ON BAPTISM:

eunuch—thus Lydia was baptized—thus Simon the sorcerer was baptized, who shortly after offered money to purchase the power of conferring the Holy Ghost, and so made it manifest, that far from being a partaker of spiritual regeneration and the other blessings connected with baptism rightly received, he was "in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.” Thus was the gaoler at Philippi baptized, immediately on the profession of his faith in Jesus Christ, he and all his house. His conversion, which was sudden, occurred in the night; but the apostles did not defer the baptism of himself and his family till the morning, for who could forbid water that they should not be baptized? When the Jews made proselytes to their religion, they circumcised the adult males on such a profession, according to the nature of their dispensation. And thus christian ministers of all denominations would baptize adults, both male and female, on their profession of repentance and faith. There would be some shades of difference in the practice of different ministers. Some would require the candidate for the ordinance to wait, in order to manifest the evidences of repentance and faith; and they would likewise require certain degrees of christian knowledge and experience, with an amplified confession of faith. Others would expect only a simple profession of belief in the Saviour, a declaration of repentance for past sin, a promise of renunciation of the world, the flesh, and the devil, and of obedience, through divine grace, to the will of God. They would urge the necessity of sincerity in these

professions, and then, leaving it to the conscience of the candidate, immediately baptize him in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. The latter mode is, in my judgment, preferable to the former. It appears to be a more scriptural, as well as a more tangible mode of trying a candidate's sincerity. But as the end in both cases would be the same, namely, to obtain some hopeful evidence of the truth of the profession made; I would not dispute with a dissenting brother on this subject. Sincerity is undoubtedly the grand object with relation to the state of a candidate for baptism; we cannot suppose that a hypocritical profession should be accompanied with any beneficial effects. It is, however, highly probable, that in the primitive age of the church, the knowledge and experience of many of the baptized were very defective. Some of the candidates might possess confused views, partial convictions, and some general purposes or desires to follow Christ, and nothing more. Yet these imperfect beginnings might not unfrequently end in sound conversion, by means of this ordinance; and by the prayers, instructions, and admonitions, which, we may presume, preceded, attended, and followed it. It does not become us to limit the operations of the Holy Spirit. From what has been said, we may infer that adults, who make a hopeful profession of repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, are the proper subjects for baptism.

2. I add, in the second place, that the infants of

206

those who profess faith in Christ are likewise the proper subjects of christian baptism.

This is a most important portion in a discussion on the doctrine of baptism; but it is too copious for me to enter upon at present. Allow me, however, just to say, that the right of the infants of those who profess faith in Christ, may be established on scriptural arguments, equally as strong as those which alleged for the right of admitting believing and bap tized females to the Lord's table. The subject is important; and will, in the next lecture, be more fully entered upon.

may

THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, AND OF THE SON, AND OF THE HOLY GHOST.

THESE words form part of the commission which our blessed Lord gave to his disciples before his ascension. I have considered them solely with reference to the ordinance of baptism. After some preliminary observations, I proposed to consider,

I. In the first place, the nature of baptism.

II. Secondly, who are the proper subjects of the ordinance.

III. The mode of its administration.

IV. The benefits connected with it.

V. The obligations which result from this institution.

I. Under the first head-What is the nature of Christian baptism? I remarked,

1. That it is the initiatory ordinance of christianity.

2. That it is a symbol of man's corrupt state by nature.

3. That it is an emblematic representation of many spiritual blessings.

ON BAPTISM:

Under this particular it was demonstrated from a variety of express portions of the word of God, that the blessings connected with Christian baptism are (1), Remission of sin. (2), Salvation through Jesus Christ. (3), Union and communion with Christ, and his body the church. (4), The putting on Christ as our spiritual covering and complete righteousness. (5), The effusion of the Holy Spirit upon the soul. (6), Regeneration, or the quickening influences of the Divine Spirit to subdue the corruption of our nature. (7), And sanctification, by which we are meetened for the enjoyment of God, and in which the church will be presented by Christ to the eternal Father, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing,

All these particulars were illustrated, and I think clearly demonstrated, by express passages from the

sacred scriptures.

In the second place I proceeded to inquire,

II. Who are the proper subjects for the ordinance of baptism.

And here it was observed, in the first place, that, 1. All those adults (not having been previously baptized) who profess repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ, are to be ad

mitted to this rite.

Thus far christians of all denominations are agreed. Upon this profession believers were baptized, at the introduction of christianity. It was impossible they could receive christian baptism, when they were infants; for christianity did not then exist. The