not."†

covenant, we could not with truth have thence concluded, that Pædobaptism should be so considered; and here, as in other cases, we appeal to our opponents themselves. Thus, for example, Mr. Charnock: "God seals no more than he promises, nor in any other manner than as he promises. He promises only to faith, and therefore only seals to faith. Covenant graces, therefore, must be possessed and acted, before covenant blessings can be ratified to us."* Mr. Bradbury: "We call these two institutions of the New Testament the seals of the covenant; but they never seal what you have not, nor can they seal any thing you did not." Mr. Hebden: "Was circumcision a seal of justification, or remission of sins, to such as Abraham was, or sincere believers? so is baptism now." Mr. Alsop: "The Spirit unites us to Christ; then comes baptism, which looks backward as a seal of what we have received, and forward to our visible state in the church." Mr. Warden: "We think that baptism supposeth men Christians, else they have no right to baptism, the seal of Christianity; all seals in their nature supposing the thing that is sealed." ||- Mr. Baxter: "To say, I conditionally seal, is to say, It shall be no seal, till the performance of the condition....What divines are there that deny the sacraments to be mutual signs and seals, signifying and sealing our part as well as God's?.... It is, indeed, their most common doctrine, that the sacrament doth presuppose remission of sin, and our faith, and that they [sacraments] are instituted to signify these as in being; though, through infancy or error, some may not have some benefits of them till after."¶ -Calvin:

* Works, vol. ii. p. 781, edit. 1.

of Bap. p. 13.

+ Duty and Doct. Baptismal Regenerat. Disproved, p. 50. In Mr. J. Edwards's Enquiry ¶ In Mr. Blake's New Cov. Sealed, p. 334. Mr. Baxter's Disput. of Right to Sac.

§ Antisozzo, p. 382. into Qualif. for Commun. Appendix, p. 13.

p. 124.

tr

Baptism is, as it were, the appendix of faith, and therefore posterior in order; and then, if it be administered without faith, of which it is a seal, it is both an impious and a gross profanation." He adds, indeed, that it is foolish and wicked to oppose Pædobaptism on this ground; but we are not afraid of the severe censure.

*

-Paræus: "Sacraments ought not to be administered, except in connection with conversion and faith, otherwise they would cease to be seals of righteousness. For what can they seal to those who have not faith and righteousness?"--Vitringa: "The sacraments of the new covenant are of such a nature as to seal nothing but what is spiritual, nor to be of any advantage, except in regard to those who really believe in Jesus Christ."

-Venema: "Circumcision was a seal of the righteousness of faith, as the apostle affirms; but this only in respect of such Israelites as were believers."§

Now if this reasoning be good, it is quite inconceivable how baptism can be a seal of the covenant to infants, who know nothing about the promises, the blessings, or the duties of that gracious constitution. Or if our Brethren must needs call it a seal of the covenant, we desire to be informed what spiritual blessing it ascertains, really ascertains to infants, more than to unbelieving adults, who have at any time been baptized; or than circumcision, to similar characters, under the former economy? Millions of Jews were circumcised in their infancy, and numbers of proselytes, who lived and died in rebellion against the government and grace of God. Simon, the sorcerer, professing faith in Jesus.

* Comment. in Act. viii. 36.

† Apud Gerhardum, Loci Theol. tom. iv. De Bap. § 182. Vid. Heidegg. Corp. Theol. loc. xxv. See Sect. 2, No. 2, of this chapter.

§ 50.

§ Dissertat. Sac. 1. ii. c. iv. § 11.

66

|| Gerhardus, indeed, seems to have been of another opinion, for he says; Circumcision, doubtless, was the mean by which God wrought faith in the hearts of circumcised infants; by which they were made partakers of the good things offered in the promise an

Christ, though he had it not, was baptized by Philip; and many, doubtless, both in former and latter ages, have been baptized on a similar profession, whose conduct afterward disgraced the Christian character. Now, must we consider these, all these, as having had the covenant of grace, or the righteousness of faith, SEALED to them? Far be it! Why then should baptism be represented at every turn, and without hesitation, as a seal of the covenant when applied to infants? We are indeed of opinion, that the blood of Christ, in one view, and the Spirit of Christ, in another, are the only seals of that covenant which includes all our salvation. By the former, the covenant itself is most solemnly ratified; by the latter, our interest in it is inviolably ascertained.*

SECT. 4.-Particular Passages of Scripture.

§ 1.-Matt. xxviii. 19. "Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."

Dr. Doddridge.-"I render the word μanteVOATE, proselyte, that it may be duly distinguished from didaσkovTes, teaching, (in the next verse,) with which our version confounds it. The former seems to import instruction in the essentials of religion, which it was necessary adult persons should know and submit to, before they could regularly be admitted to baptism; the latter may relate to those more particular admonitions in regard to Christian faith and practice, which were to be built on that foundation." Note on the place.

2. Grotius." Seeing there are two kinds of teaching, one by way of introduction to the first principles, the nexed to circumcision.... Circumcision was a salutary mean, by which not only the foreskin of the flesh, but also that of the heart, in infants, was taken away." Loci Theolog. tom. iv. De Sacram. § 65. * Matt. xxvi. 28; Heb. ix. 16, 17; Eph. i. 13, and iv. 30.

other by way of more perfect instruction; the former seems to be intended by the word μabyteven, for that is, as it were, to initiate into discipline, and is to go before baptism; the latter is intended by the word didaσkely, which is here placed after baptism.". In loc.

3. Dr. Hammond." Call all nations to discipleship; or instruct them in the faith and discipline. Testify the resurrection of Christ to all, and by preaching the gospel in all parts, gather disciples; and, having gathered them, baptize and teach them....I do not believe or pretend, that that precept of Christ doth necessarily infer, (though it do as little deny,) that infants are to be baptized." In Mr. Rees's Inf. Bap. no Institut. of Christ, p. 7; and in Mr. Tombes's Antipædobaptism, part ii. p. 313.

4. Mr. Baxter." Go, disciple me all nations, baptizing them. As for those that say they are discipled by baptizing, and not before baptizing, they speak not the sense of that text; nor that which is true or rational, if they mean it absolutely as so spoken: else why should one be baptized more than another?....This is not like some occasional historical mention of baptism, but it is the very commission of Christ to his apostles for preaching and baptizing, and purposely expresseth their several works, in their several places and order. Their first task is by teaching to make disciples, who are by Mark called believers. The second work is to baptize them, whereto is annexed the promise of their salvation. The third work is to teach them all other things, which are afterwards to be learned in the school of Christ. To contemn this order, is to renounce all rules of order; for where can we expect to find it, if not here? I profess, my conscience is fully satisfied from this text, that it is one sort of faith, even saving, that must go before baptism, and the profession whereof the minister must expect." Disputat. of Right to Sac. p. 91, 149, 150.

5. Hoornbeekius." Madnтevoare, indeed, properly

signifies to make a disciple; but seeing that is not done without instruction, it is tantamount to teach." Socin." Confut. tom. iii. p. 325...

6. Dr. Ridgley.-"Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them,' and so on; and in Mark xvi. 15, 16, 'Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved.' I am sensible that some who have defended infant baptism, or rather attempted to answer an objection taken from this and such like scriptures against it, have endeavoured to prove that the Greek word signifies, make persons disciples; and [that] accordingly, it is a metaphor taken from the practice of a person's being put under the care of one who is qualified to instruct him, whose disciple he is said to be, in order to his being taught by him; and therefore they suppose, that we are made disciples by baptism; and afterwards to be taught to observe all things whatsoever Christ hath commanded.... But I cannot think this sense of the word so defensible, or agreeable to the design of our Saviour, as that of our translation, viz. 'Go TEACH all nations;' which agrees with the words of the other evangelist, Go preach the gospel to every creature.' And besides, while we have recourse to this sense to defend infant baptism, we do not rightly consider that this cannot well be applied to adult baptism, which the apostles were first to practise; for it cannot be said concerning the Heathen, that they are first to be taken under Christ's care by baptism, and then instructed in the doctrines of the gospel by his ministers." Body of Div. quest. clxvi. p. 602.

7. Maccovius.-"We assert, that our Lord enjoins two different things upon his disciples, to teach, and to baptize for it is said, 'He that believes, and is baptized shall be saved.' Now, to believe, and to be baptized, are not the same thing; but after any one believes, he ought also to be baptized: wherefore, to teach the