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 ISO O U' 11 8 E 
 
 ON 
 
 CHRISTIAN BAPTISM, * 
 
 PREACHED IN PORT COLBORNEj C. W.^ 
 
 V. 
 
 BY THE 
 
 REV. D. F. HtJTCHINSON, 
 
 AUTHOR OF THE " ESSAY ON THE LORD'sDAY," " BIJJUCAI* CHART," 
 AND " FIRST COURSE IN RHETORIC." 
 
 SECOND EDITION. ' V. 
 
 TO WHICH IS ADDED 
 
 THE 
 
 SATISFACTIOI OF JUSTICE, 
 
 A POEM, 
 
 BY THE SAME AUTHOR. 
 
 if 
 
 PUBLISHED BY REQUEST. 
 
 KINGSTON: 
 
 JAMES 31. CllEIGHTON, HOOK AND JOU PRINTER. 
 
 1851. 
 
 /■i^' 
 
DISCOUESE. 
 
 " Go ye, Mer«/ofe, and Um% nil nationg^-^-haptising them in 
 the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy 
 Ghost^^^MAT. 28, 19. 
 
 These words are frequently termed the apostolic 
 commission, and are intimately connected with the characte 
 of the tnie Church, in every period of the Christian dispen- 
 sation. They were uttered by our blessed Lord, a little 
 before his ascension into heaven, and consequently may be 
 considered as his last charge to the Apostles whom he had 
 chosen. You will immediately perceive that the ordinance 
 of Baptism is distinctly referred to, in my text; and that, 
 although, according to our English version, the Apostles 
 were instructed to teach all nations, yet, according to the 
 original, " Maiheieusate panta ta ethna baptizontes autous :" 
 they were to make disciples of all nations by baptising 
 them: thus plainly implying, that baptism by water is an 
 initiatory ordinance into the Church of God. 
 
 In calling your attention to these words, I propose to 
 notice, 
 
 > I. The nature and design of christian baptism. 
 
 II. The proper subjects of this ordinance. 
 
 III. The scriptural mode of administering it. 
 
 I. The Nature and Design of Christian Baptism. 
 But before I proceed, it may be necessary for me to 
 mention the different views entertained by professed Chris- 
 
.4 
 
 tians upon this subject: ami iti ^^oing tliis. I will metitiw! 
 three very important cmos, wliicli most imperiously ilemami 
 our attention. The first is that entei-tained by the Papist 
 and the seini-Papistj the second is that inculcated by the 
 ultra Protestant; while the third will embrace the faith and 
 belief of the holy Apostles of our Lord, and of the truly 
 Catholic and Apostolic Church to the present day. 
 
 The Papist and semi-Papistprofesses to believe that there 
 is a saying efficacy in the water of Baptism, by which ori- 
 ginal sin and actual transgression are washed away ; and 
 that, consequently, baptism must be regarded as a moral 
 and spiritual regeneration of the party baptized, God being 
 considered as the prime, and the officiating Clergyman the 
 secondary agent in the ceremony. Now that the Holy Bible 
 does speak of Baptism as a regeneration to God, is rendered 
 incontrovertible by a diligent study of its sacred pages; but 
 that this appellation is given to it in consequence of its con. 
 nection with the thing signified, is made so abundantly man. 
 ifest, that he that runs may both read and distinctly under- 
 stand. Does the Papist in astonishment enquire of you, v/hy 
 you dare but believe that the water of Baptism saves the 
 Soul, and washes away sin ? just inform him of the case of 
 Simon Magus, as recorded in the eighth chapter of the Acts 
 of the Apostles, who havhig received the ordinance from the 
 very highest authority under Christ, Avas pronounced by the 
 same authority *" To have neither part nor lot in the matter 
 of true religion," f" To be in the gall o*' bitterness and bond 
 of iniquity," and who was divinely instructed that {"His 
 heart was not right in the sight o/ God." Now this infor- 
 mation is quite sufficient as an answer to the enquiry ; for 
 here the fact is recorded of a man's receiving the holy ordi- 
 nance of baptism, and yet his heart was not right in the sight 
 of God, he being regarded as in the gall of bitterness and bond 
 
 4 
 
 *Aots 8. 21. t Acts 8. 23. {Acts 8. 21. 
 
& 
 
 of iniquity. !ti nddition to tliJ^V tha fact may not he unworthy 
 your notice^ that in tho first ages *)f tho Church, very many 
 wore Baptized upon n contbssion of their faith, and v/lio had, 
 before the}' received this sacrament, tasted the regenerating 
 influence of God's Spirit: Thus St, Peter says in the tenth 
 cha[)ter of the Acts of the Apostles, * *' Can any man forl)id 
 water, that these should not he baptised which have receiv- 
 ed the Holy Ghost as well as v^-eV But if the design of 
 baptism were to wash away sin there was no need of these 
 persons ]-eceiving the Holy Ghost until the water was appli- 
 <^d in the sacrament. If ba}ttism be the thing signified instead 
 of the sign, it was not only an unnecessary burden, but the 
 very introduction of it ^vas a public insult to the Almighty ; 
 for if God ■[a])uiidantly ])ardoned the re})enting sinner before 
 baptism, and if it v/ere the design of God to administer par- 
 do? ' in this ordinance; tho one pardon would argue that the 
 other was imperfect; the pardon or regeneration of baptism 
 would demonstriite that the first pardon was not abundant, 
 which you know would bo repugnant to every principle of 
 reason and to the sacred truths of revelation. In a word, 
 there is the same superstitious nonsense in the supposition 
 tliatbaptism is the thing signified as well as the sign, that there 
 is in the Popish notion respecting transubstantiation, that the 
 sacramental bread is not the sign, merely, but the thing 
 itself, viz: the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ ; and 
 nothing but infidelity, which is at the root of all, could drive 
 any enlightened man into this error so fatal and niinous to 
 mankind. 
 
 But while the Papists and somi-Papists are bewildered 
 \vith vain and presumptuous notions of the efficacy of bap- 
 tism, it is to be lamented that too many professed Protes- 
 tants run into the opposite extreme; and either from igno- 
 rance of the Holy Scripture, or an unenlightened opposition 
 
 * Acts 10. 47. tlsaiah55 7. 
 
to Ronie» thoy seem to iittacli littlo i>r no ijiiportaiici; to the 
 ordiiumce. They tell us they know of no <rood to be attach- 
 ed to this sacniincMit, they however acknowledge it is very well 
 to receive it ^vhen it'is convenient to do so, and that when 
 they feel like it, they will have their children christened, but 
 after all it is a matter of perfect indifferGnce to them whether 
 or not they shall have their children incorporated into the body 
 of Christ. And even after they have received this holy sacra- 
 ment they talk as ignorantly about their offi^pring's 'not be- 
 longing to any church, as if baptism was not the sacred ordi. 
 nance of initiation, or as if their childi-en had never been brought 
 into the visible church of God. Now need I inform you my 
 brethren that if the former view as entertained bv Papists be 
 dishonouring to God, this view is still more" so; for it 
 charges our Lord with inti-oducing an ordinance into his 
 Church to which there is neither meaning or importance at- 
 tached.^ F(U' if baptism be of no benefit it is not necessary 
 to receive it, and consequently disobedience to Chirst and 
 contempt of his ordinance would bo a virtue instead of a re- 
 proach to a christian parent. Nevertheless there must be 
 some meaning and importance associated with the following 
 passages, * "He that believeth and is baptized shall be sav- 
 ed." ^ t " ^''iptism doth now save us." |"Repe.xi; and be 
 bgtptized every one of you for the remission of sins." || " Ex- 
 cept a man bo born of water and the spirit he cannot enter 
 into the kingdom of God." These passages, my brethren, 
 with a multitude of others to the same effect, most clearly 
 show that this sacrament is most reverendly to be received 
 by every sincere christian, and that it may be a channel 
 through which grace may be communicated when received 
 with a devout heart and with unfeigned thanksgiving to Al- 
 mighty God. 
 
 You will now be prepared for the views entertained by 
 
 *Markl6. 16. fl Peter 3. 21. UctJ2. 38. ||Jolm 3. 5. 
 
the insphvil Ai)ost'les t>f our Lord and of the wliole Catliolic 
 and Apostwlic f .'hiirch to the present d.-iy. And as the very 
 words of the (liurch of VAighmd enil)races the Faith of every 
 branch of the Reformed Church, I fed tliat I cannot express 
 the views of the inspired writers more forcihlj than by adopt- 
 injr the words of this Clmrch as my own. In her catechism 
 she decLires it to be « An outward and visible sign of an in- 
 ward and spiritual grace, given unto us, oi'dained hy Christ 
 hmiselt; as a means whereljy we receive the sa-ue, and a 
 ])ledge to assure us thereof/* And in her thirty-sevt'nth Ar. 
 tide of religion she declirey « Baptise i- not only a si^rn of 
 profession and mark of difference ' christian "^men 
 
 are discerned from o+hers that be ik od, but it is 
 
 also a sign of regenei-ation or the ne> e'veby as" by 
 
 an instrument, they that receive baptisi.. are grafted 
 
 into the Church, the promises of forgiveness . sins and of 
 our adoption to be Sons of God by tlie Holy (^host'are visi- 
 bly signed and sealed ; faith is confirmed, and grace increas- 
 ed by vn-tue of prayer unto God." 
 
 Now as baptism was given unto us by Christ, and as it 
 has for its outward and visible sign the element of *' Water ' 
 and for its inward and spiritual grace f" A death unto sin and 
 a new birth unto righteousness," we most justly pronounce 
 It a sacrament of the New Testament, in which' is communi- 
 cated grace to the receiver, according to the divine appoint- 
 ment. It IS, m consequence, regarded as the door of en- 
 trance into Christ's Church, or, as an ordinance by which its 
 subjec^ts are grafted into his body. Thus, when St. Paul in- 
 formed the Corinthian Clir ^tians that they were t«By one 
 Spirit baptized into one body," he instructed them that bap- 
 fasm was the imtiatory ordinance into that body; for it is said 
 they were baptized into it, which is equivalent in signification 
 to be imUated into it, and that the body into which they 
 
 I 
 
 * Acts 8. 36. t Rom. 6. 3. t! Cor. 12 13. « Eph. 1. 22. 
 
8 
 
 were baptize'.!, was the Cliurch, wc learn from his* Ejnstle to 
 tlie Ephesiaiis, iii vvliicli lie iiifoi'iiieJ tliem that ||*«God gave 
 Christ to be liead over all tilings to the (Jlmrch, which is his 
 body.** So Jigai;! in tlie sixth chapter of his Epistle to th«» 
 Romans he says : *•< Know yc not that so many of us us 
 were baptized into Jesus Christ, were ])aptized into his 
 death." Here the phrase " ^^'ipised info Jesus Christ '* im- 
 plies that baptism was the visible door into Christ, and hence, 
 was regarded as the ordinance of initiation. In confirmation 
 of this we have the same instruction in his Epistle to the Ga- 
 latians : f " For as many of you as have been baptized into 
 Christ, have put on Christ.'* Here is a phrase similar to th» 
 other, whore baptism is represented as the door into Cln-ist, or 
 in other words, an ordinance by which men became Chris. 
 tians, that is, so far as a public profession of Christianity waa 
 concerned: for the very fact that we are told J" It is not 
 every one that *saith Lord, Lord, shall enter into the king- 
 dom," gives us most distinctly to know, that being Christiana 
 merely by baptism, will not save the soul, and that without 
 faith in Christ, our mere profession is but as the sounding 
 brass and tinckling cymbal. ^ 
 
 These truths being duly considered, you will be prepa- 
 red to understand us when we tell you, that baptism regene- 
 rates its subjects to God, foi it effects a change of state which 
 can scarcely fail to justify our thoughts upon this subject. — 
 By a change of s'ate 1 mean an ntroduction hito the Church, 
 and this change of state Theologians denominate baptismal 
 regeneration, to distinguish it from the change of heart and 
 affection's, which for convenience they term moral or spiritual 
 regeneration. This is the substance, and baptism is the 
 shadow, baptism is the sign, but this is the thing signified.— 
 That Christ our I^ord regarded Baptism in this light is evi- 
 dent from his well known words to Nicodemus, ||" Except 
 
 * Rom. 6. 3. t Gal. 3. 27. t Mat. 7, 21. || John 3, 5. 
 
t 
 
 ft man hi* f)orU of iva'rr mA i)f llit» i-prrUf fcc ijiniioi, enter 
 into tlie Kiugdoni of (JoJ;*' nud tliouj^^U Iheoxprcssion to be 
 bom of water, iini)lies n regenernlioii j^y water; ibr witliout 
 regeneration tlieve can be no "nli-tli aftei' tlio iiatnral one; ^^'t 
 it is evident without tlio regeiieratjo]i or birth of the Spirit, 
 the regeneration or birth of water coiihl never efi'ect the sal- 
 vation of a soul. It IS ?ii metaphorical bingiiage that bap- 
 tism is called regeneration. Just iis the bread was said to be 
 the body of Christ, because it was the sign of it, c ^-t^ *he 
 wine hi the cup was called tho cup, because the cupeontani- 
 ed % so baptism is called regenei-ation, because it is the sign 
 of it, and because It representii the operation of God's Spirit 
 upon the heart. 
 
 These, my brethren, are the views entertained on bap- 
 tism by every department of the Pj'otestant Church; for not- 
 withstanding all that has been said to llie contrary by a cer- 
 tain Popish party in the Church of England, nevertheless 
 the Canons, Articles, Homilies and Liturgy of that Church 
 most decidedly pronounce such persons as intruders into 
 the body. Instead of her regarding baptism as tlie thing 
 signified like the Papists, she has ever regarded it as the 
 sign : thus in her Catechism she declares it to be " an out- 
 ward and visilile sign of an inward and s])iritual grace." — 
 Now should an Archbishop, Bishop, Presl^yter or Deacon 
 of that Church step forward and tell you the Church of 
 England l)eHeve3 with the Papist, that it is the thing signified 
 instead of the sign, would you believe him, when at the 
 same time from infancy you have been instructed that it was 
 only the outw^ii-d and visible sign of an inwai'd and spiritual 
 grace ? I think not. They miglit as well inform you that 
 there was no difference between the sh3do%v and the sub- 
 stance, or that ])oth were embraced in the shadow, as to tell 
 you that the thing signified was synonymous with the sign. 
 Not only in her Catechi«m ])ut in her thirty- seventh Article 
 as already referred to, she presents the sell' ^amc truth for 
 yom- consideration. It reads "Baptism is not only the sign ^ 
 
 B 
 
10 
 
 M > 
 \l ! 
 
 IH 
 
 of profession and mark of difiorencc wherel^y christian men 
 are discerned from others that be not christened, but it is 
 also a sign of regeneration. But Dr. Love Popery and Mr. 
 Jesuit will talk to you of their attachment to the Church — 
 the Church — the Churchy and at the same time inform you 
 that her teaching is false : for they will tell you in direct op- 
 position to the Article, that instead of baptism's l)eing the 
 sign, it is the thing signified. And so explicit is the Article 
 that it says " they who receive baptism rightly are grafted 
 into the Church." This is just what I have already proved, 
 baptism being regarded as the ordinance of initiation : and 
 the word rightly in the Article implies, that unless baptism 
 be accompanied by believing, penitent, grateful and obedi- 
 ent hearts, all the waters of Jordon, Damascus or North 
 America, will not, nor cannot wash away the guilty stain 
 01 sin from the human heart. But the Church stops not 
 here, but informs us that the promise of forgiveness of sins 
 si in it >;isibly signed and sealed, faith is confirmed and 
 grace is strengthened by virtue of prayi- unto God. Not as 
 the above named gentlemen would inform you, by virtue of 
 the water of baptism, or of the officiating minister, but by 
 virtue of [)rayer unto God. And that the Church of Eng- 
 land never did, and with her present Articles and Liturgy 
 never will, hold baptism as a substitute for moral or spiritual 
 regeneration, is made incontrovertible by almost every prayer 
 in the Liturgy. Thus, in the Collect for Christmas day the 
 congregation is taught to pray " Grant that we being re- 
 generate and made thy children by adoption and grace, may 
 daily be renewed by diy Holy Spirit." Now this prayer 
 teaches every son lud daughter of the Church not to rest 
 satisfied with the liaptismjil privileges which may be many, 
 but to seek to be daily renewed, evidently implying that we 
 need another regeneration than that supposed to be received 
 in baptism. In the Collect for the "Circumcision of 
 Christ," we are taifght to pray "Grant us the true circum- 
 cision of iiie heart :" a petition whick most undoubtedly 
 
 1 
 
 i 
 
 a 
 
J 
 
 u 
 
 teaches us that the application of water in baptism does not 
 baptize or circumcise the heart, and that water baptism, 
 however good in its j)lace, is but the sign of the blessing 
 for which the 'Church teaches us so iei'vently to pray. — 
 Talk to a Tractarian from Oxford College about the neces- 
 sity of praying for the circumcision of the heart, and he 
 would tell you in opposition to the prayers of the Church, that 
 all this was effected in baptism and that you need not trou- 
 ble yourself about the matter, and yet that Church which ho 
 professes to respect, teaches you the true principles of the 
 Protestant Reformation which he so indignantly despises. — 
 In the Collect for the first day of Lent we are taught to pray 
 " Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we 
 may obtain perfect remission and forgiveness." Does this 
 prayer look like baptismal forgiveness'^ Does baptism then 
 create in us new hearts? The pra^^er which is the voice of 
 the Church, teaches us it does not, and that our baptismal 
 pardon, unaccompanied by saving faith, is as destitute of 
 sense as the empty jargon is of melodious sounds. The sub- 
 stance of the whole matter is this, that baptism i& a very im- 
 portant ordinance — that it is the door of entrance into the 
 visible Chui'ch — that it is the seal of our pardon and adoption 
 into God's family, that by virtue of it we are entitled to 
 christian privileges — that it is a standing evidence of the visi- 
 bility of the Church, and that therefore it is generally neces- 
 sary to salvation, but that after all it is only as the shadow 
 and that we shall be awfully disappointed of heaven if we 
 die without the substance. We are represented as the elect- 
 ed and predestinated of God by virtue of our baptism and yet 
 we are taught to make this calling and election sure by repen- 
 tance and f^iith, by personal holiness and obedience. 
 
 Having thus considered the nature and design of Chris- 
 tian baptism, allow me to consider 
 
 II. The proper suhjecls of this ordinance. 
 
 And from fac^s whicl 1 1 have already introduced, you must 
 be prepared for the assertion, that young children are the 
 
 I 
 
V2 ^ 
 
 true anvl proper subjects of this holy sacrament. Indeed, 
 this would a])pear evident, if even the New Testament were 
 silent upon the subject; for, unless by positive command re- 
 (inii-ing us to lay aside our children, the mere silence of the 
 New Testament, with regard to them, if any such silence 
 existed, would only leave the children where they were 
 found; and as they were found by the apostles in the bosom 
 of God's" church, so they were left there, unless arranged 
 otherwise by Divine authority. 
 
 Thjit the children of christian parents are entitled to the 
 ordinance of baptism, is evident from the fjict, that the co- 
 venant which God made with ^Abraham, embi'aced infant 
 children as well as believing parents ; and tliat it is the same 
 now as when given to him. This covenant was made about 
 thirty years before the birth of Isaac, as you may learn 
 froni tlie twelfth chapter of the book of Genesis; and it was 
 established and ratified in the seventeenth — at which time 
 circumcision, as its sign and seal, was instituted. Hence, 
 Thus saith the Lord, f " This is my covenant which ye shall 
 keep betwceji mo and you, and thy seed after thee ; every 
 man child among you shall be circumcised." "And he that 
 is eight days old, shall be circumcised among you." But I 
 wish especially to direct your attention to the fact, that this 
 covenant was never to terminate, and that it embraced the 
 blessings of the gospel. In the seventh verse of the seven- 
 teenth chapter of the book of Genesis, God says to Abra- 
 ham : " And I will establish my covenant between me and 
 thee, and thy seed al'ter thee, for an emiiasimg covenant." 
 Now in this quotation the covenant is said Id be an everlast- 
 ing one; which I think is very positive testimony that God 
 did not design it to bo abrogated by the christian dispensa- 
 tion. Accordingly wo find David referring to it, in such a 
 manner as to show he];was well acquainted with the perpe- 
 
 * Genesis 17. 7. tGoucBis 17. 10, 12. 
 
13 
 
 tuity of its cliaracter: * "Be ye always mindful ofhis cove- 
 iiant, tiie word wliich lie comnuuuk'd to a tliousaiid genera- 
 tions, even the covenant that he made with Abraham, and 
 his oath mito Isaac, and hath confirmed tli^ same to Jacob 
 for a hiw, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant." On 
 this passage I need hardly say that David refers to the cove- 
 nant of Abraham ; and as in the book of Genesis this cove- 
 nant is said to be everlasting, so David in this passage de- 
 clares it to be spoken to a thousand generations ; but as it 
 was only forty and two generations from Abraham to Christ, 
 we have very strong evidence for concluding that the law of 
 the co\^enant was never to be repealed. Nor are we left 
 merely to renk^ii from the Old Testament scriptures upon 
 this subject ; for in the JNew Testament the covenant is re- 
 garded in the same light. Tlius, in the third chapter of St. 
 Paul's epistle to the Galatians, we read of the fblessing of 
 Abraham coming on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ. — 
 JOf the promises being made to Abraham and his seed. — 
 l|Of the impossibility of the covenant being repealed with the 
 ceremonial law. § Of all baptised persons being Abraham's 
 seed, and heirs according to promise: thus in the most une- 
 quivocal language giving testimony to the fiict, that Abra- 
 ham's covenant was not to be repealed, and that it embraced 
 the blessings of the gospel. 
 
 This truth being ascertained, as it has been to a positive 
 certainty, you will immediately see its bearing upon infant 
 baptism ; for if the covenant be the same now as when given 
 to Abraham, it must embrace the same subjects, viz: be- 
 lievers, and their infant children; so that if I can but prove 
 christian baptism to answer the same purpose as Jewish cir- 
 cumcision, and to be ordained in Its place by the authority 
 of Christ, i prove ail that is necessary to be proved upon 
 
 I.Chron. 10.15, IG. fGal. 3. H, 
 
 § Gal. 3.2!). 
 
 ^a-j 3 ifi 
 
 n Gal. 3. 17. 
 
 I 
 
14 
 
 this subject, and thereby sustahi tlie doctrine of infant bap- 
 tism. And here allow me to say, that as the iuknt child 
 was entitled to the seal of the covenant in the old church be- 
 cause God had ^promised to be its God, so the infant child 
 IS entitled to the seal in the new church, and that for the 
 same reason. I shall, therefore, with tl:is understanding 
 proceed to prove christian baptism to be affixed to the cove- 
 nant as Its sign and seal, even as circumcision was affixed 
 to it, m the former dispcrsation. 
 
 In the Gospel by St. Mark, our Lord declares,—! «He 
 
 that beheveth and is baptised, shall be saved." Now as 
 
 salvation is the covenant that God made with Abraham, and 
 
 our Lord affixed baptism to this covenant, is it not manifest 
 
 that he regarded it as the token and seal of his covenant, 
 
 and m the place of Jewish circumcision. Accordincdy St 
 
 Peter instructs the Jews, saying_| "Repent and be baptised 
 
 every one of you, for the remission of sins, and ye shall re- 
 
 ceive the gift of the Holy Ghost; for the promise is unto 
 
 you, and to pour cnildren." Now what promise could Peter 
 
 refer them to, but the well known words of the covenant— 
 
 "1 will be a God to thee, and thy ^mZ after thee :" and 
 
 why should he thus co- .ect baptism with this covenant, if 
 
 he designed not to teach them that baptism was in the place 
 
 ot circumcision and the seal of the covenant ? 
 
 Nor is there any force in the evasion, that the apostle 
 referred his hearers to the prophecy of Joel; for, could this 
 be even proved, the conclusion would be the same-that 
 prophecy being founded upon the covenant, and having di. 
 rect reference to its blessings. In a passage which I have 
 already quoted from St. Paul's epistle to the Galatians, he 
 pronounces all baptized persons as Abraham's soed, and 
 heirs according to promise. Now as it is an acknowledged 
 tact, that ot old none were considered as the children of 
 
 '« I 
 
 « Gen. 17. 7. f Mark, 1 6. 1(J. $ Acts, 2. 38, 39. 
 
15 
 
 Abrahani but thoso thut were circumcised: so the apostle 
 would, (and that not ol)scurclj,) present the truth, that bap- 
 tism is now the seal of the covenant, causing its subjects to 
 be A])raham's seed, and heirs according to promise. 
 
 But we have still more positive testimony that baptism 
 was appointed by Christ in the place of circumcision. In 
 the epistle to the Colossians they were plainly told, that 
 baptism *was the " circumcision of Christ." "In whom al- 
 so, (says he,) ye are circumcised with the circumcision 
 made without hands, in putting off the body nf the sins of 
 the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ : buried with him in 
 baptism." Now need I inform you that, according to this 
 passage, the Colossian christians were regarded by St. Paul 
 as being in a circumcised state — "In whom also ye are cir- 
 cumcisciV' — and should we inquire as to how they were cir- 
 cumcised, the apostle answers: "By the circumcision of 
 Christ buried with him in baptism:" thus plainly intimating, 
 that baptism was Christ's circumcision, and consequently 
 the seal of the covenant. It is called Christ's circumcision, 
 just as the first day of the week is called, by St, John, the 
 Lord's (Jay, because the Sabbath was changed tc this day 
 by Christ's appointment; or the Euchavistic supper is called 
 the Lord's supper, because the Lord changed the ordinance 
 of the passover to this sacrament: and in the same sense, we 
 are to i-egard baptism as Christ's circumcision, because he 
 appointed it in the place of circumcision, and as the token of 
 his covenant. 
 
 If we adopt this interpretation of the passage, we may 
 trace a fitness and accuracy of expression which can scarce- 
 ly fail to assure us of its justice. Did Jewish circumcision 
 represent the foperation of divine grace upon the heart ? sa 
 does |christian l3aptisni : Did J ewish circumcision initiate 
 
 * Col. 2. 11, 12. fDiuui. 30. 0. Rom. 2. 28, iJU. ;hM. 3. 11. Heb. 
 
 10.22. Ezek. 36. 25. 
 
i 
 
 
 its subjects into *tlio coiigrej:!fation of (« oil's people? so does 
 •fchristiaii 1).*i]itisni : Did Jewish circumcision entitle its subjects 
 to be called Jthe children of God? so does || christian baptism : 
 Was Jewish cii'cunicision ^affixed to the covenant by divine 
 appointment? so is IFchristian baptism: and if thus answering 
 every purpose of Jewish circumcision, there v/as an accuracy 
 in the apostle's pronouncing it " the circumcision of Christ," 
 which most certainly demands our special admiration. 
 
 Tlie whole of this will appear still more consistent, 
 when you clearly understand, that the Jewish and the 
 Christian clmf-ches are one and the same body ; and that 
 Christ came not to destroy that church, which lite had estab- 
 lished hi the days of Abraham and the prophets. In the 
 eleventh chapter of St. Paul's epistle to the Romans, this 
 truth is clearly presented. o In the seventeenth verse, the 
 Jews are represented as bi'anches which are broken from off 
 their own olive tree, while the Gentile christians are intro* 
 duced as being grafted in among them, and with them par- 
 taking of the rooi and fatness of the olive tree. In the nine- 
 teenth verse, the Jews are said to be the natui-al branches of 
 this tree ; while the Gentiles are introduced as being cut out of 
 the wild olive tree, and grafted into the good olive tree — 
 which, in the same verse, is said to be the Jews' own olive 
 tree. Now these quotations being so positive, they require 
 no explanations : I shall therefore remark, that as christians 
 are said to be grafted into the Jewish church, it is overwhelm- 
 ingly evident they nmst be grafted in, by some ordinance of 
 divine appointment; and what ordinance can that be, but the 
 circumcision of Christ, which St. Paul attirms to l)e baptism, 
 and which, as I have already proved, is the door of entrance 
 into the visible church. 
 
 « 
 
 t\\ 
 
 *Geu. 17. 14. tJolm, 3. 5. I. Cor. 12. Vi. $Mat. 15. 2G. Acts, 3. 
 25. iiGal. 3, 2G, 27. §Gi'ii. 17. 10, 11. ^i Mark, 10. 10. Acts, 2. 38. 
 " Rom. 11.17. Mat. 20. 16. I. Peter 2. 10, J£ph. 2. 14. llos. 2. 23, 
 
 '# 
 
m 
 
 'J'hus far 1 have considered the covenant as perpetual, em- 
 bracing the children as well as the parents. I have also 
 proved from the most unequivocal tesliinon};, that christian 
 baptism is the seal of this covenant ; and that, as the cove* 
 nant embraces little childrtn, so its sign and seal must be 
 administered to them. You will now permit me to prove, 
 that young children are, by the inspired writers, ackno\V- 
 ledged as meml)ers of the christian church. 
 
 In the thirtieth chapter oi" Jeremiah's prophecy, there is 
 a remarkable allusion to our dispensation ; and in connec- 
 tion with this allusion, we have the foUwing testimony : 
 *" Their children shall be as aforetime," saith the Lord. — 
 Now then, granting the truth of thio prophecy, it nnist be 
 evident to all, that God did not design to repeal the law of 
 bringing infants into his church ; for you must all know, 
 that the prophecy in question would be a notorious 
 falsehood, if our children were not as aforetime.—- 
 Hence the passage, in the very clearest light, sustains the mem- 
 bership of our infant children, in our church and dis})ensation. 
 
 In the twenty-second chapter of Isaiah's prophecy, we 
 have a similar prediction to that of Jeremiah. For thus saith 
 the Lord, when speaking of the promised Messiah, "I" " And 
 they shall hang upon him all the glor}'^ of his father's house — 
 the qfsjjring and the issue. By his fathers house, we are 
 to understand the church : hence, says the apostle, "But 
 Christ as a son over his own house, whose house we are." In 
 the quotations from Isaiah, we have not only the testimony 
 that the " offspring and the issue" were the glory of the 
 Jewish church, but that they should hang upon Christ, in 
 the christian church : and here I must confess, that the mind 
 that will not be convinced of the membership of little child, 
 ren, from this testimony, is proof against every evidence 
 which runs counter to its pre-conceived notions. But as it 
 
 *Jer. 3. 20. tis. 22. 24. 
 
 
m 
 
 I 
 
 m nnnecf'HHary fm rrie to multiply proofs upon this subject : 
 F fthall orly rofor you to one or two passages more, and then 
 pa«H on to H^e their fultjllment. * " Behofd I wiJl lift up niy 
 hand to the (Gentiles," saith the Lord, f " For thev are the 
 seed of the 'Wess^fJ of the Lord, and their offspring \\\x\i 
 them." I " I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and mv 
 blessing upon thine (ff'spring." 
 
 Now when we compare these predictions of the chris- 
 tain church, with the acknowledgment of the New Testa- 
 ment, we must he satisfied that Christ, in Ids gospel, does 
 not alter the standing of our infants. Does the prediction 
 «ay, " 'JTieir children shall he as aforetime ?" Jesus ac- 
 knowledges the truth of this prediction, when he savs of the 
 little children, |! "Of such is the kingdom of heaven;" and 
 that this kingdom means the church, is evident from the fol- 
 lowing passage : § " Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall 
 not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not 
 enter therein." Now then, if little children are thus in the 
 kingdom— if they are to he looked upon as models of imita- 
 tion—if by becoming like little children, a person becomes 
 a member in the kingdom, and the subject of baptism, sure- 
 \y those little ones, thus represented, are equally entitled io 
 the ordinance. Does the prediction say, " They shall hang 
 upon the Messiah all the glory of his father's house, the off- 
 spring and the issue?" Jesus acknowledges the prediction 
 when he says, II "Whoso shall receive one such child in my 
 name, receiveth me." Now I ask, how is Christ's church to 
 receive the child, unless through baptism, which is the seal 
 of the <• r/venant, and the ordinance of initiation ? In the Ian- 
 guage, then, of Christ, infant children are members of his 
 church, o In the language of St. Peter, they are still the sub- 
 jects of Abraham's covenant; and in the language of St. 
 
 in * i'li/ V^ A "^ ^'- ^^•''^' -^- tfe.44.28. IIMark, 10. 14. Luke, 18 
 15. §Mark, 10.15, 16. 1[Mat.l8.5. 4cts, sl 30. Gal. 3 14. 
 
I n 
 
 i 
 
 ■ Paul, they are still included in the blessing of Abraham, and 
 
 therefore they are tJie true su])jects of baptism. 
 
 I shall now call your attention to the fact, that the 
 practice of liaptizing children was universal, without any ex- 
 ception, in the prinntive age of the church, Justin M utyr, 
 M about forty years after the apostolic age, writes of all chris- 
 
 tians receiving spiritual circumcision. Again, he refers to 
 several who, he says, were made disciples of Clnist from 
 
 their infancy, 
 
 Irenius, who w^as well acquainted with Poly carp, (St. 
 John's disciple,) says, " Christ came to save all persons who 
 by him are regenerated to (iod. Infants, little ones, youths, 
 and elder persons." Again, he says, when Christ gave his 
 apostles command of regenerating to God, he said: "Go 
 ^ teach all nations, baptising them :" thus plainly regarding 
 
 baptism and regeneration as being synonymous. 
 
 Origen, who was born eighty-five years from the apostle's 
 day, declares, that the church had a command from the 
 apostles, to baptize infants. 
 
 Cyprian, and the Council of Carthage, A. D. 253, may 
 next be introduced. The following question being proposed 
 by Fidus, the Presbyter, was submitted to the Council, by 
 Cyprian : " Can an infant be baptized before it is ei<;^ ' days 
 old?" This Council, consisting of sixty-six Bishops, were 
 unanimous in their decision ; which Cyprian communicated 
 to Fidus, in the following w^ords : — ■ 
 
 " As to the case of infants, of whom you said that they 
 ought not to be baptized within the second and third day 
 after their birth; and that the ancient law of circumcision 
 should be so far repeated, that they ought not to be baptized 
 until the eighth day ; we were all of a different opinion : for, 
 if even to the foulest offender, when be believes, remirsion 
 of sins is granted, and none is prohibited from baptism, how 
 much more should an infant be odmitted, who, being just 
 born, hath not sinned at all, except, being carnally born 
 through Adam, he hath contracted the contagion of ancient 
 
 IPl\' W-i 
 
20 
 
 death. Our sentence, therefore, clearest brother, was, that 
 none, by us, should be j)roliibited from baptism." 
 
 St. Am})rosc says, that infant baptism was practiced in 
 his time, and in the time of the apostles. 
 
 St. Hierome, about 280 years after the apostles, sayc : 
 " If infants be not baptized, the sin of omitting their baptism 
 is laid to the parents' cliarge." But, though I might multiply 
 quotations to the same effect, I will only observe, at present, 
 that the validity of infant baptism was not denied by any 
 sect, until about A. D. 1103. It was first denied in France, 
 by Peter de Bruis ; but his sect very soon became extinct. 
 It was next denied in Germany, A. D. 1522; but the whole 
 current of scriptural, traditional, and liistorical evidence 
 goes to show, that infant baptism was practised by Christ 
 and his apostles. 
 
 Thus far considering the evidence in favor of infant 
 baptism, I now proceed to reply to certain objections which, 
 from time to time, have been brought forward against it.— 
 And in the first place, it is stated that St. Paul, in his epis- 
 tle to the Hebrews, gives evidence to prove that the cove- 
 nant of Abraham was repealed by the ushering in of the gos- 
 pel. Now what does St. Paul ^ny upon the rubject ? He tells 
 us of a * faulty covenant; and of a new covenant being 
 made with the house of Israel, instead of the faulty one. — 
 But does he say that this covenant was the covenant which 
 God made with Abraham ? Most certainly not ; for there is 
 no reference to Abraham's covenant, in the passage. The 
 covenant of Abraham was not faulty ; for it embraced 
 f Christ and the gospel. Abraham's covenant is said to be 
 an I everlasting one, and therefore, was not t repealed. 
 Abraham's covenant, being spoken to a || thous 1 genera- 
 tions, must be considered as of perpetual duration. Abra- 
 
 .. 
 
 *Heb. 8. 7, 8.9. 
 16. 15, 16. 
 
 tGen. 12. 3. iGen. 17. 7. 
 
 1 1. Chr(Mi. 
 
21 
 
 barn's covenant, being made * four bundred and tbirty years 
 oefore tbe ceremonial law, according to S^ T>aul, could not 
 be repealed witb tbat law ; and hence tbe x. resistible conclu- 
 sion tbat Abraham's covenant is not alluded to, in tbe pas- 
 sace Wbat covenant, tben does tbe apostle refer to ? 1 
 answer, tbe covenant of Horeb, wbicb was made four bund- 
 red and thirty years after tbe covenant of Abraham : and this 
 is positively expressed in Str Paul's quotations from Jere- 
 miah's prophecy—" Behold the days come, sa^tb the Lord, 
 when I will make a new covenant witb the house ol Israel : 
 not according to the covenant tbat I made with their fathers, 
 in tbe day when I took them by the band to lead them out 
 of tbe land of Egypt." Accordingly, in Deuteronomy Mo- 
 ses says- f "The Lord our Cod made a covenant with us in 
 Horeb; the Lord made not this covenant with our fatliers, 
 but with us, even us, who arc all of us here alive this day. 
 Hence the irresistible conclusion, tbat Abraham s covenant 
 
 is not repealed. 
 
 But again we are told that Abrabam^s covenant was a 
 national compac., having respect to tbe possession of the 
 lands of Canaan, and other temporal blessings; and that 
 . circumcision was nothing more than a token or badge ot na- 
 tional descent, by which the posterity of Abraham should 
 be kept pure from other nations, until the promised Messiah 
 
 was born. * . ^ ^i, v. 
 
 To this I reply, that the objection is far worse than ab- 
 surd : it being in direct opposition to common sense, and 
 the whole current of scripture. What greater blessiog can 
 man desire, or can God bestow, than the one embraced m 
 the covenant—" I will be your God, and ye shall be my pen- 
 pie:" and in accordance with this, Peter says to the inquu-- 
 ing Jews—" the promise is unto you and your children, viz : 
 the promise of the covenant, in which God covenants to be a 
 
 * Gal. 3. 17. 
 
 tDuet. 5. 2, 3. 
 
22 
 
 God to Abraham and his seed : and so, also, St. Paul in- 
 forms us of Abraham's blessing coming on the Gentiles, 
 through Jesus Christ; and of all baptized persons being 
 Abraham's seed, and heirs according to j)romiae. The only 
 part of the objection, therefore, v/orthy our notice, is " that 
 circumcision was a mere badge of national descent." This, 
 however, is as directly opposed to scripture as the other ; 
 for Abraham's ^ servants received that seal, as well as his 
 natural seed — f Ishmael as well as Isaac — Esau as well as 
 Jacob. And the descendants of those men who were ex- 
 cluded from the promise, h ve retained the same rite even to the 
 present day. Moreover, St. Paul declares, { " that they are 
 not all Israel, which are of Israel ; neither because they are 
 the children of Abraham, are they all children ; but in Isaac 
 shall thy seed be called : the children of the promise, are 
 counted for the seed." Now if the covenant of Abraham 
 were a mere national compact, and had respect solely to 
 temporal blessings, there is not a word of truth in this de- 
 claration ; for, on that ground, they were all Israel, who 
 were of Israel; and the child' '.!i of the flesh, whether believ- 
 ers or unbelievers, did inherit tlv' ni omise. But wl:en St. 
 Paul tells us, that all believeis, whether Jews or Gentiles, 
 are the children of Abraham, he teaches us that Abraham's 
 covenant was something more than a national compact; and 
 that it had respect to something nobler than the lands of Ca- 
 naan. 
 
 But it is said that, in the gospels, repentance and faith 
 are regarded as the pre-requi&Ites to baptism. Hence the 
 argument drawn from our Lord's words — " He that behev- 
 eth and is baptized, shall be saved." " An infant cannot be- 
 lieve, and therefore it must not be baptized." But the argu- 
 ment proves too much ; for it deprives the infant of salvation, 
 as well as of baptism. " He that' believeth not, shall be 
 
 * Gen. 17. 12, 13. t Gen. 17. 2, o. t Rom. 9. 6, 8. 
 
23 
 
 damned ;" an infjint cannot believe, and therefore it must be 
 damned. Now I appeal to your judgment, if the argument 
 for the eternal cmidemnation of the infant, bo not as .trong 
 as the one that excludes it from the privileges of christian 
 baptism; and yet very few pretend but that it is possible lor 
 an infant to be saved. Indeed, every argument that would 
 exclude the infant from l)aptism, would also exclude it from 
 heaven; for if it be not the subject of baptism, it is not the 
 subject of grace ; and if not the subject of grace, not fit for 
 the society of angels and saints. , 
 
 But the passage in question does not say that taith, m 
 the subject, is an essential pre-requisite to baptism; but only, 
 that hoih are necessary to everlasting life. Hence, insteac 
 of the text being understood in any other sense, the mspirea 
 writers adduce frequent instances of baptism preceding re- 
 pentance, faith, and the forgiveness of sins. Thus * John s 
 baptism was onlv unto repentance. Peter informed the 
 Jews, that christian baptism was for the f remission of sms ; 
 and t Simon Magus, after he was baptized, was pronounced, 
 by the apostle, to be in the gall of bitterness and bond of 
 iniquity. It is stated, in the same chapter, that " the || Holy 
 Ghost was fallen on none of them; only they were baptized 
 in the name of the Lord Jesus." It is true, that it is said of 
 Simon, that "he believed also;" but as he was m the gall 
 of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity, his faith could not 
 he justifying faith. It is said of those that were baptized 
 with him, that they believed Philip, preaching the thmgs 
 concerning the kingdom of God. And this was the nature of 
 Simon's faith— a simple belief hi the gospel, similar io the 
 belief of those who inquired bf Peter, saying—" What shall 
 we do?" when he said to them, « Repent and be baptized for 
 the remission of sins ;" Thus plainly intimating, that they 
 had not yet received the remission of sins ; and yet they 
 
 *Mat.3.11. tActs, 2.3&. i Acts, 8. 13, 23. llActe, 8.16. 
 
24 
 
 1 
 
 were the subjects" of baptism. From all this it is evident, 
 that our Lord did not intend that saving faith should at all 
 times precede this ordinance; and hence little children may 
 be baptized without it. 
 
 Again, it is objected against infant baptism, that if it 
 take the place of circamcision, it is not valid unless adminis- 
 tered on the eighth day. To this I reply : circumcision was va- 
 lid, when administered *upon any day ; and why not baptism ? 
 
 It is further asserted, against baptism being in the place 
 of circumcision, as the seal of the covenant, that the Holy 
 Spirit is said to be this seal; and hence it is thought that 
 baptism is excluded. And M'hat, I ask, is baptism but the 
 visible representation of the spirit's operation ? for this opera, 
 tion ot God's spirit upon the heart, is the thing signified by 
 it: hence the meaning of the following passages: "He shall 
 baptize you with the Holy Ghost"— "I will pour out my 
 spirit" — "I will sprinkle clean water upon you" — "Then 
 shall he sprinkle many nations" — " I will pour water upon 
 him that is thirsty." So that if God's spirit be the seal of the 
 covenant, as it certainly is, it must be regarded as its invisi- 
 ble seal, which all acknowledge to be represented by its 
 outward and visible sign, baptism. Of this, .owever, I have 
 already given you sufficient testimony. 
 
 But when all other objections fail, it is urged, that if 
 baptism take the place of circumcision, we should not bap- 
 tize females; for they were not circumcised. To this I re- 
 ply; that, although females did not receive a mark of circum- 
 cision, under the former dispensation, yet thay were consid- 
 ered as being circumcised, on the ground of their standing 
 in the male. It is well known, that no f uncircumcised per- 
 son was permitted to eat of the passover ; but females par- 
 took of it ; and therefore females were regarded as being in 
 a circumcised state. Besides, we have the example of 
 
 " 
 
 * Ex. 4. 29. Josh. 5. 3. + Ex. 12. 48. 
 
25 
 
 ' I 
 
 * Christ and his apostles, for baptizing females ; and this we 
 regard as sufficient. 
 
 Having thus sustained the doctrine of infant baptism, 
 you will permit me to consider — 
 
 III. The scriptural mode of administering it. 
 
 The question to which I now wish to direct your atten- 
 tion, is — whether baptism by sprinJding or pouring, be re- 
 garded as scriptural, or as sufficiently emblematical to repre- 
 sent the operation of the Holy Spirit, which is the thing sig- 
 nified by this sacrament ? And after careful examination of 
 the subject, I have been led to the conclusion, that sprink- 
 ling or pon-ing is the only scriptural mode of administering 
 the ordinance. This will appear evident, from a considera"! 
 . tion of the relation that exists between the sign and the thing 
 signified. Thus, John the Baptist, we are told, instead of 
 applying the subjects to the water, applied the water to the 
 subject?: f " I indeed," says he, " ba^itize you W'z77i water, 
 but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost." Again, | " I 
 indeed have baptized you wiiJi water, butheshall baptize you 
 with the Holy Ghost." || " John answered them, saying, I 
 baptize with water." § " For John truly baptized ivith wa- 
 ter ; but ye shall be bapti?ed with the Holy Ghost." Now 
 from these, and many other passages, it is manifest, that 
 baptism by water was administered in the same mode as the 
 baptism of the spirit : and so we read they were baptized with 
 the one, as well as with the other: thus, says Peter IF "And 
 as I began to speak the Holy Ghost fell oi'i them, s on us 
 at the beginning : then remembered 1 the words of the Lord, 
 how that he said, John indeed bajitized with water, but ye 
 shall be baptized iri'/i the Holy Ghost." Now it is plain, 
 that this baptism was by effusion ; for it fell on them, and 
 they were baptized with, and not in water. And it is worthy 
 
 *Acte,8. 12. Gal. 3. 28. tMat. 3. 4. t Mark, 1.8. 
 John, 1, 26. §Aets., 1. 5. ^[ Acte, 11. 15, 16. 
 
 Luke, 3. 16. 
 
 D 
 
 I H 
 l! 
 
26 
 
 of remark, that no other baptism but sprinkling or pouring 
 can represent the pouring out, or falling down, of the 
 spirit, or can agree with the sacred predictions of this bap- 
 tism, which are found in the mysterious records of prophecy, 
 ^ Thus, Christ is said to * sprinkle many nations — f " Then 
 will I sprinkle clean water upon you, saith the Lord"— ^ 
 I "For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty" — 1| "I will 
 pour out my spirit upon all flesh;" and this pouring out, 
 § Peter calls baptism. llenQO St. Paul speaks of having the 
 heart ^] sprinkled from an evil conscience, and the body 
 washed with pure water : thus evidently keeping up the con- 
 nection between the sign and the 'hing signified. 
 
 Understanding the subject in this light, we have many 
 difficulties explained, which would otherwise be inexplica- 
 ble. It is very reasonable for us to suppose that John bap- 
 tized the inhabitimts of Jerusalem, and Judea, and all the 
 region round about Jordon, with, and not in water. It is 
 equally reasonable for us to suppose that the twelve apostles, 
 on the day of pentecosi, baptized the three thousand con- 
 verts with, and not in water. It is also reasonable to sup- 
 pose that the Philippian jailer, being baptized in the jail, and 
 in the dark hour of the night, was baptized tcith, and not in 
 water; as we have no account of a river runninof throuffh 
 the prison, in which he might be baptized : so that reason 
 and revelation testify to the fact, that sprinkling or pouring 
 was the original mode of administering this sacrament. 
 
 Yet, notwithstanding this evidence, it is contended by 
 a certain ^ect, that baptism by iuimersion is the only true 
 baptism : hence they say, that in the commission of my text,. 
 Jesus fixes the mode — the word " baptizo" itself signifying 
 nothing but immersion; and that, therefore, baptism by 
 Bprinkling or pouring is to be rejected. Now you must im- 
 
 fi^ 
 
 Li. * 
 
 • Is, 52. 15. tEzek. 36. 25. t h. 44. 3. i| Joel, 2. 28. ^ Ao'te, 2. 3', 
 toll. «THeb. 10.22. 
 
n 
 
 f^ 
 
 mediately perceive that if this be true, tlie baptism of the 
 spirit is, as a consequence, to be rejected ; for this baptism 
 was by effusion— the baptisms of John were illegal, for they 
 were performed zti/.h water— the baptism of the Phillippiau 
 jailer was not gospel baptism, from the fact that it was per- 
 formed in the jail; which circumstance excludes the idea of 
 immersion altogether. 
 
 But that our Lord did not institute immersion as essen- 
 tial, in the administration of this sacrament, is made incon- 
 trovertible, irom the very nature of the commission itself.— 
 All nations were to be made disciples by baptism, accordino- 
 to the instructions of our Lord; but if by baptism we are to 
 understand inmiersion, the institntioii Was unreasonable, as 
 there were many portions o| the earth in which, from the very- 
 nature of their situation, baptism by immersion would be an 
 absolute impossibility. For instance, it would be impossible 
 for baptism by immersion, to be practised in those northern 
 regions, where, during the greater part of the year, the ri- 
 vers and ponds are frozen to their very bottom: and it would 
 seem the Baptists understand this dhUculty; for, notwith- 
 standing their professed zeal for the conversion of the world. 
 I have never heard of their Missionaries approaching the fri* 
 gid zone. As, then, the commandments and ordinances of 
 God are reasonable, we very foirly conclude, that Christ did 
 not fix upon immersion as essential to the true administration 
 of this sacrament. 
 
 We are, however, told that the verb itself signifies 
 nothing but immersion ; and that, therefore, when our Lord 
 gave his disciples instruction to baptize, they could only un- 
 derstand him as giving them information to plunge the sub. 
 jects in the water. To this I reply : the word baptize was 
 not so understood by the Evangelists, when they recorded 
 the baptisms of John, and of the Holy Ghost; for, accord- 
 nig to their testimony, the sign and the thing signified were 
 both applied to the subject— John baptized ^^withxmterr 
 and Jesus baptized with ''the Holy Ghost," 
 
 ii 
 
28 
 
 But from tlio fact that tlio spirit is present in every place, 
 it is contended that his baptism was by immersion. In an- 
 swer to this, aUow me to say, that, according to this sense 
 of the spirit's ])aptism, the ve'iest inlidel in existence is no 
 less the subject of this spiritu-d iimnersion than the faithful 
 and devoted soul ; nay, even the very * Devils themselves 
 are, in this general sense, immersed in the Divine Being; 
 for he fills heaven, and eartli, and hell. But when God 
 condescends to inform us as to the mode of his spirit's ope* 
 ration upon his people, he always does it in such language 
 as to exclue the idea of immersion : thus, f " He shall come 
 down like rain upon the mown grass, and showers that wa- 
 ter the earth." And in Jiccordance with this ascertained 
 fact, the Ev i.ngelist recites the narrative : | " While Peter yet 
 spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on them which heard 
 the word; and they of the circumcision which believed, 
 were astonished; because that on the Gentiles also was 
 poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost." Now just remem- 
 ber that Jesus, when he promised this descent of the Spirit, 
 called it the baptism of the Holy Ghost, and you will be the 
 better prepared to think correctly upon the assertion of the 
 Baptist, that the verb hapiize signifies nothing but immersion. 
 You will find, in St. Paul's epistle to the Corinthians, ano- 
 ther recorded instance of ]).'i[)tisni, in which, from the very 
 nature of the circumstance, baj)tism by immer-sion is render- 
 ed an impossibihty. The passage reads thus : || " And were 
 all baptised unto Moses, in the cloud and in the sea." Now, 
 as in the Book of Exodus we read, that the children of 
 Israel passed through on §dry ground, we cannot suppose 
 that they were inmiersed in die sea ; for being immersed in 
 the water, and yet passing through on dry ground, are not 
 very intelligent expressions. 
 
 *Ps, 139. 8. 
 § Ex. 14.22. 
 
 t Ps. 72. 6. $ Acts, 10. 44, 45. fl 1 Cor. 10. 2. 
 
29 
 
 ♦ I 
 
 I am fiware the Baptists, in order to get rid of this 
 (liiHculty, have spread the cloud upon the surface of the sea, 
 thereby making it a complete canopy over their heads; and 
 I am free to admit, that, as the pillar of cloud went before 
 them, and stood l)eliind them, it might, in the transition, 
 have passed over their heads; Init this change took place be- 
 fore they entered the sea. But oven admitting that this was 
 the case, it must be a very strange kind of baptism, in which 
 not a particle of the element is permitted to touch the body: 
 for you nnist immediately perceive, if the cloud was over 
 their heads, as the immersionists s y it was, they were not 
 baptised in the cloud ; as, in order to baptism, there nnist be 
 an application of the element. But how, then, you ask, 
 were the Israelites baptised in the cloud and in the sea? I 
 answer, they were sprinkled by the spray of the sea, and by 
 a shower of rain from the clouds. Nor upon this subject are 
 we left to mere coniecture: for we have a "Thus saith the 
 Lord," to sustain our position. * " Thou hast w ith thine 
 own arm redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph, 
 The clouds poured out rain." Hence \ve conclude, the Is. 
 raelites were sprinkled, in a shower, and not immersed in a 
 vacuum. The true meaning of the Greek word ffeapj^izo, 
 from bafplOy to dip, is to v/ash, to stain, to dye, to plunge, 
 to sprinkle, to immerse : so that we must examine the Scrip- 
 tures, in order to know the exact mode practiced by Christ 
 and his apostles. 
 
 But when the argument drawn from the meaning of the 
 verb hapiizo, fails the innnersionists, they have recourse to 
 the recorded instances of ba]>tism. Hence say they, " John 
 baptised in Jordon — Christ came up out of the water — 
 Philip and the Ennuch went, both of them, down into the 
 water — John ba[)tised in Enon, because there was much 
 water there — and believers are said to be buried with Christ 
 
 * Ps. 77. 15, 17. t Wright's Lexicon. 
 
30 
 
 by baptisjii." Now as these circunistances are continually 
 
 referred to by the immersioiiists, it may be importaiit to exa- 
 
 mine each particular, so that you may be prepared to judge 
 
 of the weight of evidence in favor of their system. 
 
 _ And in the first phice, it is said of John, that he bap. 
 
 tised m Jordan ; and, therefore, say the Baptists, he must 
 
 have immersed in the river. To this I reply: Every person 
 
 acquainted witli the Greek Testament, knows veW well 
 
 that the preposition en, which in this case is translated in, 
 
 is often rendered icitli or hy. It is rendered idt\ about one 
 
 hundred and fifty times in tlie New Testament, and may be 
 
 so rendered in this case. Besides, thousands have even been 
 
 mi\\Q water, who never have been immersed all ovei:, in 
 
 their lives. Hence the statement that John baptised m Jor- 
 
 dan, only implies that he used the waters of Jordan in ad- 
 
 ministering the ordinance. It is very likely that, as John 
 
 baptised m * Bethabara beyond Jordan, that the water was 
 
 brought to him in a bowl or basin, from the river ; which 
 
 circumstance would authorise the Evanirelist to say, that 
 
 John baptised en {with) Jordan. 
 
 The next thing to be considei-ed, is, that Christ, after 
 his baptism, came up out of the water ; and, therefore, say 
 the Bapfists, he must have been immersed in the water.— 
 But it is only begging the question to sa\ that such lanc^ua^e 
 proves immersion ; for hundreds have come up out of the 
 water who were not immersed in the water. The Greek 
 word translated out of, is crpo, and its true equivalent in 
 i^nghsh, is from : Thus, f " Who hath warned you to flee 
 apo (from) the wrath to come ?" J " The vail of the tern- 
 pie, we are told, was rent in twain, apo the top to the hot- 
 torn :" So that we are only taught in the passage, that Jesus 
 came /ro»i the water. 
 
 »^ 
 
 f„ A. 
 
 X Mat.1?. \h' ^"^"^ ^" ^^' •^'^" ^' ^^' ^^' ' ^^**- ^' ^- 
 
/^ ^ 
 
 3f 
 
 ♦u' ,«. 
 
 But m the next place, the subjects are said to go into 
 the water. This, however, does not prove immersion ; for 
 what is said of the subject, is also said of the administrator. 
 They both went down into the water, both Philip 
 and the Eunuch; and if it were possible for 
 Philip to go into the water, and yet not be im- 
 mersed in it, so also it was equally possible for the Eunuch. 
 Besides, travellers inform us, that in this region there is no 
 stream of water " more than ancle deep." But the preposi. 
 tion eis, which is rendered into, is frequently rendered to or 
 utito: thus, Christ is said to go into a mountain to pray. In 
 reply to this, a Baptist writer remarks — "I suppose there 
 was a cave there." But was it in one of these caves that 
 the devil shewed him all the kingdoms of the world? for we 
 are expressly informed, that for this purpose " he took him 
 up into an exceeding high mountain." 1 he same preposition 
 is rendered to, when our Lord commanded Peter * to go to 
 the sea and catch a fish: the words are, eis teen thalassan. 
 Now whether did the Saviour mean that Peter should dive 
 under the water and catch the fish in his hands, or that he 
 should merely go to the water's edge, and cast in his hook ? 
 I leave this question with yourselves to answer. 
 
 The noxt circumstance to be considered, is, that John 
 baptised in Enon, liecause there was much water there.— 
 But instead of this fact proving the doctrine of immersion, it 
 is decidedly unfriendly to it; for respectable trayellers in- 
 form us, that in the whole of Enon there is neither creek, 
 river, brook, nor pond, of sufficient depth for the plunging of 
 a person ; and one very intelligent Missionary, after visiting 
 the place, makes the following remark : " In Enon there 
 are a nmltitude of draw wells;" but he deiiies there being in 
 it a place sufficient for innnersion. 
 
 The only remaining evidence of the Baptists, in favor 
 
 *Mat. 17. 27. 
 
32 
 
 of immersion, is foundeit upon the expression, that Chris' 
 tians are said to be buried with Christ by baptism. This 
 phraseology is used by * St. Paul, in two of his epistles, and 
 in both cases for the same purpose, viz : as an argument to 
 induce Christians to live a life of holiness. There is no al» 
 lusion whatever to the mode of l)aptism, in the passage, as is 
 evident from the connection : but to that of which baptism is 
 a sign, viz : death to sin. But according to the Baptist in- 
 terpretation of the passage, it is a sign of Christ's death, 
 burial, and resurrection: \7hereas, no such thing is even in- 
 timated, by the apostle. On the contrary, he plainly a*- 
 sejts, that baptism is simply a sign of Christ's dcath.-^ 
 "Know ye not, that so many of us as were 
 baptised into Jesus Christ, were baptised into his 
 death." Here the act of baptism terminates, be* 
 cause it simply signifies " death to sin" while the " resur- 
 rection to newness of life," is to follow, as a consequence of 
 this death. This is plainly expressed in the sixth verse— 
 " Knowing that our old man is crucified with him, that the 
 body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should 
 not serve sin.'' Here the same body which is buried by 
 baptism, is said to be crucified, to prepare the way for a 
 life of holiness. Hence the plain meaning of the apostle is 
 this, as if he had said, " You profess to be dead to sin — this 
 was evidently implied in your baptism ; for as Christ was 
 put to death for sin, so in the reception of that Chi-istian 
 rite, you profess to be dead to sin : we are, therefore, buried 
 with him by baptism, that is, our body of sin, (as he ex- 
 presses it,) is now buried with him by virtue of that profes- 
 sion which we made in baptism." There is, therefore, in 
 the passage, no allusion to the ?«or7(? of baptism ; for baptism 
 is made a sign of his death, and the burial is introduced as a 
 necessary consequence. 
 
 I 
 
 T 
 
 «*^* 
 
 *Rom. 6. 4. Col. 2. 12. 
 
I 
 
 
 33 
 
 Thus, my brethren, I have endeavored to lay this sub- 
 iect before you, in as clear a manner as possible. It is now 
 vour duty to value the ordinance by which God recognizes 
 your children. Think not it is left with you to determine 
 whether or not you shall have your offspring consecrated m 
 baptism; for if God has instituted this sacrament lor their 
 benefit, and you be found to reject the ordinance of his ap- 
 pointment, it is fearfully to be expected that God will look 
 upon you as the despisers of his covenant. How many pro- 
 fessed Christian parents most shamefully neglect the baptism 
 of their children ? How many seem to look upon the orcli- 
 nance as ii it were entirely useless, or as if it were an unne- 
 cessary burden, rather than a christian duty 'i How many 
 there are in this age of impiety, who, without any respect 
 for the ordinance of God, just name their children as they 
 do their domestic animals, and thereby place them as stran- 
 gers to the covenant of promise? My brethren, God will 
 surely visit you for these things. " 
 
 To reject baptism, is to reject the very foundation of 
 our beloved Christianity. Is it not a fact too notorious to 
 be denied, that the * repudiators of infant baptism are neces- 
 garily compelled to deny the covenant of which baptism is 
 tiie seal, and which as you have already seen, embraces 
 Christ and the gospel ? Hence you need not be surprised 
 at the assertion, that to reject infant baptism, is to re, cl .he 
 very foundation of our holy religion ; because it is not only 
 a rejection of the covenant which embraces Christ and the 
 gospel, but it is also a rejection of the well known words of 
 our Lord—" Suffer little children to come to me, and lorbid 
 them not; for of such is the kingdom of Heaven;" and 
 "whoso receiveth one such child in my name, receiveth me. 
 Say not in your hearts, what good can a few drops ol wa- 
 ter do upon the face of the child ; for this is nothing else 
 
 * Gill on the Covenant, and Hosken on Baptism. 
 
 E 
 
t- ^ 
 
 34 
 
 than sceptically to question the propriety of the divine insti- 
 tution. The Israelites tiiight have thus reasoned, when they 
 were commanded to look upon the brazen serpent in the 
 wilderness ; and Moses might have questioned the utility of 
 smiting the Red Sea with his rod ; but it was no more their 
 business to question the propriety of obeying these commands 
 of God, than it is ours to question the propriety of baptizing 
 our children. The grand question M'hich must determine 
 our duty, in believing and practising infant baptism, is this : 
 Do the inspired writers acknowledge it to be a divine insti- 
 tution? or, is l' an ordinance of God's appointment? Pon- 
 der, I beseech you, the evidences I have introduced ; and if, 
 after surveying the whole ground, you still feel doubts con- 
 cerning the truth of any leading sentiment in favour of the 
 doctrine, proi)ose to yourselves this question, and see that 
 you answer it to your own satisfaction : By what method 
 are the arguments in ijtvor of ini'ant baptism, and that by 
 sprinkling or pouring, to be set aside ? or how are they to 
 be! explained Mway, on the supposition that they are really 
 on the side of error ? 
 
 But the inquiry — What good can the baptism of little 
 cliildren do ? which is so often sounded in our ears, can, af- 
 ter all, be intelligently answered. By it our children are 
 * grafted into the church of God : by it they are recognized 
 as the t children of God ; by it they are secured the bless- 
 sings of the | christian covenant : by it they receive their 
 II name, which continually reminds them of their covenant 
 vows. In a word, it secures to them every blessing for tiim 
 and eternity ; and, therefore, it is of infinite importance, as 
 a means of grace, and an ordinance of God. We need not 
 be informed, that God can bestow blesings without baptisrn. 
 We have nothing to do with what God muy do. Hie spirit 
 
 fi^ 
 
 i 
 
 *Rom. 6. 3. tGal. 3. 26, 27. t Mark, 16. 16. Titus, 3. 5, 6. 
 Acts, 15. 17. n. Chran. 7. 14. Amos^ 9. 13. Luke, 2.21. 
 
f ^ 
 
 ■ Ik 
 
 \ 
 
 is said to ♦ accompany the water, and it ia, therefore, onr 
 duty to prize the oi -finance, because it is of his appoint- 
 
 My brethren, let us praise God that he is our God, and 
 the God of our children— that while he graciously accepts 
 us he kindly accepts our children also. May we never be 
 seperated from those we love ; but finally, as we meet with 
 the approving plaudit, " Well done, good and faithful ser- 
 vant"— as we begin the loud Hallelujah of triumph in Hea- 
 ven, and know that we are freed from sin, and sorrovi^, and 
 temptation, may our loud anthems of triumph be heightened 
 by the presence of the children whom God hath given us ; 
 and may we there, in ecstacies of rapture, hear them give 
 glory to God, that they had received the seal of that cove- 
 nant in which they were included. And now to the God oj 
 Abraham, to our God, and the God of our children, be as- 
 cribed everlasting praises, both now and evermore. Amen 
 and Amen. 
 
 •John, 3.5. Acts, 2.38, 39.