fants, which he left wide open, that they might enter, as well as their parents!

Let it also be remembered, that as Christ gave no particular direction about baptising infants, his apostles would follow the common practice of the Jewish church. That it was their practice to baptise not only converts to their religion, but their infants also, is so well known, that it would look like affectation of learning to go about to prove it! Nay more, that they baptised their own infants has been asserted, and I think proved, by learned men, from their best authors.* The practice was founded on the command of God to Moses, three days before the giving of the law on mount Sinai : Go unto the people," said God to Moses, and sanctify them to-day and to-morrow, and let them wash their clothes.' It is well known, that all sanctification or purification, under the law, was by bathing or dipping the whole, or part of the body, in water, and washing or sprinkling the clothes, or putting on clean apparel. From this command to sanctify the people by washing with water, that they might be holy to hear the delivery of the law, the Israelites concluded that all children born after that time ought to be sanctified in the same manner, that they might be holy to hear the law, when they came to years of discretion. And, on this principle it was, that they baptised their proselytes, men, women and children, sanctifying them by water, to signify their new birth into the Hebrew church; and that they might be holy to hear the law, by obeying which, their new life acquired in baptism was to be supported. Nor did they esteem them perfectly grafted into their nation, till this sanctification had passed on them.

To this baptism and the regeneration therein signified it was, that our Saviour referred, when he shewed his surprise at the dulness of Nicodemus in not apprehending his discourse: Art thou a master in Israel and knowest not these things---that baptism is the figure of, and represents a new or second birth?

* See Dr. Hammond, vol. i. page 608, &c. and bishop Taylor, Great Exemplar, part i. Definition of Baptism, numb. 8, 9, 10. † Exod. xix. 10.

This baptism, our Saviour transferred into his church, and made it the sacrament of initiation into it, and the medium of that new or spiritual birth, without which, no one can enter into the kingdom of God, any more than he can enter into this world any other way, than by his natural birth. Can we then suppose that the apostles, being commanded to baptise all nations, without any restriction of age, would decline to baptise the infant children of those whom they converted, when their nation was full in the practice of baptising the infants of those proselytes, who embraced their religion? They baptised whole families, we know; that there were infants in those families is not certain; but, it is rather a violent presumption, to suppose there were none.

Under these circumstances, to call for a particular command to baptise infants is absurd. The general command of Christ includes them, and the general practice of the Jews was to baptise them therefore, there was no need of a particular command respecting them; that they are not excluded is sufficient to justify the practice of admitting them into Christ's church. If a particular command be necessary for baptising infants, why not for administering the communion to women? Of their receiving the communion there is no instance in scripture; though, that they did receive it, in the time of the apostles, with a reasonable man there can be no doubt.

If we consider the necessity there is for baptising infants, a strong argument will rise from it in favour of the practice, unless we suppose they were neglected by him, who came into the world to give his life a ransom for it. Discoursing with Nicodemus, Christ declares, Except any one be born again, or from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God.' There is no other way of being born again made known to us, but what Christ has instituted--baptism with water and the Spirit: Verily, verily I say unto thee, except any one be born of water, and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.'* If, now, no one can enter into the kingdom of God, but by

* John iii. 3, 5.

being born again; and no way of being born again be made known to us but by baptism; then, without baptism, infants cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven. And, if Christ has precluded them from baptism, he has also precluded them from the kingdom of heaven.

If it be said, that though Christ has not in direct terms precluded them, yet they are precluded by the qualifications required of persons to be baptised, namely, repentance and faith; and that infants being incapable of these, are of course incapable of receiving baptism according to Christ's institution; I answer, that should it be granted, that they are incapable of repentance and faith, yet they are proper subjects of baptism, because there are some benefits of that ordinance of which they stand in need, and which they are capable of receiving. They stand in need of regeneration, adoption into God's family, and the presence of his Holy Spirit of these they are capable, and these are obtained in christian baptism.

And with respect to repentance-It is true they are incapable of it; it is also true, that they do not need it. They bring to baptism what is better than repentance— innocence, and a heart undefiled by any wilful transgression Should it be said, if they need no repentance, they need no baptism; I reply, though they need no repentance, they need regeneration, and therefore they need baptism. Christ needed neither repentance, nor regeneration; and yet he was baptised with the baptism of repentance, that he might fulfil all righteousness; that is, do every thing which God required, and teach us, by his example as well as precept, that it is our duty to obey God in all things; and that, as no one can enter into the kingdom of heaven by his natural birth, seeing that which is born of the flesh is flesh; so, the second birth is necessary for every one, whether he need repentance or not, and therefore necessary for infants.

That infants are, in some true and proper sense, capable of believing in Chsist, I shall boldly affirm, because Christ has said it in direct terms: Whoso shall offend one of these little ones, which believe in me, it were bet

ter,' &c. To interpret this expression of young christians or new believers, who may be called little children in Christ, will not serve the turn. There is no room for metaphorical interpretation; for, St. Mark, in relating the same transaction, says, Jesus took a child and set him in the midst of them; and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them,'Whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it were better,' &c.* How such infants as are here described can come to Christ, or believe in him, unless through the medium of their parents, I see not; and therefore conclude, that the infants of christian parents have a right to christian baptism, on account of the faith of their parents, or of those christian people who have charity enough to bring them. to Christ in his holy ordinance, that by it they may be born again, and enter into the kingdom of heaven.

I have also to remark, that Christ hath said, 'Whoso shall receive one such little child, in my name, receiveth me.' In what sense, I ask, can we receive such infants in the name of Christ, but by receiving them as his disciples? and how can we receive them as Christ's disciples, unless they be made so by baptism?

That there is no absurdity in supposing that the faith of others may be of service to those who, through immature age, are incapable of transacting for themselves in religious matters, appears from Christ's conduct towards many distressed objects whom he healed of their diseases, on the application and faith of their parents or friends. The Centurion's servant was healed, on the faith of his master: the daughter of the Canaanitish woman, on the faith of her mother: the daughter of Jairus was raised to life, on the faith of her father : St. Mark mentions a man's son, from whom a dumb and deaf spirit was cast out, on account of his father's faith. These instances cannot be controverted, without calling in question the veracity of the evangelists.

Lest it should be said that these were only temporal

Compare Matt. xviii. 1-6, with Mark ix. 36-42.

* Chap. xv. 28. VOL. I.

§ Maik v. 36.

P

Chap. ix, 24.

† Matt. viii. 13.

blessings, and do not prove that spiritual blessings are ever conferred on account of the faith of others; I beg leave to call to remembrance the paralytic man, who was brought to Christ on a bed borne by four of his friends. It is said, 'Jesus seeing their faith,' the faith of his friends, said to the sick of the palsy, Son, be of good cheer, thy sins be forgiven thee.'*

Should it be supposed, that this man's sickness was a temporal judgment inflicted by Almighty God, and that when our Saviour said to him, thy sins are forgiven thee,' it was only a freeing him from that temporal judgment: though I see not the reason of such an interpretation, and the history says not a word of his sickness being a particular judgment from God; I will not enter into a dispute about it, but pass on to another instance which I think cannot be evaded, namely, the instance recorded in the text, They brought young children to Christ, that he should touch them; and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.'

In discoursing upon this text, I shall offer what I have to say, by way of remarks upon the circumstances mentioned in it: And,

1. The first remark relates to the faith of those who brought these infants to Christ; for, though their faith is not mentioned in so many words, it is as strongly expressed, as words could have done it. What other inducement could they have had to bring those children to Christ, but a wish that they should have the benefit of his blessing, and a belief that he would be pleased graciously to receive them; and by the imposition of his heavenly hands, confer the divine benediction on them?

*Matt. ix. 2.