{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_52441/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_52441","id":"gutenberg_52441","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/52441","summary":null,"tags":["Baptism","Baptism -- Biblical teaching","Baptism -- Church of England","Baptism -- History","Category: History - Religious","Category: Religion/Spirituality"],"text":"Transcribed from the 1850 Seeleys edition by David Price, email\nccx074@pglaf.org\n\n\n\n\n\n                                 BAPTISM\n                         ACCORDING TO SCRIPTURE.\n\n\n                                * * * * *\n\n                           BY E. H. HOARE, A.M.\n                     VICAR OF BARKBY, LEICESTERSHIRE.\n\n                                * * * * *\n\n      JESUS \u201cSAID UNTO HIM, WHAT IS WRITTEN IN THE LAW?  HOW READEST\n                            THOU?\u201d\u2014LUKE X. 26.\n\n                                * * * * *\n\n                             SECOND EDITION.\n\n                                * * * * *\n\n                                 Seeleys.\n                    FLEET STREET, AND HANOVER STREET.\n                             LONDON: MDCCCL.\n\n                                * * * * *\n\n\n\n\nADVERTISEMENT.\n\n\nAT a Clerical Meeting in the country this Question was lately proposed\nfor discussion;\u2014\u201cWhat may be deduced _from Holy Scripture_ concerning\nBaptism, as a Sacrament of the Christian Church?\u201d\n\nIn order to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion, it appeared to one of\nthe members present to be necessary, that _every passage of Scripture\nbearing upon the subject_ should be considered, and its true meaning\nsought; and that care should of course be taken, that no text be so\nexpounded as to make it repugnant to another.  This course was\nconsequently pursued by him.  Each passage was examined in succession;\nand though the inquiry extended much beyond his expectation, and was not\ncarried through without pains, yet the interest of the research more than\ncompensated for the labour of it.\n\nThe subject being of great importance, and more especially at the present\ntime, it was thought that the cause of truth would be served by the\npublication of what had been written; and a request was made to that\neffect.  In the hope, and with the earnest desire and prayer, that such\nmay be the result, the writer has consented to its publication: and as\nthe Church, to which it is his privilege to belong, has declared\nconcerning Holy Scripture, \u201cthat whatsoever is not read therein, nor may\nbe proved thereby, is not to be required of any man that it should be\nbelieved as an Article of the faith,\u201d (Art. vi.)\u2014he feels himself fully\njustified, as a Minister of the Church, in having endeavoured simply to\nascertain the sense of Scripture, in the several texts which have come\nbefore him.\n\n_January_, 1850.\n\n\n\n\nON BAPTISM,\n_&c.  &c._\n\n\nIT is thought by some, that baptism, or the washing of the person or\nclothes, as a religious ceremony, commenced immediately after the deluge.\nSt. Peter certainly speaks of baptism in connection with that great\nevent: (1 Ep. iii. 20, 21,)\u2014\u201cWhile the ark was a preparing, wherein few,\nthat is, eight souls were saved by water: the like figure whereunto, even\nbaptism, doth also now save us.\u201d  But, however this might be, we read of\nit at an early period.  The first instance on record in Scripture of this\nwashing as a preparation for God\u2019s service, is probably that which is\nfound in Genesis xxxv. 2.  God had said unto Jacob, \u201cArise, go up to\nBethel, and dwell there, and make thee an altar unto God that appeared\nunto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother.  Then\nJacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away\nthe strange gods that are among you, _and be clean_, _and change your\ngarments_; and let us arise, and go up to Bethel, and I will make there\nan altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress.\u201d  The\ndirection\u2014\u201cBe clean,\u201d taken in connection with the change of their\ngarments, did probably, among other things, mean the washing of\nthemselves with water, as an emblem of the putting away of sin.  Dr.\nLightfoot understands by it Jacob\u2019s admission of the proselytes of\nShechem and Syria into his religion by baptism; because circumcision was\nbecome odious to them.  The cloud which God spread over the Israelites\nfor a covering, (Ps. cv. 39,) when they came out of Egypt, and their safe\npassage through the waters of the Red Sea, appear to have had reference\nto the same subject; for the Apostle Paul, in 1 Cor. x. 1, 2, thus\nwrites;\u2014\u201cMoreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how\nthat all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the\nsea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea.\u201d  Now\nif they were \u201cbaptized unto Moses,\u201d (which baptism represented and\nconfirmed their obligation to follow Moses as their leader, and to obey\nthe instructions and laws which he should give them,) much more were they\nbaptized and bound unto God: or rather, they were baptized and bound unto\nMoses, as the minister of God and the medium of communication between God\nand the people.\n\nWhen the Israelites had entered the wilderness and had come to Mount\nSinai, where God intended to give them His covenant, He \u201csaid unto Moses,\nGo unto the people, and sanctify them to-day and to-morrow, and let them\nwash their clothes, and be ready against the third day; for the third day\nthe Lord will come down, in the sight of all the people, upon Mount\nSinai.\u201d (Ex. xix. 10.)  And thus Maimonides, a great authority in the\nJewish Law, says, that \u2018Israel was admitted into covenant with God in\nthree ways:\u2014by circumcision, by baptism, (alluding to this command, \u201cLet\nthem wash their clothes,\u201d) and by sacrifice.\u2019  When any of the heathen\nbecame proselytes to the Jewish religion, and sought admission into the\nJewish church, it is said that the males were circumcised and\nbaptized,\u2014the females were baptized,\u2014and the children generally baptized\nwith the parents.  And on the subject of the baptism of heathen children,\nMaimonides again says, that \u2018if an Israelite should find a Gentile\ninfant, and baptize him in the name of a proselyte, behold, he is a\nproselyte.\u2019\n\nBy the precepts relating to ceremonial pollutions, the Jews were rendered\nincapable of appearing before God in the tabernacle or temple, till they\nwere cleansed either by bathing or sprinkling.  In the Nineteenth Chapter\nof the Book of Numbers the subject is particularly dwelt upon.  When any\none was ceremonially unclean, it was enjoined, (v. 19,) that a \u201cclean\nperson should sprinkle upon the unclean\u201d (of the water of separation\nbefore spoken of) \u201con the third day, and on the seventh day; and on the\nseventh day he\u201d (the unclean) was to \u201cpurify himself, and wash his\nclothes and bathe himself in water,\u201d and then he was to be \u201cclean at\neven.  But,\u201d as it is added in the next verse, \u201cthe man that shall be\nunclean, and shall not purify himself, _that soul shall be cut off from\namong the congregation_, because he hath defiled the Sanctuary of the\nLord: the water of separation hath not been sprinkled upon him; he is\nunclean.\u201d\n\nWhen Moses received directions from the Lord concerning the consecration\nof Aaron and his sons, he was commanded (as we read in Ex. xxix. 4,) to\n\u201cbring them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and wash\nthem with water;\u201d and then to put the Priestly garments upon them.  In\nshort, by the law almost all things were purged by water, as well as by\nblood;\u2014the one having as distinct and definite a signification as the\nother.  And so familiar and forcible was this figure of water among the\nJews, that many of the prophecies and promises relating to the Messiah\nand the spiritual blessings to be enjoyed in the times of the gospel were\ncouched under it and conveyed by it.  By Isaiah it is said of Him, \u201cSo\nshall He _sprinkle_ many nations.\u201d (lii. 15.)  And by the prophet Ezekiel\nthe Lord saith,\u2014\u201cThen will I _sprinkle clean water_ upon you, and ye\nshall be clean: from all your filthiness and from all your idols will I\ncleanse you.  A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I\nput within you.  And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to\nwalk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments and do them.\u201d (xxxvi.\n25\u201327.)\n\nWith this continued reference to water in connection with spiritual\nthings, before their eyes, the Jews were doubtless prepared for its still\nfarther use.  Accordingly, when John appeared as the forerunner of the\nMessiah, and baptized with water all who were disposed to become his\ndisciples, no surprise was expressed at his doing it.  He was asked\nindeed by the Priests and Levites why he baptized, when they understood\nhim as denying himself to be any one of those whom they expected to be\nsent by God.  \u201cIf thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that\nprophet, why baptizest thou?\u201d (John i. 25.)  But this only shews that\nthey regarded baptism as a natural evidence of a divine mission.  Of\nJohn\u2019s baptism we are told by himself, that it was a baptism unto\nrepentance.  \u201cI indeed,\u201d said he, \u201cbaptize you with water unto\nrepentance.\u201d (Matt. iii. 11.)  And thus, all who were baptized of him\n\u201cconfessed their sins;\u201d\u2014confession being a necessary part of repentance.\nThey also asked of him instruction as to their conduct in future: and to\nthe different classes of his disciples he gave appropriate exhortations.\nIn the account of John\u2019s baptism in Acts xix. 4., it is added, that he\n\u201csaid unto the people, that they should believe on Him which should come\nafter him, that is, on Christ Jesus.\u201d  Thus baptism was administered by\nJohn _substantially_ upon the same principle which afterwards governed\nthe Christian Church; namely, upon a profession (taken to be sincere) of\nrepentance and the faith of the gospel.  For though the baptism of John\nwas connected with a preparatory dispensation, it was of an evangelical\nand very practical character.  He exposed the folly of trusting to\noutward advantages;\u2014taught men their need of a Saviour;\u2014and declared that\nnothing would satisfy God, and be accepted of Him, but the bringing forth\nof good fruit.  \u201cEvery tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn\ndown and cast into the fire.\u201d (Matt. iii. 10.)\n\nWhen speaking of himself and of his baptism, John was naturally led to\nspeak of Him, to whom he came to bear witness: and he said that He also\nwould baptize, and in a manner to which he (John) could make no\npretension.  \u201cI indeed baptize you with water unto repentance; but He\nthat cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to\nbear: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and fire.\u201d (Matt. iii.\n11.)  Various expositions have been given of these latter expressions.\nThat they refer (among other meanings) to the outpouring of the Holy\nGhost on the day of Pentecost, which was accompanied with \u201ccloven tongues\nlike as of fire,\u201d sitting upon each of the Apostles, and by which they\nwere enabled to speak in languages they had never learned,\u2014and to the\ngift of divers kinds of tongues on other occasions, as in the case of\nCornelius and his company,\u2014is evident from what is said upon the subject\nin Acts i. 5. and xi. 15, 16.  \u201cFor John truly baptized with water; but\nye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.\u201d  \u201cAnd as I\n(Peter) began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the\nbeginning.  Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that He said,\nJohn indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy\nGhost.\u201d  But the expressions, \u201cwith the Holy Ghost and fire,\u201d have\nprobably a still more extensive signification.  No element is more subtle\nand powerful than fire: changing whatever it comes in contact with into\nits own nature.  Thus fire (like water and wind, both of which are also\nmade emblems of the Holy Spirit,) will represent the efficacy of Divine\ngrace; its enlightening, purifying, refining and inflaming power; and so\nit forms a striking and happy contrast to that destroying fire, spoken of\nin the former and the following verses.  And hereby would be fulfilled\nthe prophecies of Isaiah and Malachi:\u2014\u201cWhen the Lord shall have washed\naway the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood\nof Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the Spirit of judgment _and by the\nSpirit of burning_.\u201d (Is. iv. 4.)  \u201cAnd the Lord, whom ye seek, shall\nsuddenly come to His temple: He is _like a refiner\u2019s fire_, and like\nfuller\u2019s soap.  And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and\nHe shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that\nthey may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.\u201d (Mal. iii.\n1\u20133.)  Or, the baptism of fire, if taken in connection with the context,\nwould signify the desolating judgments of God upon the hardened Jews: or\nit might represent the afflictions which Christ\u2019s true followers were to\nsuffer.  To these He referred, when He said to the two sons of Zebedee,\n\u201cWith the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized.\u201d (Mark\nx. 39.)\n\nTo the baptism of John, Jesus Himself submitted.  The reason He gave to\nJohn for this was, \u201cThus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness:\u201d\n(Matt, iii. 15.) hereby inculcating the duty of attention to whatever God\nhath commanded; and intimating His solemn entrance upon His Priestly\nOffice, according to the directions which God gave to Moses concerning\nthe washing of Aaron and his sons with water, as already referred to.\n(Ex. xxix. 4.)  Occasion was also hereby afforded for the fulfilment of\nthe sign given to John for the discovery of the Messiah: \u201cUpon whom thou\nshalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining upon Him, the same is He\nwhich baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.\u201d  And John \u201csaw, and bare record\nthat this was the Son of God.\u201d (John i. 33, 34.)\n\nAfter His own baptism by John, and His choice of the twelve Apostles,\nJesus also baptized those who became His disciples.  But _the fact\nitself_ is all that is recorded.  Water was evidently used; but we are\nnot told any thing of the time when He began to baptize, nor of the\ndescription of persons baptized, nor of the mode and form of His baptism,\nnor of what followed after it.  We are simply informed in John iii. 22.,\nas a part of the gospel-narrative, that \u201cJesus and His disciples came\ninto the land of Judea, and there He tarried with them and baptized.\u201d\nAnd the only farther mention of the subject is in reference to a report,\n\u201cthat Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,\u201d and that Jesus\nHimself did not administer the Ordinance in person, but that His\ndisciples (meaning probably the twelve) baptized for Him. (John iv. 1,\n2.)  This is all that the Scripture says upon the subject.  _Why_ the\nLord did not baptize with His own hands, we are not informed.  It could\nnot have been lest any should say that He had baptized in His own name;\nfor men came to His baptism avowedly _as His disciples_.  But _for\nobvious reasons_ He chose to employ Himself in preaching, and the twelve\nin baptizing those whom He had taught: as He afterwards sent St. Paul\n\u201cnot to baptize, but to preach the gospel.\u201d (1 Cor. i. 15.)  He would\nalso wish to prevent _the preference_ which would doubtless have been\ngiven to _His own_ administration of the Ordinance.\n\nOf the baptism of the twelve disciples themselves we have no account.  As\nthe baptism of John was so general, it is probable that they, or the\ngreater number of them, had partaken of it.  Andrew, Simon Peter\u2019s\nbrother, undoubtedly had.  He was one of the two of John\u2019s disciples who\nheard him say of Jesus, \u201cBehold the Lamb of God!\u201d and who was afterwards\none of the twelve.  It probably was the case with others of them also.\nBut nothing is said respecting them.  Tertullian observes, that with\nregard to them,\u2014(the twelve)\u2014\u201cthe peculiar privilege of the first\naccession to discipleship, and of the individual familiarity to which\nthey were admitted with Him, had power to confer on them _the compendium_\nof baptism;\u201d the sum and substance of it.\n\nNo other mention is made of baptism by the Evangelists, until we come to\nthe Commission which the Lord gave to His Apostles after His resurrection\nfrom the dead, except in one passage, which occurs in the report of His\nmemorable conversation with Nicodemus, the Jewish ruler, contained in the\nThird Chapter of the Gospel according to St. John.  Nicodemus having come\nto Jesus with the avowed desire to be instructed by Him, as \u201ca teacher\ncome from God,\u201d \u201cJesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say\nunto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.\u201d\n(v. 3.)  Nicodemus expresses his surprise at this saying, and asks, \u201cHow\ncan a man be born when he is old?\u201d\u2014evidently shewing that he did not at\nall comprehend its meaning.  Upon which the Lord repeats the\nasseveration, with some addition to it: \u201cJesus answered, Verily, verily,\nI say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he\ncannot enter into the kingdom of God.\u201d (v. 5.)  In this instance, as in\nevery other, our endeavour shall be, to ascertain what the words of\nScripture do really and simply mean.  If there had been no intention on\nthe part of Christ to make baptism with water an Ordinance of His Church\nor Kingdom upon earth, the expressions, \u201cborn of water and of the\nSpirit,\u201d might still have been used by Him with great propriety; as John\nthe Baptist had previously used the words, \u201cHe shall baptize you _with\nthe Holy Ghost and fire_:\u201d water being, as well as fire, an appropriate\nand beautiful emblem of the Holy Spirit.  If the \u201ccloven tongues like as\nof fire,\u201d had _not_ rested upon the Apostles on the day of Pentecost, the\nwords of the Baptist, just referred to, had yet been strikingly\napplicable to the operations of the Holy Ghost; and the figure would have\nlost none of its force and fitness.  Water too, in like manner, might\nhave been connected by Christ with the mention of the Spirit, because of\nthe similarity between their effects.  But inasmuch as Christ Himself had\nbeen baptized, and was about to continue baptism in His Church, (not only\nduring His personal Ministry upon earth, but when, after His return to\nHeaven, His gospel should be preached among all nations,) and as John\u2019s\nbaptism had been so general, and had drawn so much attention to the\nsubject,\u2014it is reasonable to conclude, that when Jesus spake to Nicodemus\nof a man\u2019s being \u201cborn of water,\u201d He meant his being baptized; and it is\nprobable that Nicodemus, who knew well that baptism had been already used\nin the admission of proselytes into the Jewish Church, at once so\nunderstood His words.  For, if not _altogether figurative_, some specific\nact must have been meant; and what could this be, but baptism?  No\nexplanation, therefore, was given to Nicodemus of the terms, \u201cborn of\nwater,\u201d because none was needed.  Having begun, in v. 3, to speak of _a\n__birth_, the Lord Jesus continues the same idea, and applies it to the\nother subject which He wished to introduce, namely, baptism.  And this is\nnot the only instance of the use of such phraseology: for, when arguing\nwith the Sadducees about the raising of the dead, He says of the just,\nthat they are \u201c_the children of God_;\u201d\u2014and then, carrying on the idea, He\ncalls them, \u201c_the children of the resurrection_.\u201d (Luke xx. 36.)  To be\n\u201cborn of water,\u201d then, is to be baptized with water; and this, together\nwith being \u201cborn of the Spirit,\u201d Christ declares to be necessary to an\nentrance into \u201cthe kingdom of God.\u201d  By \u201cthe Kingdom of God\u201d is here\nmeant the Visible Church of Christ upon earth; the members of which are\ntherein prepared for the state of eternal glory in Heaven.  This shows us\nof what characters Christ designed His Visible Church to consist; namely,\nof those who are born of the Spirit, and baptized with water.  And thus\nthe true Church of Christ may well be described as \u2018_A Congregation of\nfaithful men_, in the which the pure word of God is preached, and the\nSacraments be duly ministered according to Christ\u2019s Ordinance.\u2019  (Article\nXIX. of the Church of England.)  Christ would have His Church a Visible\nBody, that it might be \u201cThe Pillar and Ground of the truth;\u201d\u2014to maintain\nthe truth and to hold it forth to the world.  As there had been before\nHis coming, so it was meet that there should continue to be, an\nassociated and authorized Body of God\u2019s Worshippers and Witnesses, to\nwhich additions might from time to time be made of \u201csuch as should be\nsaved,\u201d (Acts ii. 47.), and by which Christ\u2019s religion might be spread\nabroad and propagated.  Into this Body \u2018faithful men,\u2019 or those who are\n\u201cborn again,\u201d are incorporated by baptism.  And it is of this spiritual\nkingdom, which \u201cis not of this world,\u201d that Christ speaks in the verse we\nare now considering.  The Kingdom of God, or the Kingdom of Heaven, has\nsometimes in Scripture a more extensive signification, and includes both\ngood and bad,\u2014the true Israel and those \u201cwhich say they are Jews and are\nnot.\u201d  Since man cannot know the heart of his fellow-man, he must accept\nhis profession, where it is not contradicted by plain and palpable\nevidence: and hence it comes to pass, that \u2018in the Visible Church the\nevil will be mingled with the good.\u2019  (Article XXVI.)  But Christ, the\nGreat Head of the Church, does not acknowledge the evil as belonging to\nHim, or as having any right to a place in His Church or kingdom.  Where\nhas He ever prescribed or demanded or allowed _a merely external\nprofession and service_?  What did He say to those who were satisfied\nwith this?  \u201c_Ye hypocrites_, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,\nThis people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth and honoureth me with\ntheir lips, but their heart is far from me!\u201d (Matt. xv. 7, 8.)  And if\nthis spiritual service, this service of the heart, was required of _the\nJews_, and evidently symbolized by their distinguishing Ordinance of\ncircumcision, and if _they_ were branded by the Lord as \u201chypocrites\u201d who\ndid not pay it,\u2014no wonder that it should be designed and required by the\nGospel!  Otherwise, Christ would be the minister of hypocrisy, formality,\nand sin!  But He Himself has told us, that He soweth _good seed_ only in\nHis field; and that it is His enemy who sows _the tares_. (Matt. xiii.\n37, 38.)  The wicked and such as be void of a lively faith, and all who\n\u201chave a form of godliness but denying the power thereof,\u201d are considered\nas _intruders_ into the Church of Christ, and as such will be dealt with\nby Him at the last.  This was God\u2019s complaint of His Church of\nold:\u2014\u201cAmong my people are found wicked men!\u201d (Jer. v. 26.)  And He\nremonstrates with such characters for professing that they knew Him,\nwhile their conduct was inconsistent with their profession.  \u201cUnto the\nwicked God saith, What hast thou to do that thou shouldest take my\ncovenant in thy mouth?\u201d (Ps. l. 16.)  And the Lord Jesus saith the same\nto such like persons.  \u201cWhy call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things\nwhich I say?\u201d (Luke vi. 46.)  \u201cFriend, how camest thou in hither, not\nhaving a wedding garment?\u201d (Matt, xxii. 12.)  And He declares that in the\nlast day He \u201cwill profess unto them, I never knew you.\u201d (Matt, vii. 23.)\nHe calls them \u201cgoats,\u201d not \u201csheep;\u201d though while on earth they find\nadmittance into His fold. (Matt. xxv. 33.)  Of such is _not_ the kingdom\nof God.  The Kingdom of God, or \u2018the Visible Church of Christ, is _a\nCongregation of faithful men_.\u2019  Now, to enter into this kingdom, or,\nwhich is the same thing, to be an ostensible member of this spiritual\nSociety, a man must be \u201cborn of water and of the Spirit.\u201d  No one can be\na _real_ and _recognised_ member of Christ\u2019s Church on earth, except he\nbe baptized and born of the Spirit.  The necessity of being \u201cborn of the\nSpirit\u201d in order to our becoming the subjects of Christ\u2019s kingdom is\nshown by Him in what immediately follows.  \u201cThat which is born of the\nflesh is flesh:\u201d\u2014(v. 6.) that which proceeds from and is produced by\ncarnal and corrupt nature is carnal and corrupt also.  Hence the\nnecessity of a great and thorough change.  \u201cYe _must_ be _born again_.\u201d\n(v. 7.)  Of this change the Holy Spirit is\u2014to keep up the idea introduced\nby Christ\u2014the Parent or Father.  And as that which generates, generates\nits like, so \u201cthat which is born of the Spirit is spirit:\u201d in other\nwords,\u2014the abstract being here used by Christ for the concrete, (and by\nits use He more strongly expresses the reality of what might justly be\ncalled _a birth_ and the communication of _an entirely new nature_,)\u2014he\nthat partakes of this birth of the Spirit is thereby made a spiritual\nman, whereas before he was a carnal and corrupt man.  And since Christ\ncame (as we have seen) to set up a spiritual kingdom, (for \u201cthe kingdom\nof God is righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost;\u201d) (Rom.\nxiv. 17,) none can _really_ belong to this kingdom, except spiritual\npersons.  And to this agrees what the Lord said on another occasion;\n\u201cVerily I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as\na little child, _he shall not enter therein_.\u201d (Mark x. 15.)  And if not\nreal members of His Kingdom on earth, we shall certainly not enter into\nHis Kingdom of glory.  But to be _recognised_ as well as _real_ members\nof His Church, or subjects of His kingdom, we must be \u201cborn of water,\u201d or\nbaptized.  This is Christ\u2019s appointed Ordinance.  He ordained the use of\nit in His Church, while He was present with His disciples, and He\nsubsequently enjoined the same in the case of all who should believe His\ngospel.  Baptism with water, therefore, is not to be omitted, wherever it\nmay be had.  And, surely, the reason which Jesus Himself gave to John for\nseeking this Ordinance, ought to influence those who desire to be\nnumbered among His friends and followers: \u201cThus it becometh us to fulfil\nall righteousness!\u201d\n\nBut while these two things, baptism and the birth of the Spirit, are\ndeclared by Christ to be necessary to a certain end,\u2014namely, an entrance\ninto the Kingdom of God, or Visible Church of Christ upon earth,\u2014there is\nnot the slightest intimation given by Him that they are _necessarily_\nconnected with each other.  Not a word is said by Him from which we can\ndeduce this.  Two things are often required for a definite purpose;\u2014two\nwitnesses, for instance, to prove a fact;\u2014an invitation and a\nwedding-garment to entitle any one to be a guest at a marriage-feast;\u2014but\nthese may be quite independent of one another.  It cannot be pretended\nthat _one thing only_ is spoken of by Christ.  The birth of the Spirit is\ntwice mentioned by itself, and once in connection with baptism by water.\nBaptism, then, and the birth of Spirit are clearly not identical,\u2014not one\nand the same thing.  And _their necessary connection_ is neither here,\nnor any where else in Scripture, asserted.  It is a statement, not\nsupported by a tittle of evidence; but, on the other hand, contradicted\nby express testimonies of Scripture, and by very general experience.  The\nputting of these two things together in one sentence is surely no proof\nof their necessary connection.  Had the two been necessarily\nconnected,\u2014had baptism been the appointed channel for the conveyance of\nthe Spirit, Christ would undoubtedly have said so.  Or rather, it would\nhave been sufficient for Him to have said, \u201cExcept a man _be baptized_,\nhe cannot enter into the kingdom of God;\u201d and He certainly would not have\nomitted the mention of baptism, as He did omit it, in His first solemn\nasseveration to Nicodemus.  The necessity of _the birth of the Spirit_\nwas evidently what Jesus wished to enforce upon His inquirer.  This\ntherefore was the _first_ thing spoken of by Him.  In His second address\nHe introduces water-baptism; as this would serve to make the spiritual\nsubject clearer, and because He would show that baptism was henceforth to\nbe the token of the Covenant: but how Nicodemus was to conclude from the\nmanner in which it was mentioned, that water was to be the means of\ncommunicating the new birth, or that the two things were always to be\nfound together, it is not easy to imagine.  Especially as in the very\nsame address he was told, that, in giving the new birth, the Holy Spirit\nacts as \u201cthe wind _blowing where it listeth_.\u201d  Now baptism must always\nbe administered _at a specific time_; but is this the case with the\nblowing of the wind?  Did Christ then use an inappropriate metaphor?  He\nplainly tells Nicodemus, that as \u201ca master of Israel\u201d he ought to have\nunderstood what He was speaking of.  But what is there in the Old\nTestament from which Nicodemus could have learned the necessary\nconnection of the new birth with any outward Ordinance?  Was the\ncircumcision of the heart always connected with the circumcision of the\nflesh?  Had not the Lord, in the time of Moses, bidden the people of\nIsrael to \u201ccircumcise the foreskin of their hearts\u201d? (Deut. x. 16.)  And\nhad He not said of them by Jeremiah, \u201cAll the house of Israel are\nuncircumcised in the heart\u201d? (ix. 26.)  _This_ was the doctrine to which\nNicodemus had been accustomed:\u2014_the necessity_ of both the outward and\nthe inward circumcision, but _not_ their necessary connection with each\nother.  So likewise with the new birth and baptism.\n\nAnd as Scripture is, and must be, consistent with Scripture, let the\nlatter part of Christ\u2019s address to Nicodemus be compared with His\nsubsequent directions concerning baptism, and compared also with the\nwritings of His Apostles, and it will be seen, that _faith in Him_, which\nHe so frequently mentions as leading to salvation, _is that with which\nthe birth of the Spirit is connected_, and that _this faith is invariably\nrequired before the administration of the Ordinance to any_.  How then\ncan baptism with water convey the birth of the Spirit, unless Christ and\nHis Apostles be at issue with each other, and the order of things, which\nHe Himself appointed in His Church, be inverted?  St. John expressly\ndeclares in his Gospel, (i. 12, 13.) that \u201cas many as received Him,\n(Jesus Christ) to them _gave He power to become the sons of God_, even\n_to them that believe on His name_; which were born, not of blood, nor of\nthe will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.\u201d  And in his\nFirst Epistle, (v. 1.)  \u201c_Whosoever believeth_ that Jesus is the Christ\n_is born of God_.\u201d  And the order which Christ intended for the\nadministration of baptism by His Apostles was thus laid down for\nthem;\u2014\u201cHe that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.\u201d  And they acted\naccordingly.  No statement was ever more capable of proof than this, that\nthe birth of the Spirit may be without baptism, and baptism without the\nbirth of the Spirit.  Can any doubt, that the penitent thief on the cross\nwas \u201cborn of the Spirit,\u201d who yet was not baptized?  Can any venture to\naffirm, that Simon Magus, though baptized, was \u201cborn of the Spirit\u201d?  Did\nnot Peter tell him, that he \u201chad neither part nor lot in the matter, for\nhis heart was not right in the sight of God\u201d?  Man must not put asunder\nwhat God hath joined together; but neither must he of his own authority\njoin together what God hath left asunder.  We cannot be in manifested\ncommunion with the Church of Christ, if we wilfully neglect the Ordinance\nwhich He appointed for His disciples; but we may be baptized, or \u201cborn of\nwater\u201d and so be in professed communion with His Church, as Simon Magus\nwas, and yet be, like him, void of a lively faith and the inspiration of\nChrist\u2019s Spirit.  As it has been well observed upon this subject; \u2018It\nwould violate the principles of common sense and confound all specific\nmodes of instruction, to call that _a birth_ at which nothing was born,\nand that person _new-born_ whose moral principles had received no\nchange.\u2019 {20}  The notion of an initial act\u2014of the communication of\nsomething in baptism, which may never be perceived, and never produce any\nholy fruit,\u2014has no sanction from Sacred Scripture.  Our Lord here says\nnothing like it.  He speaks of _a second birth_,\u2014_a new existence_,\u2014and\nthat of a spiritual nature.  \u201c_That which is born of the Spirit is\nspirit_\u201d (v. 6.)  The language is the same as that which describes a\nman\u2019s own entrance into this world of life and activity.  And His\nApostles, when writing of this spiritual birth, always ascribe to it\nperceptible and powerful effects.  \u201cWe know,\u201d writes St. John, (1 Ep. v.\n18,) \u201cthat whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten\nof God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.\u201d  And\nagain, (v. 4,) \u201cWhatsoever is born of God overcometh the world.\u201d  And\nagain, (iii. 10,) \u201c_In this_ the children of God _are manifest_, and the\nchildren of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God.\u201d\nBut if the birth of the Spirit, by which men are made the children of\nGod, necessarily accompany baptism, they may be at one and the same time\nthe children of God and the children of the devil!  They may be the\nchildren of God, as being born of His Spirit in baptism, and they may be\n\u201cmanifested\u201d to be the children of the devil by committing sin; for\nthousands who have been baptized never show the least spiritual\ndisposition, but live and die under the dominion of iniquity!  But it is\nsaid, \u2018The Spirit was given to them, and they lost it:\u2014they were God\u2019s\nchildren, but they ceased to be such.\u2019  Can _that_, with a shadow of\nreason, be said to have been _lost_, of the possession of which there\nnever was the slightest evidence?  Can _that_, with any propriety, be\nsaid to _cease_, which, if the statement of the Apostle is to be the\nstandard of judgment, never began?  \u201cIn this,\u201d says St. John, \u201cthe\nchildren of God _are manifest_.\u201d  Of thousands who have been baptized it\nmay be asked, when were they _manifested_ to be the children of God?  And\nthe answer of truth must be, _Never_.  They _never_ did\nrighteousness:\u2014they _always_ committed sin.  They were never therefore\n\u201cborn of God:\u201d\u2014they never partook of the birth of the Spirit.  \u201cThey went\nout from us,\u201d St. John says again of some who had been nominal members of\nthe Christian Church, \u201cthey went out from us, but they were not of us;\nfor if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us.\u201d\n(1 Ep. ii. 19.)  The only _seminal_ principle of grace which the\nScripture recognizes, is that, which this same Apostle speaks of; (iii.\n9.)  \u201cWhosoever is born of God _doth not commit sin_, _for his seed\nremaineth in him_; _and he cannot sin_, _because he is born of God_.\u201d\nThis is in perfect harmony with Christ\u2019s words to Nicodemus;\u2014\u201cThe wind\nbloweth where it listeth, and _thou hearest the sound thereof_:\u201d thou\nknowest that it is blowing by the effects which it produces: \u201c_so_ is\nevery one who is born of the Spirit.\u201d (v. 8.)  But to believe that \u201cthe\nwind bloweth,\u201d when a leaf is not shaken, nor the slightest murmur in the\nair heard, is so contradictory to the evidence of the senses, that after\nthis we might believe anything.  Transubstantiation itself need not be\nrejected by us.  Why not believe a _material_ as well as a _moral_\nchange, if the exercise of the understanding and of the senses is to be\nexcluded?  Nay, transubstantiation has a greater show of\nScripture-authority in its favour.  Christ _did say_ of the bread and\nwine, \u201cThis is my Body;\u201d \u201cThis is my Blood:\u201d but He never said, \u201cEvery\none who is born of water is born also of the Holy Spirit.\u201d  The uniform\ntenor of His teaching was, that men\u2019s profession and principles and\nprivileges should be tried by their practical effects.  \u201cBy their fruits\nye shall know them.\u201d (Matt. vii. 20.)  And as transubstantiation might as\nwell be believed, as that every baptized person is necessarily \u201cborn of\nthe Spirit,\u201d so, to claim the power of absolutely setting God on work to\nnew-create the soul in baptism, is little short of the presumption of the\nChurch of Rome, which asserts the power of her priests to turn the bread\nand wine in the Sacrament of the Supper into Christ\u2019s real Body and\nBlood!  It would _not_ then be true, (as declared in John i. 13,) that\n\u201cthe sons of God we born, _not of the will of man_;\u201d for baptism is\nadministered _at the will of man_;\u2014whensoever and to whomsoever he\npleases.\n\nThe next thing to be noticed in Scripture in connection with this\nsubject, is _the Charge or Commission_ which the Lord Jesus gave to His\nApostles after His resurrection from the dead and before His ascension\ninto Heaven.  In Matt, xxviii. 19., we find the Lord saying to the\nEleven, \u201cGo ye therefore and teach all nations;\u201d\u2014or, as it is in the\nmargin, \u201cmake disciples of all nations;\u201d\u2014\u201cbaptizing them in the name of\nthe Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to\nobserve all things whatsoever I have commanded you.\u201d  In Mark xvi. 15,\n16., the Commission to the Eleven is thus given; \u201cAnd He said unto them,\nGo ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.  He\nthat believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not\nshall be damned.\u201d  Now in both these passages the same course is\nprescribed, which had been previously adopted by Christ Himself and by\nHis forerunner, John the Baptist.  They (Christ and John) first made\ndisciples; and then baptized them, in token of their being disciples.\nAnd the Apostles were to do the same.  They were first to preach the\ngospel, and then, when any believed it,\u2014or, as God only knoweth the\nhearts, (for the discerning of spirits was not possessed by _all_ who\npreached the gospel, and does not appear to have been exercised in\nordinary ministrations,) when any professed to believe it, without giving\ncause for a suspicion of insincerity, they were to baptize them; and when\nthe profession was sincere, the promise of salvation was _assured_ unto\nthem.  And according to these directions the Apostles and other preachers\nof the gospel acted.  The Jews had hitherto been the peculiar people and\nChurch of God.  But this state of things was to last no longer.  The\ngospel was certainly to be _first_ preached to the Jews, but not to be\nconfined to them.  It was to be preached \u201cto every creature.\u201d\u2014All nations\nwere to hear the glad tidings of salvation by Jesus Christ, and to be\ncalled to \u201cthe obedience of faith.\u201d  \u201cRepentance and remission of sins\nwere to be preached in Christ\u2019s name among all nations.\u201d  _The teaching_,\nthen, which preceded baptism, and by which disciples were made to Christ,\nwas _the preaching of the gospel_.  (Of this we have a direct proof in\nActs xiv. 21.  \u201cAnd when they (Paul and Barnabas) _had preached the\ngospel to that city and had taught many_;\u201d\u2014or, as the latter word\nproperly signifies, \u201chad brought many to the faith of Christ and made\nthem His disciples.\u201d)  And when the gospel was believed, the Sacrament of\nbaptism was to be administered, and then farther instruction to be given\nin all things which Christ willed that His disciples should do.  For thus\ncontinuing baptism as the outward and visible token of believing upon\nHim, the Lord Jesus gave no reason.  The Ordinance, in fact, spake for\nitself.  The design of Christ\u2019s death being to \u201credeem from all iniquity,\nand to purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works,\u201d\nwhat outward rite could more suitably be enjoined upon those who became\nHis disciples, than the washing with pure water?  As we have seen\nalready, every proselyte to the Jews\u2019 religion from among the heathen was\nwashed, or baptized, as well as circumcised.  In founding the New\nTestament Church, which was to consist of some of all nations on equal\nterms with the Jews, the Lord lays aside the distinguishing Ordinance of\nthe Old Testament Church,\u2014circumcision,\u2014and retains that which was _its\nappendage_ in the case of Gentile converts, namely, baptism.  And how\ndelightfully consonant with the character of the New Dispensation was\nthis proceeding!  Instead of the painful and bloody rite of circumcision,\nwater only is used;\u2014pleasant and refreshing; and moreover, still more\nsignificant: for while circumcision conveyed only the _negative_ idea of\nthe putting away of sin, baptism includes both the removal of uncleanness\nand the production of its opposite state of purity.  In the Commission,\nthen, which the Lord gave to His Apostles, we notice these two\nthings:\u2014first, the universal proclamation to be made of the gospel; and\nsecondly, the limitation of baptism to those who should believe it.  No\nmention is made of the manner in which baptism was to be administered,\n(of _the form of words_ we shall speak presently) nor is there any\ndistinction of country, condition, sex or age.  Every one who should be\nwilling to give in his name to Christ and to be saved by Him, was to\npartake of the rite of baptism.  And this seems the proper place for the\nremark, that as the use of water was thus made common to both\nDispensations, and as no new directions were given, the Apostles would\nnaturally be led to pursue the course which had previously prevailed with\nrespect to the baptism of proselytes to the Jews\u2019 religion.  These\nproselytes had been worshippers of idols, and were therefore to be washed\nor baptized, in token of their putting away of their idolatry and its\naccompanying impurities.  Proselytes to Christ\u2014from all but the Jewish\npeople\u2014would be of the same description.  Circumcision was to cease, and\nbaptism with water alone to be retained, and to be applied alike to Jews\nand Gentiles.  Why then should not the same course be pursued as\nheretofore?  If the children of proselytes had been for the most part\nbaptized with their parents, why should not the same be continued?\u2014The\nchildren of believing Jews had received circumcision when eight days old,\nas the token of the Covenant.  Why should the children of those Jews who\nbelieved in Christ,\u2014in whom that very Covenant was confirmed, of which\ncircumcision was the token,\u2014why should the children of these believing\nJews not have the token of the Covenant, as well as the children of their\nbelieving forefathers?  The Covenant is one and the same.  \u201cThe Lord said\nto Abraham, I will establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy seed\nafter thee, in their generations, for an everlasting Covenant, to be a\nGod unto thee and to thy seed after thee.  And I will give unto thee, and\nto thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, for an\neverlasting possession.\u201d (Gen. xvii. 7, 8.)  These promises were made to\nAbraham, as \u201cthe father of all them that should believe.\u201d  The first\nthing here promised is, that \u201cthe Lord would be a God unto Abraham and\nhis seed.\u201d {27}  And do not the words of Christ, when He commanded His\nApostles to baptize those who should become His disciples, _convey the\nsame idea_?\u2014\u201cbaptizing them in, or into the name of the Father, and of\nthe Son, and of the Holy Ghost\u201d?  What is this but a declaration, that\nthe Triune Jehovah should be their God?  The other part of the promise\nis, that \u201cCanaan\u201d should be their \u201ceverlasting possession.\u201d  This by St.\nPaul is called a \u201cpromise, that he should be the heir of the\nworld:\u201d\u2014which chiefly meant, that he and his true seed should inherit\nHeaven.  And does not St. Paul _decide the question_ as to the\ncontinuance of Abraham\u2019s Covenant by asserting, that believers in Christ\nare heirs of Heaven _in virtue of this very promise made to Abraham_?\n\u201cIf ye be Christ\u2019s, then are ye Abraham\u2019s seed, and heirs according to\nthe promise.\u201d (Gal. iii. 29.)  The Covenant being thus the same, were\nchildren not to be brought into the blessings and the bond of it, _simply\nbecause the token of it was changed_?  If (as it has been often observed\non this subject) the Lord had been pleased to continue the original token\nof the Covenant made with Abraham, and had commanded His Apostles and\nMinisters to circumcise, in the place of baptizing, all who should\nembrace His gospel, would they not have continued the practice of the\nJewish Church, and have circumcised the children of all believing\nparents?  How much rather then, when He saith, Wash; simply baptize with\nwater;\u2014it is my will, that this mild but significant element and emblem\nbe henceforth exclusively used in my Church!  And having been hitherto\nused in the admission of Gentile proselytes into the Jewish Church, it\nforms a connection with the Covenant made with Abraham, _more manifest_\nthan any new Ordinance could possibly have done.  Therefore there was no\nneed of any directions respecting the baptism of infants, as this would\nnaturally follow upon the continuance of the Abrahamic Covenant.  Nay,\nafter all that had taken place, if Christ had not intended that the\nchildren of believers should partake of this Sacrament, as well as the\nparents, a prohibition to this effect would have been needed.  But\nnothing of the kind was given.  On the contrary, (to pass on for a moment\nto another portion of Scripture,) the very first day on which the\nApostles began to execute the Commission which Christ had given them,\nPeter said to those who expressed a desire to become Christ\u2019s disciples,\n\u201c_The promise is unto you and to your children_.\u201d (Acts ii. 39.)  This\ncertainly did not look like an intention of excluding children from\nsharing with their parents in the Ordinances of the Church of God!\n\nIt has been stated, that some farther notice would be taken of _the form\nof words_ to be used in the administration of baptism.  Whether the Lord\nJesus meant, that the precise form, \u201cIn the name of the Father, and of\nthe Son, and of the Holy Ghost,\u201d should invariably be employed, may admit\nof a question.  Baptized persons were doubtless dedicated to the service\nof the glorious and blessed Trinity.  They were baptized _into_ the name\nof the Triune God.  But it cannot be certainly proved, that the Lord\nJesus intended that these very words should be used on each occasion.\nAnd it is remarkable, that in the subsequent account of instances of\nbaptism in The Acts of the Apostles, it is called \u201cbeing baptized in the\nname of the Lord Jesus.\u201d  Iren\u00e6us observes, that this might be the\nputting of a part for the whole, and that so it would be generally\nunderstood.  The safest course has, however, been taken in the Christian\nChurch by the retention of _the precise form_ found in the Commission\ngiven by Christ to His Apostles; and no objection can be justly brought\nagainst it.\n\nThis is all that is found in The Gospels, _directly_ applicable to the\nSacrament of Baptism.\n\nBut there is a circumstance recorded in three of them, which cannot be\noverlooked in connection with the subject of the administration of\nbaptism to children;\u2014though baptism itself is not mentioned in it.  St.\nMatthew, St. Mark, and St. Luke, relate the bringing of little children\nor infants, or both, either by their parents or others interested for\nthem, to Christ, \u201cthat He should put His hands on them and pray for\nthem.\u201d  The disciples, unwilling probably that their Master should be\ntroubled with such an application, \u201crebuked those who brought them: but\nwhen Jesus saw it, He was much displeased\u201d with the disciples, \u201cand said\nunto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them\nnot; for of such is the kingdom of God.  Verily I say unto you, Whosoever\nshall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not\nenter therein.  And He took them up in His arms, put His hands upon them,\nand blessed them.\u201d (Mark x. 13\u201316.)  What doubtless increased Christ\u2019s\ndispleasure at the conduct of His disciples was their evident\nforgetfulness of what had passed a short time before; when, a dispute\nhaving arisen among them who should be the greatest, He set a child in\nthe midst of them and proposed him as a pattern of humility, unto which\nHe declared all the subjects of His kingdom must be conformed.  With\nrespect to the children thus brought to Christ, He only acted in His\nusual benevolent manner, when He complied with the request made of Him\nconcerning them.  He was asked to \u201cput His hands on them and to\npray,\u201d\u2014that is, for a blessing to rest upon them.  This therefore He did.\nThe word \u201cblessed\u201d\u2014He \u201cblessed them\u201d\u2014is the same with that used by\nHimself in His sermon on the Mount: \u201cbless them that curse you:\u201d\u2014the\nmeaning of which is, \u2018Pray that blessings may come upon those who call\ndown curses upon you.\u2019  And when Jesus blessed the children which were\nbrought to Him, He commended them by prayer to the compassion and favour\nof His heavenly Father.  This is all that we can legitimately conclude\nfrom what is here said.  Jesus manifested the same kindness of heart\ntowards the rich young ruler, mentioned immediately afterwards; when\n\u201cbeholding him, He loved him;\u201d though this object of His love went away\nfrom Him, and there is every reason to fear that his riches proved the\ncause of his ruin.  The same disposition of benevolence which led the\nLord Jesus to pray for the children that were brought to Him, led Him\nalso to pray for His murderers; for while hanging on the cross, He cried,\n\u201cFather, forgive them.\u201d  But, were all that were engaged in putting Him\nto death really forgiven?  Did not many of them continue in impenitence\nand unbelief?  Undoubtedly they did.  It is impossible, therefore, to\nconclude _absolutely_ that even these children which were brought to\nChrist were _eternally saved_, whatever _hope_ and charitable opinion may\nbe entertained on the subject.  But He farther said respecting them,\u2014\u201cOf\nsuch is the kingdom of God.\u201d  What then did He mean by this declaration?\nIt is to be observed, that this was said by Jesus of these children, _not\nafter_ they had been brought to Him and blessed by Him, but _before_ they\nwere so brought, and _as the reason why they should be brought to Him_:\n\u201cFor of such is the kingdom of God.\u201d  Now it is evident that Christ does\nnot say this of children as they are _by nature_.  He Himself had before\ndescribed the heart of man, that is, the nature of man, as full of all\nevil.  (See Mark vii. 26.)  And though these children might have been\ncircumcised, yet _this_ does not appear to have been contemplated by\nChrist when He spake of them: and we know from what St. Paul says, as\nwell as from other Scriptures, that the outward circumcision was by no\nmeans always accompanied with the circumcision of the heart.  Nor does\nthere appear to have been anything _peculiar_ in this case, to which\nChrist\u2019s observations were confined.  If so, _we_ should have nothing\nwhatever to do with it.  It seems to be of children, _as children_, that\nHe here speaks;\u2014not of _children brought to Him_, (as already noticed)\nbut of _children in general_: \u201cOf such is the kingdom of God.\u201d  These\nwords, _strictly taken_, would intimate, that they were in the kingdom of\nGod already; for He does not say this of them _after_ that they had been\nblessed by Him, but He says it of them _before_.  It was not, therefore,\n_His reception of them_ which caused Him to speak thus concerning them.\nThe true view of the subject seems to be this;\u2014that, while the whole\ntransaction wears a kind and gracious aspect toward man\u2019s helpless\noffspring, Jesus had special regard in it to _the dispositions found in\nchildren_;\u2014for by reason of infantile weakness corruption is then unable\nto manifest itself, and all appears to be gentleness and\nloveliness;\u2014pride and malice and such like evils being necessarily\nabsent, and humility and lowliness and dependance and such like tempers\nbeing by the same necessity present.  So that it was with regard to\n_these_, rather than to _the subjects of them_, that Jesus said, \u201cOf such\nis the kingdom of God.\u201d  This view harmonizes exactly with what He said\nin immediate connection with the words we are considering: \u201cVerily, I say\nunto you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as _a little\nchild_, he shall not enter therein.\u201d  The great object of the Lord\nevidently was, to set forth children, both as to what is _not_ seen in\nthem, and what _is_ found in their meek, passive, harmless, submissive,\nand dependant state, as the pattern for His disciples\u2019 imitation;\u2014as, in\nfact, the exhibition of what must be found in every one, who would be a\nreal subject of His kingdom.  And that it was of _the age of infancy or\nchildhood_, and not of the persons of the children themselves, that\nChrist was here speaking, is confirmed by a reference to the circumstance\nalready mentioned, which is related by St. Matthew, in the beginning of\nthe eighteenth Chapter, and which had occurred not long before the\nbringing of the children to Him.  \u201cThe disciples came unto Jesus, saying,\nWho is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?  And Jesus called a little\nchild unto Him, and set him in the midst of them, and said, Verily, I say\nunto you, Except ye be converted, and become as _little children_, ye\nshall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.  Whosoever therefore shall\nhumble himself as this little child,\u201d\u2014that is, so as to be as this little\nchild is,\u2014\u201cthe same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.\u201d  Now it cannot\nbe supposed, that this child was selected by Christ as having any\npeculiar excellency in him.  _Any child_ would doubtless have served His\npurpose:\u2014the child of a Gentile as well as of a Jew.  Neither _the\nnature_ of the child, nor _the state of the child\u2019s soul in the sight of\nGod_, had any thing to do with the use which the Lord here makes of him.\nIt was _the state of childhood_ that Christ evidently had respect unto,\nand this He makes the model of His disciples.  Just as David had\nsaid,\u2014\u201cMy soul is even as _a weaned child_;\u201d and as St. Paul afterwards\nwrote to the Corinthians,\u2014\u201cIn malice be ye _children_.\u201d  And if farther\nevidence that this was Christ\u2019s meaning be needed, it is found in the\ntransition which He, as it were, insensibly makes from the \u201clittle\nchildren\u201d to \u201cbelievers in Him;\u201d \u201c_those little ones_,\u201d (the word used by\nHim being changed,) \u201c_those little ones_,\u201d He calls them, \u201c_which believe\nin me_;\u201d\u2014evidently referring to such as regard themselves to be the\nmeanest and most humble of His disciples.  With respect to children\nthemselves, personally considered, the words of Christ seem only to\nconvey a general expression of good will toward them,\u2014to be understood\nand applied in conformity with other declarations of the Inspired Word.\nAs to the bearing of this whole passage upon _baptism_, it is impossible\nto prove by it the connection of the new birth with baptism, or indeed\nanything about baptism at all;\u2014except that it affords great encouragement\nto godly parents to bring their children to this Ordinance, and in it to\npresent and dedicate them to the Lord their God.  If we attempt to force\nthe application of the passage, it may be turned against ourselves, and\nused as an argument for doing without the baptism of children altogether:\nfor Christ does not say anything about the baptism of the children\nbrought to Him, although baptism was then in use among His disciples.\nHis silence respecting it is no valid argument against it; but it\nprevents the possibility of proving anything _absolutely_ as to the\neffect of baptism from this occurrence.  In truth, the circumstances of\nthe cases must be analogous, before _any_ application can fairly be made\nof it.  Children must not be brought in gross ignorance and utter\ncarelessness to be baptized, that they may receive their name from a\nminister, or for some other merely temporal object, without any regard to\nChrist or His grace, and this be said to correspond with what was done\nfor the children in the history before us.  This is to profane Christ\u2019s\nSacrament; and shall the profanation of it be attended with a blessing?\nNo wonder that baptized children show no benefit from their baptism, when\nit has really not been a bringing of them to Christ at all:\u2014Christ having\nnever been thought of from first to last.  If an appeal be made to the\nsupposed efficacy of _the Ordinance itself_, then this passage has\nnothing to do with the subject.  Other Scriptures must be resorted to,\nwherein reference _is_ made to baptism.  From what was done and said on\nthis occasion, believing parents, anxious for the salvation of their\nchildren, may draw much encouragement to bring them to Christ in baptism,\nand to pray and hope for a blessing, in connection with the subsequent\nuse of means for their spiritual good: and they who act thus, comply much\nmore with His mind and spirit, than those who withhold their children\nfrom the Ordinance.  But no absolute and unconditional benefit in baptism\ncan by any fair process of reasoning be deduced from it.\n\n                                * * * * *\n\nWe proceed, then, to examine the passages in \u2018The Acts of the Apostles,\u2019\nwhich relate to the subject of Baptism; and we shall there see the\ndirections which Christ gave them concerning it carried into effect.\n\nNo sooner had the Apostles begun to execute their important Commission by\npreaching the gospel on the day of Pentecost, than God gave testimony to\ntheir word by convincing many of sin, especially of the sin of\n\u201ccrucifying the Lord of glory;\u201d and they \u201csaid unto Peter and to the rest\nof the Apostles,\u201d (as we read in Acts ii. 37,) \u201cMen and brethren, what\nshall we do?\u201d  To this Peter answered, \u201cRepent, and be baptized every one\nof you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye\nshall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.  For the promise is unto you\nand to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the\nLord our God shall call.\u201d  In this exhortation, the principle enjoined by\nChrist upon the Apostles is found.  Repentance and faith are first\nrequired.  For the expressions, \u201cBe baptized _in the name of Jesus\nChrist_,\u201d do certainly mean, \u201cMake an open profession of your believing\nin Jesus Christ, by being baptized in His name.\u201d  That this is their\nmeaning there can be no doubt, when we consider what is said immediately\nafterwards: (v. 41.) \u201cThen _they that gladly received his word_\u201d (and how\nis the word received but by faith?  See 1 Thess. ii. 13,) \u201cwere baptized;\nand the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.\nAnd they continued stedfastly in the Apostles\u2019 doctrine and fellowship,\nand in breaking of bread and in prayers.\u201d  Here, then, things were as\nChrist intended them to be.  They who were convinced of sin ask what they\nshall do\u2014that is, to be saved.  They are told to repent, and openly to\nconfess Christ\u2014that is, that they believed in Him as the Saviour\u2014by being\nbaptized.  And they are assured, that upon doing _these things_\u2014(the\nwhole exhortation being taken together) they should receive \u201cremission of\ntheir sins\u201d and \u201cthe gift of the Holy Ghost.\u201d  They gladly received the\nword preached to them; and they were then baptized; and while their\nbaptism was a public profession of repentance and faith on their part, it\nwould doubtless be a means of grace to them, and a seal and pledge on\nGod\u2019s part of the forgiveness of their sins and of His good-will and\nfavour towards them.  And this was the right and legitimate use of the\nOrdinance.\n\nThe next instance recorded in The Acts of the Apostles is that of the\npeople of Samaria, to whom Philip went and preached Christ, (viii. 5.)\nThey had for a long time been bewitched with the sorceries of a certain\nman, called Simon; but, it is added, \u201cwhen they believed Philip,\npreaching the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus\nChrist, they were baptized, both men and women.\u201d  The same order is seen\nhere, as at Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost.  They first _believe_, and\nthen _are baptized_.  But now a very different case presents itself to\nus.  Simon, the sorcerer himself, is said also to have believed and been\nbaptized, and to have \u201ccontinued with Philip,\u201d (having of course ceased\nfrom his sorceries) \u201cand wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which\nwere done\u201d by him.  Some think, that by pretending to be Philip\u2019s\ndisciple Simon hoped to be able to do the same; for that his opinion of\nPhilip was, that he was but a more skilful sorcerer than himself.  It\nappears that the Holy Ghost\u2014by which the extraordinary gifts of the\nSpirit, the ability to speak divers languages and such like, are\nundoubtedly meant,\u2014had not fallen upon any of the people of Samaria at\ntheir baptism, but was reserved to be bestowed in answer to the prayers\nof the Apostles and by the imposition of their hands.  For \u201cwhen the\nApostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God,\nthey sent unto them Peter and John: who, when they were come down, prayed\nfor them that they might receive the Holy Ghost: then laid they their\nhands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.\u201d (v. 14, 15.)  The\neffect of this gift must have been immediately perceptible by others; for\nit led to that bold and blasphemous offer of money by Simon to the\nApostles, which betrayed the hypocrisy, and pride, and wickedness of his\nheart.  \u201cWhen Simon saw, that through laying on of the Apostles\u2019 hands\nthe Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, saying, Give me also\nthis power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy\nGhost.\u201d (v. 18, 19.)  Peter\u2019s indignant reply to him proves, that, though\nhe had been baptized, he was in heart a sorcerer still.  \u201cThe dog had\nturned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed, to her\nwallowing in the mire.\u201d (2 Peter ii. 22.)  No change whatever had taken\nplace in his character.  And no change seems to have taken place in him\nafterwards; if we may judge from what he said to the Apostles.  For when\nPeter denounced the just judgment of God against him, and declared that\nhe \u201chad neither part nor lot in the matter,\u201d there was no sign of real\npenitence in his expressions.  He deprecated the judgment indeed, and\nasked the Apostles to pray for him that it might not come upon him.\n\u201cPray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have\nspoken come upon me.\u201d (v, 24.)  But even Pharaoh went farther than this.\nHe said to Moses and Aaron, \u201cIntreat the Lord, that He may take away this\ndeath from me;\u201d but he also added, \u201cI have sinned:\u201d \u201cI am wicked:\u201d\u2014a\nconfession, which Simon never made; for it is to be feared that the\nconviction of it he never felt.  And his case incontestably proves, that\nprofessions and Ordinances avail nothing, unless the \u201cheart\u201d be also\n\u201cright in the sight of God.\u201d\n\nIn this same Chapter we have an account of the baptism of the Ethiopian\nEunuch.  As far as his knowledge reached, this interesting person was a\nsincere and devout worshipper of the true God: but, as in the case of\nCornelius afterwards, it was necessary that he should be brought to the\nclear and full knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Philip therefore\nis sent to instruct him, and is gladly received by him as his teacher.\nPhilip, taking as his text the place of Scripture which he found the\nEunuch reading, \u201cpreached unto him Jesus.\u201d  And his word was mixed with\nfaith in him that heard it.  And coming to a certain water, the Eunuch,\nhaving learned what was the rite of initiation which Christ had\nappointed, was anxious to take this opportunity of being openly received\ninto the number of His disciples; and he therefore asked Philip, \u201cWhat\ndoth hinder me to be baptized?\u201d  Our Authorized Version has a reply from\nPhilip and a confession of faith by the Eunuch, which are not found in\nmany very ancient Manuscripts.  Beza says of this verse, \u201cGod forbid I\nshould think it ought to be expunged, since it contains such a confession\nof faith, as was in the Apostolic ages required of adults, in order to\ntheir being admitted to baptism.\u201d  But whether it be genuine or not, is\nof no material consequence.  Christ had confined baptism to believers, in\nHis instructions to His Apostles; and this verse only repeats the\nlimitation.  \u201cIf thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayst\u201d be\nbaptized.  And as for the confession of faith attributed to the Eunuch,\nit is plain that he was prepared and willing to make it.  \u201cI believe that\nJesus Christ is the Son of God.\u201d  Both he and Philip then went down into\nthe water, and Philip baptized him.  In what manner, we are not told; nor\ndo even the expressions, \u201cinto the water,\u201d decide whether it was by\nimmersion or the pouring or sprinkling of some of the water on his\nperson.  If the mode of administration had been essential to the validity\nof the Sacrament, no doubt it would have been mentioned.  But neither\nhere nor any where else is this the case.  The Eunuch, then, having thus\nreceived the grace of the Covenant and the seal of the Covenant,\nconfirmed too by the sign of Philip\u2019s miraculous removal from him,\u2014\u201cwent\non his way rejoicing.\u201d (v. 39.)\n\nIn the next Chapter, the ninth, we have an account of the conversion and\nbaptism of Saul of Tarsus.  The Lord Jesus appeared to him as he went to\nDamascus to persecute the disciples which might be found there: and Saul,\nhaving fallen to the ground and being told that that same Jesus whom he\npersecuted stood before him, exclaimed with all humility and entire\nsubmission, \u201cLord, what wilt thou have me to do?\u201d  One of the most\nastonishing instances of a sudden change of mind on record!  The Lord\nthen bade Saul \u201carise\u201d from the earth, in order that he might hear what\nmore He had to say to him.  And well might Saul be overwhelmed by the\ncommunication which the Lord Jesus proceeds to make to him!  In the\naccount given in this ninth Chapter, it is briefly stated that the Lord\ncommanded him to \u201cgo into the city,\u201d (Damascus) and that \u201cit should be\ntold him what he must do.\u201d  This no doubt was a part of His\ncommunication.  But by a reference to the account of this transaction\ngiven by himself before Agrippa, as recorded in the xxvith Chapter of\nthis Book, it appears that the Lord made known to Saul _at that very\ntime_ much of His mind and will concerning him; and that He said to him,\n\u201cI have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a Minister and\na Witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things\nin the which I will appear unto thee; delivering thee from the people and\nfrom the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, to open their eyes, and to\nturn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God,\nthat they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them\nwhich are sanctified by faith that is in me.\u201d (v. 16\u201318)  After this,\nSaul went into Damascus, and was three days without sight or food.\nAnanias was then sent to him by the Lord Jesus; and having put his hands\nupon him that he might receive his sight, and having repeated to him the\nCommission which Jesus had in person given to him, said, (as we read in\nthe account of this event given in the xxiind Chapter,) \u201cAnd now why\ntarriest thou?  Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling\non the name of the Lord.\u201d  And he \u201carose, and was baptized.\u201d  This\naddress of Ananias to Saul, taken by itself, would seem to connect the\nforgiveness or putting away of sin with the act of baptism.  But were not\nSaul\u2019s sins forgiven before his baptism?  And did he not know that they\nwere forgiven?  Suppose a subject to have a very mistaken view of his\nSovereign\u2019s title to the crown, and an ignorant but very fervid zeal for\nsome other.  Suppose him not to have taken due pains to correct his\nerror, and to be at the same time under the influence of much\nhigh-mindedness and self-confidence.  He takes up arms against his\nPrince, and for a season is very successful in his efforts.  But suddenly\nhe finds himself in his power:\u2014and at the same time his eyes are\nopened;\u2014and he is convinced of the mistake which he had made, and of the\ndelusion under which he had been acting.  He now casts himself at his\nSovereign\u2019s feet, and professes his willingness to be at his absolute\ndisposal for the future.  Suppose the generous Monarch to reply;\u2014\u2018I know\nthat thou wast engaged in a blind and unequal contest with me: (\u201cit is\nhard for thee to kick against the pricks:\u201d) but I am come to tell thee,\nthat I have appointed thee my Ambassador Extraordinary and\nPlenipotentiary, and am about to send thee forth to a distant kingdom,\nthere to transact for me some difficult and important business, in which\nmy honour and interest and the interest of my subjects are greatly\nconcerned: (\u201cFor I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee\na Minister and a Witness of these things which thou hast seen:\u201d) I will\nfrom time to time communicate most confidentially with thee: (\u201cand of\nthose things in the which I will appear unto thee:\u201d) all my authority and\npower shall be put forth for thy personal preservation: (\u201cdelivering thee\nfrom the people and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee:\u201d) and\nnothing shall be wanting on my part to make thine Ambassage successful.\u2019\n(\u201cto open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light and from\nthe power of Satan unto God, &c.\u201d)  Would this subject, after such a\ncommunication and commission,\u2014delivered too by his Prince in person\u2014have\nany doubt on his mind respecting the pardon of his rebellion?  He might\nfor a few days retire into secret, to reflect on his case;\u2014to consider\nthe evil of his own conduct, and the noble and generous manner in which\nhe had been treated, when he might justly have been dealt with in a very\ndifferent way.  But his preferment of necessity involved his pardon and\nhis full and complete establishment in his Sovereign\u2019s favour.  How could\nhe, in the very nature of things, execute the Commission given to him, if\nhe were to be put to death for his treason?  Nevertheless, it might be\nvery expedient, that a public manifestation should be made to the kingdom\nof this change in the state of things: for the Prince\u2019s visit to his\nsubject was in secret, though not the least suspicion could attach to the\ntruth and sincerity of it.  A public Ceremony might, therefore, take\nplace, at which his own change of mind and his Sovereign\u2019s pardon might\nbe proclaimed, and his sealed Commission delivered into his hands:\u2014but\nthis, however important, would follow the previous interview as a matter\nof course.  What has thus been _supposed_ was more than fulfilled in the\ncase of Saul of Tarsus: for no communication among men could equal the\ncondescension and grace of the Lord Jesus towards him and the confidence\nwhich He reposed in him.  And the manner in which Ananias spake to Saul\nof his baptism seems to convey the last-mentioned idea; namely, that,\nhowever necessary, it was to take place as a matter of course.  \u201c_And now\nwhy tarriest thou_?  _Arise_, _and be baptized_, _and wash away thy\nsins_, _calling on the name of the Lord_.\u201d  This washing away of his sins\nin baptism was a mystical or emblematical washing.  It was a public\nmanifestation of his penitence and his pardon.  It was on his part an\nopen avowal of submission to Christ; and on the part of the Lord Jesus\nChrist it was an equally open avowal of the acceptance of his submission,\nand a seal of his sonship and security.  Hereby his faith would be\nconfirmed, and his grace increased by virtue of \u201ccalling on the name of\nthe Lord.\u201d  But how could this confirmation and increase take place,\nunless faith and grace had been possessed by him previously?\n\nThe baptism of Cornelius and his company, recorded in Chapter x., is the\nnext instance we meet with in Scripture of the administration of this\nSacrament of the Christian Church.  This case is remarkable as being the\nfirst-fruits of the Gentiles unto Christ.  Peter\u2014to whom Christ had given\n\u201cthe keys of the kingdom of Heaven,\u201d (Matt. xvi. 19,) that is, the high\nprivilege of opening the door of faith both to the Jews and to the\nGentiles,\u2014was sent by God to preach the gospel to this Roman Centurion.\nHis objections, as a Jew, to go unto one of another nation having been\nremoved by a vision, Peter went to the house of Cornelius, where he found\nhim and his kinsmen and near friends assembled together to receive and to\nhear him.  He faithfully preached Christ unto them: and while he spake\nthose important words, \u201cTo Him give all the prophets witness, that,\nthrough His name, whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of\nsins,\u201d \u201cthe Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.\u201d  Under the\ninfluence of the Spirit they \u201cspake with tongues, and magnified God.\nThen answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be\nbaptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?  And he\ncommanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.\u201d  (43\u201347.)  In the\ncase of the people of Samaria, the Holy Ghost was not given when they\nwere baptized, but _some time after_;\u2014when the Apostles Peter and John,\ncame down from Jerusalem and laid their hands upon them.  In the case of\nCornelius and his friends, the same Holy Spirit was given before their\nbaptism, and while Peter was preaching the gospel to them.  Thus it was\nnot always _at_ the administration of the Ordinance that the Holy Ghost\nwas given.  And though the immediate effect of this gift of the Spirit\nwas manifested in the power to speak with tongues and to prophesy, yet it\nalso enabled and disposed them to \u201cmagnify God:\u201d thereby showing, that\nHis ordinary sanctifying operations were included.  Well then might\nCornelius and they who were with him receive the outward and visible sign\nof baptism by water, since they had already received the thing signified\nby it!\n\nIn Chapter xvi., two very interesting cases are recorded, which are\nworthy of particular attention.  They occurred at Philippi, in Macedonia;\nto which country St. Paul and his company had been called by a vision to\npreach the gospel there.  The first of these is the case of a woman named\nLydia.  In the 13th and 14th verses the sacred historian writes; \u201cAnd on\nthe Sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was\nwont to be made; and we spake unto the women which resorted thither.  And\na certain woman, named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of\nThyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened,\nthat she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.\u201d  In\nconsequence of the opening of her heart by the Lord, she heard to her\nsoul\u2019s profit.  She received the gospel which Paul preached.  We are then\ntold concerning her, that \u201cshe was baptized, and her household.\u201d  And her\nfaith brought forth fruit: for she immediately invited the Apostle and\nthose who were with him, to come and abide at her house; and she would\nnot take a denial.  They therefore abode with her many days.  Another\ncase then occurred, which served to show why they had been called to\npreach the gospel in Macedonia.  Paul and Silas having been thrown into\nprison for casting a spirit of divination out of a certain damsel, the\nLord sent a great earthquake at midnight, which opened the doors of the\nprison, and awoke the jailor; who, fearing that the prisoners had fled,\ndrew his sword and was about to kill himself; when Paul assured him that\nthey were all there.  Upon this, \u201che sprang in, and fell down before Paul\nand Silas, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?\u201d  Paul and Silas\nimmediately preached the gospel to him, saying, \u201cBelieve on the Lord\nJesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.\u201d  They then at\ngreater length \u201cspake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were\nin his house.\u201d  The same success attended the word, as in the case of\nLydia.  And his faith, like her\u2019s, wrought by love; for he immediately\nbegan to show all the attention in his power to Paul and Silas.  And as\nLydia was baptized, and her household, so it is said that the jailor \u201cwas\nbaptized, he and all his, straightway.\u201d  Now it is evident, that in the\nbaptizing of the two principal persons in this history, Lydia and the\njailor, the same course was pursued by the Apostle as in all the other\ninstances which have been considered.  They first believed in the Lord\nJesus Christ, and then they were baptized.  But a new feature presents\nitself on both these occasions; that is, the baptizing of their\nhouseholds.  And hence has been drawn a very common argument in favour of\nthe baptizing of children; as it has been thought _probable_ that\nchildren formed a part of these households.  Beside these cases, there\nare only two other, in which the house or family is spoken of in the New\nTestament in connection with the head of the house,\u2014the house of Crispus\nand the house of Stephanas; and though it is taking them out of their\norder, it may be well to notice them also here.  Let us consider first\nthe case of the jailor.  It is said that \u201che was baptized, and all\nhis,\u201d\u2014that is, \u201call his house;\u201d to whom, as well as to himself, Paul and\nSilas had \u201cspoken the word of the Lord.\u201d  But if we are told that _they\nwere baptized_, we are also told that _they believed_.  In the 34th verse\nwe read, that the jailor \u201crejoiced, believing in God with all his house.\u201d\nIn order to force this case to support Infant-baptism, an attempt is\nsometimes made to change the construction of the sentence, _thus_; \u201cHe,\nbelieving in God, rejoiced with all his house.\u201d  This makes very little\ndifference in the meaning.  For if his house were capable of rejoicing\nwith him, they must have been of a sufficient age to understand _why_\nthey rejoiced: and as his faith in Christ was the cause of _his_ joy, it\nmust have been also the cause of _theirs_; and if they could rejoice in\n_his_ faith, why might they not have had faith _of their own_ to rejoice\nin?  But the Greek will not admit of the above construction.  The adverb\ntranslated \u201cwith all his house\u201d must be referred to the participle\n\u201cbelieving,\u201d which in the Original follows it; and these words express\nthe reason of his joy, which was, his own faith and the faith of his\nfamily.  Beza gives _this_ as the sense of the latter part of the 34th\nverse; \u201cHe,\u201d that is, the jailor, \u201crejoiced because that with the whole\nof his house he had believed in God.\u201d {50}  _As believers_, therefore,\u2014of\nwhomsoever his \u201chouse\u201d consisted\u2014they were entitled to baptism _on their\nown account_, and thus they stood precisely in the same situation with\nhimself.  And _no inference_ can _hence_ be drawn respecting\nInfant-baptism.  Of Crispus, the chief ruler of the Synagogue at Corinth,\nmentioned in the xviiith Chapter, it is at once said that he \u201cbelieved on\nthe Lord with all his house;\u201d and though their baptism is not\nparticularly spoken of, it would of course take place with the baptism of\nthe other believing Corinthians.  From St. Paul\u2019s First Epistle to the\nCorinthians we learn that he himself baptized Crispus;\u2014no mention being\nmade of his household: but as we are informed that they were _believers_,\nthey would certainly be baptized, like the household of the Philippian\njailor.  This case, therefore, does not apply to the subject of\nInfant-baptism.  Neither does the baptizing of the house of Stephanas.\nSt. Paul tells the Corinthians, in the beginning of his First Epistle,\nthat he baptized this house: but what does he say of them at the close of\nthe Epistle?  \u201cYe know,\u201d he says, \u201cthe house of Stephanas, that it is\n_the first fruits of Achaia_, _and that they have addicted themselves to\nthe ministry of the saints_:\u201d (xvi. 15.)\u2014a description this, of _personal\nreligion_; and proving that they were _all_ capable of meeting the\nrequirements of baptism _in their own persons_.  The only remaining case\nin which a household is said to have been baptized, is that of Lydia at\nPhilippi.  Now it seems evident from her history that she had no husband.\nThe house is twice called _her house_; and _the household_ is called\n_hers_ also.  And the invitation to Paul and his company is given _by\nherself and in her own name_.  \u201cCome into _my house_, and abide there.\u201d\n(v. 15.)  This language could never have been used of her and by her, if\nshe had had a husband.  Nor does it appear at all likely, that she was a\nwidow with children; for, from the particularity with which her\ncircumstances are related, there is every probability that, had this been\nthe case, some intimation would have been given of it.  We have not only\n_her name_ mentioned, but _the place_ she came from or still belonged to,\nand _the business_ which she followed: but no allusion whatever to any\nfamily.  She could not have been a person in a low condition of life, or\nshe would not have been able to receive and entertain in her house for\nmany days the Apostle and those who were with him.  She would therefore\nhave \u201chousehold servants,\u201d and probably persons to assist her in her\nbusiness as \u201ca seller of purple.\u201d  But the whole tenor of her history is\nagainst the supposition, that there were in her house _any who could not\nanswer for themselves_.  It appears, then, from the consideration of the\ncases in which the baptizing of households is mentioned in Scripture,\nthat no argument whatever can be deduced from them on the subject of\nInfant-baptism.  A reference to them, therefore, only gives an advantage\nto the opponents of the practice:\u2014an argument which will not bear close\nexamination being always worse than none.\n\nThe xviiith Chapter of this Book of The Acts of the Apostles contains the\naccount of Crispus and his house just referred to.  It is also simply,\nthough very strikingly, said of many others of the Corinthians, that they\n\u201cheard,\u201d\u2014they \u201cbelieved,\u201d\u2014and they \u201cwere baptized.\u201d (v. 8.)  Faith came\nby hearing; and baptism, according to the institution of Christ, followed\nfaith.\n\nThere only remains, in this Book of The Acts of the Apostles, another\ninstance of baptism to be noticed; and this occurred at Ephesus.  It is\nrelated in the beginning of the nineteenth Chapter.  \u201cPaul came to\nEphesus, and finding certain disciples, he said unto them, have ye\nreceived the Holy Ghost since ye believed?  And they said unto him, We\nhave not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.\u201d  We are\nreminded here of that passage in the Seventh Chapter of St. John, (v.\n39.) where the Evangelist, referring to some words of the Lord Jesus,\nsays, \u201cThis spake He of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him\nshould\u201d\u2014that is, afterwards\u2014\u201creceive;\u201d\u2014adding, \u201cfor the Holy Ghost was\nnot yet given, because that Jesus was not yet glorified.\u201d  The literal\ntranslation of the latter part of this text is, \u201cfor the Holy Ghost was\nnot yet:\u201d\u2014from which it would appear, that at that time there was no Holy\nGhost; and therefore that the ignorance of His existence, of which the\ndisciples at Ephesus seem to speak, was not so much to be wondered at.\nBut the solution of the difficulty is probably the same in both cases.\nWhen St. John says, \u201cFor the Holy Ghost was not yet, because that Jesus\nwas not yet glorified,\u201d his meaning is made plain by the very proper\nintroduction into our translation of the word \u201cgiven;\u201d\u2014\u201cfor the Holy\nGhost was not yet given.\u201d  This evidently refers to the extraordinary and\nabundant pouring out of the Holy Spirit, which was reserved until Jesus\nhad ascended up on high, and (according to the prophecy in the lxviiith\nPsalm) had \u201creceived gifts for men;\u201d and when He received them, He shed\nthem forth, first upon His Apostles on the day of Pentecost, and\nafterwards upon multitudes of believers, generally by the laying on of\ntheir hands.  But the disciples at Ephesus had not heard of these things.\nThey had had no communication with any Christian Church or people; and\nthus, though they had been baptized with the baptism of John, as they\ntell the Apostle Paul in answer to his next question, \u201cUnto what then\nwere ye baptized?\u201d\u2014and _must_ therefore have heard of the existence of\nthe Holy Ghost, yet they had not heard of His having been given; and they\nexpress their ignorance in language very like to that which the\nEvangelist uses, when he is describing the period before the gift of the\nSpirit on the day of Pentecost.  This seems a reasonable account of the\nmatter.  And if the same course had been pursued in the translation of\nboth texts, the likeness between them would have been very evident.  In\nthe passage in St. John the explanatory word \u201cgiven\u201d is introduced.  In\nthe Chapter before us, not only is this or any such word omitted, but the\nword \u201cany\u201d is added,\u2014\u201c_any_ Holy Ghost,\u201d without a word in the Original\nto justify it.  The literal rendering would be; \u201cWe have not even heard\nwhether the Holy Ghost is.\u201d  Now if the word \u201cgiven,\u201d or \u201ccome,\u201d were\nadded, as in St. John, the two passages would exactly correspond:\u2014\u201cThe\nHoly Ghost was not yet given:\u201d\u2014\u201cWe have not even heard whether the Holy\nGhost is given.\u201d  These persons had probably not been long at Ephesus,\nbut might have been (as Dr. Whitby suggests) \u201ctravelling into other parts\nof the world, where the gospel had not yet been planted.\u201d  But a question\nhas arisen, whether what is said in the fifth verse relates to _them_, or\nwhether it is not a continuation of St. Paul\u2019s description of John\u2019s\nbaptism, begun in the verse before.  \u201cWhen they heard this, they were\nbaptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.\u201d  The objection to the\napplication of this to the twelve disciples found at Ephesus is, that it\ninvolves a repetition of the Ordinance of baptism.  But though John\u2019s\nbaptism and the Christian Sacrament were administered _substantially_\nupon the same principles, there was a sufficient difference between them\nto warrant the baptizing again, in the name of the Sacred Trinity, of\nthose who might already have partaken of John\u2019s baptism.  The baptism of\nJohn was connected with an intermediate, or, at most, an introductory\ndispensation.  It was, what the Apostle says of the tabernacle,\u2014\u201cfor the\ntime then present.\u201d  But after that Christ had appointed baptism \u201cin the\nname of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost,\u201d as the door\nof entrance into His Church for believers, there was no reason why such\nas had been baptized with John\u2019s baptism should not be admitted to\nChrist\u2019s Ordinance also, if occasion seemed to require it.  And indeed\nSt. Paul\u2019s question, \u201cUnto what then were ye baptized?\u201d seems to\nrecognize a distinction of baptisms.  But no argument whatever can be\nfounded upon this case for the repetition of baptism _under the same\nDispensation_.  To suppose that the words in the 5th verse are a\ncontinuation of St. Paul\u2019s description of John\u2019s baptism, would be\ninconsistent with the natural course of the narrative; and to say that\nJohn \u201cbaptized in the name of the Lord Jesus,\u201d would be to speak of his\nbaptism as it is no where else spoken of.  Beside, the persons on whom\nSt. Paul laid his hands, as stated in the 6th verse, were the disciples\nfound at Ephesus, and not the people in general who were baptized by\nJohn.  So that it appears that what is said in the 5th verse relates to\nthese disciples.  Their knowledge was very limited; but they had the\ncharacteristic dispositions of disciples,\u2014humility and teachableness; and\nthus, when they were farther instructed by St. Paul in the things\nconcerning the Lord Jesus Christ, they, no doubt with the greatest\nwillingness, were baptized in His name.  And then as in the case of\nSamaria, \u201cwhen the Apostle had laid his hands upon them,\u201d (but not\nbefore,) \u201cthe Holy Ghost came on them, and they spake with tongues and\nprophesied.\u201d\n\nThis is all that is said on the subject of baptism, as a Sacrament of the\nChristian Church, in the Scripture-history of The Acts of the Apostles.\n\n                                * * * * *\n\n                     We come, then, to The Epistles.\n\nThe first passage we meet with on our subject is in the sixth Chapter of\nthe Epistle to the Romans.  St. Paul, the writer of this Epistle, had\nbeen dwelling, in the former Chapters, upon the great gospel-doctrine of\nsalvation by grace through faith.  He had declared, that \u201ca man is\njustified by faith without the deeds of the law;\u201d (iii. 28,) that in this\nway Abraham was justified; (iv. 3,) and that in this way every one else\nmust be justified: (iv. 24,) and in the latter part of the fifth Chapter\nhe had spoken strongly of God\u2019s grace much more abounding where man\u2019s sin\nabounded.  The Apostle, then in the beginning of the sixth Chapter\nanticipates an abuse which might be made of this doctrine, and corrects\nit.  \u201cWhat shall we say then?  Shall we continue in sin,\u201d in order \u201cthat\ngrace may abound?  God forbid!\u201d  Abhorred be the thought!  And he\nproceeds to reason upon this; and to show, not only its _incongruity_,\nbut (in a sense which other Scriptures allow) its _impossibility_:\u2014\u201cHow\nshall _we_ that _are dead_ to sin, _live_ any longer therein?\u201d  And then\nhe brings in the subject of their baptism.  \u201cKnow ye not, that so many of\nus as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into His death?\nTherefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death; that like as\nChrist was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we\nalso should walk in newness of life.\u201d (v. 3, 4.)  After what we have seen\nalready of baptism, as administered by the Apostles and others, we can be\nat no loss to perceive the meaning of St. Paul\u2019s expression, \u201cbaptized\ninto Christ.\u201d  According to His own command, all who believed in Him were\nbaptized; and this act or Ordinance was their open avowal of faith in\nHim,\u2014their public and palpable engrafting and incorporation into Him and\nHis Church,\u2014and their solemn dedication and consecration to the love,\nworship, and service of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. {57}\nTheir baptism into Christ, consequent upon, and declarative of, their\nfaith in Him, publicly and manifestly bound them unto Him;\u2014to strict and\nspiritual conformity with Him.  And thus the Apostle goes on to remind\nthose who had been \u201cbaptized into Christ,\u201d\u2014for the Epistle was addressed\nto those at Rome who were \u201cbeloved of God and called to be saints,\u201d and\nwhose \u201cfaith was spoken of throughout the whole world,\u201d (i. 7, 8,)\u2014that\nthey were \u201cbaptized into His death;\u201d that is, into conformity to His\ndeath; that in virtue of His dying for their sins, and after the pattern\nof this His death, and by motives and considerations drawn from His\ndeath, they should die to all sin and be delivered from the reigning\npower of it.  \u2018The faithful,\u2019 observes Beza on this expression, \u2018are said\nto be baptized into the death of Christ, that through His death sin may\ndie and be abolished in them.\u2019  And to carry this conformity still\nfarther, St. Paul adds, \u201cTherefore we are buried with Him by baptism into\ndeath.\u201d  For as Christ\u2019s burial was a manifestation of the reality of His\ndeath, so ought it to be also with them respecting sin.  It was likewise\nan introduction to, and preparation for, His glorious resurrection.  And\nthus the Apostle proceeds with his exhortation;\u2014\u201cthat like as Christ was\nraised from the dead by the glory (the glorious power) of the Father,\neven so we also (we who are baptized into Him) should walk in newness of\nlife.\u201d  And in the following verses\u2014indeed to the end of the Chapter\u2014St.\nPaul presses the Roman Christians to devotedness to God\u2019s service, in\nlanguage the most forcible which could have been made use of.  Here then\nwe see what baptism is, in the case of real believers: and it is of such\nalone that the Apostle here speaks.  The obligations which result from it\nto righteousness and holiness are of the strongest possible description.\nAnd these obligations have their influence upon the faithful; though that\ninfluence is capable of a continued increase.  How different is this from\na service which is \u201coutward\u201d only \u201cin the flesh!\u201d\n\nThe expressions, \u201cburied with Christ by baptism\u201d and \u201cwalking in newness\nof life\u201d \u201cafter the pattern of His resurrection,\u201d seem to imply, that the\nmethod of baptizing was by immersion, or plunging the whole body under\nwater, from which it would come forth as by a kind of resurrection.  That\nbaptism _has been_ thus administered, and _may be_ thus administered, is\nfreely admitted.  But this is _no proof_ that such was the unvarying\nmethod, and certainly _no precept_ that it shall always be administered\nin this way.  It may, however, with much reason be argued, that the\nexpressions, \u201cbaptized into His death,\u201d\u2014\u201cburied with Him,\u201d\u2014and \u201cwalking\nin newness of life\u201d like unto His resurrection,\u2014were not used by the\nApostle with any reference to _the mode of administration_, but to _the\nevents spoken of_; namely, Christ\u2019s death, burial, and resurrection.\nChristians are said to have been \u201ccircumcised in Christ,\u201d and to be\n\u201ccrucified with Him,\u201d without any outward corresponding actions.  But if\nan argument for _immersion_ may be drawn from this passage, an argument\nfor _affusion_, or the pouring of water upon the person, may with greater\nforce be drawn from the manner in which the Holy Ghost descended upon\nChrist Himself at His baptism, and upon the Apostles on the day of\nPentecost, and subsequently upon others who were baptized, and from the\nlanguage used to describe it.  When Peter preached to Cornelius, it is\nsaid, \u201cThe Holy Ghost _fell on_ all them that heard the word:\u201d and again,\n\u201cOn the Gentiles also _was poured out_ the gift of the Holy Ghost.\u201d  This\nis expressly called by St. Peter, their being \u201cbaptized with the Holy\nGhost.\u201d (Acts xi. 15, 16.)  An argument might also be drawn for the\npractice of _sprinkling_, not only from the striking similarity between\nbaptism and the water of separation which was to be sprinkled upon the\nunclean, (Numb. xix. 19.,) but from the connection between the water of\nbaptism and the blood of Christ, of which, as well as of the Holy Spirit,\nthis water is an emblem, and which is called \u201cthe blood of sprinkling\u201d\nfrom the method of its application to the heart.  From all these things,\nand from the absence of any specific directions on the subject, it is\nreasonable to conclude, that baptism may be rightly administered in each\nof the _three_ ways which have been mentioned.  And it is too much like\nan undue magnifying of _the sign_, when it is attempted to make it in all\nrespects answerable to the thing signified by it.\n\nThis is the only passage _directly_ relating to baptism in the Epistle to\nthe Romans.\n\nBut there is a statement of the Apostle in the eleventh Chapter, which\nnot only confirms what has been already said of the continuance of the\nCovenant with Abraham under the Christian Dispensation, but which also\nbears strongly upon the subject of the right of the children of believing\nparents to the token of the Covenant, together with their parents.  The\npassage particularly referred to is the 24th verse of the eleventh\nChapter.  \u201cFor if thou wert cut out of the olive-tree which is wild by\nnature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive-tree, how\nmuch more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into\n_their own olive-tree_!\u201d  The Apostle is here comparing the admission of\nthe Gentiles into the Church of God, to the cutting off of branches from\na wild olive and the grafting of them into a good olive; the good olive\nbeing the ancient church, planted, as it were, in the person of believing\nAbraham.  \u2018In the view of St. Paul, the establishment of the Christian\nChurch was no dissolution of the Jewish Church.  It is the same Society\nstill;\u2014the same Body Corporate.  Some of its rules and regulations,\nindeed, have been altered: a disfranchisement of many of its old members\nhas taken place, and new ones have been admitted: but the same\nChurch,\u2014the same Chartered Company,\u2014which existed _before the Law and\nunder the Law_, exists to this present hour under the Gospel\nDispensation.  It is still Abraham\u2019s family.  He is \u201cthe father of all\nthem that believe.\u201d  \u201cIf ye be Christ\u2019s, then are ye Abraham\u2019s seed, and\nheirs according to the promise.\u201d {61}  When, therefore, any of the Jews\n\u201cabide not in unbelief,\u201d and are received into the Church of Christ, it\nis but \u201cthe grafting of the natural branches into _their own\nolive-tree_.\u201d  They are restored to the privileges which their fathers\nenjoyed, and are made members of the Church of God.  But are their\nchildren to be left behind?  Are they to be left out of the Covenant?\nAnd is this, might a converted Israelite justly ask,\u2014Is this to be\nrestored to our fathers\u2019 privileges?  \u201cCircumcision was not of the law,\nbut of the fathers.\u201d  _That_ is taken away; and what have we in its\nplace, if baptism, which is now the token of the covenant, be withheld\nfrom our children?  If circumcision was our children\u2019s birthright before,\nhow can they be deprived of it, and have nothing given them in the stead\nthereof, and yet the privileges possessed by our fathers not be lessened?\nThis is _not_ to be \u201cgrafted into _our own olive-tree_\u201d!\n\nIn the first Chapter of his first Epistle to the Corinthians, St. Paul\nspeaks of baptism; but as it is principally with a reference to himself,\nit is scarcely necessary to notice it in our present\nconsideration,\u2014except for the statement he is led to make of the great\nobject of his mission; which was \u201c_not_ to baptize, but to preach the\ngospel:\u201d the latter being the far more important and difficult work;\nnecessary as it was that converts to Christ should be baptized.\nDivisions had arisen among the Corinthians: \u201cone saying, I am of\nPaul,\u201d\u2014that is, I prefer Paul before all other Ministers, and others of\nthem preferring others.  This state of things caused the Apostle great\ndistress, and he anxiously endeavours to correct it.  He indignantly asks\nthem, whether he (or any other Minister) had been \u201ccrucified for them,\u201d\nor whether they had been \u201cbaptized _in his name_.\u201d  This shows that\nbaptism implies an entire dedication to him, in whose name it is\nadministered.  The Apostle then tells them, that he was very thankful it\nhad been so ordered that he had baptized very few of them\nhimself;\u2014adding, as the cause of this, \u201cfor Christ sent me not to\nbaptize,\u201d\u2014_that_ might be done by others,\u2014\u201cbut\u201d\u2014He sent me\u2014\u201cto preach the\ngospel.\u201d  The Apostle here cannot intend to put any slight upon Christ\u2019s\nOrdinance of baptism, as is evident from what he has just said of it,\n\u201c_Were ye baptized in the name of Paul_?\u201d\u2014but he intends to show, that it\nmight be administered by persons of inferior station and gifts in the\nChurch.  And this is manifest from the very nature of the service.\n\nIn the viith Chapter of this Epistle and the 14th verse there is a text,\nin which (as with respect to the children brought to Christ that He\nshould touch them) baptism is not mentioned, and yet it has so decided a\nbearing upon the subject, that we cannot but carefully notice it.  St.\nPaul is speaking of the case of married persons, when one party believed,\nwhile the other believed not.  This he says is not a sufficient reason\nfor their separation: at least the separation should not be made by the\none that believed.  And to satisfy the mind of the believing \u201cbrother or\nsister\u201d that the children did not suffer, he says,\u2014\u201cFor the unbelieving\nhusband is sanctified by (or in) the wife, and the unbelieving wife is\nsanctified by (or in) the husband; _else were your children unclean_,\n_but now are they holy_.\u201d  It is with the latter part of this verse that\nwe have to do.  The Apostle here declares that children, which have one\nbelieving parent, are on equal terms or in the same condition with\nchildren, both of whose parents are believers; and thus they are said to\nbe not \u201c_unclean_\u201d but \u201c_holy_.\u201d  Now, can there be a doubt, that the\nApostle uses these epithets \u201cunclean\u201d and \u201choly,\u201d in the same sense in\nwhich they were used in reference to the distinction between the Jews and\nthe Gentiles?  The latter were called \u201cunclean,\u201d because of their\nidolatries and other abominations; the former were called \u201choly,\u201d because\nof their connection and Covenant with God.  When the Apostle Peter was\nsent to preach the gospel to Cornelius, he applied this word \u201cunclean\u201d to\nall who were not Jews.  \u201cYe know how that it is an unlawful thing for a\nman that is a Jew, to keep company or come unto _one of another nation_;\nbut God hath showed me that I should not call any man common or\n_unclean_.\u201d  And the people of Israel are repeatedly called \u201choly to the\nLord,\u201d because of the Lord\u2019s choice of them and Covenant with them.\n\u201cThou art _a holy people_ unto the Lord thy God,\u201d was the language in\nwhich Moses addressed them. (Deut, vii. 6).  And in this description\ntheir children were included: for God\u2019s Covenant with Israel embraced\nthem also; and thus every man-child, when eight days old, was to receive\ncircumcision, which was the token of the Covenant.  From these things we\nmay learn the meaning of the Apostle in the passage under consideration.\nThe _uncleanness_ of the Gentiles was a barrier against their\nparticipating in the Ordinances of the Jewish Church.  The _holiness_ of\nIsrael was their title to those Ordinances; and this too in the case of\ntheir children.  Surely, then, when the Apostle says to believing\nChristian parents, \u201cYour children are _holy_,\u201d he must mean that they are\nentitled to the Ordinances of the Church of Christ!  It seems impossible,\nif St. Paul\u2019s language has any meaning, to avoid _this_ conclusion,\u2014that\n_the children of the faithful_, _as soon as they are born_, _have a\nCovenant-holiness_, _and so a right and title to baptism_, _which is now\nthe token of the Covenant_.  Their holiness, that is, their being in\ncovenant with God, does not date from their _baptism_, but from their\n_birth_. {65}  To every believing parent God may be supposed to say, as\nHe said to Abraham, \u201cI will establish my Covenant between me and thee and\nthy seed after thee, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.\u201d\nMuch profit ariseth from this connection, if it be made a right use of.\nBaptism, like circumcision, verily profiteth, if the baptized child keep\nthe law\u2014the requisition which God makes of faith and obedience; but if he\nbe a breaker of the law, his baptism is made no baptism at all; as\ncircumcision was in such a case made uncircumcision.  (See Rom. ii. 25.)\nAnd let it be farther observed from this text, that it is of _real\nbelievers_ and their children that the Apostle speaks when he says,\u2014\u201cNow\nare your children _holy_.\u201d  Hence it appears, that the faith of the\nparents is the foundation of any children\u2019s claim to baptism.\n\u201c_Unclean_\u201d is the description which is given of all others.\n\nThe only other passage in this Epistle in which baptism is referred to,\nas a Christian Sacrament, is the 13th verse of the xiith Chapter:\u2014\u201cFor by\none Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or\nGentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink\ninto one Spirit.\u201d  St. Paul may here allude to baptism in the former part\nof the verse, and to the cup in the Lord\u2019s Supper in the latter part of\nit.  But whatever he may _allude to_, what he _asserts_ is this;\u2014that it\nwas the baptism of the Holy Spirit which made them real members of\nChrist\u2019s mystical body.  The baptism of water was the sign of this; but\nthe sign would have profited them little, if they had not received also\nthe thing signified.  The same may be said of the cup in the Lord\u2019s\nSupper.  It is for the nourishment of those who are real members of the\nChurch of Christ by the baptism of the Spirit: in fact, it cannot\npossibly nourish any other.  The essential unity of all baptized\nbelievers, and yet the diversity of Offices and gifts belonging to the\nseveral constituent parts or members of Christ\u2019s Church, seems to be what\nthe Apostle is here inculcating upon the Corinthians; and this with the\nspecial design to show them the inconsistency and the evil of their\nemulations and divisions.  He aimed at curing them of their unseemly\nstrife, by reminding them that one and the same Holy Spirit had made them\nall \u201cmembers of one body,\u201d but had set those members in their several and\nsuitable places; so that each should be content with the place assigned\nhim; and without aspiring to something which had not been given him, or\nenvying those who might be in a higher or a supposed more honourable\nstate, should use what he had for the common good,\u2014for the strengthening\nand well-being of the whole: \u201c_that there should be_,\u201d as he says in the\n25th verse, \u201c_no schism in the body_, _but that the members should have\nthe same care one for another_.\u201d\n\nThe Epistle to the Galatians furnishes us with the next passage in our\nimportant inquiry.  It is at the close of the iiird Chapter, the 26th and\ntwo following verses:\u2014\u201cFor ye are all the children of God by faith in\nChrist Jesus.  For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have\nput on Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither bond nor\nfree; there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ\nJesus.\u201d  Here a new idea is introduced;\u2014a fresh practical use is made by\nthe Apostle of the Ordinance of baptism.  And a very striking and\nbeautiful idea it is.  The order hitherto invariably found to prevail in\nwhat the Scripture says on the subject of baptism is observable also\nhere.  The Apostle first reminds the Galatians that _they were made the\nchildren of God by faith in Christ Jesus_, and then he refers to their\nbaptism and what they had done by it.  As we have considered the\nexpressions, \u201cbaptized into Christ,\u201d as they occur in the Epistle to the\nRomans, they need not be noticed here.  But the words, \u201chave put on\nChrist,\u201d represent to us\u2014what in connection with our subject we have not\nhad before\u2014the clothing or garments which baptized believers have put on,\nand in which they appear (when things are as they ought to be with them)\nboth before God and before men.  This phrase is said to have been taken\nfrom the method of dipping or plunging adults in baptism; who, when they\ncame forth from the water, were clothed with their own garments as though\nthey had been new, or with other garments really new.  There are two\nsenses in which true believers may be said to \u201cput on Christ.\u201d  First,\nthey put Him on as their righteousness for acceptance with God or for\ntheir justification; and, secondly, they put Him on\u2014(and this seems\nespecially intended here)\u2014for sanctification; that is, His Spirit is\nimparted to them, by which they are so changed as to become new\ncreatures.  The graces of Christ\u2019s Spirit are sometimes thus described\nunder the figure of clothing.  \u201cPut on, as the elect of God, holy and\nbeloved,\u201d writes St. Paul to the Colossians, \u201cbowels of mercies,\nkindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering.\u201d  \u201cAnd above all\nthese things, put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.\u201d (iii.\n12, 14.)  The Spirit of Christ ought to be as apparent in those who have\nbeen baptized into Him as the garments which they wear.  Nay, His\nmeekness, and lowliness, and gentleness, and goodness, and\nheavenly-mindedness, should become _a part of themselves_\u2014_their very\nnature_.  For as the work of sanctification, expressed by the being\nclothed upon with \u2018Christ, is both _internal_ and _outward_, it may be\ncompared to _the natural beauty_ with which Christ Himself said that God\nclothes the plants and the flowers: and when Christians manifest the\ngenuine influence of the Spirit of Christ, it may then indeed be said of\nthem, as He said of the lilies, \u201cthat Solomon in all his glory was not\narrayed like one of these.\u201d  The words in the 28th verse, \u201cThere is\nneither male nor female,\u201d\u2014connected with what follows, \u201cIf ye be\nChrist\u2019s, then are ye Abraham\u2019s seed,\u201d\u2014clearly show that circumcision was\nsuperseded, and that baptism now supplied its place.\n\nUpon St. Paul\u2019s declaration in the ivth Chapter of his Epistle to the\nEphesians, \u201cOne baptism,\u201d it is perhaps only necessary to remark, that it\nagain follows faith;\u2014\u201cOne faith,\u201d\u2014the same doctrine of salvation once for\nall delivered to the saints and to be received by faith,\u2014and then, \u201cOne\nbaptism\u201d with water, by which that faith is professed, and in which\nbelievers are by One Spirit baptized into One body, and dedicated to the\nservice of the One living and true God.  It is One and the same Ordinance\nfor all,\u2014for Jews and Gentiles; and once administered, not to be\nrepeated.  The practical purpose for which this, with the other Unities,\nwas mentioned by the Apostle, was to enforce the same lesson as that\ngiven to the Corinthians,\u2014that Christians should \u201cendeavour to keep the\nunity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.\u201d (v. 3.)\n\nIn the vth Chapter of this Epistle there appears another allusion to\nbaptism, when the Apostle says, that \u201cChrist loved the Church, and gave\nHimself for it, that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of\nwater by the word.\u201d (v. 26.)  It is not necessary to the sense and force\nof this verse to suppose that baptism is referred to in it; for the word\nof God has a cleansing and sanctifying power, when applied by His Spirit.\n\u201cSanctify them through Thy truth: Thy word is truth;\u201d was Christ\u2019s prayer\nfor His disciples to His heavenly Father.  And He also said unto them,\n\u201cNow ye are clean _through the word_ which I have spoken unto you.\u201d  And\nas it is a continuous and progressive work, which the Apostle is here\nspeaking of, and not any one particular act,\u2014for the use of God\u2019s\n\u201c_word_\u201d in the work of sanctification is continually repeated,\u2014it seems\nmuch more natural to understand the expressions, \u201cwith the washing of\nwater by\u201d or in \u201cthe word,\u201d as referring to the figure of water, and its\npurifying properties in general, rather than to a single instance of its\napplication.  But there can be no objection to refer these expressions to\nbaptism, as being an Ordinance which is supposed to be kept always in\nremembrance, and to have a constant bearing upon the believer\u2019s life and\nconduct.  Let us take it here, and every where else, in connection with\nthe context, and we shall find that it represents\u2014not an imaginary, but a\nreal\u2014not a temporary, but an abiding\u2014influence upon the soul;\u2014issuing in\nits final salvation.  Who is this that is said to be washed with water by\nthe word?  The mixed multitude of professors of Christ\u2019s religion?\nNo:\u2014but \u201c_the Church_,\u201d\u2014the blessed Company of all faithful people\u2014\u201cthe\nBride\u2014the Lambs wife.\u201d  And what is the effect ascribed to the washing?\nHer cleansing and sanctification.  But as the Church is composed of\nindividuals, every individual member thereof is \u201csanctified, and cleansed\nwith the washing of water by the word,\u201d and so is made meet to be\npresented by Christ to Himself at the last in perfect beauty.  Let these\nthings attend and crown the use of the Ordinances, and men may magnify\nthem\u2014as Paul did his Office\u2014as much as they please.\n\nThe next place in Scripture in which baptism is spoken of, is in the iind\nChapter of St. Paul\u2019s Epistle to the Colossians.  At the 11th verse he\nbegins the subject.  \u201cIn whom also,\u201d that is, in Christ, \u201cye are\ncircumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the\nbody of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: buried with\nHim in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through the faith of\nthe operation of God, who hath raised Him from the dead.\u201d  The Apostle\u2019s\nobject here is to show, that the Christian\u2019s completeness in Christ\n(asserted in the former verse) is not affected by the want of\ncircumcision; for that true believers have that which was represented by\ncircumcision, only under another form and name.  By \u201cthe circumcision\nmade without hands,\u201d the circumcision of the heart is evidently intended.\nBy \u201cthe circumcision of Christ\u201d is probably _not_ meant the circumcision\nwhich Christ Himself was subjected to, but the circumcision with which\nChrist circumcises.  This would therefore refer to the Christian\nSacrament of baptism, wherever rightly received.  This is the\ncorresponding type with, as well as antitype of, circumcision; because,\nlike circumcision, it represents and seals the blessings of the Covenant\nto believers.  The latter part of this passage is so like the one already\nconsidered in the vith chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, that it need\nnot be dwelt upon.  The death, burial and resurrection of Christ are not\nonly signs and patterns of what _should take place_ with respect to\nChristians, but they are effectual causes thereof in the case of all who\nare spiritually joined to Him; and the whole is, as it were,\n_consolidated in baptism_.  The faith which goes before, and which is\nexercised in the Ordinance, and the fruits which follow after, are all\nsummed up in and referred to this Sacrament: and well and happy it is,\nwhenever this is truly the case.\n\nTwo texts more remain to be considered in relation to our subject.  The\nfirst is found in that passage in the iiird Chapter of St. Paul\u2019s Epistle\nto Titus, from the 4th to the 7th verse.  \u201cBut after that the kindness\nand love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of\nrighteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us,\nby the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which He\nshed on us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being\njustified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of\neternal life.\u201d  The word here translated \u201cwashing\u201d signifies also _a\nlaver_, or vessel for washing: but the translation is undoubtedly\ncorrect, and _ablution_ or _the act of washing_, is intended.  This word\nonly occurs here and in Ephes. v. 26., which we have already considered;\nwhere it must be translated (as it is) \u201c_washing_:\u201d\u2014\u201cthe washing of water\nby the word.\u201d  That regeneration washes or cleanses the soul from the\nfilthiness of sin, is all that can be proved by this passage.  The\nwashing is by the regeneration, and not the regeneration by the washing.\nThere _may be_ an allusion to the Christian Sacrament of baptism; but it\nis not at all necessary to the understanding of the Apostle\u2019s words.\n_St. Paul is here describing what God does when He saves any_.  He sheds\non them abundantly the Holy Ghost through Jesus Christ the Saviour, and\nthis Holy Ghost regenerates, and washes and renews; and, in connection\nwith this, God justifies the subjects of this change by His grace, and so\nmakes them heirs according to the hope of eternal life.  The regeneration\nand the renewal are not two distinct things; but the latter is the\ndeclaration of the former;\u2014the transforming of the soul into the divine\nimage, consequent upon and in necessary connection with its regeneration.\nBut does this text prove, that all who are washed by the water of baptism\npartake of regeneration?  Then it also proves, that all baptized persons\nare saved, and that they are renewed by the Holy Ghost, and that the Holy\nGhost is shed on them abundantly, and that they are justified by God\u2019s\ngrace, and that they are heirs of eternal life!  It is impossible,\nwithout doing violence to God\u2019s word, to rend the blessings, here spoken\nof, asunder.  They are links in one and the same golden chain, both the\nends of which are in Heaven;\u2014beginning with \u201cthe love of God\u201d and\nterminating with \u201ceternal life.\u201d  And are these things true in the case\nof _all who are baptized_?  If this were taught in the Scripture, what\nthen might the infidel say of it?  He might then say, that Scripture and\nmatter of fact directly contradict each other.  Or it would follow, that\nregeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost and justification and\nsalvation, are terms which mean nothing, because the things they profess\nto represent have no practical influence upon the lives of men!  We must,\nthen, take the passage altogether, or not touch it at all.  We must not\nchoose a word or two out of it,\u2014caught by the sound,\u2014and affix a meaning\nto them, which is inconsistent with the context and other plain portions\nof revealed truth.  If baptism be the washing here spoken of, it is\naccompanied with regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost, shed on\nthe baptized abundantly; and this cannot be without the exhibition of the\nfruits of the Spirit in the life and conduct.  And if this be Christian\nbaptism, where these things are not, Christian baptism is not.  And this\nis incontestably established by the testimony of St. Peter, in the text\nabout to be noticed.  Let it only be farther observed, in connection with\nthis passage in St. Paul\u2019s Epistle to Titus, that a no mean authority in\nthe interpretation of Scripture (Mr. Joseph Mede) thinks, that the\nApostle here alludes to the cleansing of the new-born infant from the\npollutions which attend its birth: and he refers to the description given\nin the beginning of the xvith Chapter of the Book of the prophet Ezekiel\nin confirmation of this:\u2014\u201cNeither wast thou washed in water.\u201d (v. 4.)\nHere, then, _life_ is first found, and then there is _the washing_ for\npurification.\n\nThe text, already referred to, in St. Peter, is the 21st verse of the\niiird Chapter of his First Epistle.  This perfects the proof of the view\nhitherto taken of the Christian Sacrament of baptism; and is _a key_\nwhich would unlock any difficulty which other portions of Scripture might\npresent;\u2014if indeed such assistance were needed.  St. Peter is speaking of\nthe days of Noah, and he says, that \u201cthe long-suffering of God then\nwaited, while the ark was preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls\nwere saved by water;\u201d and then he adds, \u201cThe like figure whereunto,\u201d\u2014the\ncorresponding type with it, and the antitype of it\u2014(as was observed\nbefore respecting circumcision) \u201ceven baptism, doth now save us,\u201d\u2014but\nbefore he completes the sentence, he breaks off to tell us what this\nbaptism, of which he speaks, is, \u201c_not_ the putting away of the filth of\nthe flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God,\u201d and then he\nfinishes what he had begun to say,\u2014\u201cby the resurrection of Jesus Christ.\u201d\nNow if the two things here spoken of in relation to baptism were always\nfound together, the words of St. Peter would be without meaning; for\nnone, possessing them both, could be so blind as to imagine that it is\nthe outward washing which saves them, and not \u201cthe answer of a good\nconscience;\u201d though _it is possible_ (as experience shows) that men might\nbe satisfied with the outward sign, and look no farther, as the Jews had\ndone in the case of circumcision.  The Holy Spirit, therefore, by the pen\nof St. Peter warns against this error, and assures us, that the baptism\nwhich is unto salvation consists of, not only, nor chiefly, the\napplication of water to the body, but \u201cthe answer of a good conscience\ntoward God.\u201d  It is thought by some, that a _reference_ is here made to\nthe custom of putting questions to those who were about to be baptized as\nto their faith and repentance: and something of this kind had passed\nbetween Philip and the Eunuch, when Philip told him that \u201cif he believed\nwith all his heart he might be baptized, and the Eunuch answered, I\nbelieve that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.\u201d  In every such case there\ndoubtless is _the baptism_\u2014because there has been _the birth_\u2014of the\nSpirit.  But though St. Peter\u2019s words _may be_ applicable to such a\ncustom, if it prevailed in his time, yet, as Archbishop Leighton says in\nhis Commentary on this text, \u2018This questioning and answering farther\nexpresses the inward questioning and answering which is transacted\nbetwixt the soul and itself, and the soul of God.  The word,\u2019 he says,\n\u2018is _judicial_, and means the interrogation used in law for the trial and\nexecuting of processes: and this is the great business of conscience, to\nhold courts in the soul; and it is of continual necessity that it be so.\nThis \u201canswer of a good conscience unto God\u201d (as likewise its questioning\nto enable itself for that answer) is touching great points that are of\nchief concern to the soul, its justification and sanctification; for\nbaptism is the seal of _both_, and purges the conscience in both\nrespects.  Now, the conscience of a real believer inquiring within, upon\nright discovery, will make this answer unto God;\u2014\u201cLord, I have found that\nthere is no standing before Thee, for the soul in itself is overwhelmed\nwith a world of guiltiness; but I find a blood sprinkled upon it, that\nhath, I am sure, virtue enough to purge it all away, and to present it\npure unto Thee.\u201d  And this the Lord does agree to, and authorizes the\nconscience, on this account, to return back an answer of peace and safety\nto the soul.  So for the other: \u201cLord, I find a living work of holiness\non this soul.  Though there is yet corruption there, it is as a continual\ngrief and vexation: and if I cannot say much of high degrees of grace,\nyet I may say, there is the beginning of them;\u2014at least this I most\nconfidently affirm, that there are real and earnest desires in the soul\nafter these things.  It would know and conform to Thy will, and it would\ngladly walk _in all well-pleasing_ unto Thee.\u201d  Now He that sees the\ntruth of these things, owns it as His own work, and engages to advance it\nand bring it to perfection.\u2019\n\nSuch is the intercourse which the purified conscience hath with God; and\nwherever this is, there is the \u201cbaptism\u201d which is unto salvation.\n\nIn the examination which has thus been made into the Scripture-testimony\nconcerning the Christian Sacrament of Baptism, no text has been\u2014at least\nintentionally\u2014overlooked, from which any additional information could be\nobtained on the subject.\n\n                                * * * * *\n\nFrom the passages which have been considered, the following conclusions\nmay be taken as the Summary of the whole:\u2014\n\n1.  That baptism with water has been appointed by Christ as the door of\nentrance into His Visible Church, and is the token of the Covenant of\ngrace under the Christian Dispensation, in the place of circumcision,\nwhich was the token of this Covenant upon its formal establishment with\nAbraham.  To be baptized with water, therefore, is necessary to\nconstitute any one a member of the Visible Church of Christ or Kingdom of\nGod upon earth.\n\n2.  That since _faith_ hath from the beginning been appointed by God, as\nthe instrument or means by which men are admitted into Covenant with Him,\nit was the command of the Lord Jesus Christ that baptism, which is now\nthe token of the Covenant, should be administered only to _believers_.\nIt was the same with respect to circumcision.  Abraham believed God: and,\nas a believer, he was circumcised.  And true believers only are\nacknowledged by Christ as rightful members of His Church.  Yet as\nAbraham\u2019s children were admitted to circumcision together with himself,\nit is hence inferred, that the children of believers in Christ should be\nbaptized, as well as their parents: no prohibition of their admission to\nthe Ordinance having been given.  This conclusion is confirmed by\nChrist\u2019s kind reception of the children that were brought to Him\u2014by the\napplication of Old Testament promises after Christ\u2019s resurrection\u2014by the\ndeclared continuance of the root and fatness of the Olive-tree planted at\nfirst in Abraham\u2014and by the description given of the children of even one\nbelieving parent, namely, that they are holy; that is, such as ought to\nbe presented to the Lord.  Still, no direction to administer baptism to\nchildren has been found, nor is any instance of it recorded.\n\n3.  That although Christ, the Head of the Church, sows only good seed in\nHis field, His enemy has succeeded in sowing tares among the wheat; and\nthus it comes to pass, that evil men are in the Visible Church mingled\nwith the good.  Hence we learn, that neither baptism nor any outward\nOrdinances are _necessarily_ attended with spiritual blessings.  \u201cAll\nwere not Israel, who were of Israel.\u201d  \u201cHe was not a Jew, who was one\noutwardly; neither was that circumcision, which was outward in the\nflesh.\u201d  And we have seen that the \u201cbaptism\u201d which \u201csaves,\u201d is \u201cnot the\nputting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good\nconscience toward God.\u201d  Simon Magus, though baptized, was not sound in\nheart from the beginning.  And if during the life-time of the Apostles,\nand when persons were baptized upon their own profession, men thus found\nadmission into the Church, who \u201chad the form of godliness, but denied its\npower,\u201d\u2014no wonder that in later times, and since baptism has been\nadministered almost exclusively to infants, the case should have been the\nsame.  For we have met with no promise that God will give His grace to\nany particular persons, except in connection with the state of mind and\nthe character which He prescribes.  In no place of Scripture has God\nbound the first communication of His grace to any Ordinance, time, or\ncircumstance whatsoever:\u2014and for this simple, but sufficient reason, that\nif He had done so, it would have been an abdication of His authority; His\nsovereignty would have ceased; and man would have become\u2014what in truth he\nwishes to be\u2014the virtual ruler in God\u2019s Kingdom.  God no where promised\nto circumcise the hearts of all the children of the Israelites, although\nHe commanded them to be circumcised in the flesh.  And with respect to\nthe baptism of children, how can _any thing absolute and unconditional_\nbe predicated concerning it, since no command or direction was given for\nit?  The administration of baptism to infants is certainly most agreeable\nwith the spirit of Christ and of His Dispensation, and it is but a\ncontinuance of what was begun in the family of Abraham.  But resting, as\nit does, upon inference and analogy, it is not possible to assign any\nspecific spiritual influence with absolute certainty to it.\n\n4.  That with respect to the advantages and uses of baptism,\u2014besides its\nbeing appointed by Christ as the door of admission into His Visible\nChurch, and the practical purposes to which it is applied in the course\nof the Christian\u2019s conduct and experience,\u2014very little particular\ninstruction is given in Scripture.  To the corresponding rite of\ncircumcision, therefore, we chiefly look for direction here.\n\nIt may be said, then, of baptism, as of circumcision,\n\n(1.)  That it is _a sign_ of spiritual blessings.  Of Abraham we are\ntold, that he \u201creceived _the sign_ of circumcision.\u201d (Rom. iv. 11.)  This\nOrdinance _represented_ \u201cthe putting off of the body of the sins of the\nflesh.\u201d  Baptism with water also _signifies_ the washing of the soul from\nsin;\u2014both from the guilt of it by forgiveness and from the pollution of\nit.  When Saul of Tarsus was bidden to \u201cbe baptized, and wash away his\nsins,\u201d this twofold purification was visibly represented.  And so it is\nin all cases.  \u201cThe putting away of the filth of the flesh\u201d by the\napplication of \u201cpure water\u201d to the body, does in a very simple and\nintelligible, yet striking and significant manner, represent the purging\nof the conscience by the sprinkling of the blood of Christ, and the\ncleansing of the heart from its filthiness and idols by God\u2019s Holy\nSpirit.  It symbolizes both pardon and purity:\u2014especially the latter;\u2014the\nsoul\u2019s death unto sin and its new birth unto righteousness.\n\n(2.)  Like circumcision, baptism is also _a seal_.  \u201cAbraham\u201d (as we also\nread in Rom. iv. 11,) \u201creceived circumcision, _a seal_ of the\nrighteousness of the faith, which he had yet being uncircumcised.\u201d  A\nseal ratifies a Deed, and is a token and pledge that the engagements of\nit will be fulfilled by all the contracting parties.  When Abraham\nsubmitted to circumcision, he ratified or confirmed his former faith in\nGod and obedience to Him; and God, by the same pledge, assured Abraham of\nhis justification\u2014of his adoption into His family\u2014and that he should\nfinally inherit a better country, that is, Heaven.\n\nBaptism, in like manner, is _a seal_ on the part of those who receive it\nrightly, that they believe in God through Christ, and regard themselves\nas bound to forsake all sin, and to serve Him unto their lives\u2019 end: and\nGod thereby visibly assures them of the remission of their sins and of\ntheir adoption as His children, and that, as He gives them grace, so He\nwill give them glory.  And if this visible seal of the Covenant had not\nbeen serviceable, the wise and gracious God would never, either in the\ncase of circumcision or baptism, have caused it to be affixed unto it.\n\n(3.)  Circumcision had _this_ \u201cprofit\u201d also connected with it,\u2014that the\ndifferent means of grace, which God from time to time appointed, followed\nin its train.  St. Paul, having distinctly declared at the end of the\niind Chapter of his Epistle to the Romans, that the circumcision of the\nflesh and of the heart did not necessarily accompany each other, supposes\nsome, who were \u201cJews outwardly,\u201d to exclaim,\u2014If this be so,\u2014if the inward\ngrace does not always attend the outward sign,\u2014and that the want of the\ninward grace puts us circumcised Jews on the same level spiritually with\nuncircumcised Gentiles, then, \u201cWhat advantage hath the Jew?  Or what\nprofit is thereof circumcision?\u201d (iii. 1.)  _Is the same question asked\nrespecting baptism_, _when a like separation is made between the water\nand the Holy Spirit_?  The Apostle\u2019s answer shall suffice for both:\u2014\u201cMuch\nevery way; chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of\nGod.\u201d  It is here evident, that God regards the possession of a\nRevelation from Heaven as highly advantageous, considered in itself; so\nthat for the neglect or misuse of it men are deeply responsible.  In the\nbeginning of the ixth Chapter, St. Paul again takes up the subject, and\nenumerates several other \u201cadvantages\u201d as belonging to the Jews;\u2014\u201cthe\nadoption, and the glory, and the Covenants, and the giving of the law,\nand the service of God, and the promises, and the fathers, and that\nChrist, as concerning His human nature, was born a Jew;\u201d\u2014and though the\ncircumcision of the heart together with that of the flesh is not found\namong these, yet the Apostle maintains, that the possession of them did\nset the Israelites, in point of religious privileges, far above all the\nother nations of the earth.  And it is the same with those who are\nadmitted into Christ\u2019s Church by baptism.  Having free access to the word\nof God and instruction in its sacred truths\u2014the enjoyment of His Sabbaths\nand Service\u2014having His promises and threatenings, and the experience of\ntheir fulfilment in time past, together with the examples of faith and\ngodliness and the blessed effects of them in such as have gone before\u2014all\nthese are so many means of improvement, as will leave speechless at the\nlast those who had them and did not profit by them.  While all who use\nthem aright, and sincerely seek to derive benefit from them, find to\ntheir exceeding great comfort, that God hath \u201cnot said to the seed of\nJacob, Seek ye me in vain.\u201d  It was no small advantage to Abraham\u2019s\nfamily to be \u201ccommanded by him to keep the way of the Lord, to do justice\nand judgment:\u201d (Gen. xviii. 19,) and that children should be \u201cbrought up\u201d\nby Christian parents \u201cin the nurture and admonition of the Lord,\u201d and be\ntaught what was done for them at their baptism, united too with earnest\nprayers on their behalf,\u2014is a privilege, for which many will to all\neternity have cause to bless Him, who gave them so \u201cgoodly a heritage.\u201d\n(Ps. xvi. 6.)\n\nLastly.  We would refer again, concerning the advantages and uses of\nbaptism, to that _practical __application of it_ which we have seen may\nbe made throughout the whole course of the Christian\u2019s life upon earth.\nHe is to remember, that he was \u201cbaptized into the death of Christ and\nburied with Him,\u201d that so he may die unto sin, and have, as much as\npossible, done with it.  \u201cRisen with Christ in baptism,\u201d his \u201caffections\nshould be set on things above,\u201d and he should \u201cwalk in newness of life.\u201d\n\u201cBaptized into one body,\u201d strife and divisions should not be seen among\nChristians, and \u201cthe unity of the spirit should be kept in the bond of\npeace.\u201d  \u201cBaptized into Christ, and having put on Christ,\u201d they should\nappear in the beautiful clothing of His mind and Spirit.  They should\nseek and pray daily to be more and more \u201csanctified and cleansed with the\nwashing of water by the word,\u201d that they may be \u201cprepared as a bride\nadorned for her husband.\u201d  Thus baptism, if used as the Scripture uses\nit, would be of great practical influence.  And when this is the case, it\nmay be productive of much comfort; for, like the bow in the cloud, it is\na token of God\u2019s Covenant to save and not destroy.  The water of baptism,\nin the case of every true believer, \u201cis as the waters of Noah unto the\nLord: for as He hath sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over\nthe earth,\u201d so in this Sacrament He hath, as it were, added His oath to\nHis word of promise, that \u201che that believeth and is baptized _shall he\nsaved_.\u201d (Is. liv. 9.  Mark xvi 16.)\n\n\n\n\nAPPENDIX.\n\n\n_Note_ (A.) _page_ 27.\n\n\nWHEN God said to Abraham, (Gen. xvii. 7.) \u201cI will establish my Covenant\nbetween me and thee and thy seed after thee, in their generations for an\neverlasting Covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee,\u201d\nHis meaning was, that as He was the God of _believing Abraham_, so He\nwould be the God of all Abraham\u2019s _believing children and descendants_.\nAnd when He farther promised to \u201cgive unto Abraham and to his seed after\nhim, the land in which he was a stranger, even all the land of Canaan,\nfor an everlasting possession,\u201d the same limitation as to \u201chis seed\u201d was\nalso intended.  That these, and these only, are the \u201cseed\u201d referred to,\nis as clear as the declarations of Holy Scripture can make it.  In the\nEpistles to the Romans and Galatians this matter is placed beyond a\ndoubt.  The \u201cseed\u201d must partake of _the character of the father_, and\nthen the promises were theirs, as well as his.  In the ivth Chapter of\nthe Epistle to the Romans and the 12th verse, the Apostle, speaking of\nAbraham, says, that he was to be \u201cthe father of circumcision to them _who\nare not of the circumcision only_, (that is, who are not only circumcised\nin the flesh) _but also walk in the steps of that faith of Abraham_,\n_which he had yet being uncircumcised_.\u201d  Could any thing be plainer than\nthis?  St. Paul is here speaking of the circumcised Jews, (he had spoken\nof the uncircumcised Gentiles in the former verse, the 11th,) and he says\ndistinctly, that Abraham was a father to those circumcised ones who\nshould \u201cwalk in the steps of his faith.\u201d  So that the following is\nevidently the Apostle\u2019s meaning in the 11th and 12th verses: \u2018Both Jew\nand Gentile may see, in God\u2019s dealings with Abraham, an exhibition of the\nplan in which each is to seek the imputation of righteousness.  Let the\nuncircumcised believe in God, as Abraham, when yet uncircumcised,\nbelieved in God; and his faith shall be counted to him for righteousness,\nas Abraham\u2019s was.  Let the Jews, too, learn from the case before them,\nthat though, like circumcised Abraham, they bear in their bodies the seal\nof the Covenant, yet _the sign of circumcision alone will not ensure the\nblessing signified_, _unless at the same time they are found resembling\nAbraham in the exercise of that faith_, _in consequence of which the seal\nwas fixed upon him_.\u2019 {88}  These, then,\u2014_believers_,\u2014are the \u201cseed\u201d of\nAbraham, with whom the Covenant was made, and to whom the promises were\ngiven.  And this is confirmed by what follows.  In the next verse the\nApostle goes on to say; \u201cFor the promise that he should be the heir of\nthe world,\u201d\u2014(which is the inspired exposition of the other part or\npromise of God\u2019s Covenant with Abraham; \u201cAnd I will give unto thee, and\nto thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, for an\neverlasting possession;\u201d)\u2014\u201cFor the promise that he should be the heir of\nthe world, was not to Abraham or _to his seed_ through the law, but\n_through the righteousness of faith_:\u201d and again, in the 16th verse;\n\u201cTherefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace, to the end _the\npromise might be sure to all the seed_; not to that only which is of the\nlaw, (believing circumcised Jews) but to that also which is of the faith\nof Abraham, (believing uncircumcised Gentiles) who is _the father of us\nall_,\u201d\u2014that is, of all believers, whether circumcised or not,\u2014\u201cbefore Him\nwhom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead.\u201d  \u201cThe promise,\u201d\nthen, \u201cthat he should be the heir of the world\u201d (evidently meaning the\nbetter world, that is, the heavenly,) \u201cwas to Abraham and _to his seed\nthrough the righteousness of faith_.\u201d  Not to his _unbelieving\ndescendants_, but to those only who were partakers of his faith;\u2014to all\nof whom, the promise was and still is \u201c_sure_.\u201d  We pass over the ixth\nChapter of this Epistle, though it is full of evidence to the same\neffect; and proceed to the Epistle to the Galatians; where we shall find\nthe description of Abraham\u2019s \u201cseed\u201d given in language, if possible, still\nplainer and stronger.  In the iiird Chapter and the 6th verse the Apostle\nbegins the subject: \u201cEven as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted\nto him for righteousness.  Know ye, therefore, that _they which are of\nfaith_, the same _are the children_ of Abraham.\u201d  \u201cSo then they which be\nof faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.\u201d  And then in the 14th verse,\nthe Apostle tells us more of this blessing of Abraham: \u201cThat the blessing\nof Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, that we might\nreceive the promise of the Spirit through faith.\u201d  \u201cThe promise of the\nSpirit\u201d is here said to be \u201creceived through faith;\u201d\u2014that is, by them\nthat believe.  But in the 16th verse, the account given of the \u201cseed\u201d of\nAbraham is as distinct and decisive as words can make it.  Referring to\nthe Covenant made by God with Abraham, (contained in Gen. xvii.) St. Paul\nsays, \u201cNow to Abraham _and his seed_ were the promises made.  He saith\nnot, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to _thy seed which is\nChrist_.\u201d  By \u201cChrist\u201d here (it is scarcely necessary to remark) is not\nmeant Christ _personal_, but Christ _mystical_;\u2014His mystical Body,\nconsisting of Christ himself, the Head, and true believers, both Jews and\nGentiles, \u201call one in Him.\u201d (v. 28.)  The same expression is used in 1\nCor. xii. 12: \u201cFor as the body (the natural body) is one, and hath many\nmembers, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body;\n_so also is Christ_.\u201d  Believers in Christ, then, who compose His\nmystical Body, are _the seed of Abraham_, to whom with himself,\u2014\u201cthe\nfather of all them that believe,\u201d\u2014the promises of the Covenant were made.\nAnd, intent upon inforcing this truth, and leaving no possibility of\nmistaking his meaning, the Apostle concludes the subject with these\nwords; (v. 29.) \u201cAnd if ye be Christ\u2019s,\u201d (by believing in Him and by\nbeing baptized by One Spirit into his One Body) \u201c_then_ are ye Abraham\u2019s\nseed, and heirs according to the promise.\u201d  A clearer and a fuller\ndescription of _the persons_, to whom the promises of the Covenant were\nmade, could not possibly have been given!  God did not promise to be a\nGod, and to give the inheritance of which Canaan was a type, _to all_ the\nnatural descendants of Abraham, though they were all to be circumcised;\nbut _to those only who should_ \u201c_walk in the steps of his faith_.\u201d  For\nthis _limitation_ of the meaning of the \u201c_seed_\u201d of Abraham does no more\nviolence to the text, than the _extension_ of the meaning of \u201cCanaan\u201d to\nthe heavenly world.  But there is (as we have seen) _inspired authority_\nfor both interpretations.  _These_, then, were the \u201cseed,\u201d to whom the\npromises were made.  And it is the same still.  The children of\nprofessing believers are baptized; but the outward form of baptism does\nnot secure to them the blessings thereby sealed to the believer, unless\nthey also have a true and lively faith.  _Then_ the promises are theirs.\nThe Scripture warrants us to go thus far, but no farther.  And when man\nattempts to put benefits into Ordinances, which God has not revealed to\nhim, he makes himself wise \u201cabove that which is written;\u201d and thus does\nin effect what the Jews did,\u2014and for which they were so justly reproved\nby the Lord Jesus Himself;\u2014he \u201cteaches for doctrines the commandments of\nmen.\u201d (Matt. xv. 9.)\n\n\n\n_Note_ (B.) _page_ 50.\n\n\nIt is expressly said in the 32nd verse, that Paul and Silas \u201cspake the\nword of the Lord to _all that were in the jailor\u2019s house_.\u201d  This was\n_before_ they were baptized.  All that were in his house were capable\ntherefore of instruction; and thus their \u201cfaith came by hearing.\u201d  And to\nshow more decidedly the existence of faith in _the __family_, not only is\n_the fact_ itself stated, but also _the fruit_ which it produced: namely,\nits adding to the jailor\u2019s joy.  He rejoiced\u2014of course _the more_\u2014because\nthat _his house believed_, as well as himself.\n\n\n\n_Note_ (C.) _page_ 57.\n\n\nThe baptism of a believer is like the coronation of a lawful Sovereign.\nThe latter at his coronation publicly enters upon his Office.  He is then\nanointed, and invested with the robes and other ensigns of royalty.  The\ncrown is then solemnly put upon his head\u2014the sceptre into his hand\u2014and he\nswears in the presence of the nobles and chief of the people to rule\naccording to law: and any subsequent dereliction of duty would be called\n_a breaking of his coronation-oath_.  But he was _in reality_ king before\nhis coronation.  Thus when a man repents, he forsakes sin; (and what is\nthe forsaking of it but the dying to it?) and when he believes, he is\nborn of God; (and what is this but his spiritual resurrection?) and this\nrepentance and this faith are both required of every one _before_, _and\nin order to_, _his baptism_.  But at his baptism he is publicly invested\nwith his privileges as a Christian, and he then solemnly swears to live\naccording to Christ\u2019s laws for the future.  And thus every departure from\nduty may well be called _a violation of his baptismal engagements_.  But\n_in reality_ his death unto sin and his new birth unto righteousness\ncommenced when he repented and believed; that is, at a period prior to\n(and under some circumstances the interval of time might be very\nconsiderable) his baptism.  His claim to baptism is founded upon his\nhaving already renounced sin and being possessed of a lively faith;\u2014as a\nclaim to be crowned is founded upon this, that the person who makes it is\nthe rightful sovereign already.  In both cases, there is _the\nconfirmation_ of the relationship with all its rights and duties, but not\n_the commencement_ of it.  _This_ had taken place _before_.\n\n                                * * * * *\n\n                                L. SEELEY,\n                                 PRINTER,\n                              THAMES DITTON.\n\n                                * * * * *\n\n\n\n\nFOOTNOTES.\n\n\n{20}  See Plain Tracts for Critical Times, by a Union of Clergymen.  And\non this text generally.\n\n{27}  With reference to the \u201cseed\u201d of Abraham, see Note A. in Appendix.\n\n{50}  See Note (B.)\n\n{57}  See Note (C.)\n\n{61}  Lectures on The Epistle to the Romans.  By the Rev. John Fry, A.B.,\n&c.\n\n{65}  See the connection between _the Covenant-holiness_ of children and\n_their being presented to the Lord_, more distinctly shown in the case of\nthe first-born of Israel.  (Exod. xiii. 2, compared with Luke ii. 22,\n23.)\n\n{88}  Lectures on The Epistle to the Romans, by the Rev. John Fry, A.B.,\n&c.","title":"Baptism According to Scripture","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":24805}