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 32X 
 
 1 
 
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 4 5 6 
 
LETTERS 
 
 ON T II K ■ U B Jt K €. T OF 
 
 RA P T IS M_ 
 
 BY 
 
 GEO. JVJTSOJV, BJPTIST PREAaUERl 
 
 • * % 
 
 Addressed to tHe People of Dalheiiisiie^:'. 
 ^herbjcooke andt Lanark,. ;%> 
 
 
 • : 'J 
 
 BEING A 
 
 REPLY TO A PAiMPHLKT ON 
 
 ) J • » » 
 
 ' '%ii,» 
 
 !>'■ ■ ■' J « 
 
 
 '?'iS^ 
 
 INFANT BAPTISM,. '- 
 
 ,« .« .. 4 
 
 ADDRESSED TO THEM BY THE REVEREND OOClWlt' 
 
 * • • # • • ^ 
 
 GEMMILL, OF LANARK.. 
 
 # ' » t > 
 
 
 • • • • • 
 
 ^ at 
 
 ?. 
 t^ 
 
 P. K R T H t 
 
 •* ..'i 
 
 IMatcd at the B»thurat Courier Ofllc«<h. 
 
 i^3g;. 
 

 ••• 
 
 -:#»-• 
 
 • * • • • 
 
 
 » •• • • 
 
 • • • 
 
 • • • 
 
 ■ * « • 
 • * • 
 
 Lanar) 
 
 <3£MM 
 
 —but 
 licatioi 
 preten 
 m ity ii 
 truth, 
 and sC 
 on the 
 a fair 
 with tl 
 lures ( 
 She 
 the pii 
 by a fc 
 ed to 5 
 
MOTTO- 
 
 PREFACE TO tMfi R^ADEftv 
 
 T^iE following sheets were written 'A6me yeirl 
 Atra, in rt;ply to a certa-n pamphtet ^)ubli8hed in 
 Lanark m the year 18. by to Rev. Dr. 
 Okmmill. and wals theA ifttetided for the press, 
 --but unavoidable difficXilties prevented its pub- 
 lication to the present time. The author ha^ no /^. 
 pretentions to Originality of thought, nor mkm--^u^^ 
 Tnity in dictkm,— and his only object is to illicit 
 truth* He has simply followed the scriptures, 
 and some who have already candidly written up* 
 on them. And all he wishes from his readei«, i» 
 a fair and candid comparison of his Statementt 
 with the general scope and bearing of' the scrip- 
 lures on the subject. 
 
 Should these sheets be favourably received by 
 the public, they will be followed in the spring, 
 by a few letters on primitive Christianity address* 
 ed to a friend. 
 
 77915 
 
« . 
 
 L E T T E R 1 . 
 
 *^^^'"* \ccordinc to your aocirine, the turning point in tb« 
 
 •tenant made with Abraham. Vou say tnni ^^ ^e 
 
 tlli^ead «oe8 on the^ground that i vv a. * c^ ^ ^ ^^^ .^«^ • • , 
 
 ^,tion, it must be the "^^^^'^SISnfH the daJ. ahafl come,«aiththr)- 
 Tui. chao. and 8th ver«e, - fi«*^°^'^'„^^^/ !>,?,' Je|.ou«e of Israel 
 
 «nd witK the house of Judah. He. ce, n i me p 
 The privileges i>f that covenant, "^"«^ ^,V"',Vo„ld ^^^^ the 
 cern^ed in ft: for God is not »™«"\'^*\i;^/^re descendants of 
 pon of man that he fhrn^d repent, if then, ine^^^^^^^^ 
 Abraham are included m this covenan, and a^^^^ niaiter (»f 
 
 eouree that all who are born ot bei.cv.ng p j^ of Weliev^^ 
 
 infancy, must be saved, ^^ecfuf ' 'L'^'J aionn^^ then.tu^ 
 nff parents, who are t>«P^'^«;i J" '7"i*^^' covenant made with 
 rnfseedof Abra»mm are not saved h^c^^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^,, 
 A Urahart, namely, the covenant or c,r ^^^^^j^ 
 
 covenant of grace.-for were it o^^^f ''''^'. ;"''g^de however. 
 rouWnothernclodedinthateovonan^^^^^^^ 
 
 of the alternat.ve, <^.^PP'^1«J.^ jT^Sa.ned; is evident, for it 
 That the former pn«'^>o" J^^j^^^L^; ,"^,^ " . ' xoerienc^^ a^en 
 
 xaus. in direct variance wun inejvnu...^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^. 
 
 The covenani made with Abraham, thereto e, is ^^^^^^^^^ 
 
 nantof .race, nor,n.ubsance,^ t^ ^^^^ ^,,^ 
 
 evident from this consideration, that, V"" ^ ^^ ,,r circumci- 
 ,o nroduce a single Passage, in which the cove, ^^^ ^ 
 
 .ion is called tho covenant of «,•»/;.; ""^;/„" to Abraham are 
 
 text, in which the ^«"'P°;^»p ^ ^ce .S'„orcan yon show (even 
 ,;,enlioned in the covenan of grace .nor ^=»J^ ^^^^ j^.^ and 
 
 admiUios the term to ba j°en\'';'^'2.vrnLt of ffnico, whJchur.ne 
 
it in tb« 
 
 I the (•«- 
 
 Lining on 
 
 of grnce 
 
 somng ii , 
 ]y be so, ' 
 this con- 
 the Mine 
 el dispen^ 
 , Hebrews 
 ,flailhtlie" 
 
 of Igraol 
 leflfind ail 
 :rCie8 con- 
 ,— nor tlie 
 jndsfnts of 
 h'themihe, 
 
 niatter •♦f 
 wpiieed in 
 
 of believ"-! 
 I thenatu^ 
 made witli 
 i« not tiie 
 ,vho perish 
 however, 
 arguments, 
 ident, for it 
 leofallaj^eri 
 enable, be- 
 5 covenant, 
 t the covc- 
 9 is further 
 r, been »h!e 
 r,f circuincf- 
 
 poini out a 
 braham arc 
 show (even 
 lec. liot and 
 , whJKhurine 
 \M»i(;i!>io" ! or 
 
 "how lahmacl and Esau should bo in the covenant of cirCiimcr- 
 -«ion, yel hnd no poiti^m m the covenant of jffat^ Nor ia it po«w 
 Bible for yon fo obviate thR difficulty, lha». if Abraham be the f«- 
 ddral head of his natural and Hptritnal seed, or of the covenant 
 •of grnce, whilst Christ isconfewedly ^he head of the Fame cove- 
 iiaat. there muat be two headsi of rh^t covenant, having as BUch, 
 coallecting titles to Bti{Teriority. *I^i««iB the first and great mis- 
 take respecting the cOveDUTif^hg^lf, Which perple'xeB lh« whoto 
 8ubj«^ct,---corrupt(* all the'Bitbsrqnent reasoning, atwJ cofifoundii 
 things which are essentiollydiftefeht. 
 
 \'our third and foirMh argumefltp^Hrand thciB. ^ We fire toM 
 bv the Aposilc that thecoveuant'iriade wjth Abraham was con- 
 firmed of God in'Chrrst, Gnl. ili.^chap. l^^lh verse, hehoe Iha 
 •covenant made with Abraham was tho crrv-enant of grace. i4th, 
 — It. is clear, all'believers under the go!?pel arc juetifi^d'^hy'fHi'h. 
 and the Apostle tells ua that in this Abraham was 'j«»iifi*<l." 
 Romans fv. chap, and tJdvorse. No ovenant did or couldaii- 
 'mit of jtiatifisation by f.iith, except the co^enartt df grace " 
 nor«, I would ask, whethur the covenant mndo with Abraiiani 
 ininy years before th(! covenant of circumctslon, na'mely, that 
 of which the Apostle spenks, as corifirtnod <.f (rod in Christy fuur 
 hundred ?ind thirty years bei'ore tho I^aw, ami which ex\)Tt^a*ly 
 fecured spirit u.-ifblosvings, was t\w. same irs the covenant of uir- 
 cumcision which expressly limits it!i Htipulatioua to tempiiial 
 blesaJngs ? It would be a most extraon?iiiary and unparallehil 
 circumstance, if one covenant ehoiild be deemed identical wilti 
 another, wiiich orniis the most desirable and most important .of 
 all it promises. Your constant avenuen',, that ti>e comiiiunicv- 
 tiouB mnde to Abraharn were substantially the same, is contrary 
 to scripture, for the Apostie does not speak of tfeera as the covt^^ 
 naut, but users She plural number— co'y(?/jan/«, and ♦covenants &f 
 promiKe. ttom. ix. chap. 4t^ verse, Kph. ii. chap. Ittth verse. 
 
 Let the reader peruBe with attention'the covenant of circum' 
 cision, reftorded in Geo xvii. chap C, 4, 7, It), and '14- versfls. 
 Let him discover if he can, the clause " In tiiec shall ail thw 
 families of the earth b»! blfssed." This wa-B expressed only in 
 the first promise to Abraham, Which was a repubhcationot' th« 
 name prediction given to Adam, and of the covenant made with 
 Noah, whose names wtre theucfl'forth mergfKl in that -of Abro- 
 hnm, the spiritual representaltve of ^'uture heliev*''??. fhrottgh i:is 
 Uessinor God, which wasaccownted to Kim for righteoUsuesfi"; — > 
 a description applit^d lo him with reference to a period long prior 
 t'> the command respecting circumcision. To employ tb«jn, th« 
 phrase Al>rahamic Covenant, as expressive of two dietiuct cii'>v«t- 
 jiants, made at two different, nay, distant periods, and for dif~ 
 fcrent purposes, ih a manifebtconfusion of languaf^'e and misrc-' 
 pressefitafiop of Hcripiure, anil tn affirm that the covenant of cj;* 
 *;i»mcift>ou includes both the temporal anu the spiritunl nrochi'** 
 — >vln>ii i( is obvioUij thai the »pirifUii! prviinias is e.Uirj.Ov exwlu- 
 
tk 
 
 of ll)i tkbrei 
 
 ded fromtlsil»p«ltti<«., i-* direct tsonlrtdiCtift^ 
 
 record. . .- . . .v. covenant of grace, through 
 
 lheblo«aof Chrialbywhi^j^^^^^^^^ „„, cote- 
 
 vrai Abraham justified Waa it notby faUh m ^^^^ .^ 
 
 „.nt ? The Apoalle l^^^"*' i*^?V.i.t IhroufihThc glorious pre- 
 l,i,n, so that he saw the day o Chr^^^^^^^^^^^ ,„d j,^ 
 
 diction, « That in him all "^I'^^f ^^ ^,,ce and the covenant 
 ,vasglad- irso, '^«"\^Vo«^'JnSnJ will presume to say. 
 of circnmcision were not l»'« "»«• J°' j",?"* .. ^ now ye there- 
 lltat Abrahaa. wa« Jn^^'fi^d by e.rcumc.sK>n ^^ AbrahamV* 
 
 fore, that they which "^.^^^'I'^^'^^Viould justify the heathen 
 
 And the scriplttre foreseeing l''"'i'^!^„''°i u,/to Abrnharo, sny 
 through f.ith, pit»ached before the gospel unto /i ^^ ^^^^ 
 
 ing, inlheeshA tH n*tiom of the «"V.itlifiil Abraham." Gal 
 'th^y which be of faith are ^^'f.'^J* JJ^**.^^^^^^^^^^ na- 
 
 iil. Jhap. 1 7ih verse. Were ^^ey jvho •'«^^'^; g^^j, , A re i h« 
 lural diacendania of Abj-ahatfn ar^oT^if^^^^^^^ i^^ ^.^j^,,^ t,,. 
 
 children of eight d-X- o»«»' -i"^ J,'^^ J? " tfbt diys «W promised 
 same seed.' Are the «^»''f;^" jL^a promised th^ 
 heaven? Or are the .venerations of bel.ejers p „^nion, 
 
 Iv land of Canaan/ If not, whnt become^ y ^^^^^ 
 
 t\at the Abrahamic covenant, and l"« ^oveuau » 
 
 which wn now live are the "•"^/"J^^^^V^Sobaptist comments. 
 Thela«gilageofyenomanceleb^^^^^^^ .,g^, 
 
 tor is Tery important and f ''pr«»»'*^. "j; '^";„„„t \c transmitted 
 worJce, lib. 1st. Celestial I '^'"gf,';.*:*d"Se rendered consis- 
 from parents to children, ""'" ^'jVr'cL oJthe justice of God." 
 tt„t«ther with the economy of ?"^« ^^ lake of another, none 
 ..^oone ^'t^^ncufiedio \hehoT6U>Tin^^ believers; for this 
 -.-not infants in virtue of tl^-.r descent from believer^. ^^.^^^ 
 
 the scriptures no where "J?^"*: ""[ue Hebrews, is very ex- 
 res«on/--Dr. Owen on . he Lp.sile to the Hebre^^ ,^ y^ ^.^ 
 
 plicii, " Two privileges did God ^'^"J^"" j^g „d covenant. 
 Uperaliontoa ^pecia Vl'ffl^VLshouMdTe the Father of the 
 Firtt. That sccord.nsf '" ^'^^.f^'^J^Vtfc very life of the core- 
 Messiah the promised seed, who ^" J^-^^^ngs contained in it. 
 „ant,-tbe fountain and ""s^ °t a" ^e ^^"'l^^f j^^ demon- 
 Thnt this privilege -"^f '"^ "^'^yiirbe haS also another privL 
 .irato. ^*^°"^ y^J "S^. i*^^^^ his faith whereby he was 
 
 lege granted unto him, nameiy, u»» pniicrn o 
 
 personally interested ,n th« ?«;^«";"'\,f„^^^ «h,>i»ld 
 
 il,. f«iih of the ^^l'^^'^^'" °';f,«"^;Xre'in t. blessings, but hf 
 «ven come 10 be a member ont, or SI are in 1 k ^^^ 
 
 lhe.amef.ilh, that lie had fixed. I the ec€d^^^^^^ ^^ 
 
 promise to be brought forth irom h»m n ibe worw »^t^ 
 J,,.„tofthispr.v.le^heb^^^^^^^^^^^ 
 
 ^f A^rjl^'^tl'l d^'^a; -rsc. Roma.- . chap mh 
 
through 
 ;ovenant 
 la cote- 
 Bched lo 
 iouB pre- 
 and he 
 covenant 
 tetoaay, 
 \(e there- 
 |>rahamV* 
 ! heathen 
 
 lain, «»»y* 
 so then 
 m." Gal. 
 faith, na* 
 Are the 
 faith, the 
 promised 
 the earth- 
 assertion, 
 ice, under 
 
 lommentt* 
 
 '' Select 
 
 ransmitted 
 
 ed coiisis- 
 
 of God." 
 ther, none 
 j; for thiB 
 stent ^vith 
 8 very ex- 
 I, upon h'rs 
 I covenant, 
 itherofthe 
 
 the core- 
 tained in it. 
 oth demon- 
 other privi* 
 >Sy he ^vas 
 
 pRltcm ot' 
 none »hf>nld 
 ings, but by 
 \V8f in the 
 Of! the nc- 
 icm that do 
 I he cinldr^h 
 r chap Hlh 
 
 t. 
 
 v«rai. aafclaoheiraoftheworld. Ronuna if chap 15lh verte,, 
 .X \ n ihrtVhould believe throughout the world, being th*re. 
 !^ 'Plaited. 010 the covenant mafe with him. ahoulAecome 
 by 'n^!" •?'""* Answerable unto this twofold end of the ae- 
 h4*ap*rU children An«^e"iD^^^^^ allotted him; a 
 
 paraiion of Abraham fleah.nd a wed according to the prorni.e,, 
 ,«od according to he fleah,«n^^^^^ intcreat fn the i roihiae." 
 v.js : such as °y ['*''* ^^^ and revelation unite in- refu- 
 
 According to these •"'J^"\ '®"uji "h^ covenant of cireuifici-. 
 amg their -'^ ^o jour poaition, lJ^\^,»^^^;°^,f,J,,fo,e,. that your 
 
 '::;:s1%t:zZ^.^^^^^^ ^^^^^ -«»-«'' -^^^"*°"^ 
 
 -OOOr 
 
 LETTER 11 
 
 »tp.,— . 
 
 t-UT 
 
 "* ■ H»vine in my last letter examined whtt yeu calt. th», 
 nine p"nrhftbi8 controversy, I purpose n thu to try the 
 weight^^o'frour argument, drawn fromcirc-maision's being a seal 
 of the $ame covenant. Vide page 6^ ii. ^^„„_-_. -r _-.-. 
 
 Vou say " Circumcision was a seal of the- «?7""^,<>^f ""t* 
 and was a divine appomtment administered to infants." <♦ Tba t 
 ?'l7the\okU or'sVl of Abraham's cov^^^^^^ evadent f^om 
 
 thevervftrstinstilutonofit, Gen xvil chap lUh verse. a«u 
 [he :4>o^stle teJls^us expresslJ Roman ivchap jj 'h .verse.^bat 
 Abraham. received the sign of "rcumc.s.dnj '^^l.fXhi^^^ 
 although circumcision is indeed called .^^ ^^'^^Ify'^^^rf^^^ 
 wiBB of the faith, yet it was only a seal to Abraham ol .his own 
 S even the faith which he had before circumcision.- Jhii 
 ^ lea he rece v^^^^ patriarchal . capacity, and that 
 
 Tnlv as the father of the faithful. - For the Apostle .ays Romacs. 
 
 • Tchll 11 and 12 vcrseP, « He received the sign of circumcMsioij. 
 I sea^of the righteousness of the faith, which he had being ya 
 
 • r.nci;iu Jicised." For what end? That he might be fa Uier qf all. 
 ' is fleshly circumcised seed. Nol for the Apostle- says, ^^ Jhai 
 
 - e mfght be the father of all them that believe, though they W 
 not circumcised, and the father of cireumcision to. ^ 'em_ [^f hi* 
 ' natural seed] who are not of the cincuoKis.on, only, but aUo 
 ' walk in the steps of that f^ith, of our father Abraham, which 
 he had being uicircumcised." that is, that he might be the fa- 
 ' ther of all who believe, whether circumcised or not. Nqw it 
 ' Abraham was not a father to his natural seed,, in that capacity 
 ■ in which circumcision sealed-or confirmed to him the righteous^. 
 » ness of his faith, then circumoision was not a seal of the righte^ 
 
 * oiisness of faith to his natural seed ; nor could, it be, to inlanta 
 I of^eight days old, who had not that faith, before circumci^ioD ; 
 
 * but 'r«si>ecUd only- Ibelempormlpromjie Md.r«la,tion whic^ had, 
 
t: 
 
 If ' 
 
 ».ly| i»;t\ roI'Vrero** lo llto elprnal jiromise fcuJ the •{^irilual r«l«- 
 l.ori a rilling from it. * 
 
 Ag«in ia pugeO, you aWrin, '< IfinfHnt cliiirch uii»inbpr«hi|rf 
 lhciT*wa« noabsurdjtf, it caiiiifjt be now. Hcljiltireu were in 
 cjufenantia Abrali«m'8<lay8, tliey are au siill, uiiieas wc cnu 
 tind Uiat God has excluded them." 
 
 In answer to this, I would remark, Sir, thai our Lotd's kinj/- 
 doin beiu^ spiritual, hia dominion leapecis only the uudof«tamJ - 
 i»«j and the heart, ami none were considered mymbeni- oi'.U»t) 
 first churches, butsucli as gave- evidence that they b<ilie\ed the 
 gtfapel. Rom 1. chap Tth verse, and first Cor*. i-ciuap 3d verse. 
 Jn accordaflce with Ihis, IsIiaH add at'ev/.quotaliona IromPeBdo- 
 b.iptislsrnV. Chauney sayt, '• The lundantental part of a visible 
 church, la the credible profession of fait li and holines'S ; it ix 
 men and women, notldoctrinc," iharig the matter of a chu^cl^-- 
 und these piofes^ing fai^h and pfactiHitiff holiness : the memberti 
 of chnrches are «lway» called iu l^ic^Ne^ Testament, saints, 
 fwthful believers." Preface ta. Pr. Owen's triie na_lure cf a 
 'ffOB^ei''<51i'ur*Cli'. Dr. Colton Mather «ay», " A cbufch, ' as the 
 *' (Ir^elcnamiQ implies, for it. allows us, la think, is to consist of a 
 jtpcHrfe-ealle^dou* froOTi, tho. ways of sin by the powerful, 4nd. 
 effcptual work, of God upon their squIs. Ue(2fenera!Luu is ^ht 
 iluntf, WrlhbWt Mrfcich* a title to liieiSacramentp^ js not to be pru- 
 tendqil. Rebl, regeneration is tli« thing, which, before Gwd 
 rctiderff meA c»pab4e of claimiujjf 8a,cr^mont8, and visiblfi- aiid 
 ' ' Tpxirresaetl ^e-^cne ration, is that yvhich before men enables ua to 
 WH« Biic*> a^cUim." Uacheri's cJiurc^. history of i\ew Kog- 
 ■• Ipna, Wl. ii. I»8ge 2. 1 might rjiultiply similar quotations, but 
 Mhrnkl^i^tt unnecessary, I shall only observe, that thete authu- 
 >ities db htft'p^rniit us to consider lufanis as.iuembere of a gos- 
 • 'peMcharch, either before or after baptism, 
 ' ^ Where, Sir, in ibeNew Teatamenj.aj-eiwe.iQ&rined'of m^m- 
 b/&ra ofa chri8ti4« «hurdi, who neither- did profees, nor v/eiQ 
 cftpa^le'of professing faith in the sun of God ?• \£ the infant^ofT- 
 Rprihg of chiirth Bven^bers be the subji^cts of our Lord^u king- 
 ■ llp'irt'fiwihHheir birth, thciy tnuat be so by virtue of carnal tet- 
 '■ ' V.i»nt8, just 88 thdchildrenof EnglishniftH arflbornBttbjectsoJi the 
 VB.y?ti^h crown. And if infants Wvchri*iiiuwi a?cj Jboro chriiUftna, 
 ■ tbeft are i'luey chmiiana i)yyn*turc, and i}§i l|jp clJtl4ren of wrath 
 evtuis others. Nor indeed can iiXJoiujeiv^, t>oiiv upon your own 
 prmcipleis, y'iDU can preach th^ docinne of conversion, w.hen!yon 
 oflteem ftiose to whtfmypu, preach, already converted and,n^em- 
 "beta or Christ's charchi,.< It' yovi xl^ny these consequences it 
 njult imply ar belief that ftipersort may be a true sijbject of our 
 Lord's kingdom \Vi(boiit being a chri«U{tn> which ia preposterous. 
 Thiti the cnildfon of the J*w8 under the former economy, were 
 born m^mbdrs of the Church, is readily granted, but <Ai« .waa 
 one of those pecuHarilieis, which, an Pr. Cox observes belopged 
 tjl t-h* iiatioiifrl ftftd tyflial.churchsjalfl of ^h at people ;,»\{hic(4 
 
 »Ule '»! 
 iclrMtio" 
 uli<iliiti<J 
 Jews, w 
 HS tepar 
 
 through 
 
 church, 
 
 Lii^nibei 
 
 f J there 
 
 «)lUc«ivei 
 
 oi bel>ei 
 
 (Miinci^io 
 
 could no 
 
 to l)apti8 
 
 the othei 
 
 I hoy are 
 
 Again 
 
 loade w 
 
 I lhereA>rc 
 
 era." K 
 
 ivelievei's 
 
 fvliow, tl 
 
 live won 
 
 — aiiU ki 
 
 tulic ejcai 
 
 Mr. Ui 
 
 ham's tin 
 
 only (o \ 
 
 were not 
 
 «Dy of tii( 
 
 whom he 
 
 ^ivine coi 
 
 wiio iiad I 
 
 of circun 
 
 were uudi 
 
 distiug^uis 
 
 new covpi 
 
 woe from 
 
 that all re 
 
 of things, 
 
 pff the tna 
 
 ; Thatth 
 
 the absolu 
 
 foosiderat 
 
 purely I el 
 
 pircumcisi 
 
 ♦» sign of < 
 
 pf inteieit 
 
 Dr. Ersi 
 
 |ed the La 
 
irilual rttli' 
 
 n«mber«lii|i» 
 cii were m 
 
 Sig WC CkU 
 
 ^otd'n kinv< 
 iu(lar»tanJ- 
 bern^ oi'. ti'd 
 3tilie\cil tho 
 ip 2(1 verse. 
 froDv PodcIm' 
 
 of a viKitjlu 
 net's ; it U 
 a churcli,— 
 he nieinbem 
 cut, saintti, 
 na.lure -cf & 
 rci), ^ as the 
 coneisl of a 
 iweri'ult 4nd. 
 Btipu ui |h9 
 ul to be pre- 
 
 hcror& (jiod 
 
 visibLe- ainl 
 nabies ua to 
 
 i\ew Kog- 
 talionSf but 
 Lhebe aulhu- 
 r» of a g08- 
 
 ined'of ni^m- 
 8, uor vycre 
 hcinfant^ofT- 
 Lord^a king-, 
 carnul tet- 
 ttbjects o!) iho 
 ro chrittiftnB, 
 4renof wfath 
 3onyour owa 
 )n, \v.ben!yon 
 ed ai)d,n^em- 
 i«equenc^8 it 
 |bject of our 
 preposterous, 
 onomy, vera 
 but ihi$ ,vfM 
 rves belopged 
 lople; «|hicU 
 
 •lute ''y lUc S'^^H u JiwoU'p.l. nnl i<i no inr;)mp«tibIo mitl*. th*- 
 
 mirr- 
 
 uirMti<>»» "f >l l»^"l t»«e luUoUuctiou (»i ijie IhUpi uocpMuiit* iofert tb.) 
 uboluliun oillH) loriuei, uiiU tlierelDio, thin nght uiiJ pilrileee of the 
 JewB, which were ihe very fauudatioii olthtir miliooal cbureh •UUi 
 Mj»p|>arate.l Iroin the Geiuilei, cHUHot b&lraiijferrej iaio the eo«y«i 
 di«|»eii).at»oii I'ccuusa it ia iiiconyisleiit with it. Rciidca it i« evideo* 
 thruughoul the wh.>U} gojpel, that right of menibership ia the Jewiaii 
 church, could nover {five to uuy, either itifunl or aJuU n like ri'ht of 
 w*nibti«hi|) ill the go.-peUhuich ; nor wu« there pveo any uue receiv- 
 ed thereinto, UcHiiiC he huj such u rig;ht Hccording; to the «tut« oftli* 
 «>itlc«»veniinl, ami iliere is good reuton to conclude, that the carnal g-^eJ. 
 oi bel.evers cau derive no Jigher privilege Irom the oveuaut of oir~ 
 (Miinci^iou thiio tins carnal seed of Abriihum obtained thereby. And i( tt 
 could not bring the one into the gpjpel clmrch. nor gjv, tliea. u ri»bt 
 lo baptism, widiout repentance and Jailh. it can by no means do »o ?of 
 tho other, uUhoiigh we should supposo them concerned in itioa itidoed 
 Iboyarem.U Di*. cov. p. |;)9, 16U. ♦«« luuie* 
 
 Again in page 10, you say, •• ijaptism js a if al of the same covenant 
 lUBde with Abruham, instituted in the room of circumcision and 
 ^ thprtfore ought to be administered to the childrec ,of professed believ 
 
 era." Kvcn supposing it were clearly evinced, that nU the children (J 
 ' t)elievers are mleresled m the covenant ofgruce,it would not necessurilw 
 follow, that they are entitled Ut baptism, this being a branch of rosi- 
 live worship, depending entirely upon the sovereign will of its uuthor 
 —and Aw icill having been revealed by ppsitivo precepts. or,by Apos- 
 tolic examples is the only nile for the a JmJnistraticn oi boptism 
 
 Mr. Baxter, a PoeJobapliit, has justly observeJ, that even in' Abra-f 
 
 iiam s tune, circumcision was not made nece8tary,to all the church but 
 
 only to Abraham's family. Shera and his family who wore then li'vmi 
 
 were not so much Hs commanded to be baptised. Not Melchisedcc of 
 
 »ny ol the subjacts over whom he reigned, or any, of thai church ta 
 
 whom he was I'nest. It phunly appears, there/bre, that ai a poaitiv* 
 
 ^ivine commhnd made it necessary, lor multitudes to be circumciied^ 
 
 Who had uo mterfst in the covenant of grace, so at the commencement 
 
 t.l circumcision many were mleresled in that benign conititutiou who 
 
 were uuder no obligation to be circumcised, nor .had any claim to, th# 
 
 distinguished mark. So, f ,r is it from being a (act, that interest in th. 
 
 new covenant, and a litje to positive institutes, may bn infened. th« 
 
 one from the other. This being the case, ^e may safely cS«d/. 
 
 that all reasoning from, data of a m«ral kind, and the luptised fitoW 
 
 "^fftbem'aS ''* '*''*''*'^" of chUdrea to , pareuU is wid« 
 
 i^,7*l"^*''f ^'^l^^'r'"^*"**" to baptism, cannot be ju.Uy infevrei from 
 
 the absolute rite of circumcision, will further appear from the dui 
 
 jonsideration of what follows, namely, . that baptism J, au l^po^imZ 
 
 purely lehgioiis. and intended for purposes entirely., piritualS 
 
 fJirrumcision, besides the spiritual instruction which it suggested, wai 
 
 »i^s.gn of carnal descent,-a mark of national distinction, and a tokeil 
 
 ^ A°r T ■ V" ^h°''«t««"P«':«»«, blessings, 1 bat were promised to Abraham! 
 
 Dr. Erskiue m Theological Dissert, p. 9, says, ♦» When God prS 
 
 ^ed the LiAud of Canaan to Abraham and hi,%eed, circumciiio»TM 
 
ii u 
 
 if3*tit*l«* fm tills nmoBg: oilier purposes, la »V.ow lh;il tU\scsrtl ffftm 
 AWahnro was Iha foundation of his postorily's lig'it to those bimtngs; 
 Mr. writes thus ou lhe»nni«9iiljecl. •' Ciinimcuinn wSis tha 
 
 wtiofacovenMit which GoJ undouHeclly rnnde vith Aliridwrn -ml 
 lift family only, exclusive of other nation?, and a seal of tho?e benefits 
 which he intended to be pcculinrto Abrahsitn'? posleriiy, and therefore 
 Hcoording to divine nppointment, it Wh? used to distinguish the seed ol 
 Ahraham from the nations of the world." iEgypt. hb. iii. chapv4, s.5. 
 In page 1 Ith you say, " IJaptism signifies the game thmg with cir- 
 wumoision, and afterwards draw your conclusion by sayin;:, "May wa 
 not, therefore conclude, that baptism was instituted in its room. ' Ueforfe 
 »jrj you drew »u*h nconwlusiou, it was meet fur yoc to cst;iblisl> nni 
 iirove your premise? that baptism came in the room of ciic-omcisiow^ana 
 Sio-nilies the sum© thmg, which you have not dt;ne ; nor indeed is tbe»o 
 n'lcntencc in the whole seriplurts which tujo support th^se j ositiMns 
 Vf, therefore, your premises be uufounded, your conclusion will be felsa 
 ond they must full together. Bescdcs, if circumcision signifies the 
 «im« thins as baptism, why set asids the one and institute the other 
 As baptism,, however, is an inslittttion of the kingdom of heaven,, we 
 lean learn its signilication no where but from the new testament, end 
 here I conceive we are taught that it exhibits the death, burial and re- 
 Bnrrection of Christ whereby He fuMlIed all righteousness; together 
 ■with the believers communion with. Christ, and confirmiiy to h«n in 
 fh»t saorament. This the apostle declares and chiefly insists upon. 
 ••Know yo"unot» that so many of ns as were baptised into Jesus Cj.'hriff. 
 •«ver« baptised into his dealh ; therefore we are burjfd with bim \y 
 ^aiptiVirt into death," that hkc a? Christ was raised froui the dead by the 
 ifWry of the Father, even so we alsosliould walk with him in newness 
 U hie. Horn. vi. chap. 3, 4th verses. The same view of it i<« conta-ccd 
 j*Col.xi ehap. 12, and 13 verse. " Duried with him in baptism, 
 •wherein nlso^ ye are risen through the faith ot the operation of God 
 ^liotiftdrJiised him from the dead."' "And you being dead i« sms 
 «Dd the utwireumcision of your flesh hath he quickenfd together with 
 him, having forgiven you all trespasses," ^l • • .^ u 
 
 • From th^se passages we learn that baijlism represents Christ sdieath, 
 1iori«lHOd resurrection, and so exhibits in a figure, what the gospel 
 deeUrcB by wav of testimony, namely. " that he was delivered for our 
 «ffences, and was raised again for our justification." In confirmation 
 «fthis explanation of these passages, I shall here cite, a few learned 
 Pos'lobaptist writers. Luther says, thai " The minister dippeth a 
 whili into I'le water, signifieth death, that he ngnin bringeth lum out of 
 it, signifieth life. ' So Saint Faul represents it. Rem. vi. chap. '| Being 
 moved by this reason, I would have tho?e that are to be baptised to 
 V»e entirely immersed ns the word imports, and the mystery signifies." 
 Vide Lutheric Catech, minor. Dr SVhitby writes, " Therefore we are 
 buried with him by baptism,— plunging under the water into a confor- 
 mity to his death, which put his body under thfi earth, that likfi as he 
 v?«s raised up from the dead, by the glorious power of the Fal/her ; 
 Wrensa, we also thus dead in baptism, should lise with him and walk 
 in newnewof 4ifo, Paraph, on Horn. vi. ch. 4 v. Bi^h»p Hen lly says, 
 ^•Thij lattM w?r<o»si»a fr«rt'rf with Christ ao'l vising >itH hii»% made 
 
IL 
 
 dt>s«i!rtt Ti'ftm 
 
 :i»inn wi)9 th« 
 
 ho!>e beneftls 
 and therefore 
 ih the scpd of 
 , chapv4, s. 5. 
 ng with cir- 
 ;, " May wa 
 oom." 11* for* 
 cst;ibli»I> »tii 
 umcisioUvantl 
 deed is tbeiQ 
 jv-se J nsitiMns 
 n will be folia 
 
 si«nifie» the 
 le the other 
 f heaven,, we 
 estHment,. and 
 jurial and re- 
 ess ; tonjether 
 ly to him in 
 
 insists upon, 
 oJesus Ci'hrii't. 
 with hitn ly 
 lie dead by tlie 
 lini in newiiej* 
 
 it i* ccnta'ned 
 n in baptism,, 
 at ion of Cod 
 ^ dead io fins 
 
 togeVber with 
 
 Christ's d^ath, 
 iftt the gospel 
 ivercd for our 
 I confirmation 
 1 few learued: 
 iter dippeth a 
 2^cth him out of 
 chap. ♦' Being 
 l)e baptised to 
 tery sipnifies" 
 erefore vrc are 
 r into n confor- 
 that like as he 
 of the Fat;her ; 
 
 him and walk 
 j» HfnJly 8.\y% 
 
 itH himn mada 
 
 usAorbf Si. Pu'j] with rc^Atioa to kiptian, >» tak^n fiom ih* co-itona. 
 (^ imaaan'ioa ia the tlrst dty.vnrid iruin th:it particukti' m truior (^imp- 
 tiling pnrseiyleii, t)y wliich they wera first covered. with water, and la % 
 stale, nn it were, of death and inuctivity ; lind then aio<o out of it into 
 a sort of new state of li£t and action. And if ImptisiA had been then 
 performed, as it is now amongst us, we should never hnve to much at 
 heard of this form of expression, of dying and risin* nfjuin in this rite. 
 Works, vol. iii. p. 090. Agreeably to> these Dr. Saott, Dr. Newton, aad 
 Dr. Baxter might be qijolcd. 
 
 In page 12th you alle«;'e, " If baptism doss not come in the room of 
 circumcision, then v\c have no ordinance answering to that Jewisli rite, 
 and coisequenliy the christian, church, by the coming of Christ, haa 
 been deorived of a s.nciument which wa^i reckoned uf singiilar ndi'an* 
 tHgft to the Jrtwish dispensation ; for the profit of circumcision, the Apo*- 
 iio asserts was mu«:h every wiiy." The scripture, & r, no where telU 
 u« that baptism cuuie in the room of circumcision. Admitting for a 'mo- 
 ment it were so, how did it come that b'tth were in full force at the same 
 time? when as Dr. Owen observes, '• The »ign of what is to coma i« 
 set aside when the thing signified is brought in.." Dia. on Heb. 
 vol. iii. p. 176. As to much profit arising from circumciaiun. the 
 Apostle ossures ud, that tlte superior condition of the Jevv^, 
 consisted in having the oracles of GLod committed to them.. It 
 may be supposed, howevofi that he would nnt have repreaented ' 
 the po:>sessian of these oracles as the principa.1 advuntago enjoy- 
 i>d by them, if circumcision Itadt been a seal of interest, ia 
 the covenant of grace to the^ Jews in common;, for interest in 
 that covenant being of such high importance, whatever sealed 
 or confirmed it, must of all exibtnal advantages, have been th« 
 chief. As however, the A.po8tle would not allow the principal 
 place to circuincisian, am;)ng the prerogatives of Abraham s na- 
 lurnl seed, tliere is reason to thinks, that he didi not consider this 
 painful rite as indicatiivg aiid c^ntirming their, title to spiritual 
 blessings; consequently your argument from this passage in fa- 
 vour of infant bapti-m is unfounded. Besides if circumcision 
 was of such vast importance as to seal the blessings of the cove- 
 nant of grace; what in. the name of common sense became of 
 *he females, who had nosuchseai administered ? were they cast 
 out of the aevenant ? if not what sealed its hirasKine* to 
 thera? • 
 
 •000- 
 
 L E T T E R 1 1 1 . 
 
 SIP.,— 
 
 According to what you advance in page 13, '« fnfan a 
 arc capable otspirilual benefits by baptia n i. e. the Ihiujrs siVnifii'd 
 thereby ; and accordingly ought to be bapti.^ed." TSeir^caiHi- 
 
1*^ 
 
 i 
 
 l!^. ^ 
 
 hiiih;. S<r. i" n.n nrj^tiinr-tit. Oo ihrv nil npjjonr, tn, he born of 
 tijti spiiii ? l)t»<H experience sliuw it .' .A^^jun you say, ^MttMiUd- 
 -^jon ft* sill, boinga |/raci<Mi.s jicl <>t' G >il «ii6cljargiijij a pers«m 
 'from ffiiil?, ;m iiWaiit is as c:i',hihU-> of thw act of favour as i\ 
 ^rown lip man." And in or(i^Jr to illuslrato this you aay, '♦ sup- 
 |iir«etl»fi Kinir slionld send for a Irailor's child out of the cjiidle. 
 «nd b'Uore ail his courtiers, dociaio, that whereas th« bljood of 
 the cliild was atliiint'cd liy his j'athor'sj troason, nnd ihernfore 
 Hccordin^r 'o law, its whole inheritance bijcame f irnited '.o the 
 crown. Yet, says tiie King, I will pardon lliis inranl freely 
 »nd restore him to all his forfeili.d riglits ; in token whereof, t 
 command one of my Ministers, to wash this infant with pure 
 water, signifyiufr to all my subjects that he is cleansed from iliis 
 attainder, and that I am perfectly reconciled with him. 1 ask 
 Jiow, whether any can truly say that, thac action was insignifi- 
 cant to the child because he did not understand it ; or will any 
 say that the child was incapable of washing which was the sign, 
 when it was capable of being acquitted of its attainder, which 
 was the thing signified thereby ; if then, infants are capable of 
 remission of sins, surely they are capable of baptism^ the token 
 «f remission which is the great truth this illustration was brought 
 to prove." This supposition and lhe*inference yoii draw from 
 St, ure unwarranted by scripture, for there is no passage in ho- 
 iy writ, in which the King of heaven has published a pardon to 
 all the children of believers, and in order to signify this, to iiia 
 subjects has commanded his Ministers to baptize them. 
 
 Your next argument in favour of infatit baptism amounts to 
 this, " God is able to regenerate infauts, therefore they ought 
 to be baptised." No mgn it is true, can deny, that God can of 
 *he8e stoiies rais5 up children to Abraham. But I ask, is thia 
 Avork of regeneration actually exerted, on all the infants of be- 
 lievers. Do not scripture and experience show that the children 
 -«)f believers upon whom this operation is exercised are compara- 
 tively few.? How weak and trifling then, is such reasoning? 
 According to thisnrgumeiit the whole human race inoy be bap- 
 tised, fur God is able to regenerate all mankindt 
 
 A^-ain in page 14 you say, •' Infants are capable of Christ's 
 •Wessing OB earth, and of enjoying his presence in heaven, and 
 therefore may be baptised. Mark x ch. 16 v. And again, "Our 
 Mav 3ur baptisednot ariy himself, therefore no wonder that he 
 did not baptize infants; but his praying for them, his blessing 
 iheni, and declaring that the kingdom of heaven belongs to 
 ihem, was a great deal more than if he had baptised them." 
 What has all this to do with the question at issue.' Althpugh 
 he had given them heaven itself. Was thit baptism the point 
 to be proved. Either these infants were baptised, or they were 
 upt. If they were, the controversy is at an end. If they wer^ 
 not, th^n ought not infants now to be baptised. That they wcv^ 
 
 'W 
 
 
 I 
 
 BOttl 
 
 Chris 
 
 themi 
 
 Aeba 
 
 irould 
 
 they i 
 
 Jesut 
 
 to bin 
 
 tdem 
 
 taopi 
 
 ting I 
 
 putes- 
 
 »uch I 
 
 mandi 
 
 they 8 
 
 ■4iithii 
 
 ever i 
 
 whatf 
 
 bead 
 
 obtain 
 
 V Mil 
 
 In 
 
 right 
 
 heavei 
 
 And yi 
 
 partici 
 
 table.' 
 
 —fgr ' 
 
 be»avi 
 
 rents i 
 
 they ai 
 
 ■ e. 16, 
 
 if the] 
 
 ' unders 
 
 ' forasm 
 
 lief bro 
 
 ' stead, 
 
 holy, 8 
 
 tfators ( 
 
 ' fruits b 
 
 looked 
 
 I look 1 
 
 in earn 
 
 rather 
 
 ous put 
 
 root be 
 
 length I 
 
 ji 
 
!ie born of 
 ', " (i(Mi)id> 
 
 14 a person 
 avuur as i^ 
 «ay, " sup- 
 "tlie Ci?idle. 
 Iifj b|o»il of 
 d th^rftfote 
 if,ed 'o the 
 nr'aril freely 
 
 whereof, I 
 1 with pure 
 ;cd from Im 
 liirn. 1 Hsk 
 us inHigiiifi- 
 or will any 
 'OS the Bigri, 
 nder, which 
 
 capable of 
 ^ the token 
 was brought 
 
 draw from 
 sage in ho- 
 I [>ardon (o 
 this» to Ilia, 
 m. 
 
 a mounts, to 
 they ought 
 God can of 
 i£)k, IS this 
 ants of be- 
 Ihe children 
 e compara- 
 
 reasoning f 
 lay be bap- 
 
 of Christ's 
 leaven, and 
 gain, >' Our 
 der that bo 
 lis blessing 
 
 belongs to 
 ised them." 
 Althpugh 
 I the point 
 r they were 
 f they werp 
 .t they w Of 9 
 
 lot then baptiMd i»«¥ident, because they Wert not brouifat t» 
 Christ for that purpose: but that he should put his heads upon, 
 iheoi'aod pray for them. Jesus himself did not baptise them for 
 neboptised none; njr did he order his disciples to do itj np^ 
 would they have forbidden infants to be brought to him had 
 they known any thing about infant baptism. IfC therefore, while 
 Jesus wafr rebuking his disciples for forbidding infants to come 
 to him ; if he was declaring in^Mits to be of his kingdom— taking 
 them up in his arms and blessing them i^S while he had so fair 
 fea opporluoity of being explicit as to their baptism, and of set- 
 ting an example of it, which migh* have prevented all the dis- 
 putes which he foresaw would arise on the subject. 1 say, if on 
 ■uch an oecaeion, he neither baptised them hiraself> nor com- 
 inanded them to be baptised^ nor even gave the leaet hint that 
 they should be baptised.. What can be reasonahly inferred from 
 e<lithi8, but that infant baptism.!* no institution of hisv nor was 
 ever intended by him.. We may also learn from this passage., 
 what some do^not seem to understand^ namely, that infants may 
 be acknowledged ol Christ's kingdom, brojght unto him, and 
 
 obtain his blessing without being bafitised, see Math., xix c. 13 
 ▼. Mkrk »c. 14 v.. 
 
 In one of your objectionsy page IS-, yoti'sev »< If they have « 
 right to baptism, because Christ says of such. is the kingdom qf 
 heaven, then they may as well have a right to the Lord's table.. 
 Andyou"answer— notso^there-isnot^ihe same reason for n 
 particular qualification is required to fit a person for the Lord's 
 table.'' Now, on thievery ground', we refuse baptism to infants 
 — fgr God hath saids ''He* that believeth and is baptised shaJI 
 besaved ♦' Then you- proceed^ " If the-infanle of chrisUan pa- 
 rents are f(Bdera^ly holy then they may be baptised, and tn^t 
 they are fradera^ly holy is clear from the scriptures, Romans xi, 
 e. 16, »« For if the first frutt? be Iioly, the lump is also holy : and 
 H the root be> holy, so are the branches. By the . root we ma:v 
 understand Abraham and by the branches, his posterity. Now 
 forasmuch ae^he Jews the natural branches are through unbe- 
 lief broken ofl$ and the believing G«ot?iles are grafted in their 
 ■tead, and succeed i« their privileges-if in. this sense they ate 
 holy, so are we."' On the explanation, of this passage commen- 
 tators differ. Dt. Doddridge thus expounds it, '«-Fur if the first 
 fruits be holy, so is the kmp." »« The consecration oft hem was 
 looked upon as in effect, the consecration of all. And so would 
 Hook upon the conversion of some few of the Jewish nation, as 
 m earnest ofthe conversion ofall the rest. And so much the 
 rather when I consider, how eminently dear to God those pi- 
 ous patriarchs were from whom they have descended: for if the- 
 root be holy, the branches are likewise so, and will surely at 
 length be regarded as such." Pharaph. on text. Venema thue 
 «M«n»-iti "The wowJ holy, as her« uied, signifies the dedica:- 
 
 i 
 
U. ' 
 
 I 
 
 fibn bf ktliihtf, W«f • ptrwn iacred lo God. Now teetnf Hh# 
 ffewB that believed in the time of Paul, filly answers to the first 
 bairiarchs. E.'peciaily Abraham, be cpnaiders them aa a happj 
 lokeA and example, whence he might ikwfuily hope for the futurf 
 conversion of the people; and that the moss and the branclie/, 
 bid aside for the same use, should be'gaihered together, and^n 
 theiT own time, bfl^come holy, like the, first fruits and root, and 
 ble afresh implanted in their own oli«e tree, comment ad/Mt4 
 
 ill. 23, 24, page 665- ; . ... /ra* 
 
 Here it may be observed, that baptipm is not the snbject ot St. 
 Paul's discourse i it is not meutio«ed in the whole chapter, nor 
 frorti any thing that appears, was it so much as thought of, by 
 the apostle, much lese \Manl baptism. True, the word holy it 
 used, but according lo those auiiiors, and agreeably lo the tej- 
 or of the subject, it is used in reference to the aiiciellt patriarcha 
 fjspecially Abraham— to thoAe convened JeWa that were the first 
 fruits of a christian ministry, and to tJhe fiiture conversjon of 
 Abraham's posterity in the latter days^'so that the passage baa 
 no regard to any christian parent as a ijoot, or to his mtant ofi^ 
 •pringns branches arising from that root. u ^>ia«w 
 
 The next text you bring in aid is I Corinth, vli.ch. 140, Fot 
 the unbelieving huaband is sancifi«d by the wife, and the unbe- 
 lieving wife is aanctified by the hushiand, elbe were your children 
 unclean bat now are they holy. U )ia8 been oljjectcd, that a 
 matrimonial holiness, or legitimacy % what is inienUed by the 
 Apostle i but the explanation la neithfir pertinent nor Uw. 
 
 In page 18 you montion the Bam« parage again, I Corintht. 
 Vii. c. 14 V. and yc=u call it a rerriail^ble.paesage, so indeed it ie» 
 If yoB will 'however be so gciod as to inform us, how an unbe- 
 lieirer <;an be sanctified by being connected . with a believer ; or 
 what kind of sanctification'it ie— then it would be easy to toll 
 you, the kind of holineee it is, of which the children of believers 
 «re possessed. ' « 
 
 <n your dissetttitioii an bapttsm, t<vo GM-comstances are too 
 obvious to escape observation. The\one is the hold and oracu- 
 lar tone, in whicti you annoivnce your-deoisions on disputed pa«- 
 •ages, ^s if you'spoke with the voicd of iftspiralion. The Pope 
 himself with allhisinfallibilHy,cou!dhot have pronounced a more 
 waoiblar decision on a disputed text /than you have ^done up9n 
 this. Anqtlier prominent feature is llie total want cf ^haritj-, 
 -Which breathes through the whole of it, towards those who hap- 
 pen to ditfer from you. 'Tis true. Anabaptists as you oall them 
 had no occasion to expect any great share of moderation or cha- 
 rily from you, Eceing you consider ihein as no better thanwicji- 
 ed^eathena, having no interest in tjio blessings of the cave^ajjl. 
 Surely however your well meaning though mistaken fellow cr^a- 
 lurea bad a fail claim to a portion offyour sympathy, for stiai^e 
 «• it ujav appcat?, uotwiihctandin^ the sweeping feekcnM^oi 
 
 finess in 
 
 led to cl 
 
 >ent. 1 
 
 ^ceroiiiff 
 
 Afford* n 
 
 ^iew mi 
 
 Vecolleol 
 
 'the Kinj 
 
 ^nd the 
 
 pnd thai 
 
 ' all, notv 
 
 ^nfant b{ 
 
 f i.fn I 
 
 'jyipostle' 
 'Sieving I 
 ,;*th;8 text 
 "other hoi 
 . ther oa y 
 Herested i 
 *16 you hi 
 vtill Ibey. 
 .^renta are- 
 ^ (he pr< 
 modern J 
 (|rhey arc 
 Example 
 [ated by i 
 3t!, we th 
 len, wh( 
 >romi8e8, 
 Mth peci 
 
 Ms 
 
 prin 
 
 z I 
 
teetnf Hb« 
 to the first 
 8 a happ« 
 ' the futur| 
 
 branche^i 
 her, and^n 
 
 root, and 
 nt ad/ Mai 
 
 hyxi of St* 
 liapter. nor 
 igbt ofi bj 
 ord hoiy it 
 to the ten* 
 t patriarcba 
 ere the first 
 )i version of 
 lassage has 
 infant off- 
 
 . 140, " Tot 
 
 the unbe- 
 
 3ur children 
 
 ted, that a 
 
 iiled by the 
 
 rtrue. 
 
 1 Cerinlhf. 
 
 indeed it i«» 
 
 y ao unbe- 
 
 teliever ; or 
 
 easy to tfitll 
 
 I of believers 
 
 ices are too 
 and oracu» 
 tsputed pa€- 
 . The Pope 
 meed a mure 
 e ^done upon 
 t c(4:harit$-, 
 ose who hap* 
 'ou nM them 
 alion or chp- 
 r tbaD'wio|(' 
 thec.ove^aiit* 
 1 fellow cre|a> 
 « fur etrai^e 
 
 [ fCfiUDCCiUf 
 
 ihd this opinion is akin to an evor of the Papists, who snpj 
 Xkkx a congregation may be a rrwe charch, itough deiUl|lto «f 
 liotlnem." i>pera, Tom. i. p.BOt. / 
 
 _ Voni these qaotfrtions, we learn, that the sanctifintion <ft 
 the Inbelieving husband menl ioned in the text, 4rel«t«» entirely 
 to mXtrimonral commer oe. T hat 4,he holiness of chndr^n is not 
 hf anVxternai kind, srising f om an external ecoDDmy, thenevr 
 i:oveniaV.i>eine altogether epiiitual and internals. /That the ho- 
 liness inVnded is legitimacy. I That no holineEs/s here attribU'- 
 ^ed to children which may not be ascribed to th/A unbelieving pa- 
 Vent. "Suui being the eentinients of thece Bvedcbaptietg, con- 
 ''cerniiig thik remarkable paslag^, it will aptfear that this text 
 %ffurd« no ar^ment tor infant baptiem; arc indeed wbatevef 
 ^iew may be taken of it, Baptjists have notmng to fear when they 
 TecoHeot that thft -subject in qispnte is a^positive institution o£ 
 'the King of Heaven, for which they hjfVQ bis express precepf, 
 "^nd the plain exnn^le of H^ Apostle^ for what they practise, 
 phnd that the apostleYn (hismlace is ntit treating of baptism ait 
 >:.all, notwithstanding\be use you ha/e made of U, in favour ot' 
 iinfant baptism. \ 1 / 
 
 " <-1n th!s" remarkabm ^Vexi^/yon say page tSih, "Tho 
 
 ^postle clearly Tproves thy cdwenaht interest of the infants ofbe<- 
 
 -lieving parents, it is beyotod kliUpossible contradiction clear frow 
 
 ^histext, that the "childrenXo /believers are, in some sense or 
 
 "*Other holy, or saints *y virtuAi f their parent's faith." A little fur- 
 
 .•ther oa you t«H us, that, ^* To/ ; holy^ must signify to be vkibly iof 
 
 Herestcd in the covenant, «r visil Vto belong to Go<l." And in p«ga 
 
 '^le you have told OS, «* That ihe aVe to be accounted visibly saioto 
 
 ;tiU they profess^the contrar/." Thiu, the childreu of religious pa- 
 
 ,^rent«areiaught«8«oonasAey d»n pr>^at all, to lift up their hawis 
 
 jjn the presence of Cod, Jtod to hddresK him in tb« laiiguage of lb» 
 
 Jjnodern Jew. *• We ar^^thy pejtple, th^hildien of thy covcharit.** 
 
 ^hey are implicitly dufected to 4py» with JKconfidcnt front, hn'anci^dt 
 
 Jbxaraple of prayer re/orded hy 91. Luke, aa\ij.raple which thp* imir- 
 
 fjated by many i»a voWed by fevV. The purporNx)f iheir language tnatt 
 
 ^fc, we thank theVD God, thajf we are not as >he chddren of othtt- 
 
 sen, who are nor interested in/ thy covenant, having no share in Iby 
 
 promises, or any right in thy I confirming seal." VWe conleniplat« 
 
 Jirith peculiar jfrteasure, the vast difference there is betWeen us, and th« 
 
 !*ffspring of o^- profligale neighfcoups— the publicans !'>\Now, as tb^sa 
 
 ^re the genrfno coiwequences of your dictules on the ^uWject, I inar 
 
 teoture to^ppeaHo the impartlal^eader, ardask, wheVh\ such sen- 
 
 if"®"*' inlbibed by the childr«n of Godl^y parents, are not adapted to 
 
 £«arden Uieir conscience m an uJregeneraled state, ^nd to ren^r them 
 
 ??«aiy, yider a vain suppositionfcf their being from their earliesWnfan- 
 
 4my* tM lavourites of heaven ? /When the last messenger knocks\t the 
 
 0wrJho^ frequently does the Jnan, who has given the fleod-tide o\hi» 
 
 ^ipns to ti)e world, consolerhimself with the thought, that he vPia 
 
 1 of christian parents, had Ihe seol of the covenant administered 
 
 by ibicb be was mads \v(»om ttntt asaint, bat aithe' W^t*' 
 
 iffM 
 
i(r. 
 
 k.»iMr.iii»itiAB nronounced by you, a learned doctor of t|jei« w^ 
 iCtfVom Tourself, upon thi. disputed text ; aume of he abkwt. 
 
 thai is ffranted to believers from God. So here ne *P«?"%^1'' 
 
 ««t nioASA fSnd^ vour c;i dren wouW be oaataras , ineruiwic \uw 
 7^ Kr^agS pCe^h God. Now baatarda wer« uncle.n.a^ 
 necuirr manner the law shows Dieut. 23^^Le not a bastard 
 yieriilto t"e congregation oEthe Lord to the tenth generauou. 
 cited in Terubea's- e^ercitat.on, page tU ^^ . husband' 
 
 Mr. Poole n continuaters writes, .*• The »nM«»wng nu-u.i 
 it sanctified by the wife, I rather thin45.it sigmfier brought into 
 •uch a late, hat^ the believer without o«encelo the law of G^d 
 ma V conticue in a married state with euch a yoke fellowv and 
 reVateTmarriageisaholy B^?te, »ot^lhsUnd.ng d«- 
 
 •nmritv with reference to religiom"^ Amd. on- the place. 
 ^CaLe anis saya. "The uHbelieving husband hath beensanc- 
 t,fied thltTs sanSed in the lawful Jse 06 marriage, for with-- 
 out thi , Ibe Ipostle says, the children would be unclean ;^that ; 
 frinfainous, not being? legitimate. Th wthey are holy, that la^ 
 airing th>lrriage,. fhe/are free from-every spot of ignominy. 
 
 ^m" Whitby says, « By fhe wife, because of the wife. I e. he^ 
 i. lobe reputed as^anotified; because he is one flesh with hcJS 
 SiUishot?; or wemaytake these words in the fnse of the 
 ffir^ek interiretei-s, yIz. "The unbelieving husband hath been 
 ®nctSto^ he W wife, by his contract to cohabit with, 
 
 herrandtohaveseedby her. Amulation on ^^e j)la°e. See 
 Xo Lord Brooke Discour- on Episco. Sect. 11. ch. vui. p. 97 98. 
 Ve'SiuvZeeays, "Some think by that holiness mentioned 
 iniat rT^t Th! 4 V. is to be understood such an externa 
 holine8»Mwa»lhatuf the Israelites, and of the cirsumcised . 
 whrwa^rsaessed by an Israelite and Jfew, even though hia 
 life made it appear that he was not a true Israelite, whose praise 
 is noTof .nan but of God- Now, those who are of thia opin on< 
 ?uJ?ose, ha" there is a kind of external covenant under the 
 ffoSSel • on account of which covenant, some are called holy, 
 
 Clh nothing appears in their hvea to P^^T^ JJ^'^^^V"?,:-.* 
 1 we uo iniim^ion of this eJtlernal covwwint m- the whole fteepel. 
 
 Fron 
 iMibche 
 rnatrun 
 of ane: 
 coveiia 
 iiess ill 
 to chu( 
 
 PUIlt. 
 
 i«ig liiii 
 no argi 
 be tuk( 
 lipct lh( 
 King 
 tiie pli;) 
 snd thi 
 ali, no 
 infant 
 '«^In 
 cloaily 
 parent 
 the chi 
 sainis, 
 tell us. 
 in the 
 you lia 
 
 VlU tll6 
 
 parent 
 their h 
 langus 
 of thy 
 eoniidi 
 Luke, 
 few. 
 God! 
 not inl 
 or any 
 euliar 
 ofFspri 
 these I 
 ject, I 
 wheth 
 rents, 
 generi 
 of the 
 ^ wn ?. 
 
 ««T 
 
 
n. 
 
 opiuioD dir* 
 if the ablest, 
 iui intcrpre- 
 D8werp,that 
 their unlike 
 ,y the other ; 
 ng hufbtod 
 divers- inter-- 
 lis, ae else-^ 
 holy io' ue^t 
 I epeahe-the 
 rcod. The 
 riage should 
 therefore the 
 reunclesnin' 
 lot a bastard 
 genereuoB."' 
 
 nng husband^ 
 brought into 
 le law of God 
 I fellowv and 
 ling the dis- 
 lace. 
 
 th been-saoc- 
 ige, for with' 
 oinclean; that 
 i holy, that is^ 
 ; of ignominy. 
 
 i wife, h e. he- 
 esh with her, 
 I sense of the 
 md hath been 
 } cohabit With' 
 3 place. See 
 viii. p. 97, 98i 
 ess mentioned 
 1 an external 
 3 cirsumcised v 
 /en though his 
 e, whose praise 
 of this opinion 
 ant under the 
 re called holy, 
 em saints. But 
 
 . and' this opinion is akin to an orro!- of the Papister, who suppose- 
 that a congregation may be a true church< though destitute ufhu* 
 liiipss " Opera, Tom. i. p. 801. 
 
 From these qiiutations we learni, that the sanctification of the 
 uobclieving husband, mentioned in the text,, relaleu entirely to 
 matrimonial commerce. 1'hat the holiness uf the chiJdren is not 
 ufane.Yviernalikiud, arising i'rom an external economy, tiie new 
 . covenant being altogether spiritual and internal. 'JMiat theholi- 
 iiess intended is lejiritimuoy. Tnai no holiness- is here attributed 
 , to chiidren, which m&y not bo ascribed to (lie unbelieving jia- 
 mat. Such being tOiti sentiments of these Tsedobaptists concern— 
 iiig this remarkable passage^ il ivill appear that this text affords 
 J no argument for infant bapiism, and indeed whatever v.ew may 
 be taiicn of it, Baptists have nothing to fear^ when they recol— 
 i. li'ct that the subject in dispute ia a positive institution ot tho^ 
 ^ King of Heaven, for which ihey have his cxplioit jjrecept, and 
 I the pliiin exampLfl of the His Apostles for what they oracticer 
 I and that the Apostle inthis place ie not treating of baptism aC 
 \ alJ, notwithstanding t/heuse you have made of it^ in favour o^ 
 4 infant bapti&iiK. 
 
 '«-In this" remarkaWe-'*^text," yowsay page 18, "-The Apostle 
 I cleaily prove* the covenant interest ofc" the infants of believing; 
 i parents. U ia beyond all contradiction clear from this text, that 
 I the children of believers, are, in some sense or other, holy, or 
 saints, % virtue of their parents feiih."' A Lttle further on yo* 
 tell us, that, «- To be holy, must signify to be visiblv interested; 
 in the covenant, or visibly to belong lo "God."" And'in page 16> 
 you have told us, "That thev are to be accounted visibly saints^ 
 tJiU they profess the-oontrary'"" Thus^ the children cf religious 
 parents ate taught, as soon as they can pray at ell, to lift up 
 their hand& in the presence of God, and to address Him in the- 
 language of the modern Jew, " We are thy people, the children 
 of thy covenant J" They ore implicitly directed to copy, with a 
 confident front, an ancient example of prayer recorded by Saint 
 Luke, an example, which tlio' imitated by meny, is avowed hy^ 
 few. The purport of liieir language mu&t be,, we thank thee, 6- 
 God ! that we are not as ihe children of other men,, who are 
 not interested in tiiy covenant, having no share in thy promiaes, 
 or any right in thy confirming seal," " We contemplate with pe- 
 culiar pleasure^ the vast dift'erence there is between us and the 
 offspring of our profligate neighbours— the publicans.'' Now a» 
 these are the genuine consequences of your dictates on the sub- 
 ject, 1 may venture to appeal to the impartial reader, and ask, 
 whether such sentiments imbibed by the children of Godly pa- 
 rents, are not adapted to harden their consciences in an unre- 
 3^» generated stale, and to render them t'apv,under a vain supposition. 
 i of there being from their earliest infancy, the favourites ofjica- 
 y4 Mei\?: Wh«n the last messenger kiiycks at the doyr, how Cra- 
 
 nr 
 
 .,4.. 
 
18. 
 
 qtiontly do«'n thpTHan Who hns i;lven th» flooi1-tii1« nf his sffec 
 tHmntnthe world, eouMe himeclf with the thought, thnt ho 
 Win born of christinn parents, hnd the aenl of the coveriftnt od- 
 minipterfid to him, by which he wa? mndo in some tense a snint 
 ~nnd that, nllhouprh his lifo hns not been bo correct as it rWprht 
 to have hrcn, yot he has nil alongr bfien a profpsfinp christian, 
 and as God is merciful he hopes nil will be well at Intst.? It rAiist 
 bf» confessed, this is a lamentable preparation for the awfulhess 
 of eternity I yet, is it not just such a preparation as meets otir 
 every day observation ? And is iharo no crime think you, in 
 thus sfrewincr the path to immortality, with promises the most 
 Welnsory.' For if circumcision avalleth nothinp, nor nncirctim- 
 cision, but a new creatnre ; if federal holine«s confers no real 
 »ipiritual blessings on its possessors ; if the middle wall of parti- 
 tion between Jew and Gentile is broken down ; if all are by na- 
 ture the children of wrath ; if Gcd has concluded all under sin, 
 that he misfht have mercv upon nil througli the same means; 
 where is thf^ boasted difference between the children of believpra 
 and I hope of unbelievers ? 
 
 Thn law of the Lord, upon this intcrestingr subject has lonjr 
 finco gone forth to the world: ^* Think not to say within your- 
 8clve$. wo have Abraham to our father, the nx-j is laid to the 
 root of the tiev>. every free thnt bringoih not forth good fruit in 
 hewn down and ca!»t into the fire-" The blood of Chriist i:i onti 
 vievv, and Kis spirit in an')iher, are the ojily seals rtf that cove- 
 nnni which rncliules all our s*ilvafion. And, n^ by the fnrnier 
 ♦ ho covrnnnt it?f?!f, was most solemnly ratified. So, by tlio. 
 Initev our invisible intorcpt in it, is ascerorned. Mritth xxvi c' 
 25, ITeb iK c. 10, 17 v. Eph. i c 1.3 v. nndivc. 30v. Mnno 
 rrnf'ntance towards God. and faith toward^ our f^ord lef^m 
 Chft'U nre the only moans by whicli a Hinncr becomes inltort'sld 
 in the blessings oftlie covenant of Grace. 
 
 VourF, &c. 
 
 -ocn- 
 
 L E TTER I V. 
 
 As the pfceepf-i of our T^ord, roRpcding bnpti«w nn 
 ronrei»srdly containrd in Matth. xxviii c. 19 and 20 v. if infan 
 ImoHKin is lint tauglit here, we Frflrili the Fcripturrs f»ir it i* 
 riiia. 'i'lio (livino <;omin;«n<l i.", " Go \p therefore, «nd l«>acb « 
 yihn'>n.s baptzipgr liienn in the no«iiC « f the Fathrr, and of lli 
 S<>ti, «iiwl of ?be Holy Ghoft. t»>aciiing them to olBervo i»ll thiiH 
 V Irifsocvor I have c<<n»roando<i ytni." Upon ihr^e words, ptiff 
 >♦' \'»ip. mrirtrlc, " The word tfoch iti the orifl'innl mrans 1tim>il( 
 J>u.t;.p'or; or Icurn; t.«d^<;hijdrcu are cwpablc in lliissciiSC of b( 
 
 in^.Riade 
 Kiegisspe 
 Hirv I ca 
 oliHerver 
 tc.xA. Ti 
 us are coj 
 ;*l hey w»'i 
 Jhtui taiig 
 ina'Udud. 
 ( q livaleri 
 
 f XjjlHiuS 
 
 |:ubinitttit 
 
 V. Mat. i; 
 
 ii>) may b 
 
 IC.v. S. 
 
 you baptj 
 
 '^ngi'. aflo 
 
 lation an( 
 
 given of 
 
 .tlie natic 
 
 "There i 
 
 Jy enjoin* 
 
 . wii — to c 
 
 J the chun 
 
 duties of 
 
 , |*oint mo 
 
 ? liaye rec< 
 
 Greek cl 
 
 pcun von 
 
 . graphcrF 
 
 In pag 
 
 poepel ar 
 
 iherrfore 
 
 the discif 
 
 bear. 'J 
 
 iippointe( 
 
 cipies ; n 
 
 the gchor 
 
 Kpcalving 
 
 in^' ad mil 
 
 osk, hd? 
 
 circumcie 
 
 called Dii 
 
 I his book 
 
 those wh 
 
 Tlicy we 
 
 J»er83 1st, 
 
 Uvght th 
 
10. 
 
 Iff hii B*fte« 
 ight, that ho 
 covenant od' 
 
 nense a snint 
 ct as It (light 
 np christian, 
 nfi».? It rtust 
 the awfulrteas 
 as meeta our 
 iliink you, in 
 ses the ttinst 
 lor nncirctim. 
 ifcrs no real 
 vail of. parti- 
 11 are hy na- 
 all niider ain, 
 jnmf} means; 
 3rj of believcra 
 
 jcct has lonrr 
 ' within your- 
 3 laid to ' the 
 good fruit ill 
 Ciirjut i:i on« 
 rtr I'liat cove- 
 by the fnfiner 
 So, by tlio 
 Int»h xxvi c' 
 30 V. Ilnnc? 
 jr Lord }efm 
 mcs iiitort'eld 
 
 g bnpti«ni nn 
 SO V. if infan 
 >furrs r»>r it i" 
 », jind t^'Jicl) n 
 irr, and of tli 
 beervu i»ll thiii 
 !0 words, p^c 
 nrirnns ttimfili 
 \US SCK8C of b« 
 
 injj.niadc T)?f c p.^a; nay, the children oriicli«'viii|r farfiifa ujuIci 
 lheg,js|iel, ar« calloH Diaoijdes exp,r»'snly. Acid xv. r. 10 v. Now 
 Sirv I can ftcarcely iiere:ii«de inysfif. thiit the tiiOHi fcuperficial 
 obHurver rnii be ai any io.-fl, to understand llie nionnitinr of thin 
 Irxd. TJie pcrfoiis who nrf« coinn»andf?d lo be b»ipiiz<,'d, nroeucli 
 u« arn co|)obl« of undcrslamlh^, bcluvin^ jiiid olHt/ivg (lj»«^/u;'|.t'l. 
 
 "J |jey were fjrrtl to b<) lu.|^hr ot made l)i8ci|>U.'H by' toiici-.in^s JMid 
 (lnui faiight to ohneive oil iliiiijrH whatsoever Christ Iind oniu- 
 ina-iidtMl. iSoPideiH iho word l>4r»/)/<j in (l»o Nvw 'i'ettuni<'iU. i* 
 iqiivalent (othe term C'/rjv/m«. Act ix r. "JC v. Mr. Wilson 
 lA-ilaios the lenn J^ipcjple, (14 lucaii " ii loarner, or Kcliolar who 
 tubiniltcth to another !«> bo lanyht ony Ipiiriiing-, Acts xx. c 111) 
 y. Mat. 1X-. 2 V. One who Kvjrneih the doctrine of Christ, that 
 lo? may believe and practise it. Acts ix. c. IG v. l.iiKo xiv. c. 
 IC.v. See ('hristian ]>i(:i. Article Disciple. Ifthcf, the iufunta 
 jou bapiiae are .lot chrietiuiis. the words of Christ in this pat- 
 K«ge aHord no ground f .r their baptism. Dr. CHinibt-H's tn.i.!- 
 
 Jalion and note oti this text, clearly confirms (ho view 1 havo 
 Riven of it. Alatth. xxi'iii. c. 19 V.' '^Oo thcrelbre, c&nvcrl i\\\ 
 
 -Jh^ nations, baptibir-^r n,pm, ^-c." Then follows the note. 
 1 here are manifestly tlirpe ihiiiffa which our l.ord here diPiiucJ- 
 
 ,Jy ei'joins hid Apo^nlca to execute with regard to the iiatioiia, tu 
 
 , wii—to convert Ihoiii to the faith-io ini'.jute the converts into 
 thochurch by baptism—and to iuetruct the bapiiscd in all xuv 
 duties ol the christian, life." M' tlio reader chootes to Fce thn 
 
 , point more largely dii^ooRsed and incontehtdde proved he mav 
 have rcco^ir.e to Dr. Gal in whose learned reflections he will fiu'd 
 Uieek classics, ancient Fathers, nnn)erousOr:enlal and Knr*;- 
 pean versions ofthetcvt, modern critic^,, and vutious Lex.cu- 
 
 „ graphciP,.all unitinjr in our fivour. Leli. 7, 8. 
 
 In page 15 you have said,," Children of believers under tho 
 jroepel are called disciples expressly, Acts x^r. c. 10 v. Nou . 
 lerrfore why tempt ye God. to put a voke upon the neck .,f 
 he disciples.whjch neither our Potherb nor we ivere able to 
 bear. J be yoke here njenti..ncd was circumcision which uoa 
 oppointedl^o be adminifterod to infant children, here called !);«. 
 ciples ; nnd,as thoy are capable of being admitted as learners in 
 the ecbo.l of Chr.«i • &c. Not to mention the ab^urdit v of " 
 KpealviMgof the capability of infants such as vou bnplise, ..rbc^- 
 
 Ifr.nr. ^f^.'^omrnanded the infant children of Gentiles to bo 
 rXnr '1 *"; "','/'' '^^'■^ iHe. infants th.-.i you say were heio. 
 [his bi nS'' V '^ '^"r.^^^^'^'^ •■« <1^'0 to the inspired Author ,.f 
 lulf' ^'^" '"^*"t« v.'»'>ch you say nro called Di.cipieP, w.,o 
 those who from among the Gen- ilea' were turned .0 God, ly v 
 2^rZ7ryTT''' ^••>P«l>ie of being tau.hl. for we a;e .oh' . 
 
 U^ight the brotlircn and satd, except ye be circuiudtGd and k.ei ■ 
 
 ■'!jf 
 
II 
 
 20. 
 
 the Law of Woecp, yc cannot be saved." This cxcccdrngfytrwi- 
 Med Ihc Gt'ntilc churches : whereupon a deputation was eent t« 
 Jerusalem to enquire about this matter. " And when there had 
 been much dispuiinif, Peter rose up and said unto thenv, men an4 
 brclhren, ye know that a great while ago, God made choice 
 among us, that the Genlileaby my mouth should hear the gos- 
 pel and believe. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bear 
 them witn-yss, giving them the HolyfJIiost, even as he did unto 
 ns| and put no ditTerence netween us and them, purifying their 
 Jjearts by faith." " Now therefore, why tenipt ye God, to put 
 a yoke upon the neck of the Disciples." The sum of Peter's ar- 
 gument is this, seeing KSod has given the Holy Ghost to tho 
 •(lentiles, having purtticd their tiearis by faith ; why tempt ye 
 'God to put a yoke upon the neck of these Disciples, whoso 
 hearts are thus purified? This yoke you say was circunKMsion ; 
 hut if circumcision was that unbearable yoke, how did it irappen 
 to be so profitable every way to ancient krael as you represent 
 jr, page 18? The Epistle of Paul to the Oalacians having 
 been written for the express purpose of overturning the •doctrine 
 of those men, who tauijht the Disciples, that urless Vhey were 
 circumcised, &,c. they could not 'oe saved. We may^u able to 
 learn from him what this yoke was.|Gal. -v. c* 1 verse. He exhorts 
 to stand fast therefore, in the liberty wherewith Christ'hath made 
 us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. 
 The yoke of bondage here spoken of is 'I conceive the same with 
 ihat to which Peter refers Acts xv. c 10, v. This yoke so far 
 from being crrcumcidion, obviou&lyconsisted in that spirit of sell^ 
 lig.hteousness vvhich led its pojjsessior to seek gustification by cir- 
 cumcision, and keeping the law of Moses, so says the Apostle, 
 Gal. V. c. 2, 3, 4 verses. " Uelrold, I Paul say unto you, that 
 if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I tea. 
 I'ify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor 
 to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect u«to you, 
 Avhosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from 
 grace." Here then we are plainly taught, that ihe yoke of 
 bondage consists in seeking justrficatiou by the works of the law, 
 «>r by anything tLe than tJie perfect righteousness of 'Ohrist., 
 fealvalion on any other terms, has always been a yoke oF^ond- 
 jigo, which no human being could bear., Tlie rays of our own 
 jijrliieousiiess prove a covering, too superficial to fcreen us from 
 Hie scoicliiiig eye of God out of Christ.." it follows, therefore, 
 iiiiit tins yoke of bondage, stands directly opposed to the bound- 
 less, all Bufiiciency of tiie aionement made by .lesufl Chrhst, to 
 lite ful'iess and iVeeness of the salvation which the chief of sin- 
 ners obiaius, by I'aiih i'l tile divine testimony. 
 
 Vuiir next arjtruii.euts in favour of infant baptism, are taken 
 irum the baptism ol" liouseljoUis. In page siO you affirm, *' That 
 tliv iji^U£(i.iuiu ui'Lydia vscic bapiiocd uucxi her iailh, -^ vvli€thec 
 
 Hhcy wr 
 
 were, it 
 
 them aa 
 
 •cause ol 
 
 (holineps 
 
 Justly ci 
 
 jin the c 
 
 fvine ma 
 
 the gos[ 
 
 «hall be 
 
 of persr 
 
 Nation of 
 
 •evident I 
 
 •we migh 
 
 'wers sav 
 
 As yo( 
 
 'been ha\ 
 
 shall ans 
 
 Whitby 
 
 inslructe 
 
 aiy it. S 
 
 Mr. Hen 
 
 There w 
 
 , anade no 
 
 •the gosp< 
 
 v. see to 
 
 Works, \ 
 
 and note 
 
 :xxii. seel 
 
 purpose. 
 
 ' himself* 
 
 '''■ believing 
 
 ns well a 
 
 when vie 
 
 "oiski pep 
 
 his house 
 
 Inte A. ^ 
 
 •criticism. 
 
 •orkos hoi 
 
 is «'leur fi 
 
 •Seventy 
 
 ;the child 
 
 •each mat 
 
 ♦ciiticism 
 
 Journey ^ 
 
 •same wo 
 
 Law res} 
 
 "tays, it V 
 
 •«at thera 
 
 ifejiu^i pi 
 
21. 
 
 was sent In 
 II there had 
 TTv, men and 
 lado choice 
 ir the go8- 
 rearts, bear 
 he did unto 
 ■ifying their 
 lod, to put 
 r Peter's or- 
 lost to tho 
 y tempt ye 
 pies, whoso 
 rcumoiflion; 
 id It <happen 
 I represent 
 ans having 
 he 'ductnne 
 Vhey wero 
 f\ie able to 
 He exhorta 
 t'hath made 
 of bondage. 
 esame with 
 ^oi:e so far 
 pirit ofseif- 
 ilion by cir- 
 he Apostle, 
 a vou, that 
 
 For J tea. 
 is a debtor 
 . \mto you, 
 fallen from 
 lie yoke of 
 s of the law, 
 
 of Ohrisf.. 
 ke of %ond- 
 of our own 
 een us from 
 , therefore, 
 ' the bound- 
 I Ciirjst, to 
 Inef of siti- 
 
 , are taken 
 
 inn, " That 
 
 •^ vvliClhec 
 
 nhcy were chiWren of servants, or both or what their exact ages 
 were, it is not said nor is it material. Q'he story represents 
 them as baptised upon her failh." You formerly supported the 
 'cause of infant baptism from federal holmeas; but what kind of 
 holiness could servants derive from their mistress, which would 
 jjustly entitle them tobapiism ? Besides how could the Apoetlea 
 in th9 case, dare lo violate tho lest solemn command of their dt- 
 »vine master, " Go ye therefore in»o all tlie world, and preach 
 the gospel to every creature; heihaUbelieiielh and is baptised, 
 «hall be saved," iSec iMark, xvi.-c. 4S. 16 verses. Jf the baptism 
 of persons who made no prnfesbion' of faith, was not a gross vio- 
 lation of this precept, no luno^uage can exprets such e violation. -It ni 
 •eviJent therefore, thht they were not bajntiged upon her failh. Betide« 
 •we might with equal propriety ttlfum, that the household of theJuiliir 
 'wers saved qpon hiu -faith. 
 
 Asyou are pl«««edio<!«B8ider the houselioldof the Jailor, lo have 
 
 'been baptised upon t/hc ^.mie f otiiig as the household of Lydia, .[ 
 
 sliall answer you by quotins: from your Tfedobaplist brethren. Doctor 
 
 Whitby says, '' And who« slie (L/ydin) and these of her household were 
 
 inslrucled in ihechiistian faith, mid in the n«lure of baptism rfquir^d 
 
 ^by it. She was b<iptised and her Irouaehold.'" Paiaph. on the place. 
 
 Mr. Henry says, "He (theCyailor) beiievin* in God with all^his hou8f>. 
 
 There were none in his house that refused to be baptised, and to 
 
 anade no jar in the harmony ; but they were unanimous in embracing!; 
 
 the gospel, which added much to the joy." Expos.'on Acts, xv.-c..4J4 
 
 V. see lo the same effect Calvin's commt nls in lac. Dr. Hammond's 
 
 Works, vol. i. p. 494. Dr.Doddridge's verses of I Cotinth. xvi c.l5 v. 
 
 and note on the place Lembrcch Comt. in lac. Syslpm of div. B. 5. c. 
 
 xxii. sect. 2, •• The story of the Jaiior," you sny, *' is to the sain« 
 
 ^ purpose. No mention is made of aoy one's believing, but the Jailor 
 
 i 'himself- Hut, if it should bvsaid, do not the next wo»ds, He rejoioed 
 
 believing God with all his house, import that all his family believtd 
 
 as well as ho? It is answered that the avoids do not seem to say so , 
 
 when viewed in Iheoriginal. Fur the Greek words, "egulliasiUo pan- • 
 
 "oiski pepisteukostroTheo," are literally tendered. He rejjiced in all . 
 
 his house having belieycd God," I reply to this in the words of the , 
 
 late A. M'Lean. "See letter to Mr. Glass in op;7o«iion to the uncouth 
 
 •criticism, I shall demonstrate that the " advetb punoiki (of pus all a'ml . 
 
 •orkos house) is the same with sempanljq ko, with all the house. 1 hfs 
 
 is I'lear (Vom ils undeniable seii?c in the passage vvhtie it occurs. Th« 
 
 'Seventy use thisword in Exod. i.e. I v. Nuw ll>ese are the names of 
 
 ■ the children of Israel whiihcntiie iul. FgA pt. ekaatos i.anoiki. i. <;. 
 
 eacli man with his whole house." Or shall we say acioiding lo ih-^j 
 
 'CI ilicism, that only the eleven palriaiohs came into Fgvpt, that the 
 
 journey was theirs, and thailheir (..milies weie left bthii'.d them ? The 
 
 •same word occurs in Josephus Autog. c. iv. s. 4, where speaking of thf* 
 
 Law respecting the offerings allotted lor tie Pncsls' niainlcnai.ee I o 
 
 'says, it was ap^oinled, " that they (jatioiki) with ihoir !a(juli«s n.i-il t 
 
 ■«at them in the holy c-ly. Should any one still luiaguie that th« >e oi- , 
 
 Ccjm-ipciU.utUoLly io iLe i-.itst hwi.it]f, lUl 'hib c„la,ii \s„s,';..-3 
 
22*. 
 
 uk 
 
 np^ tSuf rinrt^ wf hi» Inmily pnrtwok with '^im■ ! refor him to iH^ '«w 
 i'liHTot' which J(>MR|>hu> it ipeakino;, ''In th<» mo I holy plwco Anil 
 1h«fu n.it ii, 1 ha vfl givro Ihcn until ll>8»?, uoJ li» Mijr jons a«iii '«* 'Hjr 
 iS«nflil«r» with lh«e, hy n flHliit« for eT<>r ; ftvary onn Ihul ii rlenn in 
 ♦ hy lTor^;!«hall ent of II. Num xviii. c. 10, '20 v, This is c.loHr bif- 
 yoml n!l tliypulr, llwit our trniiH'iutors ht:va pivcti the Iriio moHijiii:; of 
 th t worti, nnJ il»«l whcMn « nmit iloes luiy thinj jmnoiki. he tlo'-s il In 
 «.^iiK"cit with H whole hou»o, who are tqunliy enjujjeJ therein with 
 Iiinifelf.'' 
 
 In i>Hg« 21 you »iiy. " we might rcajon in n liniilnr wny with lej- 
 prct to the household of Su'phitnus were it iiecr8«ai y, hut Fhnll only ni. 
 loni! thcio inftniicef, hsIc, is it prohalilo thrtt there werft no iiifimt chil- 
 dren in any of these lamilles? We read when CJod smote the ftr«t-horn 
 <>f\Egypt, (here ivas not n house in which there wn« not one desij ; con- 
 5fq«cntly not n houic in Kjjyiit in whit;h there wa'^notu r.hild ;" Sur<;ly 
 I and my l'.»p;Ttt hrethrcn, nimt h*) stupid nnJ inroiri^il/le to withhold 
 fiisenl from jucli «;lenr demon*trHlion ! For nllhou^h the iu«pircd Apoj- 
 tle has told u», that the household of Plfphnnus adtlressed thenosehet 
 (0 the ministry of the iaiuts, — thnl Lydia"* household were romfort*,i' 
 ii<4>relhreD — that the word of the Ijord was spoken to all the Jailor '& 
 Iiousc, and that they rejoiced believing in God as well ns himseli", T 
 Cor, xvi. c. 15 V. Acts xvi. c. 32, 40 v. Yel aft'T nil this we must coa- 
 dgde that there were infants in Iheio hoii«e?, wlio were huptifcd, he- 
 pause here was a whole nation with one dead in it, that dead tiein* tiie 
 first born, conaeqiaenlly a child ! I ! Would it not. Sir. be offerings i*n 
 iDiult to the common sense of niiinkind to say, that llie last born tven of 
 ««vijry house raust he un infdnt ? Much more then must il be, to iifsert* 
 thut the first boin of every hi. use must be a child. Such tUnisy reasoning; 
 •Irong^ly niaiksthe weakness of your cause. 
 
 In page 22 you say, " I go on to consider the evidence which wc 
 have that infant baptism was the ronstant prnclisc of the primitive 
 C/hurch from the Apostles time, which will still confirm the eviilenco, 
 thnt it was their practice also. The first of those enrly writers whom i 
 ilmll bring forward in evident s Ju:«tin. Martyr. He wrote about forty 
 years after the Apostolic age, id "ays, 'We have not rcceivrd Ihn 
 carnal but the spiritual circumcision by baptism, — and it is cnjoinrd to 
 hII persons to receive it the same wny.' lie says also, "Seveial per- 
 irODS among us who were made disciples to Christ from their childhooi', 
 di continue uncorrupted, '.hey are regenerated in the same way in 
 which wc have been regenerated, for they are washed with water (not 
 sprinkled) in the name of the Fiithtr, Son and Hd • Glmst." You «p 
 pear to consider it plain from th]s passage, thai . .: ;,ul!ior believed 
 liBptism came in the place ol circumcision. Now ^on 
 ranted to form a very d (Tevpnt conclusion. Jf c 
 nnl ordinance to the child of a J <iw, — bow, I ask, can you prove that 
 baptii'm came to be any thing more to the child of a christian.'' An«l 
 BCcord'ng to your own shewing page 14, " fjircumcision was instituted 
 foi the same ends as baptism," I do not l:now of any mean?, by which 
 n oeison can be said, to receive a spiritual ordinance, but by a spiritual 
 d»ae;otii<:nl of Hi nature, iCor, ii. 14 v. You say '* thjal it is to b« 
 
 ijps myself wi r . 
 sir.'! was a ear- 
 
 » 
 
 4 
 
 f 
 
 i 
 
 th 
 
«n. 
 
 jIuCP •Hull 
 
 Hid lo <hf 
 
 « rlRnn in 
 
 clonr l»f- 
 
 e (JiK's it in 
 erciu with 
 
 w!lh i*ii- 
 hnll utily (It. 
 inrnnt rhil- 
 if ftr^t-liorii 
 (1p:iJ ; con- 
 il;" Siiroly 
 to wilhholil 
 [jired Apoj- 
 
 themselvKi 
 B comfort't' 
 the Jailor'^ 
 I himseir, I 
 •B must coa- 
 iptifcd, b*'- 
 d hpinw tlie 
 
 olTcrinff t<n 
 born even of 
 )«, to nfsert. 
 isy reasoning 
 
 5 whic!i wc 
 le primJIiva 
 he evi«1onco, 
 iters Aviiotn ( 
 e about forty 
 receivril thn 
 9 cnjoinrd to 
 ?evei!il per- 
 ir childhooil, 
 »ame \vay in 
 Ih water (not 
 ." You «p 
 ?'or believed 
 myself VI ( r . 
 . was B car- 
 LI prove that 
 'istian? An.l 
 vvn« in>lili.ited 
 n?, by which 
 by a spirituHl 
 1 it it to ba 
 
 I 
 
 U 
 
 oWrrrd Wr«, thnt when h« tayr, maiU diteiplM h« u»M tH« tMnm 
 vortls whirh is ured in tho ciroiirnoiiion, ditcipU nil nutioni, baplisiiiK 
 Ihrm. !ie" And how were the Apoitlci to make diioiptct of the na- 
 tions? Who it not by initriictin;; them in the doctrine of Chru t, iO Ms 
 lolend them to receive thb truth in Iho love of it? Nay, Christ prohi- 
 bits the \M>o of any other weapon, than thfl truth of res;enerntin||; man- 
 kind. And your author says thit those who from their childhoo<l wtr<» 
 made disciples, were rejeneralod in the same way as the rest of their 
 brethren; in consequence of wh'ch they were washed with water, ami 
 nons but those who were so regenerated were commanded to b« wash - 
 ed, in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. 
 
 The second wrifer you brinj; forward Is Irenius. You And it nccei^nry 
 however, to introduce him by an uiiology, reminding; your readers thht 
 he m«»ntifms infant baptijm only transiently. Bi(t does he mention it at 
 aM ? Cc. luinly, if you are allowed t<i conytrue hi* words tosuit your own 
 purpose. " Speaking concerning Christ yon toll us, he^ays, he caino to 
 ifne nil penous by himself, who by him are regenerated, i. e. bnptiie<l 
 tnlo God.inf.ints, little onos, youths and elderly persons." that he used 
 the word regenerated lo «ignify baptized is plain from his own wcrd», 
 when he says, when Christ ijavo his ilisciples the command of regene- 
 Talinsf unto OdJ, he said, 'Go and teach all nations, haptizing ihcm.* 
 Tirre it is plain he means the command of baptizing." So you and 
 others h»vo said, but as Irenius h\xn not said s;j, I think that 'in justice, 
 his words are to be undcratnod in their proper meaning, especially when 
 fo underatood ihoy nppenr to be in harmony with (ho ilivine ^yord, 
 when on the coiilrury Ilia construction ypu put on them, makes hun 
 speak a Inngupg? at variance with the scripture. Vor if the conimaad 
 lo regfnerciti be the command to baptise, — then baptism was the 
 ground work the Apostles were to perform for thn natimis; whereas, 
 baptism without regeneration is an empty sound. Christ he say?, ' Came 
 to s.ive all persons by hinisolt, who by him are regenerated into God, 
 jiifiints, little ones, »tc." this accords with what Christ so often taught. 
 except a man be born again ho cannot enter the kmgdom of Heaven,'' 
 Here, I ask; if Irenius does not teach the same doctrine John taught, 
 when he said, that thero were in the chuch babcs% young men, and /a- 
 Ih^rs ? But they were babes, who had rereivid the sincere milk of the 
 word, nnl tho infan's or babes mentioned by Irenius, were retjeni'fated . 
 '['he command given the Apostles was strictly what Ireuius calU it, a 
 To;iimnnd to rogeneraf. Di. Campbell calls it a command to convert 
 which moans llie-fame thing. FIc says " Go convert all nations,'' &c. 
 Now wh't would you think of tho candour of that man, who in order 
 to defend a cei lain hypothesis, affirmed that Dr. Campbell called bap- 
 tism conversion ? When you thought fit to appeal to the Fathers, why 
 »lifl yf>n pass over the writers of thn first century ? Surely they 
 nreunexceplinnable tefelimr)ny on the case, I defy, ho vg\er, 
 you or any olhei person lo fIiow that christion writers either i-f 
 the first or second centjry directly rnention infant bapti?ir. Th« 
 writers of »hf first cenfury who will be nllowed to hax'e been cf* 
 temporaries with the V\poBtles aro Barnnbap, FTerm.^s, Cfitnenp, 
 ItomnnuB, Fgrmttus end PoWcarp— y^t not oiic nf theee 6p> aks 
 
24: 
 
 of baptUnifbeinv administered to infnntf*.. Barnabas mcnt,ron»- 
 ttierperiftnis baptized as, * putting their trust in the Cross," ind 
 na^ " going:'dl>\vn into the water full of sins and polhiiions, but 
 ocining up ajrain bringing^ fortli fruit in their liearls, the fee.r 
 nnd iiop^ which are in Jesus by the Rpirir,, Kpis. ix. llennun 
 represents ihem as ^'havinir heard the word ond being willing 
 to bp baptised in the name of the Lord, Parr., lib. i. 5( 3. Justia 
 Affirlyr,, Atheangoras, Feelix, Irenaeus and Cleniuud of Alox- 
 ptidria, constituted the christian. writers of thn second century, 
 who so far from speaking direotJy of infant bapiibm, as an uii- 
 questioned: pf.qictice, never on«e uttered a word u|)on the sub- 
 ject. fan.proo(.otithis, I slmllcite a few learnedlPceJobuptisis,Cur- 
 cellnitifrsa^ ^ The baptismtof infants in tiie first centuries after 
 Christ, wusallogether. unknown ;. but in. the third' ond fourth 
 was-aJloMHid by some few. In t^vu fU'th aiid following ages it was 
 jrenerally pe«eived. The custom of baptising infunts, did not 
 begiovbefora-ttH? t-liird age after Christ was born. In the furnier 
 ages no trace of it appears — and. it was introduced without the 
 
 Instit. Il«lig. Christ, i^. i. c. X4ii dis. 
 
 sec. 
 
 command^of GhrisU." 
 do Pen. Mg. St 56k 
 
 'J'he well-known Mr. Chambers, says>, "It appears that in 
 the primitive times none v/.er6 baptised but adultii" Cyoloptedia, 
 Article! baplismi 
 
 Dr. flolUnd informs- \ia that,. " In the first plantation of chris- 
 tianity^ amongst the Gentiles &«ch only as were of full age, after 
 ihey, were instructed' in the pwnciples- of the christian religion, 
 were udinittedito bapli&m.. Dr. VVairs llist. Iiif. liuji.Parl 2, c. 
 ii.p. 2bl, 5 
 
 .We arc told by Johannes Bohemaus that *' Baptismofold was 
 odminititercd to none (unless upon urgent necessity) but such 
 U9 were before instructed in the faith and catechised. But wheti 
 itcanie-to be judged necessary to everlasting life, it was ordain- 
 ed thai infants should: be baptised, and that they should have 
 Giadi-fathcrs and Gods-mothers, .who should be sureties for infants 
 nudisliould renonnce the devil ont4ieir behalf,.' See Lawson's 
 BdDlistmalogia, p. 80; 
 
 W these learned Autbors (to whom many mere might be added) 
 have spoken the truthj what becomes of your learned conclu- 
 Bion, page 27> wher« you say,. " It is as plain thenvas hJ.^tory can 
 make it, that there had been no dispute about the point, and 
 that there was not neither had been any sect of people professing 
 Christianity that denied ii, from the Apostles time to that day. 
 Nor is there the least evidence for eleven or twelve hundred' 
 years, that it was ever opposed by any man or society of men.; nor 
 indeed till the year 1522, except by a small number in France in 
 the I2th century." 
 
 It could scarcely have been deemed credible that a learned 
 Djctor of the nineleeuth century wculd have gtaked his repulii- 
 
 lion for 
 vihich < 
 no loss 
 preciou 
 MS that 
 fiant ba; 
 4, Di 
 defame 
 cia, A 
 Ho wai 
 ta,i;t an 
 doctrim 
 Allix r< 
 us, « A 
 Palerin 
 tiazari 
 mode oi 
 vohemc 
 an erro 
 thing Q 
 was im 
 willing 
 •>Uere 
 dy of n 
 (H;ve hu 
 ny to th 
 demnet 
 of such 
 him, at 
 cljsvays 
 cots lor 
 baptis'f 
 Mochei 
 
 ' ^affords 
 
 'you att 
 
 '* certain 
 
 '^clearly 
 
 #if it vv'e 
 
.^J. 
 
 I as mcnUom^ 
 ( (^ross," iiid 
 alliuioris. but 
 urtd, the fee.r 
 
 ix. llerinun 
 being wiHiiig 
 i. 5( 3. Judtia 
 liiud of Alox-- 
 coiid century, 
 im, as an uii- 
 pun ilic siib- 
 obuptisiH.Cur- 
 leiituried after 
 rd' and luurtli 
 ing ages it was 
 ifuiit^, did not 
 
 In the f'urnier 
 i without the 
 c. X4ii (iis. sec. 
 
 ipears ihnl in 
 " Cyclo|)8sdia, ^ 
 
 lafion of chris- 
 
 full age, after ^ 
 
 siian religion, ^. 
 
 lJa,i..l*art 2, c. (y| 
 
 lismofold was ||| 
 jsity) but such ^ 
 led. Jjut when *fj 
 
 it was ordain- 
 y. should have 
 aties for infants 
 
 See Lawson's 
 
 night be added) 
 sarned conclu- 
 tt'.as history cad 
 the point, and 
 (ople professing 
 e to that day. 
 weive i)undre(l 
 ety of men.; nor 
 er in France in 
 
 that a learned 
 ied his repuiii- 
 
 tion for vcracitjr, upon, such an assertion aa this, the truth of 
 which ti}}y ottfi acquainted with ecclesiahilical History wiil b^ at 
 no loss to detern^ri^e. I would merely state in opposition to this 
 precious piece of your church history that '' Cattenburgh informa 
 MS that in the former part> of t^ho sixth, century many opposed in- 
 fant baptism" sec iSpiceiey, Theoh Christ, iv. c Lxiv. set. li. a. 
 4- Dr. Alli.x says^ that scarcely any man was ever so torn and 
 defamed, on account of his doctrine as was this Arnold of Bres- 
 cia, Among other things that were laid to his charge was this. 
 Ho was unsound in his judgment about the sacrament of ihe al* 
 ta,i;f and infant baptism (in other words, he rejected the popish 
 doctrine ot transubstantialion, and of the baptism of infants-) Dr. 
 Aili.x remarks p..l6^. Jones in his history of the Waidenses tolls 
 us, '* As the. Pupists of those titn.es baptised by immersion, the 
 Palerines by what name soever, ttiey were called as Manicheians, 
 Ciazari, Jusephites, Passigines, &c. made no (;on)plaint of the 
 mode of baptising, but when they were examliijed, lh!?y objected 
 vehemently against the baptism of infants, and condemned it as 
 an error. Among other things they said, that a child knew no- 
 thing of; the matter, that he had a dieaire to be baptised, »nd 
 was incapable of making any confession of faith,, ard that the 
 willing andprofessingof another coujd, be of no service to him." 
 ♦.♦Here then," says Dr. AHix very truly, " We have found a bo- 
 dy of men in Italy, before the year one thousand and<twenty-six, 
 (tjye hundred years before the reformation; whobehevcd contra- 
 ly to the opinions ofthe church of Rome, and who highly cpn- 
 d.emned their errors." Atto, bishop of VerceuUi had complained 
 of such people eighty yfiara before, and so had others before 
 him, and there is ihc highest reason to believe, that they had 
 ull^vays existed in Italy, nay they always existed for the Donat- 
 Cots long before this amounted to four hundred churches, all 
 baptists. See Robertson's History of Baptism, p. 197. See ?ls« 
 Aluchenus church b.istory, v. i. ii. cent. xii. part 2, c. y. Robin^ 
 ion's Eql. Rqsejirchf l,iembrcQh's Hist. Inqus. l. i. c. viii. p.' 31. 
 
 Yourp, dic. ' 
 
 -000- 
 
 Sl^,.- 
 
 LETTER V. 
 
 Altl ough you must be consciona that the 6cript,ure» 
 ettords neither precept nor exampio for baptising infants, still 
 you attempt to prove it by way of consequence d-awn from 
 certain premises You say in page 28, '< A command^ may be as 
 clearly inferred by way of consequence from certain premises as 
 V it w^re in express words. A plain instance of this wo have 
 
¥6. 
 
 in l^ftul and Ba.nabas, Acts xiii. 46 Lo. &c. Now the conim»n<1 
 they speak of is not at all express, but im| licit ; for what th&y 
 xbII a command is a promise made to Chrit-t : I have s^jt thee to 
 be a light to the Gentiles. This they consider lo be an im; licit 
 command, directing them in the way of duty.*' Now, Sir^ ail- 
 tho' we mayindeed deduce mora) duties from the nature and 
 Tclalion of things, yet positivti ordinances >(such as baptism) 
 which depend ent>re^y upon the will of the l«vvgivfir, cannot be 
 deduced in (he same way ; beceuse we neither know to what 
 description of persons they beioDg, nor any thing about t'boin, 
 except from the plain enacting words of the institutions, or from 
 the approved examples of their application. And when bolli the 
 institution itsell^ and ics application are wanting, there can be 
 no'such thing as a positive instilulion. Bcsidcp, the Apostles 
 tiad the express command of their divine master, to |^o and 
 •preach t -Je gospel to every creature, he that believeth and n 
 baptised, &c. Mark xvi. c. 16 v> 
 
 You go on to say, page 29, " Again the cnnrmand that orur Sa- 
 ■▼iour gave, go and disciple all nations and baptize them, is a 
 virtual, if not an express conMiiand to baptize the children of 
 christian nations; for nations must include children, as you see 
 in the promise made to Abraham, in !hy seed shall all nations be 
 blessed." I'he text, Sir, say^ nothing of chi]dr«ii, nor tf chris- 
 tian nations. Those who were to be baptised, were first to 
 'he taught or made dtsciple^f then baptised. And even admitting 
 that chHdren were included in the promise made to Abraham, it 
 w#ll not folio w that whenever the term ail nations occurs in the 
 Now Testament, we are bound to consider it as incJodin^j the 
 miillions of infant?. The IbUowing example will show this to be 
 the case, ** Ye sha-ll be hated of nil nations^ This igospel shall 
 be preached for a witness unlo a/2 nations Mnde known to all 
 nations: My house bhall bo called of all nations, a house of 
 praver. Babylon is fallen, because she made rt^/ noiftorrs drink 
 of the wine of the wrath of her fornication^ By thy s«irceric8 
 werR all nations deceived. Mutth. xxiv. c. 9 v, Bonn, xvi c. i'6 
 V, Mark xi r, 17 v— Rev. xiv c 8 v. xv 4 v, xviii 2 and 3 v — 
 Item. XV c. \i V— Zach. xiv c. 2 v— Mai. iii c 12 v, with many 
 others. 
 
 The next virtual command for baptizing infants you find in 
 Acts ii c. 39 v.^' For the promise is iinio you, and to your 
 child; en." " The exhortation there lo the Jews is a virtunl. it' 
 not an express command to bapliee their children." Now the 
 question \s what was the promise here referred to. and to whom 
 was it made ? The prophet Joel answers this question, *• An«l| 
 it shall come to pass afterwards, that I will pour out -my spiri 
 upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall | rophei-y 
 your old men-shall dream dfoamp, your yooiig men see visions 
 and ako upon the seivants, and u{»on the handmaitienginthes 
 
 * Park 
 J^gard la 
 
srr: 
 
 ^y« wiH 1 pour out my spirit •• a- h.o „ 
 
 Peter was not baptism bal \lm n f» P^o^iiee referred to hv 
 
 daughters spoken of by Joel. ^ ^^ '''''«"'° ''^ ^i>e «ous anU 
 
 be « very fooliaJ. cavj To y't a7l ^ !:^' '^ ""'^^ ^''^^e^oJe 
 ^ baptize infants," twould HpI i« ^ no express command 
 
 A'aul does not enjoin a ecmionfj M,*'''"''^^'^'^^^ '^3' askinT, if 
 when he says, '^ Lot . ZT.lm^^e^^^^^^^^ 
 Poes not the term ^n^AronoMhere used ^r *"'' '^*^^ •'»'» «»t ^ 
 of our spede., w.ti.out ropa.d losex ^ * F?^" '^'"^ "^^ * "-""e 
 bortyoU.execographer/*^n^v Jl'L: J?''^ ^^ "°' '^e au, 
 bnve we not the sanction of- c .Ln J J' '"^V"'P«'-«Uy better, 
 t.f>e wor^ lh„.,J„ thiapasp^ff^^ Wh' "?' *"•• ""derstandioff 
 pmshed and .,pp„sed the wo^rj' f . '^ -''^ ^^^^^ are dlsiin^ 
 A'.er. liosidi;,w,'enthPADoi^^u^ " ,"^' A.,thr,.po.'bu, 
 t'onn,l,.what h*e bad rece^f^o hetorX' n /'^ ^''"^^ -' 
 ficommarul,-.! command tatLvbolpI^ J^"'.'^*' "^^ '^e'iver 
 or women as vialU&men j '^^^'^''bpjp church, nhiph. co^isisieiT 
 
 ba J^ A Ji:^;r i:;^-^-;:;^-^^^^ ... what .ommana 
 
 {-^bo.i. you^roteT^.I 5 a fcTt d"onn,f "'^ >'-^ fa vou^^^e'?" 
 
 e f^^>"ndation of almost eve^vpecpntrntr^n'n^ ^''''^'' ^«P» 
 H.e passage in ail the Book of God th« nM° ^''''^' ^''b^ra i, 
 Bells as the Papists do? By suc^a ' L. '^ "« ""' ^" '^«P^^'^^ 
 er.iu.on and will worship, thareverrl of arg;um^ aijthe sn. 
 be defen^fed. The Anabapt s oT/ou ^fl?,?*^ '''" '^"'^'' ^""^'' 
 lop act.ce, ^v^at Christ com nandervvhpnV^ contented 
 
 oJb'almns baptising ihPm," &c ''^ said. *^Gu teaciv 
 
 J^J page 3i vou ^-Tv « n » * 
 
 ;;on ma'de in il/his'frv o'f"u,r??eT"?i'r " ""^^J^^^- '^- 
 bapMsitt, yetnomanhasanvriJht . ^ ^^^^'^^nt of one in/ant^ 
 'P f«ct iberevv.as i>one for W ir conclude f,om hence, that 
 tbereuere whole She iZ'^ "^'^'^^ «^ ^^^" conclude that 
 nP.ex^res. mention h be bVs to v of^M'^^'iS ^'^'^'''^ '^'^^^^ '^ 
 ^bechprche8of Antiocre'r;,i°^'i?, ^!^^^ Testnrnent that 
 ^c .vere'over baptired.-' W^t ^ i " ^r'^'""' «^i^tian^ 
 
 an express cornn.a'n^Ti z "b^Merer^'^- , :''' .apostle'tj 
 
 ^^bt of their faithiul d.rclfar^e of' ^^ufe ,'? '* "° ^^'^"'" 
 ^ . --^ "- ", Willie It. IS universally 
 
 f^JdVoSex!' "■*■'•■ ^"""'''"" '' • '""«'•• of "'» species ,vit|,„„i 
 
28. 
 
 •toiltea, th.t there Trncither proecpt not example in tT« *or4 
 
 Mosee, an.1 »»>eJ^"P^^^^'"®*^h?«flrv«f tile Nevv Testament was 
 
 rpSri^:rdtolf ;r fadVr'^ce-.Jf the word wee b.p.Ued 
 llffhetliioy wcreb.pti.ed both men ""^ ''""•^ ,„^ ,^^,,i,„ ^ 
 
 ilid, because those i.ern.s >^:°"\^^f ".^ f, f^i^^u^s Un'^^ weri lo 
 howeyer, or .your f^'endf, under snulacu^^^^^ .^^^^ 
 
 describe'the adu.t.ona made to >°" ^fj^^^^'^i^jy"".. ^hose of them 
 
 gine. be obliged to use such P-^^f °^8.y^^';';,;f,„cv, were bap- 
 fvho believed, and who were not baptised mutanc^^^^ v^^ 
 
 ti^cdandaddedtothechurcU,--nen, wof^ea an^ ^^ 
 
 offs,ri„g were baptised. I mean ostaeu^^^^^^^^ ^,^^ ^^^^ 
 
 florry t.. do otherwiec, but I urn "^>J'^wb ^ ,^ ^s to 
 
 could be correcl'^y:desc^.bed. It «r p tu re Phr^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^ 
 
 describe our practice and w, not ™^^'^^ 
 
 describe yours. I ihuik i aff.rds "" ""*' ''^J/J^/it/ Besides, if 
 
 practice is the same as V\«V / ^^l^L o^ J^^^^ be necessary 
 
 [he addition of the ^vordan/anf and n^^^^^^^^ 
 
 to describe your practice, a"d ihe n p ri i ^^^ ^^ 
 
 made those additions. »"^%*^'^^'"S2"J, '^„^^^^^^^^^ .^^ise man 
 
 understand it - -t the ^J^^'-f ^i s w^dl, lest he repr.ve 
 roundipg .n Ins ll'lJ^l'l^^. ,,vith the not less alarming nn- 
 ;!- J^n;^h:^nJ^Sl ^^st. ^^^e. a^.;o .^e 
 
 plagues, that are 7.^'"^" ^ ,\\\^!"Vfirsav, - Again they areca- 
 In page 33 spealiing of u tants you say "b ^ ^ ^ 
 
 pableot' being lud "'"^^^ "^;;S"^S: /jf ff.c Jews' were, and 
 formed when grown "P'^'^'j^^^'^.f;'^;/' man that is circuir,- 
 l^^t h:^r:5K^I; di^IeUXu^. And why a. .no. 
 
p' 
 
 cliildrcn now as capabic of the bnptwmrl oblignfloni to the law 
 of Christ, as the circuinciped childicn of the Jews were ofbc- 
 ing dobtorB tolhejaw of Moees." If circmncifion or baptism 
 lays those to whom it is administered, under obligations to keep 
 the whole low, which they were not naturally bound to do; so 
 faMs circumcision from being so profitable every way as you 
 odirni, that en the contrary, il must be a serious injury, seeing 
 the condition 01 the childrenof unbelieving heathens are yast'.y 
 superior since they are under noobligation to*kcop the law, far 
 where there isnoJaw, tlicre is no tranpgre*fiion. ilk*t a little 
 attention to the scopeof the Apostle's reasoning upon t^his sub- 
 jfict, will clearly demonstrate ilntt he is not spcatl^ing to the 
 Jews, nor of tlie superior obligations, whicliciicumcision entail- 
 ed upon their oflspring to keep the whole 'law. He is manifestly 
 addressing the church of GoJatia, the members of wnich, who 
 from among the Gentiles were turned toGod, were in danger of 
 being turned from Ihe-simplicity of the truth by those men who 
 taught them, that unless they wcw •circumcised and kept the 
 law, they could not be saved. iFIence-says the Apostle, "Be- 
 hold J Paul, say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ 
 shall profit you nothing. -For^I testify again to every man that 
 is circumoised, that he is a debtor to do the whole liw. Christ 
 has become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified 
 by the law, ye are ftillen from igrnce." Here ive are plainly 
 taught, that the man who dares to add his own obedience to the 
 perfect work df the divine Redeemer, in order to obtain justifi- 
 cation, thereby falls from Grace; he renounces his dependence 
 upon him, who is the end of the law tor righteousness, to every 
 one that believeth, he becomes a debtor to do 'the whole law, 
 and nothing but absolute obedience can deliver himfrom its curse. 
 If this be the plain and obvious meaning of the Apostle's words, 
 what can we think of the man who so shaniorully perverts thcui 
 to support his own cause? 
 
 In page 37 yuu eay, "il observe that fhere is neither scripture 
 precept nor example for dipping, and if so, we must be warran- 
 ted in maintaining that-such a mode is not necessary. With 
 respect to precept nothing cnnbe produced but the oricinal in- 
 Biitution. 'i'oach and baptize. The original words the Ana- 
 baptists tei! us, ftVro.iy* sigmfii^s, to imnierse, dip or plunge the 
 whole person under water. But this is not a matter of fact, but 
 n glaring untruth." Was this spnlence writtpn in the full Fjiir t 
 of that charity, which sufferetli long and is kind ; which rg ncelli 
 not in iniq'ii y but rcjoiceth in the iruili,^ liot.in? you wrclei',, 
 it was [iroper for you 10 consider wliei her, the cluitge of untruth 
 might iioi be recoiled hack upon yourself. 'i'ii(»FC who caubi*^- 
 lieve wint you so positively advance here, must have more faii'h 
 in your doclaratinnBiltan I have ; nrid bolieM' iiir, I have yet to 
 icur^< who those Anuba|>tisti» are^ wholvlle^K iLul il:4; or^gUi^ 
 
30. 
 
 w 
 
 ftnVforl»8p!i.»w, «fir/7i/.t Rigni 
 
 n*.Kt(>»m«ir)v»^ (rrp ot phm-e th* 
 
 whr)fe person itn* 
 
 hr wdtir. A ilelicacy 
 
 Cor nttiimmgr »>m jour own 
 
 nurhofUy wl.ut yon ^^^^^^ r'' }:Z.^^^r 'aLIs^^ ^-- 
 nuffht hnve induced y«u.to ^'^^J^^^'^^'^^'S indeed, 
 
 ,hor., who told^yoH what youJ,ave stated. /^^ P„ j^,, .j 
 «ay/that the primary .ncan.ngolM.ewora^.^q^.^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^ 
 
 rh^ well known Dr. C '"iPj^.' ^^'^"''Seseilwl the Greek nnnes 
 A'lcrd^cn who sny^, ^ ^^^^JiVJl^ ^nd have adopted ihem,^ 
 sVhnre the r..tins have dese led »t»«/';'^;"\"; cirQumcisioa. 
 
 vvi,ere the Latins ad P;ej;'>;f";^ iy'^e^^sfon.^ut bapti^ny^ 
 m,d.not,'eriitMmy, »"«* ?^ *^'\";''' "''iit rmator'uls for a versiou 
 yot when the kngaage ^"/"'t'rl.^T.mevrihe sense mo.e ye.^pi- 
 io.xactnml^nalogicaU ^"^"^ "^ ^T u^ eion I shouM think the, 
 .<uo-.Mly tha« :». foreip. name */; ^'« '^^ "^ j, ii,i, „,„,p, re- 
 word imm..-sicm (^vl.ich ihcogU f^'^'l " .^'^''b \ ^r K^sUsh name tha.i. 
 «.larlyf«rmeJ from the verb o \^l'''l>^°^'X^^ j^.lim Dis. vol iii. 
 
 Lpli^in were we now !|V'^^'''^ u.S si'" ft^'^^^^ ""'^ *>° 
 
 ,k28, Calvin .says, '-The. ^^"'•'^ ^J^^^S;^^^ Instil.C'lxriBt. 
 
 iteof.imm^rsioii. wa.observed>J^.A»>^J^'^^^^^^^^^ „^ ^^ I 
 
 baptisea/by. which ,NVor4a^scPrl.^.u.m>mer^^^^^^^^ ..^ ^^^^^ 2^^ 
 
 ..ir-rbprn, Teburn (;...d bpanh n^ ^i^he'^^mnwLn. o^.belie vers ia. 
 Vetrjnsa says,. -.1 be "«^ "' 7^ r rv.1 wortl Thus also it was per- 
 iateV: Tir.s expresses,. the W^^^^^^ ,p,,„l. Aphor,81i4. 
 
 t-.MMTiedbyehr.stanahH Apos^les. Apnon ^^^ ^^^ ^^^ 
 
 ?imbr((bsay!v '•r>«P'>5f"'s^'^'»^'^'S"^"'^':"^'"""^^ _, w u sacred. 
 
 Jii'nir^h^reVthei^tlvlulby imo^.^^ ^^i :. T" t ^^i -ct 1. 
 nled-e,arvvasiureefof lb« f«vour^ot€.Hl. U'V. 
 
 sion to this part^f our subjec , '' ^i^^ .^^^'^^^^Xd by pou^ins on wa- 
 viM and the. Apostles of omB-ksedJ-^p.^jl^^^^^^^ Y^l ^^^^^^1^ . 
 ter, or by bathin? in WAlec »s. o.be.tUUrmme j j^aptize. A- 
 
 IhoUy by :..=ertainins the prec^e "V^^^'wtc ^e ol the cfeek Inn- 
 linguist determines himself, by .^J'^.^^^est evidence he can obtain from 
 ^uaga, «^a 'unililerate mj^, by tl^e b ^ ;v^ ;^ ,, observe, that- 
 Uio testi..>oqy of others I ",y'^'^^ ,^'„^^^^ Greeks must- understand- 
 H,e word is .confessedly Greek, ^bat^^«l'^e^ i„ve aWay* 
 
 U^e\v oA-n language belter.Ahap f'"-f««,-^'^'\?"; „l, ar«Mherefore, from.. 
 
 understood the word bapfstx. o -Sy^^^j^^^^X; ,ave always baptised, 
 their first embracmgchr.stn>nity to this aayuy ^^^^ ,„fi^ 
 
 niloly pref^ifiible to that of ^-"'■"Pt^^^i'J^^Avh.. baptises by immer- 
 ^vhoyobliged •otru.thuman, testimony, and w^ j ^^ctly, 
 
 fcion because the Greeks .to, V"d^^;;7.^' \,^^^^^^ th.s case the,. 
 
 88 the Greeks.thnnselves ""'^^'^f^^'^'i '^hVirpraCce )s in.th.a. 
 lir^eks are un^xcep enable guv es. ana thm^^^^ ^ . j^ 
 
 ipsiance, safo ground.of actioa. History oi u. i 
 
31. 
 
 f 
 
 .1I)cn, I Imvc ipoken wickedly for God, in maintaining that t!je 
 'original word is imnncrso, I aw not alone, nor have 1 reason 4o 
 be ashamed of my conDpanions, for they were men who could 
 '1)olh read and iraderstand Grrelf From their opinions, therefore, 
 in connection with the proctice of Hie Apostles, Acts viii. c. 38 
 39 verses, 1 am'bcund to conclude that ikere are 'both scripturo 
 precept and example for baptising by immertiion^ 
 
 That baptism by immersion wws t'be practice ot the Apostles 
 and primitive churctves for several 'apres, we have tJie testimony 
 ■of many leame-d Pajdoboptisttf, Dr. Whitby says, " Jt being so 
 ■^xpres^ly declared here (Rom. vi. 4^ and Colos. ii. c. 12 *f. that 
 we are 'buried with Chrislin baptism, by being buriedunder wa- 
 ter. And the arguments to oblige us to a conformity to his 
 death by dying \o sin, being laken hence, amd this immersion 
 Tieing religiously observed by all-cliristiamp for thirteen centuries" 
 jVote on Ror... vi f\ 4 v. Moslieim says, " t4ie sacrament of 
 baptism was administered in this (the second) centu-ry without 
 the public assemblies, in |/laces appointed and prepared tfor that 
 purpose, nnd was performed by immersion oflhe whole ^O'dy in 
 "the baprismBi font" Eccles^ Hist. Cent^ i.rpart i c, iii. s. 3. 
 
 Mr. ^Joseph Mede says, " There was no sueh thing as sprink- 
 ling or llanlis/nos used in -baptism in the Apinstles' days, nor 
 many on-es after them.'' Discourse on Tit. iii c 5 >v, work p. 63, 
 Kdit. 1677. The Bssembly of divines say, " Were bapiispd. 
 VVas.'ied by dipping in Jordan" asMark vii c 4 v, Ileb.-ixc 10 v 
 " Buried with hrm by baptism,' -aeetCol. ii c 12. " In thisiphraso 
 'the Apostle seemeihto allude to liic ancrcntmnfnnerof baptism, 
 which was ^o'tiiptTie pntlres baptised, end as ft were to bury 
 them under the water foi a while, and then to draw them out oV 
 it and liffthem up, to represent the burial of our old man, and 
 ■our restoration to newness of life," Annot. on Matthew iii c f3 v, 
 and Rom. vi c4 v. C ilrin says " From these words, John'iii c 
 23 V. it rnay be iiiferrciJ, thrtt baptiftm was ndmiiiialered by John 
 and Christ by filurrging the whole body under Wflter. JJere we 
 perceive how bsfplism whs admiuisterod among the ancients, fiT 
 they immersod lhev.^ho!e body-in waK;r. In Joan, iii c 23, — 
 Com't in A'jts viii c 3a. See also Limbrocli's Div. B v c xxvii 
 sect. I. Abp. Udlier sum andeubstuiice df'Relig. p. 413. Dod- 
 diiare's expos. Matthew iii c 16. 
 
 Ilere we have a number of men emment for tlicir pfefy and 
 solid learning, who appear to testify what they know, and what 
 they believed, concerning an ancierif fact, an acqunintonte with 
 Avhlch, involves not a little th^ purity of a divine institution of our 
 Lord, and consequeritly an obedience to it. Tliefc opinions 
 were chiefly delivered concerning the question, whether Joh»» 
 the JJ'iptist and llio Apostle* of Christ adiiiiiiistercd bflpti&m by 
 •tmrnersion ? A q'lcstion whicl» is directly and inliuuilely cotw 
 •WJlcd wJlJi thy iiunneriii which this holy rile is now lobe twi* 
 
3-2. 
 
 WMhtelered. becanso ia whatever w«yChcaovener.Ue men .nd 
 
 Hghfof the worUl pern.rrned tin- w^*^'^"^"^" ,7 * f .^ mu h 
 be'ii»vB that </m« was the proper way, «or lh«y hail loo mucii 
 
 holy worehip in «" ii»i>ro|Kr man ler. BemOM, tuey " 
 
 ^^[s:;^ ^^lir^J'iSJe^^r^^^ ?-r^& 
 
 ple''ofChr;s; ^^<>^eover t'^e ch.racicr and proless.on o^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
 authors who have ihU8 giveq their opinions on im »»"?""*"' 
 Bubicct lla' e uo room fo? suspecting that they were biased in fa- 
 vSbapl?s s. bocaii8.it is obvious that if^^heir judgment could 
 ruad«rtlei.n.ienceot- predilection, it must have Ibeen on the 
 00.0 116 8 e itipy of them also, are b. yond the read ol sus- 
 c on wi lr;<rard to ihcir knowledge of ecclo.i;i8tica «»»V'l"' ;.^/; 
 f nhen Ihe pnnv. y meaning of the on.'- al -rd «-«--; 
 aj^il if Vhe aooslles oa pined by immprsion, it h)llow8tnai we nay 
 To? on! tSssly buf tnumpLntly cly-B-ipture precept and 
 
 apo3tolic ex.:Mui.ie for our practice. ««'^;^^'J^^QTand insurJ 
 Je may very innocently ^ive all your hbtral ^^"J^^/";.,;^",""^^ 
 nxou^l able impossibilities to the w'"^'"'* ^^ ,/\"' k^ Jt'^.^^^^ 
 yoar foundation, the whole structure must fall ^° ^ »^ g:","^^J^,,^^ 
 
 teem therefore, that the people stQPvV i" ""^' ".^*[. '°1 ^J. ^^ ,prin- 
 the edse utliha riv.e.-, aaJ Mm. passing by .»^«'"'«,y^^"?,.^"'*' "„' "^^'^ 
 kled vvaler upon their heads or laces w.J^vh.s hanJs_ 1 he pen ol m 
 
 ^afba; ize^^rlohkin JorJan v. 10, and straight w,ay jo-^l^/j 
 
 Ttha water, &c. In Act, viii c 3(1. ^^ ^^ ^f "•^/"^.j^f ^^^.^^^^^^^^ 
 ii said. " And he commanded the chariot to stand sliU. and they ueni 
 aown'bpth into the water, bolh Phillip and t'^e Kunuob; and ha b«p^ 
 Lihim. Andwhenlheywarecoaipupoutofthpwaler^^^^^^ 
 If lin-ia'3 can convey ideas certu nly these verses convey an idea Ner 
 diem Cm. lKa"of a number c,f persons standing upon the bank ot 
 rive an hTving w der spriukled upon them, for it is plainly said thJ 
 they went LwA.To TiL WATEa and ca.mk vp o^t oy i,T, a h uJ 
 whfc:. no m.n in his seasei would do for thp purpose of hemg spi^nU 
 la I See Dr. Whitby's comment on the place. 1 he wqrds of Doct< 
 Sh;.loclc with respect tp expounding scripture will be very apuhcaW 
 here. Ma. expounding scripture we must confine o"'-«f^« ^« ' 
 plain and natur4 si^niificatiou of the word . It ., ^^P-^l^^? ° H 
 Ih.t that is n.l the sense of scripture which. ^^^'^^'^^Y h^ u« Cb^ 
 tion of the words of any on« text, and is not conlrad.clea by anj othj 
 ■ text. When the words are pli.in and ob/.ous nothing can tetnpt a* 
 ■ m\n to rej'-Qt tho plain sen.e of the word, for lo^ie Qbacara lalour^ 
 
lie men ind 
 re bound to 
 III, loo much 
 lis branch of 
 ley were not 
 be viewed aa 
 :ee(Ung diaci- 
 ssion of Ihoso 
 lisi important 
 I biased in fa- 
 id^ment could 
 e been on the 
 reacli ofeus- 
 :al antiquities. 
 I be immerse, 
 sthat wenity 
 B precept, and 
 upon our side 
 ,li biid insur- 
 ing destroyed 
 Iha ground. 
 I say, " It wouKl 
 or ju^t withiii 
 least, orsprin-r 
 The pen of in-f 
 J rpallei; for wa| 
 I him in Jonlar 
 t "there went 
 nJ weie all bap- 
 3.' And it cunu 
 of Qajilee, unt 
 comin;; up ou 
 E>fthe Ennuchi 
 I, an J tliey wen 
 ah,; an J ha bnp 
 'ater, &c.'' No\ 
 ivey an idea ver 
 m the bank of 
 plainly said, thi 
 r oy i,T, a thi" 
 of being spr'nli 
 words of Docf< 
 e very applicabj 
 ourseive* to tr 
 possible 10 proj 
 itural ioierprell 
 Led by any oth| 
 g can tempt af 
 Qbacura latourj 
 
 33. 
 
 ■ • ' tt !,«<fm ■ ■ 
 
 •nd ftrtificiil int«i^|>ret&tinn, but a dislrkn of the dnetrinc mhwtk 
 the plain sense ol the word teaches." SSeeScrij)tarcproor(iuf&tM' 
 Ksvinur'e divinity, p. 64, 65. 
 
 In your fourth argunuuil you labour to prove, *• that immer- 
 «ion is Jangerous to heul h, and even ISe itHclf." ] iiiiall answer 
 thia by quoting from Dr. WaH^one ofyournwn learned brolbru»>,. 
 tv'hosays, •< All 'he christians in Asia, oil in Africa, and «b<»ot 
 4»ne third part in Kurope, nre of tiie last eort (i. r») practicn i?r»- 
 inersioq, in which third pa't in fJurope are comprehondrd the 
 christiins of Griecia, Tnraria. Servin, Uuigaria, Earcia, Wal- 
 }«eMa, Mill hivia, Russia, Nisrra, and so on, and even Mntict- 
 vitc?^ who if coldness or the country will excuse, might plead 
 livr a dispoii«atk>n with the most reason of any." iJielory t.f 
 Infant Baptism, part ii chapter ix page 477^ 
 
 To crown all. and to furnijh a hsfing monument of our in- 
 famy, you add, ♦« As for chastity would it not be a great scandal 
 in the face f>f a conjfn^gation, where alone sacraments can be 
 duly celebrated for men and women to stand up naked or in a. 
 dress bordering upon ndkflkipes.s," and again, '* To suppose 
 them dipped naked as the moat of the ancient dippers, we are 
 fold did, is contrary^to all civility and modesty, it is irur, it 
 was a part of the Ar^baptist scheme asuaught by David Gcorgo 
 (•o look upon one another's nakedness without any carnal c-mo< 
 tionp." The vile manner in which you make these statements 
 it too palpable to e6Cii(»e,observiKlion. You say, ♦« For men and 
 women to stand up naked,*' 'and then (junlify it by saying, ♦• or 
 in a dress bordering upon nakedness." Now why not be candid 
 enough tn^ay that the extent of the scandal was to stand in tha 
 kind of dress you mentioned, as the qualification.' 
 
 Your book was written I believe, with a view to counteract 
 the influence of the Baptist cause, in this settement, or at fur- 
 thest, the Baptist cause cf the present day. Now 1 conceive, 
 fhat candour, nay truth req,uired, that yu'u should have spoken 
 fit the indelicacy of the practice of adult baptism, from your 
 «iwn observation, or at least from a knowledge of the manner in 
 which it is now practised, instead of having recourse to the slan- 
 derous innputations here advanced.. Where rre we told, thaltho 
 ancient dippers did it, in the manner you state? If you were 
 uupporling the cause of truth by truth iiseif, you had' the law 
 und the testimony; when you leave the^e however, and brin^ 
 forward such gross, indelicate insinuations to overturn your ad- 
 versary, it musi give your readers a very high idea of the chaste 
 tenor of your own mind. If the Captis^t8 acf contrary toscrijv- 
 lure, you had ample scope for showing it, aud christian charily 
 lequired of you, to presume^ that Bapiidls as a sincere dcnoiia- 
 
84. 
 
 M^^ of chrt0tuii#, p«Tforin<»d what they ennftWof', fnd wh«» 
 
 *«lifk«^n«'nt»t iiwiVMhit^d the tontfaty by*sti«+»'ti*eno#B. 
 
 Aay «ne who h«n witnef^ed, in the spirit of lite 'j^^),<i^i 
 
 itnmewidfli^f"ii^^t}«l»,t)f either «ex, ««n betr^teftkni^y «0 (o 
 
 it«»or#^t4t)5ropHei-y^and (khoacy. Ahd iti eofl€ittSH«n,<l<^MiM4it 
 
 .Mp^«w<''^i<y(ri *>ow vnWe a gciUlAnian cn«l #«*<*br #11^1*1*. 
 
 tfMiili^-a tfhiMlkn) Uww f«»r wiu , Wl»o '8Ui»po«Hl «w <>B«l'0»i'r~ 
 
 •»l«iriie<l '^ifB'dBta^onisffl, by i«ript<»rcii)r«<»f"iti1^ fi*ir r^^^l»^ln^¥a^^o 
 
 'p*ifot^ 4m p«g«-«'wi«hargiiineh'8 dftthic^d ftoBi'Attf**!*!?^,*****:**! 
 
 ♦ioMhe irtwwt ' inirdit iW' ind -dutgtrfct iBc ter fiflp. 
 
 JSiofer^Jy "vHafciftg you *n»y giT€> the wul^jplit drt«'t<ffliM«i4l^t 
 ^*ill etoe»4*b ft-«»*e'Ci»»4»d'm*tl chrtBtwn liJieHlHfJt— 
 
 i reti^ain -yoilr well-bilker. 
 
^m 
 
 \* 
 
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