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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. 1 2 3 4 5 6 .1 REASONS FOR mi[[W BELIEF m PRACTICE, RELATIVE TO WATER BAPTISM, Expressed in plain words and arranged in a summary manner^ by the Author of ''the stripling p eacker," "THii: besiegers' prayer '' AND *"PAST AND PRESENT. )> # " RxNSSR jL Rkason **— Proverbs xxvi. 26. Printed by R. White, Peterboro/ and to be bad of «nv Wealeyaj) Minister. Price 12^ cents. A discount of 25 p*r cetit. to wholesale purchasei^. 1 -:' i i ADVERTISEMENT. This little tract on Baptism pretends to nothing very original^ much less learned^ or profound on that subject. Neither is i. inten- ded as an attack on those who differ in their practice from us ; but simply to furnish to the mass of our own people, and those who have been but a short time converted, the fruits of our own ministry, a plain, common-sense surnmary of our views on that controverted subject ; to prevent pious minds from being diverted from the pathway of holiness and usefulness to that of speculation and contro- versy, by those who are forward to ootrude their views upon others, and who magnify the one subject of water baptism out of all due proportion. It is hoped that this little manual will furnish our ministers and decided, active friends with a gift or loan-hook^ or one that can he recommended^ to put into the hands of the newly converted and the less informed, and those not able to purchase, or who have not time to peruse, larger ones. Besides, it is thought that something compenduous of this kind, kept on hand for such nn occasion, would obviate the neces- sity of much oral explanation and discussion, not to nieiition the preservation to our church IV A.DTERTISEMENT II of the fruits of our labor,wbo might otherwise be alienated by persons no. very remarkable for gathering in from the world tliemselves. The Author, who is also the Publisher, hopes that his friends will not allow this little work of necessity to be a losing concern^ mdk as the publication of a book most usually is. To obviate what he can so ill afford, as the percentage is soliber^al,he will expect that all orders for the book will be accompanied by the money. \ -i it otherwise remarkable themselves. Publisher, w this little g concern^ book most can so ill 3r^al,he will ook will be OUR POSITION. 1. The Wesleyans believe that water applied in the name of the Holy Trinity to a proper candidate, by an anthorii^ed adminis- trator, in any form^ is a valid brptism, hence their ministers administer it in the mode preferred by the person desiring to be bap- tized. 2. They believe that a penitent adult, who has not been baptised, is a proper sub- ject for baptism, if he profess a firm beliei in the truth of Christian doctrine, and resolve to govern his life by its precepts, and they baptize all such who come and demand the ordinance. 3. They believe that those infants and children, whose parents are accre- dited adherents of Christianity, by being baptized themselves, and whose con^^ecratioIl to God is demanded by those parents, with the promise to " bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord," may and ought to be baptized ; and they do baptize them accordingly. Such is our position v/ith regard to baptism, we come now to the REASONS FOR THAT POSITION. We present the reasons for each position, separately, in categorical order, beginning, in «v 6 'II i FIRST REASON FOR OUR POSITION. each case, with the weaker, and ending with the stronger. FIRST POSITION. I. The Wesley arts believe that water applied in the name of the Holy Trimly^ to a proper candidate^ by an authorized administrator^ in ANY FORM, is a valid baptism ; hence their ministers administer it in the mode pre/erred by the person desiring to be baptized. Bat while they do this, to meet every reasonable scruple, they decidedly prefer affusion to immersion — or the application of water to the siibject, rather than the application of the subject to the vrater. We give now the reasons for oar opinion relative to the ybrm being immaterial to the validity of baptism, and for om preference for the one mode rather than the other. Reason First. — We cannot think, that in a dispensation so spiritual as the Christian which teaches that "God is a spirit ;" that the true " circumcission is that of the heart and not of the letter;" and that the " Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but rightous- ness, and peace, and ioy in the Holy Ghost," the want of an exact form^ can invalidate an ordinance. It is for this reason, that though ITTO Supper, we administer that ordinance to the i-i — , iSITION. SECOND REASON. ending with Dater applied , to a proper Iministratory ; hence their Kle preferred otized. But Y reasonable affusion to of water to cation of the ^e now the to the ybrm of baptism, mode rather link , that in he Christian spirit ;" that of the heart 5 " Kingdom Hit rightous- ioly Ghost," nvalidate an that though ,•«■ ♦V>« T ^-JI- LL lliC XJVflKl S nance to the scrupuions,eitlier sitting, or standing, as well as kneeling. To respect the ordinance of Baptism, therefore, from a supposed defi- ciency of the mere quantity of the material element, seems to us totally at variance with the true genius of the Gospel despensation. Second. — Plunging, under all circum- stances, we think, (cannot be binding ; what- ever may be said for it, it is in most cases very inconvenient, requiring the parties to it to leave the house of w^orship, to provide themselves with a change of clothes, — and subjecting the nerves to a shock incompatible with the composure that should be felt in so solemn a transaction ; and exposing the deli- cate of constitution, even in this '' temperate" climate, to very great risks with regard to their health, particularly during one half the year at least. Then, in large inhabited sec- tions of our globe, it w^ould be totally imprac- ticable the greater part of the year, and in some, impossible all the year round. Take for instance the extreme North of this and the Eastern continents, and the deserts of Africa, Arabia and South America, the steppes of Russia, and other parts that might be named. We cannot, therefore, think that a rite by which " all nations" are to be dis- eipled (see the original of Matt, xxviii, 19,) and which is the test of submission to the 8 THIRD BEASOV. ; i I « 1 ! i i 1 * k J 1 if 1 '1 Gospel, would have been inflexibly re- fttricted to a form, which, in a great majority of ca^es, Vvoiild he inconvenient, and in very rmmy impossible, [take those persons on a dying bed, foi instance]. Let those lay on this yoivc of bondage who dare ; we cannot .ake the responsibility of doing it. Nor can we think it reasonable that Christ would have boi.iud his servants to the use of a form of administering nn ordi- nance, which, in a vast number of cases, would require his ?}2iraa*Zow5 interposition to prevent the damage to bodily health naturally attending it. He never could have required what would have to be upheld by miracle. Third. — We administer baptism by plung- ing with reluctance, especially in its modern form of thrusting the candidate backwards, because we are fully persuaded that it is a novelty invented to conform the mode of bap- tism to the manner of burial, to which some unwarrantably suppose it to be compared ; because we are sure it was never so administered in primitive times ; and be- cause such a mode i^ immodesty particularly in the case of females. We cannot J^ring ourselves to amplify this point as it deserves ; but any person who witnesses a modern will easily penetrate our meaning and^adopt our conclusion. ^ FOURTH REASOTC. I [lexibly re- in a great K'onvenient, [take tliosfi in^;tancc], uidage who msibilJty of reasonable s servants to ng an ordi- er of cases, erposition to hh naturally ive required y miracle, ^m by piling- a its modern backwards, that it is a node of bap- which eome compared ; s never so s ; and be- part icii la rly cannot luring > it deserves; ^ a modern tlio cnlM/=>r»f ig and^adopt I and are held by such men as Luther and his Fourth. — We arc certainly pomewhat cstablishtKl in our position by llie fact, that it is the position occupied by the largest part of the christian world. If w^e may spe;jk of any but Protcistant!^, we will s.^y that the 80 millions of Romi^nists are eil'usjonists and pedobaptirits ; or those who sprinkle and bap- tize children. And if tlie 50 millions of the Greek Church have held it, and some Eastern Christians practice immersion, it is by no means the immersion of our Protestant Bap- tists, and it is administered in infancy. But on coming to the Protestant christian world, there, it is not too much to say, we find three- fourths to practice baptism by effusion, and to administer it to infants and children. The Protestant churches of the European conti- nent, of Germany, Switzerland, France, Den- mark and Sweden ; so the Protestant establishments of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the great body of Dissenters from both the Scottish and English established churches. The same may be said of three-fourths of the christians in the United States. Now among these, it is not too much to say, that we have the pre- ponderance of the learning and piety of Christendom. It is some countenance to r»iTr /An . n 1 r\r» cj ir\ Irnriiir tV»of i]r\a>\r Kox/o Vkor»r» ^ ; ^ 1 |i . t \ 1 1 ! j ■ ? ii|» 1 i J! i^ 1 10 FIFTH AND SIXTH REASONS. r ' : I » t I I ! co-adjulors ; Calvin and his co-laborers ; Knox and his fellow reformers ; by Cranmer, Ridley and Latimer ; by Richard Baxter ; by Cotton Mather, Edwards and Pay son ; by Wesley and Whitfield ; by Chalmers and DufF; and a thousand more equally wise and conscientious. It is a position not to be overturned with a breath, or these men would not have held it. Fifth. — If modern immersion is so impoi*- lant to church membership, and church exis- tence as some of its friends contend, the true validity of the ordinance is entirely lost ; for the practice of effusion, obtained univeasally, in the Western Church at least, for ages before the Reformation, and long after that event. Meno^ in Germany, in 1533, being the first who taught and practised it in modern times ; and he held it in connexion with several fundi mental errors, and many extra- vigances of procedure. The English Anabap- tists arose more than a century after Meno, We have thus presented some of the minor consider^ttions ; we proceed now to the weightier ones. Sixth. — We do not credit the obligation of plunging, because there is no warrant for it in the word of God. To " the law and testimony" we must all submit ; and " if we speak not according lo this rule, it is because IONS. IMMERSION HAS NO WARRANT FROM JOHN. 11 co-laborers ; by Cranmer, d Baxter ; by Pay son ; by ihalmers and equally wise itionnot to be se men would n is so impoi*- 1 church exis- tend, the true ireiy lost ; for I univeasally, ast, for ages msf after that 533, being the it in modern me X ion with 1 many extra- ^lish Anabap- y after Meno, of the minor now to the :he obligation lo warrant for the law and t; and "if we , it is because there is no light in us." We take up the New Testament consecutively, and assert there is no warrant for it in the practice of John the Baptist and the Apostles; none in the force of the original words employed in relation to it ; and none from the supposed allusions to it in the apostolic Epistles. (1.) Immersion has no warrant from the practice of John the Baptist, If any person mentioned in Scripture practiced it, it was John, but we are confident no case of immer- sion can be made out from his practice. If such a case could be found, it would prove nothing decisively relative to Christian bap- tism, which John's was not as is plain from the fact that his was a dispensation by itself ; and his disciples were re-baptized by apostol- ic authority. In support of the first position, let two passages from the lips of Christ suf- fice : " The law and the prophets were until John ; since that time the kingdom of God is preached," (Luke xvi, 16 ;) '' Among those that are born of woman, there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist, notwith- standing, he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he," (Matt, xi, 11.) These two passages together show, that, tho' the Law and the Prophets came down only to John's preaching, he himself did not belong to that final dispensation called " the 12 BAPTIZING IN JORDAN. I I il 'If! i { ; I Kingdom of God," or " Kingdom of Heaven." And that his baptism was noi Ckristian bap- tism, is plain from the re-baptizing of some of his discipltiv^, as recorded in the nindeenth of Acts^ which the reader is reqaesled to peruse — Jolm baptized only '' unto repent- ance," and not m the name of the Holy Trinity. Bat now as to the mode in which he baptized : no proof that he plunged any person under water in the modern form can be made out. First. — His baptizing mthe river Jordan, is supposed to be proof of this. If we take this in its most obvious sense, it does not prove that he wont in and plunged them. He might have stood on the shore, and poured the water upon the recipients standing in the margin of the river, as all the prints from medals, struck in the time of the early Christian emperors, represent him as doing ; or he might have sprinkled them standing in the shore by using a bunch of hysop, as the Jewish priests used to do. Besides, the pre- position [en) rendered 'Sn ' might be rendered at^ or with^ as it is in sundry places in our version of the New Testament. Further, the vast number John had to baptize, nearly the whole population of Palestine, and the short time in which he exercised his ministry, rendered their immersion unlikely, especially '% r. of Heaven." irlsiiaa bap- ing of some e nindeenth 'eqaesled to into repent- )f the Holy Kle in which >lung8d any 3rn form can iver Jordan, If we take it does not J them. He and poured slandins: in 1 the prints of the early ^n as doing ; standing in ysop, as the ides, the pre- be rendered (laces in our Further, )tize, nearly tie, and the his ministry, y, especially OUR LORD^S BAPTISM. IS as the Jewish purifyings, one of which John accommodated to his purpose, comprised plunging in no case, but at most merely embraced stepping into the laver, and lav- ing the water on the body. That, therefore, is settled, that baptizing in Jordan does not prove immersion. One supposed proof, there- lore, is set aside. But it is supposed, Secondly ^Xh^iX our Lords's baptism showed bow it was dene ; as he, after his baptism "went up out of tlie water." This at the farthest, only proves that 1 e was in the water, but it is no proof that he went tinder it; much less that John, whom the medals above referred to, represent as stand ng upon the brink and pouring the water from some tiny vessel, upon Christ, who stands in a bending position, went in also and thrust him under. It is quite certain that the modern paint ngs which represent John in the act of plunging the Saviour backwards, gives an erroneous representation of the real scene, and teaches a historic falsehood. That small vessel, or "measure," (metros) is referred to by John the Baptist, (John iii, 34,) where he isspeak- ing of the copious effusion of the " spirit" on Chrisi, compared with the limited quantity of water from the hand of Jo! n by which it was prefigured, at the time of his baptif^mal consecration to the public ministry at the age if 14 BAPTIZING IN ERROR. I I U f I --i of thirty. Thus no proof of our Lord^s sub- mersion can be made out, though we take the rendering of our version about his " coming up out of the water ;" but it requires very little scholarship to know that the preposition (eky) rendered out of means also froniy and that this is its first meaning. It might, there- fore, be rendered " came up/rom the water ;'* and then it would mean that he had been only at (en) the river side. The baptism of Christ fails, therefore, to prove his submersion, or even that he was in the river at all. — Besides, as his baptism was something entirely peculiar to himself, all that is said about "following Christ in baptism," is sim- ply ^absurd. Many propose to follow him where he never went. '' But" thirds " John baptised' in Enon near to Salim, because there was m7/c^iya^er there." This is thought by some to imply immersion ; for what other purpose could he require much water but to immerse the people therein? I can conceive that he might require much water in such a hot country as that to slake the thirst of such vast multitudes of people as encamped to attend his ministrations and to satisfy their beasts of burden, {hydata polla) meaning many streams* An eminent archsBolist says, " Enony by its name, imports a sinofle spring ; * The fountain of on :' but it flowed in several R. CHRIST AND HIS DISCIPLES, 15 r Lord's sub- [h we take the his " coming requires very le preposition isofrom^ and ; might, there- n the water ;'* he had been le baptism of s submersion, iver at all. — is something 1 that is said :ism," is sim- 3 follow him thirds " John lim, because his is thought 3rwhat other water but to can conceive Iter in such a thirst of such encamped to ► satisfy their lla) meaning jhsBolist says, i\nttly,i/<^^^ Tcvi 15V " And when she was baptized and he ''household, she besought us saymg, if ye have judged me to be failhfu o the Lord; come into my l?o"«« .^"^ abide there." Here also there >8 ""thrn^ about the form. But as it was her (oikos;) /3y, not (oikia)"fto«seAoid,"as our version \Toniiy has it, that were baptised ; and as harfamily, most likely, were cot"parat.vely young, or were daughters ; as she seems to have been a vigorous woman of busme8S,and .ve read of no sons conducting business for Ter the baptism very probably took place m Ser'domesUc apartments, and was performed Uke those of Saul and Cornelius, which were ppriainlv not by immersion. In the same chapter (verse 33), we have another baptism recorded, that of the Philip- j IAN Jailor; "And betook them the same hour • olthe night, and. washed their stripes ; and was baptized he and all Wb^ straightway ^' Now observe, here is the baptism of a whole family, probably a large young-iamuy, u» the ji seems to have been a vigorous man, JfOHN*3 DISCIPLEi. (I [ in the name amed for not or for being effusion they family, (Acts baptized and us saying, be faithful y house and re is nothing IS her (oikos:) as our version tised ; and as coiriparatively she seems to f business,and g business for r took place in vas performed IS, which were 33), we have of the Philip- ithe same hour x stripes ; and straightway." ism of a whx>le C4.0 >ung-ianiiiy, J, vigorous man, not more than middle-aged, they were bap* tized without any previous preparation, or expectation of the rite, between midnight and morning, baptized in his house mto which he had received Paul and Silas, and, therefore, it is unlikely, by iirimersion ; but very possibly out of the veiy household bath, already referred to as in use in those days, out of which he had " washed the stripes" of the two apostles. The last instance of a baptism men- tioned in this book is that of the dis- ciples of John, whom Paul met at Ephesus, already referred to for another purpo&e, and o{ whom it is simply said, "They were bap- tij^ed in the name of the Lord Jesus ;" (Acts xix, 5,) and consequently from which we learn nothing about the/crm in which it was administered. We have gone over the bap- tisms performed by John the Baptist, and by our Lord and his disciples before his resurec- tion, and we have examined the eight instan- ces of baplizings by the inspired Apostles after the Penticost as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, and we find not a single case of submersion of the body in that rite. This, then, is another reason why we cannot think it the exclusive mode, if it be the proper mode at all-. But it has been asserted that we ignore ■ I'; i i 1 i \ i (■ 1 l ^ : ; • I 1 i |i:; , 1 ' 1 i' ■■ i ' ■ ■=: A'. ' m iiM ! 22 BAPTO AND ITS TARTATION8. the true gist of the question, namely, that the very word that we, in our version aiv(U- cize baptize, means immerse, or plunge; and some of the friends of immersion are movinc? for a new translation of the iJible with this rendering of the word wherever it occurs. This will, therefore, lead us to as- sign our next reason why we do not believe in exclusive immersion, namely, Seventh- ^Because nothing can be proven in favor of submersion from the angmal words employed in connediomvith Baptism. These words are bapto, embapto, bapttzo^^nd baptismos. Let us take up each of these as they occur in the New Testament, and in the Greek version of the olo^ '^nA see, it,trom the connection or the occap*' verb^ must mean to submerge, or be submerged, or the noun mean submersion. 2 Take the word bapto. Darnel iv., 66 ; -^ And his body [Nebuchadnezzar] was wet v/ith the dew of heaven." [ebapte,] 1 smg, ^ a, ind. pas. from [bapto] observe the Kmgo Babylon's body was baptized with dew ; but dew descends in the gentlest manner possi- ble ; therefore, there may be a t>aptism by the mildest kind of effusion. In t^f New T'^ciorr.ont it opcurs therein; | LuKe xvi, 24 1 " Send Lazarus that he may dip [bapse] of his finger in water." To wet the )N8. imely, that rsion aiv(U- L)r plunge; nersion are ■ the Bible wherever it .d us to as- not believe inbe proven he original Ith Baptism, baptizo^ond { of these as lent, and in [ see, ifjfrom '^ verbt must rged^ or the mid iv., 33 ; zar] was wet te,] 1 sing, 2 re the King of ith dew ; but nanner possi- i baptism by In the New ; [Luke xvi, he ' may dip ' To wet the BAPTO AND ITS VAKIATIONS. 23 tip of one's finger is a slight submersion surely. And if it constitutes a baptism, so might the welling of tlie face, or head ; [John xiii., 26,] ''He to whom I shall give a sop when I have dipped [bapsas] il." A sop or morsel, is not generally seasoned more than on the underside, therefore a person may be baptized without being submerged. Rev. xix, 13, "He" [whose " name is called the Word of God"] " was clothed in a vesture dipped in," or bespattered with " blood" as that of all warriors becomes, which he is here represented as being. An eminent critic says, " the context shows that the writer had in his eye the effect of grapes trodden in a wine press ; does the man who treads grapes in a wine i)ress plunge his clothes in their juice ? Surely not ; for the treaders held supports in their hands, lo avoid ilmt plunging ;" [C. Taylor], The juice is sprinkled upon thein, as water may be in baptism. 2. Embapto^ compounded from the fore- going and an €m,is used three times. Mathew^ xxvi., 23, '' He that dippeth [embajisas] his hand with me in the dish." Markj xvi, 20, " One of the twelve that dippeth [embaptomenos] with me in the j i f: w Hi!:!' •> I ■I m i y i ; ' 4.' ! ! 1 ; ;' ii i - ■ Mii i 1 ! 1 i ■ jl ii 1 1 ■ M. ^4 EMBAPTO &C. John xiii, 26 ; " He hz^ dipped [,e«^&«P«««l the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of slmon." The first two passages are more t!Zue to plunging than any other mstai^e of the use o^ this word that we have >e Sven Still, give as you may, the utmost Eude to thf eastern manner of usmg tne ■ands direct in eating, without the interven- tion of a fork, yet theVnd was by no mean wholly submerged in the liquid. "Does Common decency [says Taylor] tolerate the , plunging of two hands in the same dish, at the same time ?" „,;„,.ina1lv 3 As to baptizo, the word principally u'.ed in reference to the religious rite in Question, we will only refer to it m those in- itances in which there is some clue to th £m or" bought to be from the history its.H. •^ We have already shown that it cannot^be. proven that John" the Baptist immersed a lin-le person, unless the word baptize sig- Tfies to plunge. One case, I thmk, will ^ow that^JohS himself used it m the sense of effusion. Hear what he said, "I indeed baptize {baptizo) you with ^'^ "^^^/^^ pentance : but he tl.at cometh after nic s mightier than I , whose shoes I am not worthy to bear : he shall baptize (6«i>««|0 yo" wUh the Holy Uhost ««" ^V'V'r'T'-i'-Tfl'-i od [embapsos] cariot, the son gages are more other instance we have yet ly the utmost er of using the [t the interven- is by no means iquid. '^Does or] tolerate the ^ same dish, at )rd principally ligious rite in it in those in- me clue to the le history itself. M\X it cannot be Lst immersed a )rd baptize sig- P, I think, will :1 it in the sense said, "I indeed water unto re- eth after mc is 1 am not worthy ipHsei) you with t4 I^v\k9 iii,, 16.] BAPTIZO, &C. 25 Now there is no good sense in which we can be said to be plunged in the Holy Ghost which is always represented as being poured 0M«,-as coming upon «s,—as descending • yet such an effusion is called a baphsm, and John compares his water baptism to i ; therefore, it is to be presumed that John s own baptism proper, whatever preparatory washings the people resorted to, was ad- ministered by effusion. The word is repeat- ed in this sense by Onr Lord himself before his ascension, and on the eve of the lulfal- ment of his forerunner's prophecy, that was to take place at the Penticost [Acts i. 5 ] The next place we examine is, 1 Cor. x, i, 4. "Moreover, bretheren, 1 would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptised {ebapttsanto) unto Moses in the cloud and m the sea. They were sprinkled with the drops from the ' cloud and the spray from the sea, not sub- ? merged- for the sacred historian says, "Ihe ? children of Israel went into the sea upon the I dry ground : and the waiers were a wall I unto them on their right hand, and on their ' left." [Ex. xiv. 22.] 4. Baptismos. This noun occurs lour times : 3 • i; HI I Hi li m !l !l i 26 BAPTISMOS, &C. Mark, vii, 4, 8. '' The washing {baptis^ mous) of cups and pots, and ol brasen ves- sels and tables." Is it necessary m order to , wash these domestic utensils that they should he plunged "? Do our housekeepers plunge their cups and saucers, and plates, when they wish to wash them after bemg used ; or do they not pour water upon them ? As to the tables, hear the language of a learned archffiologist, '' Who ever considers what cumbersome pieces of furniture these tables were— fifteen or twenty feet long, hy four teet broad, and about four feet high— may judge whether they were plunged, after every meal taken upon them.'- (C. Taylor.) Heb vi., 2. " Of the doctrines of baptism (baptismone). What the apostles refers to may be understood by examining the next place in which he uses it in this epistle. Heb ix, 10. " Which stood only in meats and drink,and divers washings'' {baptismois,) the same word, though used in another case. Now I think that no person will deny but that the Apostle refers, in this second pas- sage at least, to various forms of puriiymg prescribed by the Levitical lav^, and which consisted, seldom if ever, in plunging the whole person, but in laving, pouring and sprinlding. And if the plural torin ox tne word in the former passage does even reler BURIAL IN BAPTISM. 87 shing {baptis- if brasen ves- iry in order to al they should sepers plunge plates, when r being used ; )n them? As e of a learned insiders what re these tables [gjhyfour feet h — may judge *ter every meal les of baptism )stles refers to ining the next ills epistle. only in meats j" (baptismois^) n another case, will deny but is second pas- ns of purifying [aw, and which n plunging the , pouring and ^al form of the does even refer to the baptism " unto repentance," and bap- tism " in the name of the Lord Jesus," the mode may be illustrated by the "diverse washings" of the old dispensation. The word, therefore, cannot be restricted toplung- ing. But it is thought by some, that its use in two passages, not yet cited, favors the idea |of immersion. For this reason, we have re- served them for consideration out of consecu- [tive order. These are passages which speak |of being " buried in baptism" in supposed [allusion to the administration of the rite by immersion. Let us see : Rom. vi, 3, 4. Know ye not so many of us baptised (ebaptisthemen) into Jesus were , Christ were baptised into his death ? There- fore we are buried with him by baptism {tou baptismatos) into death ; that like as Christ |Was raised up by the glory of the Father, ieven so we also should walk in newness of ?) ^life. Col. ii, 12. " Buried with him in baptism ; ^.wherein also ye are risen with him through !the faith of the operation of God." Now it lis evident that in neither passage has the ^Apostle any reference to the mode of outward Ibaptism. His argument and intention were Jpractical. His meaning amounts to this : — J" As by your public baptism you have ipledged yourselves to a death to sin, and the ■ Ffi , 11 •' 1 ll •:" ^^^1 1: ^^^^^1 1' ^^^B ^^^^^1 \ ^H % ^^H ii ^^H I i, ^■HB 1 : \ ^^^H ■ ^' 1 ill ^^^^^H ■ • Hh \V ^B ill! H hi' ':■ ^^H ^^H ■iili'. ■ H W- I ^^^^1 |i> ^^^H ■1 r ^^^B j^ ^^^^^S " ' t'Ji ;' ^H s ^^^H r ^^^^^1 fill ■i '■'■• ^^B ^^^^^H ^^^^^H 1 ^^H 1 P ^^^^H 'If' 1 1 1 28 PLAKTING AND CRUCIFYING. world, and idolatry, just as Christ di' d o the world literally; so yo'^.havmg experienced the quickening energy of that spirit which raised up the body of Christ, ye have received power to live and walk in newness of life. Re«ide« there is no real resemblance be- fw^en even the modern novelty of thrusting a person backwards into the water, and modern burial in an earthen grave, which Tul mode of baptism was adopted to resem- ble You do lay a person on his back in or- d nary burials, it is true, but after that, you Cow earth upon him, more like the e#«m« of water in baptism, than like vmmersxon. Further, the ancient manner of burial, was seldom if ever, of the kind here referred to : the body, like Christ's,was most generally de- posited (ofte^ standing W^^'^X'W'^t, ?hre, or tomb in the side of a rocky hill, what resemblance did that bear to tr»»"™';^ Also why not seek a resemblance bet ^een the other matters which the Apostle men- tions in the two verses following the one we have quoted from Romans, to i "Btj^ate our obligations to eschew sin and live to God? Such as vU^ing and crucifixion. In^jant- ins we first dig a hole, and after putting m *"«' ^ , ,P ..„ tu-^^r \n pnrth. more the root, or DUiu, wu mi^v.^^- ' T"'* „ like e/Msion than anything else. As to cru- cifixion, there is no resemblance that 1 can^ G. rist dird 10 xperienced pirit which ve received 3SS of life." nblance be- of thrusting water, and rave, which gd to rescm- \ back in or- ;er that, you the effusion immersion, burial, was referred to : generally de- ) in a sepul- ky hill, what immersion 9 nee between Apostle men- g the one we illustrate our live to God ? >n. In plant- er putting in L earth, more 5. As to cru- Lce that I can CONVENTIONAL. MEANING, 29 imagine, to baptism in any form, unless it refers to the effusion of blood from the hands and feet, from the lascerated back and tern pies, and from the wounded side ol Christ which, as well as the blood which oozed through the pores of his sacred skin on the night of his agony, and which he more than once calls a baptism, be meant-another proof, by the way, that baptism does not always mean immersion. We recite the instances last referred to : " But I have a baptism {baptisma) to be baptized with (baptisthenai) ; and how am I ^.traitened till it be accomplished !" (Luke xii, 50; " Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of and to be baptized {Baptisthenai) with the baptism {baiJtisma-^ that J am baptized with (bap^izomai)^ (Matt, xx, 22.) We will not insult the good sense of our readers by ex- pounding a meaning so plain as thatol tliese passages. , We have cited instances enough to show that, though the first, or ideal meaning ot baptizo might have been to dip, its conven- tional, or sacramental meaning, was to cleanse, or consecrate ; and from all the cases referred to, it does not appear that it was ever uerformed by immersion, but it is mor- ally certain, that the word was applied lo what was done only by affusion. We have i I f f. Ill i* !i so SPIRIT COMING DOWN. a similar instance of a word employed in a minnified sense in relation to the other sa- crament of Christ, the word deipnon^ Supper^ in the sense of a full meal, is applied to the morsel of bread and sip of wine, which in- spiration calls "The Lord's Supper." We prefer effusion, Eighthly. — Because it best expresses the impartation of the Holy Spirit^ which is the fact it is principally intended to prefigure. The baptism by the Holy Ghost was con- ferred by the descending of the baptismal el- ement. A few texts will tend to confirm this : — Luke, xxiv., 49. Behold I sendihe prom- ise of my Father upon you. John, i, 32. I saw the spirit descending FROM HEAVEN like a dove, and it abode upon him. Acts ii, 17. This is what was spoken — I will POUR OUT my Spirit. Acts ii, 33. Jesus having received of the Father, hath shed forth this which ye see and hear. /^cts ii, 2, 3. Suddenly there came from Heaven J and appeared unto them cloven tongues. Actsviii- 15, 16= That thev mie^ht receive the Holy Ghost ; for as yet he was fallen upon none of them. BAPTISM FROM ABOVE. 31 iployed in a le other sa- ioriy Supper y )plied to the i, which in- ppER." We xpresses the vhich is the prefigure, it was con- )aptismal el- firm this : — id the prom- DESCENDING t abode upon s spoken — I eived of the hich ye see 1 came from CHEM cloven lie^ht receive VaS FALLEN Acts ix, 17. Annanias put his hands on Paul, that he might be filled with the Holy Ghost. Acts X, 38. God anointed Jesus of Na- zareth with the Holy Ghost. Acts X, 44. The Holy Ghost fell on all. Acts xi, 15. The Holy Ghost fell on them, even as on us at the beginning. Acts X, 45. They of the circumcision were astonished, because on the Gentiles was POURED OUT the gift of the Holy Ghost. Acts XV, 8. Giving them the Holy Ghost, even as unto us. Titus iii, 6. The Holy Ghost, which he SHED on us abundantly. 1 Peter i, 12. The Holy Ghost sent down from heaven. Eph. i, 13, Sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. These passages give us as synonymous with baptise — Sending down ; coming ; giving; falling; shedding; pouring; sit- ting or abiding upon ; annointing; filling j and sealing, "In all these synonymous words, (says Taylor) there is not one that raises the idea of plunging^ or even approaches it, yet they all refer to baptism, ^The apostles shall bs baptised with the Holy Ghost,' is the predic- tion ; the Holy Ghost was poured out upon h „ &2 SECOND POSITION. .■ I ! 1 1 ■1 !.!' M a them, is the accomplishment. Even Paul, who was then absent, speaks of the Holy Ghost as being shed on him, doubtless at his baptism; (Acts ix, 17,) perhaps, how- ever, the instance of our Lord's is the most complete, of baptism by the Holy Ghost ; and in that we have the very height of cer- tainty there was no plunging, nor anything like it ; although almost all the synonyms meet in his person ;-~as descending, corning, filling, anointing, sitting, or abiding and seal- ingy This closes our armament on the mode, SECOND POSITION. The Wesleyans believe that adult, who has not been bap subject for baptism, if he proje in the truth of Christian doctrine, and resolve to govern his life by its precepts ; and they baptise all such who come and demand the ordinance. That the adult, who believes to the conscious justification of his soul from the guilt of sin, who has not been baptized, may and ought to receive that ordinance, there is no dispute. If there were any proof neces- sary, we have an explicit one in the case of Cornelius and his friends. Said the Apostle Peter, " Can any forbid water that these should not be baptized, who have received the Holy Ghost as well as we ?" Some there penitent a proper it m belief \ penitents' baptism. ss Even Paul, of the Holy doubtless at rhaps, how- i is the most loly Ghost ; 3ight of cer- lor anything e synonyms ing^ comings ing and seal- Qent on the a penitent 9 a proper v/m belief \ g, and resolve ts ; and they demand the o believes to soul from the aptized, may mce, there is proof neces- n the case of 1 the Apostle u' that these ive received Some there are who think that no ethers should be baptized. One passage is principally relied on as teciohing this. Namely the one which relates to the Ethfopean Eunuch, (Acts,viii.) " And the Eunuch said, see, here is water : what doth hinder me to be baptized ? And Philip said, if thou believest with all thy heart thou mayest." Some think this deci- sive. But may not a person '' believe with all his heart" all the Eunuch said he believed without possessing the peace of God ? Let us see — ^' And he answered and said, I be- lieve that Jesus Christ is the Son of God,^\ True, bat are there not many who believe, that, who are not consciously justified ? And do not all penitents believe as much as he ? But that all were not justified whom the Apostles baptized or proposed to baptizCjWill appear from a few passages from the Acts of the Apostles. Take— ^cf,9, II, 38, " Then Peter said unto them, repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, [not, because he have received forgiveness of sins] and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.*' We see from y|is text, instead of repelling the penitent because he has not received forgive- ness, we have ground to encourage him to expect forgiveness in submitting to the ordi- nance. 4 S4 THIRD POSITION. i ! 1 ■ 1, ■;. 1 'i if 1 'i, i ! j ■i : t ■ ■ x '■■''' ; ! 1 J J n| 1- i W ; 1 11 i -i ! 1 ■ \ 'Ii 1 1 i! St. Paul informs us that when in distrcM of soul for sin,Ananias came to him and said (Acts xxii, 16) " Arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord." This language implies that ho was not justified prior to his baptism. Simon, the Sorcerer, who " believed" and leceived baptism from the hands of the Evangelist Philip in Samaria (Acts, viii),did not believe with a faith that purified the heart ; for we find the man of God proving Eim, a little while after, " in the gall of bitter- ness and in the bond of iniquity." A proof this that the recipient was not always a re- generated person ; and that baptism did not always (as the Campbellites assert it does,) confer regeneration. Having disposed of the two firsts 1 proceed to the last, or THIRD POSITION. The Wesleyans believe that those infants and children, whose parents are accredited adherents of Christianity, by being baptized themselves, and whose consecration to God is demanded by those parents, with the promise to bring them up in the nurture and admo- nition of the Lord,'' may and ought to be bap- tized ; and they do baptize them accordingly. mr,.^* r>^^«>^/v» Jionntie/f hnrttistm. istthe ritS of formal initiation into the visible churchy RITI or INITIATION. ss n distrem a and said itized, and e name of es that he sm. eved** and ds of the s, viii),did irified the d proving lUofbitter- ' A proof ways a re- sm did not rt it does,) josed of the ose infants accredited ig baptized n to God is the promise and admO" ht to be bap" iccordingly, tm is the rite uble churchy and infants have a claim to membership in that church. As to the church itself, it in- cludes all the covenanled worshippers of the true God in opposition to false religionists of all kinds. " The word ' congregation,^ as it stands in our version of the Old Testament, (and it is one of very frequent occurrence in the book of Moses,) is found to correspond in the Septuagint, which was familiar to the New Testament writers, to ecclesia ; the word which, in our version of these last, is always rendered— not ' Congregation,' but * Church,' This, or its equivalent, ' kirh,' is probably no other than ' circle,* that is assem* bly, ecclesia." [Archbishop Whately.] 1. As to its being the rite of initiation,it is, I think, denied by none, and therefore not requiring proof. It may be well, however, to adduce two or three considerations on this point. " Go ye iherefore, and teach" [mathe- tusate, make disciples, or christians of] " all nations," [by what means ?] " baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." (Matt, xxviii, 19 ;) " For as many of yon as have been bap- tized into Christ have put on Christ" — as- sumed the profession of Christianity. This is plain from the next verse : " There is neither Jew nor Greek, &c," (old distinctions 96 CHILDREN CHURCH-MKMBERS. !i r im ftnd connexions are abolished) " for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." As a further proof of its initiatory character, the apostle par- rellels it with circumcision^ by whicJi Abra- ham and his family were brought into visible, formal covenant relationship to God. " And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise," (Gal. ill, 27-29.) Hence we find that when the Apostles baptized persons, they regarded them as added to the visible church. "Then they that gladly received his word were bap- tized, and the same day there were added unto them [the disciples] about three thou- sand souls," i^Acts ii, 41.) Now we proceed to show — 2. That children are capable of, and have a right to memhership. We proceed to pre- sent the reasons for this : 1. Infants are born in a state of initial justification, by virtue of the atonement of Christ, in which state, they continue till it is forfeited by personal transgression. "By the ofifence of one (the first Adsim) judgment came upon all men to condemnation ; even so by the righteousness of one (the second Adam, Christ) the free gift came upon all men unl,> justification of life," (Rom. v, 18.) 2. They were regarded as members from the time of Abraham's circumcision. " And CIRCUMCISID*r or ISAAC. 57 Abraham circumcised his fion Isrtac, being eighi days old, as God' had commanded him," (Gen. xxi, 4.) This seal of the covenant, or earnest of " the pTOmise" was administered to children as well as parents, (although the law of Moses which supervened as a fence against idoltary, and a " school master" to a people very slow to learn,) down to the time of Christ, the people with their " little ones" appearing in every covenant transaction before God. ; ,3. The old Testament prophets never gave any intimation that this relationship of chil- dren should cease under^he Mesiah, but on .the contrary, thai their privileges should be continued and confirmed. Isaiah predicted •of the Good Shepherd that he should "gather the Zam65 with his arm«", (xl, 11,)— would show a particular interest in the young. He represents those who would ilock to -Christ from all- parts as bringing thcfir ''Sons and daughters with ihem : (xliv. 22.) "And they shall hang on him [on Christ] all the glory of his father's house; the of spriiig and the issne.''^ [xxii. 24], ^ This is a fair opportunity for saying, tliat ITIfitePiil nP rlf^jTi . 'Hi rjl in or fiiVi "'^^ vrJ'5rt'i< •iTTr(«,.r,^*?> lor the church membersftip of children, as the opponents of infant baptism do, 'it "fairly iiiii I'lm 11 iS CHRIST^S TREATMENT OF CHILDREN. devolves on them to present the positive proofs for the denial of forniai recognition to the "little ones", v^ho had been recognized under every preceding dispensation. 4. Christ himself did not deny them recog- nition when they were "brought to him". This was a fair opportunity for him to say that they were not entitled to it, and that their relation to the visible Church was to cease, and he would have done it, if he had designed that this should be the case, and that especially as some forbad their coming, and rebuked them that brought them : (Mark X. 14.) "But Jesfus was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of God." How authorita- tive let little children^ those so small that he could "lake them up in his arms" — come unto me. How shall they come ? They cannot now come literaUy^ as then ; they cannot come morally y as an adult ; and yet they may come. It follows, therefore, that they may come ceremonially in the ordinance of God. But this appears especially from the reason assigned by Christ himself : "For of such is the kingdom of God." If you understand the "Kingdom of God" to mean His Church ^fi9 C%Vf »«», COS JL* OVAii^i-iiii^^a \^\f\i>3. 4-UfwM Ml MARK OF DISCIPLESHIP. 39 asserts "little children" to be its members ; and shall not their membership be formally recognized ? Il the phrase means the Church triumphant^ then il appears that children are fit for that kingdom. And if so, why not re- ceive the sign which distinguishes its heirs f But further, Second — Children may he baptized^ 6c- cause baptism is the murk of discipleship^ and they may become effectually disciples^ or scholars. That it is the characteristic badge of a disciple we have already shown from Matthew xxviii. 19. And as to their capa- city for scholarship, when are persons gene- rally supposed to learn any thing the most effectually, in infancy, or age ? And that there is no exception to the general rule, where religion is concerned, Christ asserts that we must "become like little child- ren" if we would "enter the kingdom of God." Timothy, "from a child," knew the "Holy Scriptures which are able to make us wise unto salvation." And are not Christiam parents to bring up their "children in the nurture and admonition — the doctrine and discipline — of the Lord ?" This shews their susceptibility of discipleshipj but without the mark^ they have no consistent right to the wvivilonroa r\t iVtaf afaick Si it M^B 40 MEANS OF i)EDICATION, II t ! i \ 3. Baptism is a means of dedicating to the Holy Trinity^ and children may and ought to be dedicated. There is that in the pa- rental heart which leads the parents, wlien they come under the influence of true reli- gion, to desire that the favor which they en- joy from God should be sealed to their child- ren, to whose worship and service they are forward to pledge themselves that they will bring them up. This is seen in the desire and demand of a newly converted heathen or jew, who would never think of their little ones being excluded unless their teacher repelled them. A converted jew^ of our ac- quaintance made that the groimd of liis elect- ing a pedobaptist church .when he publicly professed the faith of the gospel. Circum- cision furnished such a means of dedication to the pious Israelites, and their religion re- quired it. Baptism furnishes a similar means of havins{ the ''name of the Lord" "called upon" the child at the same time that he re- ceives a name. The name was given among the jews at the time the child was circumcis- ed and devoted to God— v/itness the circum- cision of John the Baptist as recorded by St. Luke. V As to the objection that there is no expli- cit warrant for infimt baptism, which isiirged by its opponents, besides ihe fact that there ANTHROPOS^ AND ETHNE. 41 ^ to the I ought lie pa- wlien le reli- ley en- i' child- ey are !y will desire eathen ir little eacher Dur ac- s elect- ubiicly ircum- i cation ;ion re- means 'called i he re- am on g umcis- irciim- by St. ) expli- 3'nrged it there was none needed where children had always enjoyed the privilege of church membership, we have t<) say that these objectors admit females to communion with the church for which there is no explicit, but only an infer- ential warrant. We know it is said, that the word anthroj)OSy " man," in the t^xt, "let a Vnan examine himself, and so let. him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup," (I Cor* xi, 28) is either male or female ; but antkro- pos in the above text no more include^ females than, ethne, "nations," in the text which commands us to diaciple all nations by bap- tizing them^ includes infants as well as adults.; for there, is no nation but what is composed of a large proportior of the former* But if we have no explicit warranty we haye something very much like it, in the next reason we assign for our practice, namely : 4, The example of the Apostles in baptis- ing whole families^ in which it is fair to pre- sume there were some infants. And if there .were not, yet, as they baptized older children by virtue of their parents faith, and they never baptized the head of a family but they baptized " all his house" — how much, more in/ixnfs, that can so much more easily _ be trained ^p " in the nurture and admonition f the Lord" than those whose habits, are i! 1 ^1 * ■ i . i ' iilmi. 42 CORNELIUS AND hYDlA* partially formed. We particularize the instances : The first is the case of Cornelius. (Acts X, 47-48.) It may be said there is no evidence that there were any but adults in tl ; compa- ny at the house of this Centurion. But it appears from St. Peter's own account of the transaction [Chap, xi,] that the Apostle was to speak "words" to him " whereby he and aUhis house [oiA;a«,faraily] should be saved." [v. 14,] — Now if his relati mship to Christ brought a blessing to his family as well as himself, is it likely that the seal of that cove- nant mercy would be denied to them \vhich was accorded to him ? Is not the fair infer- ence, from the narrative and the circumstan- ces of the case, that they were all baptized both old and young ? The next is still more explicit, namv^ly : Second^ the case oi Lydia and her family, [Acts xvi, 15,] She was baptized and her household. Many have harped upon the word " household," and argued that it inclu- ded her work-people, who must have been adults. But it happens that the original word is aikoSy house, or family, and not oikia^ " household;" so that the introduction of the dyers of " purple" is entirely gratuitous, especially as we have no evidence that SETERAi FAMIUES 4S thouKh Lydia was « a seller of purple,' she was a manufacturer of it. We have another instance in the same chapter— namely : Third.— That of the Phimpiam jAitom, « and all his." A middle-aged, vigorous man. such as his actions and position declare him to have been, most likely had young Sdren in his family. And if they were all adults, as some maintain, they were top- tized without previous instruction, lor t&ey were baptized ''forthwith" alter his own conversion. And if grown up children are ca- Lble of " believing," may be baptized fcefore believing by virtue of a father's faith, how much more younger ones, who can De 80 much more etiectually trained in accor- dance with their baptism? foMrtA— Paul baptized " the household of Stephanus." And here again the wok! is oikos,famUy, and not oikia, " household. Besides those above mentioned, we have several other christian families mentioned m the Scriptures of the New Testament, such as those of Gaius, and Crispcs, and Nar- GI880S, and Oniciphores, who as christmns, must have been accredited by baptism. Now it would be very remarkable indeed it in the only eight families which chanced to be f ■r. ml id r* 44 »UCK^» TESTIMONY. How often do tho. %vho deny baptism to infants^ have the privilege of bapti^ring whole families ^} Seldom, we surmise. Now, a strong comment on our expounding and inferences from these facts, is our next reason. We baptize infants: • Fifth— Because it tvas the practice of the Church from the earliest times. In confirmation of this position, I shall make but two extracts, but theise from works not of party controversy, but of general inter- est and standard merit, intended for the edi- fication of the universal church : namely, Buch?s Theologicc Dictionary and Dr. Cavers ^^Religionofthe Ancient Christians.'*^ The language of Back is as follows :— - "From the year 400 to 1,150, ho society of men ill all tliat period of 750 years, ever pretended to say it was unhuvful to baptize infanrs ; and still rie arer the t i me of our S a- viour there appears to have been scarcely any one that so much as advised the delay of in- fant baptism. Irena^ius, v%^ho lived in the second century, and Vv^as well acquainted with Polycarp, wiio was John^s disciple, declares expressly that the chnrch learned from the apostles- to baptize children.^ Origen, third century, afKrmed that flie custom. vn ih' of baptizing infants was received from Christ CAVfe'si ACCOUNT. 45 and his apostles. Cyprian, and a council of ministers (held about the year 254) no less than sixty-six in number, unanimously a^ greed that children might be baptised as soon as they were born. Ambrose, who wrote about 274 years from the apostles, declares that the baptism of infants had been the practice of the apostles themselves, and of the church, till that time. The catholic church everywhere declared, says Chrysos^ tom^ in the fifth century, that infants should be baptized ; and AugusTin affirmed that he never heard nor read of any Christian, catho- lic, or sectarian, but who always held that infantsv^ere to be baptized." The language of the historian of the ancient church is as follows : — ^ " From the persons ministering we proceed to the persons upon whom it was conferred, and they were of two sorts, infants and adull persons. How far the baptizing of infants is included in our Saviour's institution is not my work to dispute ; but certainly if in con* troverted cases the constant practice of the church, and those who immediately succeed- ed the apostles be (as no man can deny it is) the best interpreter of the laws of Christ, the dispute one would think should be at an end. For that it always was the custom to receive the children of Christian parents into the j y i?/ i'. t is 4fi cave's account. church by baptism, we have sufficient evi- dence from the greatest part of the most early writers, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Origen, Cyprian &c. whose testimonies I do not produce, because I find them collected by others, and the argument thence so forcible and conclu- Bive, that the most zealous opposers of infant baptism know not how to evade it ; the testi- monies being so clear, and not the least shadow that I know of in those times of anything to make against it. There was indeed in Cyprian's time a controversy about the baptizing of infants, not whether they ought to be baptized, (for of that there was no doubt,) but concerning the time when it was to be administered, whether on the second or third, or whether, as circumcision of old, to be deferred till the eighth day ; for the determining of which, Cyprian sitting in the council with sixty-six bishops, writes a synodical epistle to Fidus, to let him know, that it was not necessary to be deferred so long, and that it was their universal judg- ment and resolution, that the mercy and grace of God was not to be denied to any, though as soon as he was born : concluding that it was the sentence of the council, that none ons^ht to be forbidden baptism and the grace of God ; which as it was to be observed and retained towards all men, so much more " INFANTS CANNOT BELIEVE »» 4T SO towards infants and new-born children. That this sentence of theirs was no novel doctrine St. Augustine assures us, where, spiaking concerning this synodical determi- nation, he tells us, that in this * Cyprian did not make any new decree, but kept the faith of the church most firm and sure.' ** Having given a very brief and plain sum- mary of the reasons for Wesleyan belief and practice relative to infant baptism, we pro- ceed to notice some common objections, not disposed of in the preceding expositions and arguments. First— It is often said infants ought not to be baptized^ because they cannot believe. Is there any scripture which says, or implies, that all candidates for baptism must believe ? We know of no such scripture. The oft quot- ed text may perhaps be recited. "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned."— (Mark xvi. 16.) That a person who comes to years of maturity must personally believe in order to salvation, we are more than will- ing to admit ; and that such a person, il not previously baptized, should submit to bap- tism, we readily agree. And if you bke, you may sustain it by the above quoted text. But if that passage proves that infants are 4S DEBARS THEM FROM SALVATION. 1 debarred from baptizni, because they cannot believe, it equally debars them from salvOr^ Hon, For faith is made essential to the lat- ter in explicit terms, a proof this that the text only applies to the case of adults. This text, therefore, proves more than the opponents of infant baptism intend, and therefore proves nothing. Besides, tlie order and force of the words do not necessarily imply the necessity of belief prior to baptizm in any one. "He that believeth and is bapti:?ed, &c." — not, and then is baptized. The words are per- fectly reconcilable \vi\\\ a baptism before or after belief. If, as we have sho\yn, , a bap- tism administered in infancy be valid, then the person's subsequent belief in adult years does not make the repetition of his baptism necessary. His sincere and cordial belief in maturity is the very thing contemplated by his being "discipled" in infancy. All the grown up children of christian parents has to do is to seek grace to be faithful to his baptismal obligations. A great deal of the demand for baptism on the part of persons, on being truly converted, from considering the practice of the apostles in baptizing their converts, arises from not considering the different characters of the two classes of con- verts. The one is converted from th ) neglect of what they always professed to b-^ impor- tant ; as we] false, succes results took p Like liever. Age good i answc cision quired hard t tism ( benefi child < the ob tinned alway feariuj who p duty i But christi convei from 1 more 1 when or GOOD OF BAPTISM TO AN INFANT. ^' tant ; the oilier from the grossest of errofs^ as well as sin, to what tliey once regarded zm' false. When onr missionaries meet vifiih success among Jews and heathens similaor results follov/ with regard to baptism, whici^ took place under the labours of the ApOvSlleau Like them, our Evangelists baptize the be- liever, and like them they baptize his fanailj^ Again^ we may have it objected, tulh^ good can baptism do an infant ! We rm^^ answer by asking, what good did circwasi^ cision do the Jewish infants ? Yet God in- quired it. Perhaps, also, they would iiml ft hard to answer. What good can water \3&;^ tism do an adult? We can conceive owk benefit, among many others, to the baptissdl child over one who is not, if properly taii^^ the obligations of baptism, it will be a tinued restraint upon him. And we always observed the best behaved and fearing among the children of Psed o-bap lrrf > r who properly understood and performed tlreir duty in this particular. But it ma/ be asked, does not the credit of ' Christianity require that when a persco lim converted, who has wandered long and finr- from his baptismal obligations, that he sboolii more than the apostate after adult baptisjcii^ when he is restored, particularly where tfeaS: 11 ll ii if -M) .WSWEK TO TlIK CHAKOE OF FOKMALITY. tfcstoration lakes place far Ironi the time, or :^lace, or both, of his baptism. An ohjfict ion against infant baptism^which weighs very much with many devout persons Isyi/iat it lends to formality — that is that it is ^^talculated to make the subjects of it rest in their nominjil connexion with the christian church, fuid neglect to seek the renewal of the heart. This maybe an incidental abuse M)f it, in some eases, we admit. But we think it constiliiles a true motive to seek the >rhing signified, and that it has that eifect on the Tiglitly instructed, we c^yrtainiy know. ^Bat are there no dangers attending the oppo- site doctrine ? Are there not those among Its advocales who give an undue prominence to water baptism to the neglect of the heart ? 'Who rest on their adult baptism, and neglect *' to stir up th(» gift within them?" And are there not many adherents of adult immersion, who boldly assert that that is the only regen- ^eration taught in the Scriptures ? We know of a case of a convert to immersionist views, who teased his once pious Methodist brother, by letters and otherwise, for several years,till that brother lost his religious enjoyment, and neglected both family prayer, and the social nor Baptist. To discover its moral and reli- gious effects, look at the adherents of onr liii wmm LOOK AT TllK ADHEKEN TS OF OVR »Y«TKM. ol oninioii. VVc do not constitnic the whole ot the Pedohapm IsrHcl, yet, for c>vcry nnqucf- tionably |)ious Immersimid (and we art- hai.py to eonfe«s there are many) lurn.shed us we will produce an eqtially exemplfttjt. MethodiiU to say nothing <>l others. CONCIX'SION. Tiie uboNO an- the reasons- (perliiqw toocon- ciselv expressed to be perspicuous to every on^ lilliout a secand perusal) of WesU^yan belief and practice relative lo water baptism. - We furnish then to all interested that we . ,nay not be turned aside ircnn H'^gre^t ^ J of promoting personal religion, and ' spr nd^ ini scriptural holiness over the, land, 'to oral discussions which do no good, and otten do harm. They constitute a reason why we - dare not repeat 'the baptism of a person «nce baptised, whether hx adult years or inftmcy, in any form, in the name of the Holrlrinity. We might retain some, otherwise desirau.o persons, if we did, but we dare not sacriliot^ principle to any consideration. If we hav:- Liled in satisfying any of the correctness o. . 1 „_nn«w>n ^.v!P^ advise tnem it* our views aim u»a»^i»^^, ■■■ --- - seek religious fellowship elsewhere. It we have done them any good in any respect, we :m CONCLUSION, as« tliankful ; and sincerely wish them pros- ^perity in the name of the Lord, wherever they i&aaij unite. ^Having written in a kindly spirit, m vin- ^^issation of our own doings only, and havin» mmore important work to attend to, we mus^ «ery much alter our mind if we notice any ^fi&islxires which this little work may by pos- ..^^iiity call forth. Wishing both friends and "^^^^^^i^Jits a richer baptism of the Holy Spi- aacTj, we add no more. ERRATA. If the reader would correct with his pen &e following errors, he would have the .jlLXilhor\s meaning correctly: — On pa:-'-e iv «^ond line, put b before the '' e" at the bo' ling. Page 7, 2ndline, chanp-- "^--.^----' ^ , . ^ .icspcci r^t. Tenth page, second paragraph, in tibe word " universal," change '' a" for r.— W^ge 17, 2nd line, cancel the word "noi." ^^ page 37, erase (xliv, 22) as erroneous. /O ?) C N T E NJ S . Advertisement ' * * Analytical Index: OUR POSITIONS — • 1. On the Mode of Baptism ... • • • • • • • • » 2. Relating to Penitent Adults ...... ^ 8. Relating to Inlants . . . • • ' • g Reasons— ior first Position • _ Reaton /irsf-Spiritnal nature, &c. . ... 6 ^' « •§ ;ond-Plunging ImFac^icable 7 « Third-nungmgnoi Modest... 8 « Fourth-mpntlf agamst. » u BTift/j—Overthrows Baptism . .... »" a JS-No certain warrant lor &c 10 1 Nona from John Baptist- . • . • . (1) His Bapti zing t« /onlo:n j- (2 Ba;>feH»g oi«-I.3rd V5^ 'do In. .E""" ; IK -'■"'■' r \ rhritt 8.' Bis Disciples... 15 Sffis Disciples after his departure 16 Tho?^e at the Penticost • -^y^ y^ The Samari tans ' ' ^^ 1^ Ethiopeau Eunuch. . . • • 54 CONTENTS. Saul ol Tarsus Cornelius and Friends.'.'.'.* * ' * It Liydia and Family. ^ Jailor and Family ^0 Disciples at Ephcsus! .'.'.■.'.* f ? He^^ Seventh-No warranl fro/n';;^- -' 1. WoTdBcpioWW. !^ f- " Embapto ...:::: , n S- " Baptizo f 4. « Baptismos tz "• Uunal in Baptism". . , a? «Plaming»J"Crudfying'.:;;;:-'5 ingT."""' ""' «««r»™eLl me;;: ^^ Synonyms'of 'fiapt'ism '.".'.*..■.■ f. Second Position. . . ^' Justified Adults f^ Penitenl, do... ;**" ^^ Does not regenerate .*.'.'.'.' f ? Third Posilimi.... ^4 First Reason ^4 I. Rite of Initiation '.'.'.'.." %{ ..Children capable of M;m*bj;s'hii;::;: 36 (&\ rl? . ,' ^^^f "" mtimation, &c. . 3? (3) Cbnst denied them not reco^iti^n 38 _,mm0MK0iim^mm mmimm mmmi>'' Second— Baptism mark of Discipleship and Children may be discipled 39 Third — Means of dedicating to tlie Trinity 40 Fourth — Example of Apostles, &c 41 1. Case of Cornelius and Family 42 2. Lydia and Family 42 S, Philipian Jailor and Family 43 4. Stephanus, Gaiusj Crispus, &c 43 Fifth — Practice of llie Church thencefor- ward 44 Buck's Testimony 45 Cave's do 45 Common Ohjections 47 1. " Infants cannot believe" 47 Proves too much 48 2. ^' What good can it do an infant ?" ... 49 3. Does the credit of Christianity require re-baptism . , . . , 49 4. Does infant Baptism lead to formality 50 Conclusion 51 Summing up 51 Not to be made the occasion of alterca- tion 52 % Sv I f 56 AD VE V.TISEMENTS . THE PETEEBOUO' EEYIEW Book and Printing Establisliment, MARKET BLOCK^TPJKXERKORO. ORDERSFOR ANY KIND OF look 01 Plaifi M Fancf Job lofk, will be promptly attended to : There is a very complete Attached to the Establishment, where every des- cription of BOOK-BINDING, Will be executed in the best Style at Low Price*. RICHARD WmTE. p I. C< W' 0: - - 5B PRESENT, siorn and events connected witb vdiv,.nfor the last thirty by a . THE SCENES, -,g interest, «lf V *