants ; which they would not have done, had they not viewed them as members of Christ's Church, and en- titled to the seals of the covenant. 4. A strong presumptive argument in support of the doctrine of infant Church membership may be drawn from the silence of Jewish converts, and Juda- izing teachers, who opposed the Apostles. I. The silence of the Jewish converts. Under the Jewish dispensation, parents and children w^ere both members of the Church. If under the Christian dispensation, the children had been excluded by the Apostles, as disqualitied in any way from being recog- nized as members ; would it not have prejudiced the parents against the new dispensation 'i Would we not have heard some objections on this point 1 While the parent was baptized, and continued in the Church, his children were excommunicuted. After the institution of baptism as a seal, circumcision was discontinued. ■^ JEWISH PARENTS PREJUDICEt). 23 When the parent makes a profession of his faith in Christ, he renounces all confidence in Jewish rites and ceremonies. He no longer worships God in this man- ner. He now belongs to the Church under a new form. Unless then his children are entitled to Church mem- bership, and receive the seal of baptism, they cease to be members. Where then are the superior privileges which as a parent he enjoys, as he was promised under the new dispensation 1 Is he not deprived of one of the most precious privileges, one that was calculated to afford him great comfort — the privilege of having his children in the Chu rch as well as himself ? The Jewish fathers enter the Church, but their beloved children are rejected. Those formerly aliens, are ad- mitted ; but the children once in ; are henceforth to be considered " aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise." Now, let any candid person reflect on the effect which all this would inevitably have had on the mind of a Jewish parent. Would it not have been an obstacle to his conversion 1 Would such an important change ; so deeply affecting the interests of families, have been passed by in silence, without calling forth some explan- ations from the Apostles to satisfy these converts 1 And if such explanations had been given, would they not have been recorded in the New Testament ? But not the slightest hint is to be found recorded on the subject, that their children were to wait till they Ije- came adults, before they could be publicly acknowledg- ed as members of the Church. So far from this ; we find the Apostle Peter on the day of Pentecost, advanc- ing the very same sentiments that had ever been ad- vanced by the prophets of old, shewing that there was no change in regard to infant membership under th*. If'! 24 SILEXCE OF JUDAIZING TEACHERS. j ; i! ii ' T< It* ! k>. J 4 ■ii I 4- ] 1 J 1 ( 4 new dispensation. " The promise is to you and to your children," Acts ii. 39.] The silence of these Jewish converts can be accounted for, only on the supposition that they saw their oifspring in the enjoyment of the same Church relationship under the new dispensation, as under the old. II. The silence of the Judaizing teachers. We know well that these men were opposed to every change in relation to the Church ; because they imagined that the Mosiac ordinances and customs were essential to salvation. They contended for cir- cumcision, and entered into the churches established by the Apostles, and used every argument to draw away the converts from the true way of salvation. Now, is it likely that they would have allowed such an opportunity of appealing to the natural affections of these converts, in behalf of their children, to pass with- out any controversy, provided they had been excluded from the Church ? Would such a radical innovation not lead to keen disputes 1 And would we not have the Apostles' vindication of such a change, provided such had taken place i But here again the New Tes- tament is silent on the point ; which silence, can be ac- counted for, only on the fact, that the Judaizing teachers as well as the Jewish converts, knew that, though there were changes on other points, there had no change taken place, aftecting tha relations of infants to the Church. From these considerations it does appear to be God's good pleasure to receive under the broad canopy of His covenant, not only the fathers and mothers professing faith in Christ, but all the members of their families, over whom they have control. The call of th} Gospel is similar to that addressed to Noah, M INFANTS CHRIST S '' LAMBS, 25 *'come thou and all thy house into the ark, Gen. vi. 7. Infants then being membei's of Christ's Church, are to be baptized. They are lambs in the one great flock, wTiose shepherd is Christ. He claims them as His, "Feed my lambs." Those therefore who with- hold from them baptism ; destroy their title to the blessings of the covenant ; and they would do well to consider the words of God to Abraham. " And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut o i from his peo- ple ; he hath broken My covenant, Gen. XVII. 14^ Gracious Saviour, Holy Shepherd, Little ones are dear to thee ; Gathered with thine arms, and carrie(\ In thy bosom, may they be. Sweetly, fnndly, saf 'ly tended. »n. T I I CHAPTER III. FEMALES MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH, Grenesis xvii, 7. It need not surprise us if persons unaccustomed to close study ; and untaught to reason logically, should be unable to remove the difficulties that arise in their minds on the subject of infant Church membership ; seeing, that men of extensive information, and trained to reason correctly, have come to different conclusions on the subject. As under the Jewish dispensation the male chil- dren only received circumcision, which sealed to them the blessings of the covenant, the question has been asked, in what relation did female children stand to the covenant 1 Were they without the seal of circum- cision entitled to its privileges, and recognized as members of the Church 1 With a view of satisfying enquiring minds on this, and some other points, I notice : I. That the Scriptures clearly recognize cir- cumcised infants, and those not circumcised as compo- nent parts of the old Testament Church. The martyr Stephen, in that memorable speech which he delivered immediately before his death, which is recorded in the 7th chaptt^r of the Acts of the Apos- tles, at 38 vei'se ; referring to Moses, says that he was T I FEMALE IMPANT3 IN t^E COVENANT. Of with the Church in the wilderness." Of what did that Church consist 1 Of six hundred thousand men besides women and children, Exod. xii. 37] A simi- lar specification, but more minute, and therefore more to our purpose, is furnished in connection with the renewal of the Church's covenant engiigement before the death of Moses. In strains of deep pathos, that man of God, on the borders of Canaan and of eternity thus addressed the congregated Israelites, " Ye stand this day all of you before the Lord your God ; your captains of your tribes, your elders, and your officers, with all the men of Israel, your little ones, your wives, and thy stranger that is in thy camp, from the hewer of thy wood unto the drawer of thy water : That thou shouldest enter into covenant with the Lord thy God, and into his oath which the Lord thy God maketh with thee this day. That he may establish thee to-day for a people unto himself, and that he may be unto thee a God, as he hath said unto thee and as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, Deut. XXIX, 10-13.] W^ere the children excluded from that vast assembly that entered that day into covenant with God ? By no means. One of the most interest- ing classes presented before the Lord on that solemn day, consisted of little ones who were expressly com- prehended in the terms of the covenant. Their title to a place in the covenant, and in God's sanctuary was as valid as that of Abraham or Moses. It is note- worthy that there is no distinction drawn between male and female children : and it would be an arbitrary and unwarranted use of the term, "little ones," to re- strict it to the male children. It is quite clear that female children were included in the covenant, though we may be ignorant of the door by which they entered. ^'^ — (I i 28 DR. CARSON S VIEW. i i; If the term "little ones" embraced only a part of the children ; then, by the same principles of interpretation, the terms "men," and "women," must embrace only a part of the men and women. The case however would seem o be placed beyond dispute by the words of the prophet Jocl II. 16. 17. "Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those thai suck the breasts, &c. i;^,; A question of interest arises here ; what was the exact character of the relation in which the children stood to the Church 1 Did they derive any benefits from being within the covenant 1 An eminent Bap- tist writer, pr. Carson, who denies "infant Church membership," asserts that "the infants of Abraham himself, were not saved by the covenant God made with him, when they died in infancy." This extraor- dinary assertion he attempts to make good by saying that Abraham was the spiritnal father of such only as believed- and that the covenant constituted no spirit- ual connexion bet^yeen him and his infant seed. Such are tlie quagmires into which men fall who depart from the finn ground of Scripture. Now, suppose no spiritual relation did subsist betv/eon Abraham and his infant seed ; it does not follow that they were not saved by Abraliam's covenant. The Patriarch and his infant seed both possessed the seal of the covenant without spiritual paternity ; and may they not have shared the common salvation in the same manner 1 If the Abrahamic covenant made no provision but for .believers ; it must be evident to every person, that it is not sufficient to save the dying infant : and we may reasonably ask those who hold such an opinion, why God strictjy enjoined the parent to place the seal of the covenant upon his infant child, and connected the neg- INPAKTS DYING ARE SAVED. 29 lect thereof, with a terrible penalty ] An essential element in that corenant was, that God promised to be " a God to Abraham and to his seed after him." If it ran thus, " I will be a God to thee, and to all thosij who like thee exercise faith in me ;" then, there might be a warrant for handing over all children to the un- co venanted mercies of God. So far from there being anything in the promise that precludes God from being the God of the dying infant, there is in it the pledge of God to the contrary. The covenant is to be regarded in the light of a federal engagement between God, on ' the one side ; and Abraham and his seed, on the other side ; and we maintain thatthe infant, dying in infancy, included in that federal engagement is saved : " for he is faithful who hath promised." • ' ^ But says some one, "females were not circumcised." Certainly not ; for the reason that the seal was inappli* cable to them. But their exemption did not involve the forfeiture of any of the blessings of the covenant of which circumcision was a token. It cannot have es- caped the notice of those who read their bibles, that females were, for the most part^ entitled to the same privileges with their husbands and Others. But asks the objector, " could they enjoy such interest without personally submi\,iing to the ordinance, with which the privileges were connected ?" I answer yes. Because in the first place, they did not submit to the ordinance ; and secondly ; it is beyond doubt that they had an in-' terest in covenant blessings. To deny this would be to weaken the force of Paul's argument respecting the great profit of circumcision to the Jewish people, at large ; including both males and females. He says- there " was much profit in circumcision," viewing Is- rael as a nation. The nation included females, who 30 god's right to change the seals, enjoyed nearly every spiritual privilege equally with the males : though, as already observed, circumcision ^ras inapplicable to them. None will question the right of the author of Christianity to modify any system which he has given to his Church. This he has done, — changing the seals of the covenant, in order to make them applicable to the enlarged state of the Church. The Passover^ which could not be observed by the Church as now . constituted, has been abolished, and the Lord's supper instituted in its stead ; which can be observed by the Church everywhere. In like manner, circumcision, which was limited to the male ciiildren, has been set aside, and baptism has been instituted in its steady which is applicable to both males and females, in all ages, conditions, and climes. * 11. The seal of the covenant is to be adminis- tered but once. Under the first dispensation circumcision was ad- ministered to a person but once. By it the individual was recognized as a child of God. So under the — present dispensation, baptism is to be administer- ed but once. The person is then recognized as a member of the visible Church, belonging to Christ's, flock and separate from the world. There is not a case on. record, where a person having received Christian baptism, was re-baptized by the Apostles : and those who, through ignorance of the nature of baptism, are re-baptized in the present day, act contrary to the teaching of God's word, and the practice of the Apos- tles. Whoever has been baptized " in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost," has baptism, so far as it can be conveyed by man : and it mat- ters not at what period of life, the rite has been WHEN BAPTISM IS TO BE ADMINISTERED. • 3 J Administered, it is substantial baptism. It is an act of consecration to the Deity ; and there should be no repetition of it. There " is one Lord, one faith, one baptism," Eph. iv. 5.] It is lamentable to find those, who had been consecrated to God in infancy, by godly parents who are now in heaven — who wei*e baptized by holy ministers whose labors God owned and crowned with success, drawn away from their steadfastness by the perversion of truth, and re-baptized. Where can they find a warrant for such a step ? " It is better to obey God than man." Such persons attempt to Justify the act by saying, ** it is the mode they deem essential." Just so. Now if mode were essential, is it not strange that our Lord in giving the commision to his disciples, says nothing respecting the m*. de ; and never uses the word water — much less the quantity. The practice of re-baptizing is condemned by the most eminent divines ; is con- trary to the practice of the Church in its purest pe- I'iod : is contrary to the practice of the Apostles ; and calculated to bring the ordinance itself into disrepute. It is clear that it should be administered but once ; jsince the blessings, of \vhich it is sCsign, arid seal, are Jbestowed but once. III. When should the ordinance be administered to infant Church members 1 The word of God furnishes us with no reply to this question. It sets no fixed time. Many maintain that the practice of the Christian Church should con- form as closely as possible to that of the Jewish Church; and therefore insist on the administration of the ordi- nance on the eighth day. Others, believing that the observance of the ordinance obtains for the baptized person the pardon of all his sIqs, dela^ the observa^oce 32 DUTY or PAKKNTS TO caiLDR£y. of it» till their last sickness, in the expectation that it will secure for them an entrance into heaven. It be- came the pracUoe in some Churches to baptize at Eas- ter, all who had been born since the previous Easter ; except in cases of necessity ; where death seemed immi- nent ; when it might be performed at any time, and by anj- character. In some Churches it is fashionable to baptize only on the first Sabbath of each month. As already observed, there were several things under the f (Mrmer dispensation, which are not adapted to the present one. To follow the rite of circumcision as to timey would now be an impossibility. But, while on the one hand, we sliould avoid indecent haste, which implies the belief that baptism is essential to salvation ; on the other hand ; parents should beware of unnecessary delay, and embrace the earliest oppor- tunity of dedicating their offspring to God. l^ot a few parents n^lect this duty which they owe to their children when in health, but when they become sick^ display much zeal to have them baptized lest they should die without itw I fear there are many among Presbyterians who believe in the doctrine of " bap- tismal regeneration," who are unwilling to own it. One thing is clear — there is something radically wrong in the case of those parents who profess to be- lieve in "infant Church membership," and yet neglect to baptize their children. They allow them to grow up like heathen, without any recognition of their union to Christ The charge which God brought against the " sons of Jacob" in the time of Malachi, is very applicable to such as act so. " Ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them," Malachi II. 7.] There is guilt which shall not go unpunished, " Suifer little children to come unto me. .:s.:r. cimisTs.iN.mATioix;. :,;c .33 and forbid tlicm not ; for such 13 the kingdom of God," Luke xvn. 16. -•-i- •»- fi .... "• Our child jvn, Lord, lu falih *ijd prayttf, t;-.J •r.'i^JS , Wii now devote to Xh"^ ; ^et them thy covtuaut raercloi ah«v, - •• • )b . *..« « i • » I • V »- .^. If. .•• J «»/ ■ • -■ • ^ ■ ,* r •■ * • ■ ■ • * • « • . t a .• •- vow- i.*^ • «> •M Va^W ^•'W ■ f ' •".-■ • r • • • - > •j -.> • • •■ ••^ • '^ - . . . • • . . • » *-• >• * T - • > ? S-?. * > % •* ■ - fl * , »f . ,'•? •,> ■! t t ' tl *i 1.1 .*(/,;.. il«j:.i;ii>- ••• --^j :r!->H^ .i' *■ •rcf i" I i I i I I f CHAPTER IV. BAPTIZED INFANTS CHURCH MEMBERS. Genesis, XVIL 7. Before proceeding to consider the privileges to which infant Church members are entitled, it is neces- sary to make a few remarks, I'elative to their Church relationship, with a view of removing false impi'^ssions from the minds of the young, and giving them correct views of their true position. If the ai-guments already adduced be sound ; and the conclusions arrived at be correct ; then, upon pa- rents entering into covenant with God for their chil- dren, which they do when they present them for bap- tism, these children are henceforth to be reg'txrdod as being in tlie same fold with the parents themselves. The same mark is now upon old and young alike. Baptized children ai^ then in the Church, long before they make a public profession of their faitli, and per- sonally assume their covenant obligations. When therefore such persons speak of joining the Church, ; j their language is incorrect. They ai^ joined to the I Church already, and a pix>fession of religion is simply a declaration upon their part, that they wish the unioiA continued — and an open avowal of their determina- tion to discharge the duties which such a union invol- ves. Whenever a young person who lias been baptized, REAL MIOMIICKS; lil'V \0T IX COMMUXrON. .S.-) c. re ;n h, k arrives at an age capable of uuderstancUngtho nature of his position, — the nature of the engagements enter- ed into by his parents for him, and h is sutHcient knowledge upon these points, God requires hiin to rati fy tlie doings of his parents on his behalf by an open profession. This constitutes liini a member of the Church in full communion, and entitles him to all Church privileges. If he neglect to do so, because conscious that he wants the requisite qualitications ; or, if upon application to be admitted to the full privi- leges of the Church, he should be rejected for want of sufficient knowledge, and evidence of faith ; ho is not cast out of the Church by such refusal. He is simply to be regarded as a member v/alking in darkness, and in violation of his baptismal vows. vSuc'h a person is still a member, and no one consecrated to the Deity in baptism, can ever cease to be a member of the Church, except by actual ex-communication — an act which can be performed only by the oiHce-bearers in the Church, whom the Head of the Church has ap- pointed to administer the laws thereof. Some seem to entertain the idea that " Church Membership' under any circumstances, necessarily ad- mits the individual to all the privileges of the Church, and therefore find it ditiicult to distinguish between real tneinbershtp, and membership in fuU cottununion. Hence it is, that the young feci, and act, as if they were not members of the Church until they make a public profession of their faith. Thei Church is a fam- ily. But whilst there are some sons in the enjoyment of'all the privileges of the family, there are others, who being m<>io;>, and incapable of appreciating these privileges, are not in possession of them. Yet are they all sons in the family. So in the visible Church ^ 36 CHUBCH TO EXERCISE SUPERVISION. of Christ ; there are iiifant members wlio have not yet attained to the full stature of perfect men iu Christ, nor to the privileges of such men. It is doubt- less owing, in a large measure, to the ignorance which prevails among the young in our congregations on this important subject, that so few publi rly profess reli- gion. They do not r(.'aJize their relatiouship to the Church. . - I shall now proceed to consider the privileges to which the baptized youth are entitl'^d. . u . The Church is to cj^ercise its suj>tirvision over theiu. By the Church, 1 mean, not only tlio ofiice-bearerH in the Church, but all in full comnmnion. To what extent the baptized youtli of the Church are subject to the w^atchful care and discipline of its members, is a very important matter, yet delicate question. If wo wxTO to judge by the practice of most Churches, the answer which we would have to give to such a ques- tion, would }>e, — " to no extent at all." The question must however be answered very difieroitly. There is a duty which the interest of the Church demands should be perfonned. As member's of the Church they must be treated as other members, except where their age and condition will not allow. This then is to be kept in remembrance as our guiding principle in what is to follow. " The Church then is to watch over its baptized children as faithfully as over its adult members. When they fall into open sin, the Church should mourn over them, pray for them, and seek to reclaim them. In all cases of unchristian conduct ; as when a baptized young person neglects public worship habitually, falls into the habit of swearing, or using indecent language ; DUTY OP OFFICE-BEARERS. 37 s n or is guilty of the sin of drunkenness, or fornication, or wilful dishonesty, it is the duty of the Church in which such person has been baptized, immediately to take cognizance of such conduct. It may be said, " the young will not submit" No man has a right to say the laws of God will prove ineffectual when properly applied. The result could be no T.'orse than at present, where numbers of young men and women seem bound to destruction. Who will undertake to say that if the Church had done its duty by such persons, th?ii' character and j)Ositiou would not bo verv different from w hat th»^v tii'o to-dav 't As parents are the natural giiardiaii.s of ilicir families, and responsible for their children; if the per- son is still under the inspection and authority of his parents, it is proper in the hrst instance to approach him through his parents, who have solemnly vowed to teach and restrain their children ; but if they will not do so, then I hold the Church has a right to deal with such parents for a violation of their baptismal vows. Should however the parents fail to do their duty, that is an additional i*eason why the Church should do its duty. As duty will always •vary witli circumstances, the age of a pei*son, and the nature of the offence, it is impossible to state beforehand the course to be pur- sued. As a general principle it is evidently the duty of those in authority, viz : Ministers and Eiders to confer with the offender in private, and by every chris- tian motive, but especially his covenant relation to God, to bring him to repentance. Should they suc- ceed, a soul may be saved, and their labours will re- dound to the glory of God. If by employing all proper means in an affection- ate manner, no good impi^ession can be made, and no r»«^ f'llflTV TIIK KMJ or DI5C1PL1NF,. jH^nituiieii nuinifi.'.st:*d. btit the oft'endcr continues to pursue a course of open, flagrant sinning ; which firiiounts to a renunciation of the authority of the Tyliurch, and no hope of amendment remains ; it is then the (tiear duty of the Church, in its authoritative ca- pacity, to retnove such an one from all connexion with the Church, that others may fear. Such is the law as laid down by Paul. " In the name of our Lord Jesus CJhrist, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of the Lord J esus Christ. To deliver such an one unto Satan, for the destruction of the ilesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus, 1 CoK. v, 4-5.] Some imagine, that as society is now constituted, if those who are baptized fall into sins irreclaimably, and renounce their baptismal covenant, it would be better to allow them silently to w^ithdraw from the Church, than by an act of the Church to exclude them, It is greatly to be lamented that this practice, which is at variance with the law of Christ, prevails so exten- sively. The Apostle Paul tells us, there are many things which are lawful, but which are not expedient —things, which niay be done, but which nay not be wise nor proper, in some cases to do. But then we have no right to substitute expediency, where there is a positive law requiring a thing to be done, God, the ji great- law giver 'has settled it, and man's opinion .; cannot alter it. Kow the end of dis- !♦ : .-. ; .'. *,''-■ i. I 3f bs m !h r- le St » >»^, CHAPTER V. PRIVILEGES RE6TBICTED. 4 • • • . • ' " . a' " * Genesis XVII, 7. . . , As there is a difference between real membership, ;aud membership in iull communion, it is necessary to point out the restrictions upon the privileges of the former. ■ . . I. They are not entitled to the privileges of full communion, till they publicly pi-ofess their faith iim Christ. They have a right, and are qualiiied to obtain bap- tism, on the ground of their parent's faith ; but they have not a right, nor have they the qualifications ne- cessary to partake of the Lord's supper, on the faith of their parents. A personal qualification is requisite. This is a restriction upon the privilege of many, who by baptism are real members of the ChurelL It does not however annul their Church membership. The Apostle Panl speaking of the Church under tie figure vof a body : tells us there are " many members in one body, and ail members have not the same office. " Rom. XII, 4.] Ministers are Church members ; but ;all Church members are not ministers. EUders are CJhurch members ; but all members are not elders. Females ar« Church members ; iHit they are not at liberty to become preachers. So it is with baptized children. They are members, but not entitled to a sseat at the Lord's table until they acknowledge their baptismal obligations by a profession of their faith iu Christ 44 WHY PRIVILEGES KESTKICTED. ^ The reason why baptism is administered on the faith of the parents, but the Lord's supper is not ; must be obvious to all who reflect on the nature of these or- dinances. There is no necessity for the consent of the child in order to obtain baptism, any more than there was for the Jewish child to obtain circumcision. It may be administered when the child is slumbering, and is administered, when children have little or no sense of their responsibility. It is something done to them, and for them. They are passive recipients. But partaking of the Lord's supper is a personal act» an act of their own, which cannot be worthily per- formed without personal qualifications, for the follow- ing reasons : 1. There must be the physical power to eat the broken bread, and drink the wine ; which power, the baptized infant has not. 2. All who have a right to a seat at the table of the Lord, must engage in the important work of self- examination. This duty Paul distinctly enjoins, "let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup," I. CoR. xi, 28.] But this pre-requisite children cannot comply with. . , 3. They must be renewed in heart They must have saving faith. Piety is indispensible to the right performance of the duty. But piety involves correct views of the nature of the duty. No person can par- take of the Lord's supper aright, without an intelligent understanding of Christ's death, and remembrance of him : and be able to know that it is dangerous to " eat and drink unworthily." Besides too ; he must have a spiritual appreciation of covenant blessings, and the reception of them by faith. These latter remarks ap- ply to all baptized persons — adults as well as infants. ! I ; & I. J ORJECTION ANSWERED. is No one is allowed to come without spiritual discern- ment ; or, in other words, without a new heart, and a proper amount of knowledge. Now it must be apparent to all, that children do not possess such knowledge ; and were they to partake of the ordinance, they would fail in securing the bene- fits which it is designed to bestow. As soon as they possess these qualifications, they will ha disposed to manifest them. Then they are members in full com- munion, and entitled to all the privileges of the Church. To this view it has been objected ; " that, as the Jewish children partook ot the Passover without a personal profession, on the ground of their infant Church membership ; so, on the same ground, the chil- dren of Christian pareats ought to partake of the Lord's supper." In answer to this objection, I ask for proof " that the Jewish child did partake of the Pass- over." The very reverse appeal's to be true. We know that Mary and Joseph were careful to observe that ieast, and we are informed that when Jesus was twelve j'ears old they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast. The very mention of his age implies, that he had not been there previously, and that the •custom was, that all the male children should appear At the feast, at, or about that age. It is clear that the Jewish parents were bound to see, that at that age, ttheir children were instructed in all the command- inents and statutes of God — the nature of the covenant, And the blessings contained in it, which circumcision sealed to them — and the origin and design of the Passover. They were thus intelligently prepared to observe the Passover. Their going there at that ag€|, when a Jewish lad was supposed to be able to choose i^r himself, was virtually a public prof essipii^ ^* ^•*'* -W PRiYlLKOKS, RKSTRICTKD. •••• - ..... ,. ,,. »_. TKe age at which persons partCK)k of the Passover, affords no rule for the time when the Lord's supper should be observed by those who are baptized ; but, were parents to do now as they solemnly engage to do : " bring up their children in the nurture and adrnoni- tion of the Lord," we have every reason to believe, they would be found partaking of our New Testament feast, when twelve years old, and in some instances earlier. It is a sad spectacle to Christ, — to angels, — to ministers, — and to the Church ; to see the Lord's supper observed in a congregation, where no young persons are seated at the table. II. Baptized persons, though adults, while they continue non-professors cannot exercise equal authority in Church affairs with professors, because they have not performed the condition requisite to enjoy such a privilege. A pereon may be a citizen of a country, — possess many advantages — and yet have no right to vote for the appointment of those who are to administer the government, because he has not qualified himself, by taking the oath of allegiance to the constituted authori- ties. Now, the Church of Christ is a society distinct from the world — governed by laws, enacted by Christ, for the regulation of those who profess to be its mem- bers : and surely those who do not profess to belong to such, have no right to control the affairs of the Church. Moreover, the Church has no right to ask such persons to do the work which should be perforir»ed by its mem- bers. In some matters the Church adheres to its laws, but in others of equal importance it does not. None ^ but those in full communion elect its office-bearers ; yet non-professors are frequently appointed to the very I li I I responsible position of teachers iii our Sabbath schools, ^ i M ! PRIVILEGES RESTRICTED. 47 It is hardly to bf xpected, that a teacher will urge upon his pupils a duty that he has neglected himself. It is worse than preposterous for a parent to commit the religious training of his children to one who has no religion, and who is not interested in the great ob- jects for which it was established, the salvation of souls. It cannot fail to be disastrous to the spiritual interests of a congregation ; when, owing to the indo- lence of its members, it lays burdens on the shoulders of those who are not expected to bear them. III. Baptized non-professors are not qualified to present their childeen to God in baptism. i < As this affirmation is the opposite of the opinion entertained by some ; and directly at variance with the practice pursued by some Churches, and by some ministers in a denomination whose proclaimed princi- ples forbid it ; it is necessary that we give the state- ment made the most careful consideration. The evils flowing from a departure from the laws enacted by Christ for the government of his Church, will always shew the wisdom of adhering to them. The Church or congregation that transgresses these laws can have no prosperity. .. „ . _._ The doctrine of the * Westminster Confession of Faith" on this subject is as follows, " Not only those that do actually profess faith in and obedience unto Christ, but also the infants of one or both believing parents are to be baptized" Chap, xxvii, sec. 4.1 Now all our ministers, and elders, when ordained, solemnly pledge themselves to adhere to the doctrines, and observe the laws of the Confession. The question then is ; is it necessary to require evidence of personal faith in a parent in order to the baptism of his child ? T answer yes. Suppose a *pa- ! I I 48 EVIL OP BAPTIZING INDISCRIMINATELY. •>^^ -TN---.,-- --: — """*'/*.'^.' - ""■''^ ".'■"' rent ' o hold infidel views — refuse to renounce them, — give no evidence of faith in Christ — and yet seek, and receive baptism for his child, vowing to da what he ha» no intention to perform : and which beholders know he will not perform ; not only is a pow erf ul induce- ment to personal religion taken away, and a holy sacra- ment profaned ; but the Church by such an act, blots out the dividing line between itself and the world — loses its spirituality, and in the end becomes little different from a community of civilized heathen. -::. I have already established the identity of the Church under both dispensations, and have shown that the seals under both are the same. Now, by con- sidering to whose children circumcision was given, we will be better able to ascertain to whose children bap- tism should be given. If under the Jewish dispensa- tion a circumcised person neglected to keep the Pass- over, he was to be cut off from among the people, and then his children could not receive circumcision. " But the man that is not in a journey, and f orbeareth to keep the Passoverj even the same shall be cut off" from among his people," Num. ix, 13.] In Kke man- ner those who do not assume their baptismal obliga- tions and observe the Lord's supper, not only deprive themselves of covenanted privileges, but their children likewise. They are destitute of that Church relation- ship necessary to assume obligations for their offspring. Because 1. Covenant blessings are promised only on the fulfillment of certain conditions. It is expected of the children of religious parents, that having been baptized,— given up to God in faith — and religiously educated, they will at an early age,, Uy hold of the covenant of faith, and partake of its. •I REASON AOAIXBT THE PRACTICE. 49 blessings. Now, a refusal to fulfill these conditions is virtually a renunciation of all the conditional bless- ings. The chain is broken, the covenant is annulled. Those therefore who, by their own act, renounce the covenant, have no right to baptism for their children. Because . . - 2. Baptism like circumcision is a seal of the righteousness of faith. -. . . : .30?. It must be evident to everyone, I* .at it is not a seal of the child's faith, for he cannot exercise faith ; but of the parenfs faith. If then the parent makes no profession of faith, on whose faith is that child bap- tized 1 It is clear there is placed on that child the seal of that which has neither an actual nor visible exist- ence. Thus one of the most impressive ordinances of our Holy religion becomes an unmeaning ceremony. Because ., ^ - ^ - <;'i^ - . * v -jii ."^v: 3. It will be granted that no unbaptized parent is entitled to baptism for himself, who does not believe the truth. " Then they that gladly received his word were baptized." Acts, ii, 41.] Now certainly, if an adult cannot claim baptism for himself without faith, he cannot claim it for his child without faith, seeing that infants are baptized on the faith of the parents. The inference then is, that where there is no faith, it is not to be administered. Because " - 4. The very formula of baptism implies the existence of faith. Why do parents bring their chil- dren to the baptismal font ? Is it not that they may be acknowledged members of Christ's fold, and have the blessings of the covenant sealed to them ? If any should say that '' presenting a child for baptism is in itself a profession," I answer it certainly is, as full a profession as a parent can ever make : but the evil is, ' 1 "^ 50 Qualifications foi^Baptttm^ and Lordls^Supper the same. / ihe does not so understand it ; and the consequence is^; -.Mae profession thus made, is nv>t praciically carried out in the iile afterwards. The parent who conse- crates his child to GoA in baptism, professes all^ and silently declares that he will perform all, that the man does, who takes his seat at the table of the Lord. mThe qualification for both is essentially the same, viz : faith in Christ. Yet there are many parents, who receive baptism for their children, but never find their way to the table of oui Lord. *•• .. - :^:^'j From these considerations, the propriety of insist- ing upon a credible profession of faith on the part of the parent before baptizing his child, must be appa- rent to all. To avoid misapprehension, it is proper to state ; that, any person who adopts an orphan child into his family, ta exercise control over him, and give him a religious education ; may, and ou^t, if a pro- fessor of religion, to dedicate the child to God in bap- tism ; because in that case, he stands In the relation of a parent to the child. ^ .. ; . : . ' The nature and extent of infant Church member- ship, must, we think be evident to every one, wha studies the covenant of the Church, in the light of .;^ God's word. I will briefly epitomise what has been , 71 advanced by me. -* • ' .♦ All baptized persons are members of the Church. Between them and others, there is the same general distinction, which exists between the visible Church V and the world. Baptized children are divinely ap- ' ' pointed candidates for the highest Christian privileges. In order however to the enjoyment of these, certain personal qualifications are requisite. Until these arcv possessed, they are not entitled to full communion at the Lord's table. — nor to the control of the spiritual GODS LAW OUR ONLY RULE. 51 ip- of jr- [ha of ^en ;h. -al Ich ip- tre- at la) affairs of Christ's house, — nor to enter into covenant with Gk)d for their children. But they are amenable to the authority of the Church, and entitled to its in- struction, so long as they manifest a disposition to be under its control. Should they renounce all authority, they are to be separated from the visible Church, for the maintenance of its order, its peace, and its spiritual growth. They stand within the precints of the tem- ple, though not yet admitted within the Holy place. Many of our Sessions have, in the matter of in- fant baptism, introduced a practice at variance with the Presbyterian standards ; which, if it increases the , ; number of adherents to the Church, does certainly not - promote its purity, and spiritual growth. Success in divine things will never attend a departure from the laws of God. In vain they do worship me teaching for doctrines the commandments of men, Mat. xv, 9.] It will not do to plead custom, or fashion, or the dan- ger of losing some who have a nominal connexion with us. On that principle all the religious errors in the , world might be justified. Nothing can be right in religion but what God's law enjoins. '' To the law and the testimony, if they speak not, and act noty accord- : ing to these, it is because the truth is not in them." It is high tim:^ that our denomination should require . from all her ministers, im/A>nn^Yy in the administration of the ordinance of baptism to children. " Let all thingsbedonedecently and in order." I Cor. xiv, 40.] .Such helpless babes thou didst embrace, -V' While dwelling here below ; ■'■r' - .To us, and ours, O G«id of grace '. , . , The same eomiJHssiou show. ii: • 1 - I . I . —' . '. CHAPTER VI. ADDRESS TO BAPTIZED NON-PROFESSORS. jc Genesis xvii, 7. I shall now proceed to address those who by bap- tism are recognized as members of the visible Church, but fail to acknowledge their membership by a public profession. Of these, there are two classes. First, those who are not parents ; and secondly, those who are. I shall address them separately. - •-' I. The young and others who have been baptized, (but are not heads of families. • • '- My remarks will embrace all who have arrived at ^ years of understanding, and have made no profession 1 1 of religion. Permit me to address you plainly and faithfully. You have been consecrated to God in in- fancy, and the shadow of God's protection has been over you to this day. Before you were old enough to act for yourselves, you were solemnly introduced by your parents as lambs into the same fold with them- selves. True, in some cases, your parents had not by an act of their own, signified their desire to remain within the fold, and probably never will ; nevertheless, they entered into an engagement for you, and the waters of baptism will never be removed from your forehead. The blessings that were then sealed to you : ' — the forgiveness of sins, — the holiness of your nature — an interest in God's benignant providence, and a ITO STATED TIME TO PROFESS RELIGION. 53. title to Heaveii, are however to be enjoyed only on the condition that you repent, — accept of Christ. — pro- fess him before the world, — and pursue a course of life becoming such a profession. God has fulfilled his part of the engagement so far. He has restrained his anger, and has not executed the sentence of condemnation upon you. You have not been cut down and cast into hell, as many others have been. He has preserved you to this hour, — has surrounded you with the restraining influences of His grace, and has reminded you by His word, — by His ministers, — by afflictions, personal and relative, — and also by His still small voice, that you are not your own ; that you are neither in the path of duty, nor of safety. Now, what are these strivings of your conscience, — these occasional meltings of heart when alone, — these secret feelings and half resolves toward repentance, and toward God, which you some- times feel ] They are just the spirit of God given ^to you according to the baptismal covenant, exciting you to consecrate yourself to God, to whom you were con- secrated by your parents. It is impossible to fix un- alterably a time when this duty should be discharged. It is clear however that it should be performed when- ever a person is old enough to comprehend the position which he occupies, and the duties required of him. As a general principle we may safely say, that when pa- rents teach their children properly, they will be pre- pared to profess religion at an ge ranging from twelve to eighteen years. Probably, nearly all who read these pages have passed this age. Have you as young men and women assumed your baptismal obligations 1 You have now amved at an age when you can act, and when you alone must act, if you are to be saved. Have you then done what the Saviour I'equires of you, — publicly i. I. i I 54. ' EXCUSES MADE. declared your determination to adhere to the covenant ? Perhaps you never before realized that you stood in such a relation to God — that you were a member of His Church. Perhaps you are ready to say, " our pa- rents* never told us so. They never instructed us in the nature of baptism," Doubtless in many instances that is true. You cannot however from this time for- ward plead ignorance of your duty. But you may ex- claim, as those who neglect their duty generally do, " we are not prepared for such a step, — we have neither the knowledge, nor the moral character requisite to profess Christ." Under what plea can you hope to shelter yourself because you have not a sufficiency of knowledge ? Have you not had your Bible in your hands ever since you could comprehend anything 1 Have you not had ministers of tha Gospel to expound and enforce the contents of that blessed book, ever since you were able to come to the house of God, and who went to your homes to instruct you before you were able to come to the sanctuary ] I fear it is not so much your want of knowledge, as it is your love of sin, and an unwillingness to forsake what you know is inconsistent with such a step. You say your " moral character is not such as to justify you in tak- ing such a step." This is a sad acknowledgement, *• that you are too wicked to obey the commands of your Saviour." Again I ask, where lies the fault? Whose fault is it, that, instead of worshipping God publicly on the Sabbath, you are attending to your secular affairs on that day 1 Whose fault is it, that you set out on journeys to transact worldly business on the Lord's day, in opposition to God's positive prohi- bition ] Whose fault is it that you spend the Sabbath visiting your neighbors, thus leading others as well as UANriEK OF NEC.LKCTINO HEhlOloN. .).). yourself into sin i Whose fault is it that you use s<» much profane, obscene language, that half the time your seat in the house of God is vacant, and that your nights are spent in card playing and gambling 1 You can charge these doings, which hinder your morality, to no one but yourself. Examine yourself honestly, and fully, and you will iind that it is not so much the want of knowledge, as an unwillingness to obey the laws of Christ, and fultill the conditions of your bap- tismal relation to the covenant, that krcps you from confessing Christ. - -. . I ask you to pause and seriously consider, how such a course, if persisted in, must end. Is your soul of so little value that you can trifle with it in this manner from day to day ? Is Heaven a mere dream ; are the torments of hell the tigments of a bewildered imagination ; that to secure the on(% and avoid the other, you will give yourself no concern 1 Is there no danger that, in refusing to hearken to the call of God, Sabbath after Sabbath, He will place you beyond the call of the Gospel, and leave; you to perish. Itemem- ber, that every day you continue as you are, the danger increases, and also the probability that you will con- tinue as you are. How is it with others, who are older than yourself 1 How is it with yourself ? Has delay disposed you to more seriousness "? No. Do you not observe some who are becoming less attentive to religious ordinances, and who are rapidly coming under the destructive influence of sins, to which a few years ago they were entire strangers ] This however is the natural tendency of sin everywhere. " Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived, II Tim. hi, 13.] If you pursue your present course, it will cut you off* from the Church, ., r>(». '^ AWPUL DOOM OF NONPUOFESSORfJ. and from God, as a covenant God ; and the result will \Hi more terrible than if you never had had a connexion with the visible Church. " If any man draw back my soul hath no pleasure in him." Heb. x, 38.] To sink intx) hell, from the l)osom of the Church, loaded with Kermons, with prayers, with parental instruction, and Christian counsels, will surely be no ordinary doom. Is this the way you are going to requite your parents, who consecrat<'d you to God, — who for many years en- tertained the hope that you would attend to religion, and come to the possession of all its blessings with themselves ; but are now silently mourning under crushed hopes 1 Perhaps some who read these pages have had pan^nts whose last hours on earth were em- bittered by a consideration of their irreligious state. Now, if you are determined to pursue this course, remember that God's seal is upon you, and will rest upon you in all the sinful wanderings of your unregene- I'ate mind wherever you go. In all the days of prayer restrained, — days when the fear of God is no longer before your eyes ; when you associate with the ungodly; and in all the scenes of reckless sin, the imprint of God's covenant has never been effaced. It will rest upon your dishonored head, and will ever rest there ; pointing you out a baptized person, as a spirit of no ordinary guilt, in the realm of v/oe. Ye who are recognized as children of God by bap- tism, whether young, or old, let me beseech you, ere you become hardened through the deceitfulness of the world, in the name of Him to whom you have been consecrated, despise no longer His holy covenant ; re- turn to the God of your fathers, and follow in the foot- steps of those who through faith and patience have inherited the promises. CHILDRKN SUFFKK FOU SINS OF PAKKN1>. '11. II. Those who are parents, hut non-profe-isors ; who have repeatedly entered into covenant with God for their children, but who have never puhlicly acknow- ledged their own covenant relationship. " ' Jt is to nie no less a matter of iistonishment, than of regret ; that there are so many of this descri[>tion in this congregation, and in the oth«,T Presbyterian tongregations in this county. This static of things is largely due to incorrect teaching on the «uVj»ject of baptism, or probably, / 1 no ienrhlng at nil • . ' ^ All that I have said to others is applicaVjle to you ; but with a peculiar, and increased responsibility, in consequence of your relation to your family. The blessings of the covenant are peipetuati^i by you doing your duty. By neglecting to assume personally the responsibilities which your parents assumed for you, you not only fail to espouse the Lord for your God, but you interrupt the flow of covenant blessings to your family. The covenant line that has come down from your parents to you, is broken by you ; and does not extend to your family. They may, on arriving at mature years, enter into covenant with God them- selves ; but in the mean time, they are not in covenant with God, and have no claim to the blessings which the children of those have, who are brought in faith and consecrated to God. There must be a cause for every effect. Here is a fact which should be deeply pondered, there is not in these famaies of thisTJOngre- gation, one young person who has publicly professed I'eligion, though the ordinances of religion have been enjoyed by them. To what then is such indifference to be ascribed 1 The parents have not done their duty. They have not owned their allegiance to God, and manifested a desire for their own salvation, and the :)S. l{KlJ(;iON KLOVVS IN KAMII>IKS. blessing of God ciors not seem to rest upon their chil> di'en. It is ditticult to gut the liinib to enter the en- elosure, into which the sheep will not go. Sabbath School instruction and the preaching of the Gospel in >such cases do but little good. The blessings of the covenant have come down in 11 stream of living waters from the Abraham ic foun- tain. A silver brook of these living waters, in all its wanderings, has found its way around your dwelling ; supplying health and comfort to all in your house. But, by your own neglect parents, you have placed an obstruction in the stream, which has turned it oii' in another direction. Just as Esau of old did. Now, if the obstruction be not removed, tlie stream will con- tinue in its changed course, and leave that beautiful inheritance which it entails, in all its loveliness, to others; but to your children and children's children, a barren and unproductive waste. Will your children in after years call you blessed 1 Will they revere your memory ? Can a child venerate and love his parent, who negligently squanders the estate which came to him, with princely advantages from his father, and which he was bound by natural att'ection, and by a solemn oath to transmit unimpaired to his children 1 It is impossible. Now, this is just what a great many parents do. Through their sin, they deprive their off- jspring, of privileges which they would otherwise enjoy. It is a fact which is not merely t-^ught in the Scrip- tures, but which in every age of the world has held true ; that religion flows in families, if the proper training is observed. Where there are pious parents, there are pious children ; and when the parents are godless, their children generally imitate them. Consider too, that, it is your duty as parents to f;ROUNDS OF FEAR IN PARENTS. 59. qualify yourselves to confer the ^ijreat j)rivilege u})on your children, of bringing them into covenant with Go(l. Look at what Ood has said at tlie beginning of the Church, as a warning to all parents to tlie end of time. In the charter of spiritual blessings which ho gave to Abraham the father of the faithful ; amidst the blessings promised he uttered one terriiic voict^ of warning. " And th(» uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people, he hath broken my cove- nant, Gen. xvii, 14.] Now, baptism having taken the place of circumcision, if a parent neglect to conse- crate his child to God in baptism, without sufticient reason ; he denies the child his birth-right, and hazards the displeasure of him who visits the iniquities of the fathers upon the children. I do not know what allowance God will make for the ignorance, or unintentional mistakes of a }>arcnt ; but where there is knowledge, and the duty is acknow- ledged, it certainly cannot be neglected with impunity, " For him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin," James iv, 17.] Perliaps some parents having acquired correct views of the nature and importance of baptism, may begin to fear, that whilst they and their children liavc been consecrated to God in baptism, th<^re was a fail- ure on their part, of that faith wliich is necessary to make the duty acceptable to God. Nay more ; that many of their family were baptized when they bad not, by faith, laid hold of the covenant themselves. Of such parents there are three classes. First. — Those who have had their children baptized before tliey them- selves laid hold of the cover t. Second, — Those who have had their children baptized, but have not yet GO. BAPTISM NOT TO BE RKPKATRD. exercised faith, and Third, — Those who have sonifc of their children baptized, and otiiers not. This maiv- ner of (haling with a Divine institution is well calcu- lated to awaken serious reflections in the minds of those who administer the ordinance, and those whb receiver it. How can a parent expect the blessings of the covenant for his children, when, on his pai*t, tlie element faith, essential to seal these blessings is want- ing 'i Remember, the promise to the *' seed," is through the believing parent. I will suppose you pre- sented your children for baptism, in ignorance ami thoughtlessness of that very solemn duty ; —that all you thought respecting it was, what name the child should have, and that your desire in the ma^^ter was tb be fashionable like others ; — that you neither prayed to God beforehand to enable you to perform th(i duty in faith, nor afterwards, to enable you to fulfill you-r engaijements. You would do well to mourn over such an act. " A broken spirit and a contrite heart," Q(t this late hour, is, in the sight of God, of gnjat price. It certainly is not required that you should present your children a second time for baptism. They have been recognized as members of the visible Churck. The remedy for past defect is not to re-baptize ; but, to " repent and do thy first works." Your duty is to enter into your closet and mourn, and then consecrate your children in prayer to God, exercising at the samn time that faith which should have been exercist^d when baptism was administered. You have an additional duty which you owe your children. It is to inform them distirictly, that the seal of God's covenant has been placed upon them, and that their duty and inter- est demand an approval of the act, by publicly con- fessing Christ. Bring them to the family altar as you -1 't- >" « PARENTS SAFE-CJUARD. 61 ■