But are there not more baptisms than one? One Lord, one faith, one baptism. Eph. iv, 5. Yes. John's baptism was of water only, but this ended with him, and gave way to Christ's, or Christian baptism, which is of Water and the Holy Ghost. You say that at your baptism sin was washed away; how was it that you had sin, seeing that you were an infant when you were baptized, and therefore could not know what sin was? I was born in sin. Shew from Scripture that you were born in sin? Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Psalm, li, 5. Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean ? not one. Job, xiv, 4. How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman? behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in his sight. How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm? Job, xxv, 5, 6. 4, What is the name of the sin in which you were born? Original, or birth sin. What is the meaning of the word original? Beginning. What do you mean then by original sin? Sin which began with our first parents, and came to each of us at our beginning, or birth. Why is it called also birth sin? Because we were born in it. Did we commit this sin in which we were born? No. Who did commit it? Our first parents, Adam and Eve, and we inherit it from them in the same manner as a bad tree produces bad fruit. But do we not commit sin ourselves after we are baptized? Yes, our sinful nature still remains, although What sin is that called which we commit ourselves? Actual sin. Why is it called actual? Because it is done by our own acts. Are infants guilty of this sin? No. When do we commit actual sin? Directly we know right from wrong. Are any of us who know right from wrong free from this sin? No. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1st. St. John, i, 8, 9. When were you baptized? When I was an infant. What sin was washed away at your baptism? Shew from Scripture that sin is washed away at baptism? Then And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. Acts xxii, 16. Peter said unto them, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." Acts ii, 38. What do you mean by remission ? Forgiveness. But does not the Scripture say we must repent as well as be baptized if we wish to be forgiven? Yes. What is the use of baptizing infants then, seeing they cannot have repentance? An infant is not required, as an infant, to have repentance. Why not? Because it never committed actual sin. But you just now said that we were all born in sin? Yes, that was original sin, which we did not commit ourselves, and we are not required to repent of sin which we never committed. Can you shew that it is agreeable to God's word, that little children should be brought to him in baptism? Yes, among the Jews little children were brought to God at their circumcision when only eight days old. And as baptism has taken the place of circumcision, being called in Scripture the circumcision of Christ, (Col. ii, 11, 12.) and as our Saviour himself said "suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not," (St. Mark x, 14.) so it is plainly in accordance with the will of God, as contained in Scripture, that infants should be baptized. What is the opinion of the Church respecting infants who have been baptized, dying before they commit actual sin ? That they are undoubtedly saved. Could we say that of them before their baptism? No, because Scripture says (1st Cor. xv, 50.) "flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God," therefore, seeing there is no promise, we must leave unbaptized infants, like the heathen, to the uncovenanted mercy of God. BAPTISM A REGENERATION. What are we all born of by nature ? Why cannot flesh and blood enter heaven ? Whose children are we then at our birth, seeing we Because the devil is the father of sin. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do, He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. St. John viii, 44. Ought we to remain his children? No. Whose children ought we to be? The children of God. When do we become the children of God? Do we then change our father at our baptism? Could you change your father without being born over again? No. Were you then born again at your baptism? Yes. Of what were you born again at your baptism? Were you able to do anything then which you could not do before? Yes, I then could enter the kingdom of heaven. |