baptifm was not determined till Pope Innocentius;" and Grotius, in his annotations on Matth. xix. says, "it was not enjoined till the Council of Carthage." * We ought, however, to trace the history of infant baptism 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 supposed that this doctrine is implied in a number of passages of the New Testament. Yet, I believe, none who practise it, are willing to venture this New Testament ordinance upon New Testament evidence. Here you fee that tradition is the foundation of infant baptifm; 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fin, the nurse of its tender age; the church of Rome, the confirmer and strong defender of it; and the long fince repealed, ceremonial law of Mofes the evidence for it.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 manifestly rested ever since. All the ingenious arguments of learned and pious men, can, in fact, add no strength to its first foundation. The first we hear of it is, it was placed upon tradition, and there it hath rested, or been standing uneafily, ever fince. Befides, this tradition, as well as the practice which followed, is doubtless the offspring of error, and man's invention. At best we have but one witness for it, in the mouth of whom nothing can be established. Origen fays, "The church had an order from the Apostles." Still we have but one witness. Moreover, the very expreffions of the Pædobaptifls show that they were from the beginning * Ancient Dialogue Revised.. ning oppofed by the Baptists. Irenæus says, "We have a tradition." Origen says, "We have an order." The council of Carthage say, "Infants ought not to be probibited from baptifm." Augustine faith, "Let none fo much as whisper any other doctrine in your ears."Does not every fyllable indicate the dispute which the Baptifts had with the inventers and supporters 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 least pretenfion that infant baptifm is supported by so much as one passage in either the Old Testament, 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 responsibility, on such 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 less degrees of virulence; whilst, by our tradition, we have greatly injured the ordinance of Christ, if not, in this instance, made void the law of God. In fine: Was not infant baptifm first introduced to escape the offence of the cross? Is it not, with many, unknowingly continued for the fame end? It bringeth the church to its former state as under the law. If I yet preach circumcifion, why do I yet fuffer perfecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased. Gal. v. 11. ) THE MODE AND SUBJECTS OF BAPTISM. SERMON VIL. 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 Ghost; 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 HA 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. Christ's command to all his ministering servants to teach all nations, or those who should be discipled among them, to observe all things whatsoever he had commanded them. And then Lally, His comforting and strengthening promife, which is, And, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. To these propositions your serious, Christian attention is requested. The first is III. Christ's command to the ministers of his gospel to teach all nations, or those who should be difcipled among among them, to observe all things whatsoever he had. *commanded them. Here you fee the extensiveness of my orders received, and which I must carefully observe, would I be obedient unto the Heavenly Teacher, who came from God. Chrift Jesus, 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 useful. 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, Chrift hath pointed out what is to be preserved of the old. The fum of the moral law, and the prophets, were to continue in force. These are, indeed, in the very nature of things, binding on accountable creatures. But when Chrift, the anointed, and expected Meffiah, was come, then all those rites, sacrifices and typical institutions of the ceremonial law, which were, together, as a schoolmaster to lead the observer to Christ, were disannulled, being no longer of use. You fee what ministers 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, so you have, as is believed, received them to the saving of your fouls. The ordinance of the fupper I have taught in its fimplicity, and fo have you received it. You have also been informed, that Jesus Chrift appointed baptifm, as an ordinance to be observed 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 short 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 Christ, and refufe to teach them. In the fimplicity of my heart have I taught you what is baptifm, 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 fettled in, I have, of late, taught them to you, as Christ hath commanded me. Not only was it my duty to teach you these things, but I am commanded to teach you to observe them : for then are you Christ's disciples, when you do allthings whatsoever he hath commanded you. To obferve these things, is like obedient children to receive instruction, and then to search the scriptures, that you may know how these things are. It belongs to me to teach you I. To observe these things till you understand them. and then 2. 1. To observe them in your practice. Would you walk in all the statutes and ordinances of the Lord blameless, you must observe 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 subject. It was not in a day, nor in a month, after my prejudices received a shock, and my mind partial conviction, that I obtained fatisfaction. Nor can I expect that you will, all |