of our Saviour and his apostles, Baptism has been the subject have been supposed to be the of long and sharp controversy, same; because they agree, it is both as it respects the subject and said, in their subjects, form, and the mode. To state all that has end. But it must be observed, that been said on both sides, would be though there be an agreement in impossible in a work of this kind. some particulars, yet there is not An abstract, however, of the chief in all. The immediate institutor arguments I think it my duty to of John's baptism was God the present to the reader, in order Father, John i, 33; but the im- that he may judge for himself. mediate institutor of the Chris tian baptism was Christ, Matt. xxviii, 19. John's baptism was a preparatory rite, referring the subjects to Christ, who was about to christian was common As to the subject. The ANTIPÆDOBAPTISTS hold that believing adults only are proper subjects, because Christ's confer on them spiritual blessings, commission to baptize appears to Matt. iii, 11. John's baptism was them to restrict this ordinance to confined to the Jews; but the such only as are taught, or made to Jews disciples; and that, consequently, and Gentiles, Matt. iii, 5, 7. Matt. infants, who cannot be thus taught, xxviii, 19. It does not appear are to be excluded. It does not that John had any formula of appear, say they, that the apostles, administration; but the christian in executing Christ's commission, baptism has, viz. " In the name," ever baptized any but those who &c. The baptism of John was were first instructed in the christhe concluding scene of the legal tian faith, and professed their bedispensation, and, in fact, part of lief of it. They contend that init; and to be considered as one of fants can receive no benefit from those "divers washings" among it, and are not capable of faith and the Jews; for he did not attempt repentance, which are to be conto make any alteration in the Jew-sidered as pre-requisites. ish religion, nor did the persons he baptized cease to be members of the Jewish church on the ac As to the mode. count of their baptism; but chris- They observe that the meaning tian baptism is the regular en- of the word Baπλιζω signifies imtrance into, and is a part of, the mersion or dipping only; that evangelical dispensation, Gal. iii, John baptized in Jordan; that he 27. It does not appear from the chose a place where there was inspired narrative (however pro-much water; that Jesus came up bable from inferential reasoning) out of the water; that Philip and that any but John himself was the Eunuch went down both into engaged as operator in his bap- the water. That the terms washing, tism; whereas Christ himself bap- purifying, burying in baptism, so tized none; but his disciples, by often mentioned in scripture, allude his authority, and in his name, to this mode; that immersion only John iv, 2. was the practice of the apostles and the first christians; and that infant baptism had been a human PÆDOBAPTISTS. without baptism or with it; but The Pædobaptists, however, are none must be received without of a different opinion. As to the baptism, therefore infants must of subject, they believe that qualified necessity be baptized. Hence it adults who have not been baptized is clear, that, under the gospel, inbefore are certainly proper sub-fants are still continued exactly in jects; but, then, they think also the same relation to God and his that infants are not to be exclud church, in which they were origied. They believe that, as the nally placed under the former disAbrahamic and the christian co-pensation. venants are the same, Gen. xvii, 7. That infants are to be received Heb. viii, 12; that as children into the church, and as such bapwere admitted under the former; tized, is also inferred from the foland that as baptism is now a lowing passages of scripture:seal, sign, or confirmation of this Gen. xvii. Is. xliv, 3. Matt. xix, 13. covenant, infants have as great Luke ix, 47, 48. Mark ix, 14. a right to it as the children had Acts ii, 38, 39. Rom. xi, 17, 21. a right to the seal of circumcision 1st Cor. vii, 14. under the law, Acts ii, 39. Rom. Though there are no express iv, 11. That if children are not examples in the New Testament of to be baptized because there is Christ and his apostles baptizing no positive command for it, for infants, yet this is no proof that the same reason women should they were excluded. Jesus Christ not come to the Lord's supper; actually blessed little children; we should not keep the first day and it would be hard to believe of the week, nor attend public that such received his blessing, worship, for none of these are and yet were not to be members expressly commanded; that if of the gospel church. If Christ 1 1 received them, and would havelfor read of any christian, cathous receive them in his name, how lic, or sectarian, but who always can it be reconciled to keep them held that infants were to be bapout of the visible church? Be-tized. They farther believe, that sides, if children were not to be there needed no mention in the baptized, it would have been ex- New Testament of receiving inpressly forbidden. None of the fants into the church, as it had Jews had any apprehension of the been once appointed, and never rejection of infants, which they repealed. The dictates of Nature, must have had, if infants had been also, in parental feelings; the verrejected. As whole households dict of reason in favour of priviwere baptized, it is probable there leges; the evidence in favour of were children among them. From children being sharers of the seals the year 400 to 1150, no society of grace, in common with their of men, in all that period of 750 parents, for the space of 4000 years, ever pretended to say it was years; and especially the lanunlawful to baptize infants; and guage of prophecy, in reference still nearer the time of our Saviour to the children of the gospel there appears to have been scarce-church, make it very probable ly any one that so much as ad- that they were not to be rejected. vised the delay of infant baptism. So far from confining it to adults, Irenæus, who lived in the second it must be remembered that there century, and was well acquainted is not a single instance recorded in with Polycarp, who was John's the New Testament in which the disciple, declares expressly that descendants of christian parents the church learned from the apos- were baptized in adult years. tles to baptize children. Origen, That infants are not proper in the third century, affirmed that subjects for baptism, because they the custom of baptizing infants cannot profess faith and repentwas received from Christ and his ance, they deny. This objection apostles. Cyprian, and a coun- falls with as much weight upon cil of ministers (held about the the institution of circumcision as year 254) no less than sixty-six in infant baptism; since they are as number, unanimously agreed that capable or are as fit subjects for children might be baptized as the one as the other. It is genesoon as they were born. Am-rally acknowledged, that, if inbrose, who wrote about 274 years fants die (and a great part of the from the apostles, declares that human race do die in infancy) the baptism of infants had been they are saved: if this be the case, the practice of the apostles them-then, why refuse them the sign in selves, and of the church. till that infancy, if they are capable of time. The catholic church every enjoying the thing signified!where declared, says Chrysostom, "Why," says Dr. Owen, " is it in the fifth century, that infants the will of God that unbelievers should be baptized; and Augus- should not be baptized? It is betin affirmed that he never heard cause, not granting them the grace, he will not grant them the sign. pable of that faith and repentance If God, therefore, denies the sign which are said to be necessary to to the infant seed of believers, it this ordinance. must be because he denies them As to the mode. the grace of it; and then all the They believe that the word children of believing parents (up- Barlo signifies to dip or to plunge; on these principles (dying in their but that the term Βαπλίζω, which infancy, must, without hope, be is only a derivative of Baπλω, and eternally damned. I do not say consequently must be somewhat that all must be so who are not less in its signification, should be baptized; but all must be so whom invariably used in the New TesGod would not have baptized." tament to express plunging, is not Something is said of baptism, it is so clear. It is therefore doubted observed, that cannot agree to in-whether dipping be the only meanfants: faith goes before baptism; ing, and whether Christ absolutely and, as none but adults are capa-enjoined immersion, and that it ble of believing, so no others are is his positive will that no other capable of baptism; but it is re- should be used. As the word plied, if infants must not be bap- Βαπτίζω is used for the various abtized because something is said of lutions among the Jews, such as baptism that does not agree to in-sprinkling, pouring, &c. Heb. ix, fants, Mark xvi, 16, then infants 10; for the custom of washing bemust not be saved, because some-fore meals, and the washing of thing is said of salvation which household furniture, pots, &c.; it does not agree to infants, Mark is evident from hence that it does xvi, 16. As none but adults are not express the manner of doing, capable of believing, so, by the ar-whether by immersion or affusion, gument of the Baptists, none but but only the thing done; that adults are capable of salvation; is, washing, or the application for he that believeth not shall be of water in some form or other. damned. But Christ, it is said, Dr. Owen observes, that it no set an example of adult baptism. where signifies to dip, but as True; but he was baptized in ho- denoting a mode of and in order nour to John's ministry; and to to washing or cleansing; and, acconform himself to what he ap- cording to others, the mode of use pointed to his followers; for which is only the ceremonial part of a last reason he drank of the sacra- positive institute; just as in the mental cup: but this is rather an supper of the Lord-the time of argument for the Pædobaptists day, the number and posture of than against them; since it plainly communicants, the quality and shews, as Doddridge observes, that quantity of bread and wine, are baptism may be administered to circumstances not accounted esthose who are not capable of all sential by any party of Christians. the purposes for which it was de-As to the Hebrew word Tabal, it signed; since Jesus Christ, not is considered as a generic term; being a sinner, could not be ca-that its radical, primary, and proper meaning is, to tinge, tolland in a hundred and fifty others dye, to wet, or the like; which it is translated with. If it be renprimary design is effected by dif- dered so here, "John baptized at ferent modes of application. If Jordan," or with the water of Jorin baptism also there is an ex-dan, there is no proof from thence pressive emblem of the descend-that he plunged his disciples in it. ing influence of the Spirit, pouring It is urged that John's choosing must be the mode of administra- a place where there was much wation; for that is the scriptural ter is a certain proof of immerterm most commonly and proper-sion. To which it is answered, ly used for the communication of that as there went out to him divine influences. There is no Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all object whatever in all the New the region round about Jordan, Testament so frequently and so that by choosing a place where explicitly signified by baptism as there were many streams or rivuthese divine influences, Matt. lets, it would be much more exiii, 11. Mark i, 8, 10. Luke peditiously performed by pouring; iii, 16 to 22. John i, 33. Acts and that it seems in the nature of i, 5. Acts ii, 38, 39. Acts viii, things highly improbable that 12, 17. Acts xi, 15, 16.-The John should have baptized this term sprinkling, also, is made use vast multitude by immersion; to of in reference to the act of purify-say nothing of the indecency of ing, Is. lii, 15. Heb. ix, 13, 14. both sexes being baptized togeEzek. xxxvi, 25, and therefore can-ther. not be inapplicable to baptismal Jesus, it is said, came up out of purification. But it is observed the water; but this is said to be no that John baptized in Jordan: to proof of his being immersed, as this it is replied, to infer always the Greek term are often signifies a plunging of the whole body in from; for instance, "Who hath water from this word, would, in warned you to flee from, not out of, many instances be false and ab- the wrath to come," with many surd: the same Greek preposition others which might be mentioned. " is used when it is said they Again: it is said that Philip and should be baptized with fire; the Eunuch went down both into which few will assert that they the water. To this it is answered, should be plunged into it. The that here is no proof of immersion; apostle, speaking of Christ, says, for if the expression of their going he came not (") by water only, but down into the water necessarily (8) by water and blood. There includes dipping, then Philip was the same word is translated by, dipped as well as the Eunuch. The and with justice and propriety, for preposition (115) translated into, ofwe know no good sense in which ten signifies no more than to or we could say he came in water. Junto. See Matt. xv, 24. Rom. x, It has been remarked, that is 10. Acts xxviii, 14. Matt. xvii, more than a hundred times, in the 27. Matt. iii, 11. So that, from New Testament, rendered "at;" all these circumstances, it cannot |