ordinance taken away by their wickedness, nor the grace of God's gifts diminished from such as by faith and rightly do receive the sacraments ministered unto them, which be effectual, because of Christ's institution and promise, although they be ministered by evil men.a

Nevertheless, it appertaineth to the discipline of the church, that inquiry be made of evil ministers,"

the church and though the effect of them, as to him that receives them, depends upon his temper, his preparation, and application; yet it cannot be imagined, that the virtue of those federal acts, to which Christians are admitted in them, the validity of them, or the blesings that follow them, can depend on the secret state or temper of him that officiates. If the faults of ministers vitiate the sacraments, no one can tell whether he has received the Lord's Supper, or whether he was baptized or not. 1 Cor. iii. 5. "Who, then, is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every

man ?"

Matt. xxiii. 2,3. "The Scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat all, therefore, whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works; for they say, and do not."

Phil. i. 15-18. "Some indeed preach Christ even of envyand strife; and some also of good-will. The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: but the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the Gospel. What then? Notwithstanding every way, whether in pretence or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice."

d 1 Cor. iii. 7. "Neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase."

e "Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits." Matt. vii. 15, 16.

Matt. vii. 22, 23. "Many will say to me in that day, Lord,

and that they be accused by those that have knowledge of their offences; and finally, being found guilty, by just judgment be deposed.

Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity."

Though the Church of Rome agrees with us in the doctrine of this article, yet it maintains that the intention of the minister is essential to a Sacrament; that is, if a minister goes through all the forms of administering Baptism, or the Lord's Supper, and does not in his own mind intend to administer it, it is in fact no sacrament. This is expressly asserted both in the councils of Florence and Trent; but it is unnecessary to say any thing in refutation of it.

BAPTISM is not only a sign of profession, and mark

a As it was by circumcision that the Jews were distinguished from the Gentiles, so it is by baptism that Christians are distinguished both from Jews and others; but this is not all-it is likewise a sign of regeneration, or new birth; i. e. whereas we are by nature born in sin and children of wrath, we are hereby made the children of grace, children of God, members of Christ, and heirs of the kingdom of heaven.

Baptism, as a religious rite, is not confined to Christianity: it was in use both among the heathen and the Jews. The Jews principally used it at the admission of those Gentile converts whom they did not circumcise.

There are three distinct kinds of baptism recorded in the New Testament as connected with the Christian dispensation:

H

of difference, whereby Christian men are discerned from others that be not christened ; but it is also a sign of regeneration, or new birth, whereby, as by an instru

1st. The baptism of John; 2nd. The baptism by our Saviour's disciples before his death; 3rd. That which constitutes the Christian sacrament. All these differed in the requisites as to faith. St. John's disciples professed their belief in a Messiah who was to come; the disciples, in the second case, professed their belief in Christ as that Messiah; the third required a belief in the doctrine of the Trinity, that is, in the whole scheme of Christianity, and especially in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead; otherwise those who were baptized in the name of Christ were baptized in vain. 1 Cor. xv. 14.

BAPTISM A SIGN OF REGENERATION.

» The Greek words Βαπτίζω and Βαπτισμός, (from whence the English word baptism is taken,) among the sacred writers, denote any washing, whether it be by dipping or sprinkling. Mark vii. 4. "And when they come from the market,” av μǹ Banтiowvтal, "except they wash, they eat not: and many other things there be, which they have received to hold, such as the Barтioμoùs, the washings of cups and pots, brazen vessels, and of tables." And, Luke xi. 38. "And when the pharisee saw it, he marvelled,” ὅτι οὐ πρῶτον ἐβαπτίσθη, "that he had not first washed, before dinner." But whether the sacrament of baptism be administered by dipping, or by sprinkling, it significantly points out to us the grace which is conferred by this Sacrament. For as the filth of the body is washed away by water, so are the stains of the soul by remission of sins; and as in immersion, or dipping, it is intimated that we are buried and rise again with Christ: so in aspersion, or sprinkling, it is likewise signified that we die, and are born again; since it was the custom to wash the dead, as well as those who were newly born. Acts ix. 37. "It came to pass in those days, that she (Tabitha) was sick and died; whom, when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber."

All men, being, through the disobedience of our first parents, subject to death, the rite of baptism, by which we are

ment, they that receive baptism rightly are grafted into the church: The promises of forgiveness of sin,* and of our adoption to be the sons of God by the Holy Ghost, are visibly signed and sealed, faith is confirmed, and grace increased, by virtue of prayer unto God."

admitted into the religion of Jesus, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light, is with great propriety called "a sign of regeneration." Rom. vi. 4. "We are buried with him by baptism unto death, and like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. Tit. iii. 5. "According to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost."

John iii. 3. "Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."

BAPTISM THE ADMISSION INTO THE CHURCH OF

CHRIST.

d Every baptism is to be considered a right baptism, which is administered with water, by persons duly authorized, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; and all they who are so baptized become members of one body in Christ, and are united in one holy Catholic Church. 1 Cor. xii. 12, 13. "For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body being many, are one body; so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body." Eph. i. 22, 23. "The church, which is his body."

e Baptism is the sign and seal of the Christian covenant, the great characteristic doctrine of which is the promise of forgiveness of sins. Acts ii. 38. "Repent, and be baptized every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost." Heb. x. 22. "Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." Acts xxii. 16. "And now why tarriest thou? Arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord."

The baptism of young children, is any wise to be retained in the church, as most agreeable with the institution of Christ.h

Gal. iii. 26, 27. "Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus: for as many as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ."

Baptism is a federal admission into Christianity: it is the seal of a contract, in which all the privileges and blessings of the Gospel are on God's part conditionally promised to the persons baptized; and they on the other hand engage by a solemn profession and vow to maintain the doctrines and observe the precepts of the Christian religion. Acts ii. 41, 42. "They that gladly received his word were baptized: and they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers."

h Mark x. 13, 14. "And they brought young children to him 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."

The latter part of this article asserts the lawfulness of infant baptism. The command given to Abraham, and repeated by Moses, to circumcise children on the eighth day after their birth, plainly proves that there is no impropriety in admitting infants into a religious covenant; and this command, when applied to baptism, has the greater weight, as it is generally agreed that circumcision was a type of baptism. Baptism was instituted by our Saviour in very general terms, "Go ye, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." In this form of baptism there is no restriction or exception whatever. Nations consist of persons of all ages, and therefore infants as well as adults must be included in the command, as the objects of baptism; and this inference will be the more evident when we reflect that the commission was given to Jews, who were accustomed to see infants baptized; and they would of course consider themselves authorized to receive converts to Christianity in the same manner as they had received converts to Judaism.