baptifm was not determined till Pope Innocentius ;" and Grotius, in his annotations on Matth. xix. fays, "it was not enjoined till the Council of Carthage." *

We ought, however, to trace the hiftory of infant baptifm one step farther, and notice Calvin, and a multitude fince, who were unwilling to acknowledge their dependence on the Mother of Harlots, for their authority in this matter; and therefore with great ingenuity have discovered infant baptifm, as a gospel ordinance, or the right of infants to it, in the law of Mofes. Indeed they have fuppofed that this doctrine is implied in a number of paffages of the New Teftament. Yet, I believe, none who practise it, are willing to venture this New Teftament ordinance upon New Teftament evidence.

Here you fee that tradition is the foundation of infant baptism; error, the belief that baptifm washes away original fin, the nurse of its tender age; the church of Rome, the confirmer and strong defender of it; and the long fince repealed, ceremonial law of Mofes the evidence for it. You fee, the introduction of infant baptifm was tradition. Upon this foundation hath it manifeftly rested ever since. All the ingenious arguments of learned and pious men, can, in fact, add no ftrength to its firft foundation. The first we hear of it is, it was placed upon tradition, and there it hath refted, or been standing uneafily, ever since.

Befides, this tradition, as well as the practice which followed, is doubtlefs the offspring of error, and man's invention. At beft we have but one witness for it, in the mouth of whom nothing can be eftablished. Origen fays, "The church had an order from the Apoftles." Still we have but one witnefs. Moreover, the very expreffions of the Pædobaptifs fhow that they were from the begin

* Ancient Dialogue Revised.

ning

ning oppofed by the Baptifts. Irenæus fays, "We have a tradition." Origen fays, "We have an order." The council of Carthage fay, "Infants ought not to be probibited from baptifm." Auguftine faith, "Let none fo much as whisper any other doctrine in your ears.". Does not every fyllable indicate the difpute which the Baptifts had with the inventers and fupporters of this anti-evangelical principle and practice?

It is worthy of a moment's confideration, that not one of the most ancient fathers makes the leaft pretenfion that infant baptism is fupported by fo much as one paffage in either the Old Teftament, or the New; and they mention no authority but tradition, and an order from the Apostles, &c. which, at best, are very uncertain things.

Whoever can fix their faith, continue their practice, and venture their refponfibility, on fuch a traditionary foundation, I cannot. Upon this foundation for our practice, have both we and our fathers ventured to oppose the Baptifts, with greater or lefs degrees of virulence; whilft, by our tradition, we have greatly injured the or dinance of Chrift, if not, in this inftance, made void the law of God.

In fine: Was not infant baptifm first introduced to efcape the offence of the crofs? Is it not, with many, unknowingly continued for the fame end? It bringeth the church to its former ftate as under the law. If I yet preach circumcifion, why do I yet fuffer perfecution? then is the offence of the crofs ceafed. Gal. v. 11.

THE MODE AND SUBJECTS

OF

BAPTISM.

SERMON VII.

MATTHEW XXVIII. 19, 20.

Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft; teaching them to obferve all things whatsoever I have commanded. you: : And, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

I

HAVE already fet before you the principal part of what I intended under the two first propositions in my text. What remains is to bring forward

III. Chrift's command to all his ministering fervants to teach all nations, or those who fhould be discipled among them, to obferve all things whatfoever he had commanded them. And then

Lafly, His comforting and ftrengthening promife, which is, And, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.

To thefe propofitions your ferious, Chriftian attention is requested. The first is

III. Chrift's command to the minifters of his gofpel: to teach all nations, or thofe who fhould be difcipled

among

among them, to obferve all things whatsoever he had commanded them.

Here you fee the extenfiveness of my orders received, and which I muft carefully obferve, would I be obedient unto the Heavenly Teacher, who came from God.

Chrift Jefus, when perfonally on earth, gave a new edition of his own and his Father's mind and will. In this new edition, he abrogated or left out, many ceremonies of the old, as being no longer ufeful. Under the old edition, the church was in its childhood, and therefore under fuch tutors and governors as were not needed in her riper years. In this new edition, Christ hath pointed out what is to be preferved of the old. The fum of the moral law, and the prophets, were to continue in force. Thefe are, indeed, in the very nature of things, binding on accountable creatures. But when Chrift, the anointed, and expected Meffiah, was come, then all thofe rites, facrifices and typical inftitutions of the ceremonial law, which were, together, as a schoolmafter to lead the obferver to Chrift, were difannulled, r being no longer of use.

You fee what minifters have authority to teach, for both doctrine and practice. It is what Chrift hath commanded them, and nothing which is contrary from

it.

In time past I have taught you the precepts of Christ, fomewhat largely. As I have taught them, fo you have, as is believed, received them to the saving of your fouls. The ordinance of the fupper I have taught in its fimpli city, and so have you received it. You have also been informed, that Jefus Chrift appointed baptism, as an ordinance to be obferved in his church. But what that ordinance was, and who were the subjects of it, you have

not

not been particularly told, till of late. Nor had I, till a fhort time fince, a clear understanding of either. I, no doubt, ought to have known them before, but till I did, I could not teach them to you. When I came to the knowledge of them, it was no longer in my power to be faithful to Chrift, and refufe to teach them. In the fimplicity of my heart have I taught you what is baptism, and who are to be baptized.

Whether these things be, or be not, agreeable to my former notions of them, is nothing to the point. One thing I am settled in, I have, of late, taught them to you, as Chrift hath commanded me.

Not only was it my duty to teach you these things, but I am commanded to teach you to obferve them : for then are you Chrift's disciples, when you do all things whatsoever he hath commanded you.

To obferve these things, is like obedient children to receive inftruction, and then to fearch the fcriptures, that you may know how these things are. It belongs to me to teach you---

1. To obferve these things till you understand them. and then

2. To obferve them in your practice.

I.

Would you walk in all the ftatutes and ordinances of the Lord blameless, you must obferve these things till you understand them.

You and I have been unreasonably prejudiced against light and truth in these matters. If I do not misjudge, the Lord hath, in answer to prayer, afforded me the needed light and knowledge upon the fubject. It was not in a day, nor in a month, after my prejudices received a fhock, and my mind partial conviction, that I obtained fatisfaction. Nor can I expect that you will,

all