----------
Baptism by water not a piece of Superstition, but appointed by Jesus
Christ.
MATTHEW xxviii.--and this part of the 19 verse.
_Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost._
Every true friend of Christ and his Religion mourns over every
departure from the duties he enjoined, the doctrines which he taught,
and the Ordinances which he appointed. The more sincere and cordial
his friendship, the more dear to him, will be the duties, the
doctrines and the institutions of his divine Lord and Master.
We should be exceedingly solicitous, then, to abide in the doctrines
of Christ, to preserve Gospel-ordinances in their purity; avoiding
carefully all human additions, supplements, and traditions; adhering
to the original primitive simplicity of Gospel-worship and order;
rejecting all that Christ rejects; holding to all, to which he holds;
hoping all from him; and keeping from whatever contradicts his
doctrines. All the appointments of the Savour are to be highly
esteemed, and diligently observed by his professed people. And one of
these, is the Ordinance of Baptism by water, to be a _standing
ordinance_ in the Church to the end of the world; of the clear and
express institution of which it is now proposed to lay before the
audience, a plain and faithful account from scripture; being in the
enquiry wholly directed and guided by what Christ and his Apostles
have left us, have said, and practised respecting it.
So far, my hearers, as I know my own heart, I would cheerfully give
up any thing, which I could not find duly supported in scripture
understood in its plain and natural sense, and not perverted by
ignorance and wilful misrepresentation.--That the ordinance of
water-baptism has been greatly abused and perverted, is readily
acknowledged. Different denominations of professing christians, have
entertained different opinions about its nature, as well as the
subject and mode. But different opinions and different practices do
not disprove the reality of the ordinance, or its utility as a
christian privilege. They are however a full proof of the weakness,
prejudice, and imperfection of human nature. If we must relinquish
all that has been perverted and abused in religion, or disputed and
differently understood, we shall have nothing left. We must, as many
have done, commence infidels. For there is no article either of
religion or morals but has been disputed, perverted and differently
understood. I hope for a patient and candid hearing of the arguments,
which shall be alledged to prove that baptism by water or christian
baptism is not a piece of superstition, but APPOINTED by Jesus
Christ.--I would attempt humbly to enquire, what is the mind or will
of God, as revealed in the holy scriptures, concerning christian
baptism. I have taken all proper pains to search them, looking to the
Father of lights for his guidance and spiritual illumination--to
weigh and compare what they affirm, and to examine the original
language. I hope, by divine grace, to be preserved from all error in
opinion, and intemperance of words, or harsh and uncharitable
expressions, being fully persuaded, _that the wrath of man worketh
not the righteousness of God._----
The words chosen, as the subject of present meditation, make a part
of that great Commission, which our Lord after his resurrection and
before his ascension to his Father and our Father, to his God and our
God, gave to his Eleven Disciples or first Ministers. The whole
Commission runs thus, _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 observe all things whatsoever I have
commanded you. And, lo! I am with you always even unto the End of the
world._ To remove all possible doubt, if any could remain, of his
authority to ordain and commission them, he informs them, that all
power was given unto him, in heaven and on earth: power to do every
thing in his church, and even to render the whole system of nature
obedient to him. He appointed the time and place, when and where the
_eleven disciples_ were to meet him in order to be invested with the
commission to preach his Gospel, to gather and organize churches, and
to admit converts to the Sacrament of baptism. _Then the eleven
disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus, had
appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshipped him, but some
doubted. And Jesus came and spake unto them saying, all power is
given unto me in heaven and in earth._
1st. The first argument that there is such an ordinance as
water-baptism to be administered to all, who are the professed people
of God, to be continued to the end of the world, is taken from the
very words of the text: _baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost._ In the original, it is
_into_; which however altereth not in the least the meaning of the
passage. To baptize _in_ and _into_ the name of the SACRED THREE is
precisely one and the same thing. And the word, _baptize,_ as all the
learned know, is applying water in some way or other to the subject,
as will be proved in its proper place. And in the commission which
our Lord, just before his ascension into heaven, in a very formal and
solemn manner, gave to his Apostles, the ELEVEN DISCIPLES, we should
naturally expect, if any where, as the most fit time and place, on
account of the institution of the ordinance of baptism, as an
initiatory or introductory ordinance in his Gospel kingdom or New
Testament-dispensation. Accordingly the very thing is done; the
ordinance is INSTITUTED in as plain, and as clear, and as precise a
manner as words can state. The very particular form of words is
given. That precise form which Jesus Christ would have us use, and
which the christian world, in all its various ages and different
communions, have ever since used. For the sacraments or ordinances of
the Gospel are positive institutions; and in all positive
institutions the observers are wholly confined to the declared will
and form of the institutor. They are neither to go beyond or fall
short of it. They can do neither, without offending the institutor.
In the appointment of christian baptism our Lord hath then prescribed
the very form of words to be used. The Sacrament of baptism has a
most important meaning, and by an outward sensible sign, exhibits to
us divine truth, or one of the foundation-doctrines of the whole
system of christianity. And outward signs are a most affecting way of
teaching mankind spiritual doctrines. By these, as well as by words,
doth God, in his infinite wisdom, teach us. It discovers a
particularly base and disingenuous mind to object against any of the
ways in which it may please him to teach us, sinful and guilty
creatures. Christian baptism teaches us, in a most striking and
affecting manner, BY AN OUTWARD RITE, the absolute need of our being
washed by regeneration:--that we are defiled with sin, in our
natures, and cannot be saved unless this defilement be done away by
the purifying efficacy of grace. To apply water to the subject,
whether infant or adult, whether by immersion or sprinkling, in the
name of the father, and of the son, and of the holy Ghost, is to
signify our belief in the one true God, distinguished, as now stated;
our subjection to him; and our adherence to whatever is revealed by
him. For to baptize in the name, or into the name of another is
openly to denote our following him, belonging to him--our subjection
to him, to his will and cause. Thus, when the Apostle Paul thanks God
that he had baptized but few: when the Corinthian converts were so
divided about Preachers who ministered to them, he assigns this
reason, not that the ordinance was unnecessary or unprofitable, or
not divinely appointed, _but lest any should say he baptized in his
own name or into his own name,_ which must mean that he was to be
their head; and they wholly devoted to him as followers. To baptize,
therefore, into, or in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of
the holy Ghost, is to denote an entire consecration to the Trinity,
to the love, fear, and service of God, and a full renunciation of all
other Religions--of all Idols, and the vanities of the world--that we
take God, for our God and portion, Jesus Christ for our only
Redeemer, and the holy Ghost for our sanctifier. By Christian baptism
we signify our duty to be God's, and to declare it to all the world;
we declare in a more solemn manner than words can do, that we need
the washing of regeneration--and that we are defiled in our nature by
sin. All Christians should see that they understand the nature, use,
and intention of baptism. And how reasonable, that by some outward
rite, our need of being sanctified, should be exhibited!--When,
therefore, we call the sacrament of baptism, a positive Ordinance, we
do not mean that it has no moral uses, or is not beneficial in
Religion, or reasonable: we only mean that it is an Ordinance which
we should not have known, or been obliged to attend upon, except it
had been expressly appointed by the Author of the Christian
dispensation, who has the sole and exclusive right to legislate in
his own kingdom, and to appoint what ordinances of worship he
pleases. He is king in his Church. Referring to the Messiah, and to
his kingly office, Jehovah says, _Yet have I set my king upon my holy
hill of Zion._--
As to the mere circumstances of the Ordinance of baptism; these are
left to the convenience and discretion of those who use it. And the
disputes which have been carried on respecting these, between
different Christian denominations, have been a disservice to Religion
and Charity; have perplexed honest and serious minds very often; and
opened the mouths of gain-sayers to object.----
Let it be particularly remembered here, that we do not substitute
baptism by water, however dispensed, whether by sprinkling or
immersion, in the room of regeneration. Some of the Christian Fathers
used the words, _regeneration_ and _baptism,_ as similar in
signification, though at the same time, they by no means excluded the
doctrine of a renovation of nature; or meant to be understood that
the application of the Element of water, in the baptismal Sacrament,
was the actual scripture-new-birth. Some few Christians, have
supposed that baptism rightly administered is the
scripture-regeneration. Those who do, are few in number, and are
considered by other Christians, as exalting the ordinance of baptism
above its proper place, and taking the _sign_ for the _thing_
signified. Those, in general, who practise water-baptism, hold to the
new-birth or regeneration of the soul as much, and as strongly, as if
they never practised infant or adult baptism.
We proceed in the argument--and ask, is it not strange, indeed, that
Christ should be so particular in directing his Ministers to the end
of the world, his Apostles, and in them, all faithful Ministers, to
baptize into the name of the Father and of the son and of the holy
Ghost, all who were brought over to his religion, or who embraced his
Gospel, if he intended there should be no baptismal Ordinance in his
Church? They were to teach and to baptize. Go teach all nations,
_baptizing them._ The word _teach_ here signifies to disciple them,
or bring them over to the Gospel. And to _baptize_ them is to apply
water in the name of the father, son, and holy Ghost to the
individuals, who should be induced, through the preaching of the
Apostles, to become Christ's disciples. He promises to be with them,
while engaged in their sacred work, _teaching_ and _baptizing,_ two
different acts entirely, even unto the end of the world. Here is a
plain scripture-account of the actual institution of the sacrament of
baptism, or christian baptism, by whom to be dispensed, and to
whom;--and how long to be continued. It is to be dispensed by
Christ's ministers, or regularly authorized Teachers; the subjects to
whom it is to be administered are all who _professedly_ become
disciples of the Redeemer, or embrace his Gospel, including, as we
believe, their infant offspring; and it is to be continued to the end
of the world. No words can be more explicit and full than these. If
these can be explained away, by sophistry and art, any may, that
could be used. If these be perverted, we must despair of finding
_any_ which are incapable of perversion. To say that to _teach_ and
to _baptize_ are one and the same thing, is to deny the natural and
obvious sense of the words--to make our Lord guilty of a silly
tautology--an unmeaning repetition--is contrary to the whole current
of scripture. For it never, in one single instance, uses the word
_baptize_ for _teaching._ And the word _baptize_ no more signifies
teaching, than it does meekness or humility, or faith, or repentance.
None can adopt such an absurd idea, except they be predetermined to
deny every thing in the Gospel which makes against their favorite
system.--On the other hand, all who are willing to receive Christ's
Institutions, and doctrines, or religion as delivered in his own
word, will never want a full proof to support them in holding to the
ordinance of Christian baptism, as long as this text now under
consideration, is found in scripture.
2dly, A further scripture-proof of the institution of Christian
Baptism is from the Evangelist Mark xvi.--15, 16 compared with our
text. He is giving us an account of the very same Commission as the
Evangelist Matthew, but is not so full and particular. _And he said
unto them, go ye, into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every
Creature,_ every person who will hear you wherever you may, under
divine direction, travel. _He that believeth and is baptized, shall
be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned._ This Commission
is certainly to the following effect.--"I ordain and send you my
chosen disciples and Ministers to spread the Gospel, by your
preaching, far and wide the world over, without any distinction of
Jew and Gentile, and to dispense the Sacrament of baptism, as a
standing ordinance in my kingdom, and as highly necessary, as you
have hitherto practised it, under my direction and by my order, while
I exercised my personal Ministry; he that believeth on me and
receiveth baptism shall be saved." I argue thus, baptism is of high
importance, and a divinely instituted ordinance, or it would not have
been mentioned in this order or connexion, _he that believeth and is
baptized shall be saved._ Why baptized, if not needed, or a divine
ordinance? Was our Lord ignorant of what he said; or did he use words
which cannot be understood; or did he mean to deceive us? of one or
the other he was guilty, if he intended his followers, to the END of
the world, should not be BAPTIZED with water. For baptism here must
mean the application of the element of water to the subject, and not
the sanctifying, regenerating, or miraculous power of the holy Ghost,
because it is put after believing. But none, all must admit, do
believe to the saving of the soul, but regenerated and sanctified
ones. And that water-baptism is not in Christ's religion as necessary
as faith, is plain from the last clause of the verse, _but he that
believeth not shall be damned._ It is not said _he that believeth
not_ and is NOT BAPTIZED shall be damned. For many may believe, and
have no opportunity, however desirous, to receive baptism. And such
as are not in Providence allowed to have opportunity to receive it,
in a Gospel-way, are not therefore shut out of the kingdom of
glory.--Besides, it is a circumstance on this subject of no small
weight, and merits a particular remembrance, that Christ invested his
eleven disciples or Apostles with this commission to carry the glad
tidings of peace and Salvation, and in them, his true ministers,
round the world, and to dispense the ordinance of baptism to all meet
subjects, just before his Ascension into heaven. It was one of his
very last acts in our world. And they could not possibly help
understanding him to mean water-baptism, in their Commission, for
during the whole term of his personal Ministry, they had practised
administering it, as an ordinance, to all who professed to be
convinced that Christ was the promised Messiah and who followed him.--
3dly. Therefore, a third proof, from scripture, of the institution of
water-baptism, as a special ordinance or sacrament in Christ's
kingdom, or spiritual religion, is that his disciples, after he had
entered upon his public Ministry, _statedly_ practised it. This must
be a satisfactory proof to all, who are willing to follow Christ and
his Apostles, and not to set up a religion of their own making.
Deluded and visionary men have often undertaken to make schemes of
religion of their own. What daring impiety!--That Christ's chosen
disciples or Apostles, during his public Ministry on earth, practiced
water baptism the Evangelist John tells us. John iii. 22. _After
these things, came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judea,
and THERE, he tarried with them and BAPTIZED._ iv. 1, 2, 3. _When
therefore the Lord knew, how the pharisees had heard that Jesus made
and BAPTIZED more disciples than John; though Jesus himself BAPTIZED
not, but his disciples, he left Judea, and departed again into
Galilee._ Making disciples and baptizing them were two entirely
different acts. To _make disciples_ was to teach them his doctrines,
and to persuade them to embrace his religion. To _baptize_ them was
to apply water to them, as an ordinance or sacramental sign.
_Baptizing_ these professed followers of Christ was the application
of water to them, as a sign, or symbol, whether by immersion or
sprinkling, is not now material to enquire, and not the _renewing of
the_ holy Ghost. In the first cited passage, it is said, _Jesus
BAPTIZED._ In the last, it is said, he _himself BAPTIZED_ not, but
his disciples. There is no manner of difficulty in reconciling these
two different accounts. For Christ is said, and with the most evident
propriety, to do, what he ordered and directed his twelve Apostles to
do. They were only his organs; and as his TEACHERS, they did nothing
but by his order and direction.
Had our Lord no design in this? He had now been some time on his
public Ministry. He had begun the promulgation of his Gospel-kingdom,
the new religion, which he came into the world to erect. He had
collected many followers. And his Apostles BAPTIZED them all. The
words are, _made_ and BAPTIZED disciples. All that were made
disciples, the necessary inference is, were BAPTIZED. It follows,
then, that every one that was _made_ a disciple, was _baptized,_
without one exception. There was but one way of practice. All or none
were _baptized._ These chosen Ministers of Christ did not venture, of
their own heads, in imitation of John the baptist, to administer
baptism. Neither did the son of God commit an error. He was perfect:
a teacher come from God, both impeccable and infallible. As people,
in various parts, where he and his disciples travelled to preach,
hearkened to him and owned him, as the true Messiah and Saviour, the
disciples were bidden to _baptize_ them.--How did they BAPTIZE them?
Doubtless as professed followers of Jesus of Nazareth. The form of
words made use of, is not recorded; neither is it of any importance
that it should be, at this time; because Christ intended to prescribe
the VERY FORM, at the proper time, just before he ascended into
heaven.--Did Christ allow his disciples to _baptize,_ accidentally,
or undesignedly, or by mistake, or merely because his forerunner John
did? Can any one believe this, who has his intellectual powers
underanged, or any honourable thoughts of his Saviour? Nay, would not
this be to blaspheme the son of God? All he did, in his public
Ministry, and as an infallible Teacher, was of design.--Or again, did
he admit his Apostles _to baptize_ all who professed to believe
in him, to gratify the caprice, humours, and prejudices of the
people? Did the glorious and divine Jesus act from such base and low
motives? Did he make these WHIMS and PREJUDICES the rule of his
public conduct as Messiah? Dare we bring in against him, such a false
and groundless charge?----We come, therefore, to this conclusion,
that we only follow him, when we administer water-baptism to all, who
profess their faith in him and love and obedience; or to visible
believers; the promise being to them, and their seed. And in things
of religion we are safe, and only safe, when we most strictly follow
him.----
4thly. The fourth argument to prove from scripture the INSTITUTION of
water-baptism to be a _standing_ ordinance, is taken from John
iii. 5. compared to the 26 verse of the same chapter. _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
heaven._ Why, is being _born of water,_ mentioned here? It is to no
end; was it merely a word of course, to fill up a sentence? This was
an important evening conference, of which these words are a part,
with Nicodemus, a ruler in Israel, on the very nature of that new
dispensation of religion, which Jesus was opening as the teacher come
from God, called the _kingdom of heaven_ or _kingdom of God._
Regeneration or the new-birth is mentioned verse 3. as indispensably
necessary; in this 5th verse _water_ to be used, in a certain way, is
made a term of entrance into the kingdom of heaven or Gospel-church;
that is, we must be born of _water_ as well as of the _spirit_ in
order to be _regular_ members of his church. Water, in the ordinance
of baptism, denotes the need of purifying grace. To be _born of
water_ may very well, without any unnatural force, mean _baptism._ As
if Christ had told this ruler, in Israel, you must be renewed in your
soul, and baptized with water, in order to be entitled to the
blessings of my kingdom, or to be a regular member of the
Gospel-church. Expositors generally suppose that _baptism_ by water
is implied in this passage. If Christ intended to have no _ordinance_
of this sort, in his church, why did he point to _water_ in the way
he does?--Some, indeed, suppose that the ordinance of baptism is not
meant here, but that to be _born of water and of the spirit,_ is to
be born of the spirit, which purifies and cleanses from the filth of
sin, like water.--In the 26th verse we read thus: _And they came unto
John; and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan,
to whom thou bearest witness. The same BAPTIZETH, and all men come
unto him._ He baptized by his disciples. They dispensed the ordinance
for him, by his order, and authority.--Immense multitudes were
baptized. The text says _all men_ came unto him; that is, multitudes,
and multitudes from all parts of the land. And they who professed to
receive him as the Saviour and Son of God were baptized. _The same
BAPTIZETH, and ALL men come unto him._----
5thly. The fifth argument, is taken from those numerous passages of
scripture, where baptismal water in the name of Christ, or no doubt,
in the name of the SACRED THREE, is said to be used. There are in the
New Testament, we readily own, several instances, in which the
baptism of the holy ghost is mentioned; all of which, one excepted,
mean his _miraculous influence._ And it is to be carefully remembered
that when the words _baptize_ and _baptism_ denote either the
sanctifying grace, or miraculous gifts of the spirit, they are used
not in their natural or literal, but in a figurative and metaphorical
sense. These instances I will carefully recite. Once _baptism_
is used by Christ to represent his sufferings, especially on the
Cross; Luke xii. 40, and Mat. xx. 22. There are but three, or at most
four instances where _baptism_ and _baptize_ mean evidently or
necessarily the sanctifying grace or miraculous powers of the holy
ghost. Matt. iii. 11, compared with Mark, i. 8, compared with Luke,
iii. 16, compared with Acts, i. 5, and xi. 16. These texts all refer
to one and the same thing. And most evidently intend the _miraculous
gifts_ of the holy ghost. Christ's _baptizing with the holy Ghost and
with fire_ necessarily means his giving _the miraculous powers_ of
his spirit, as is fully proved by comparing Acts, i. 5, with the
first sixteen verses of the second chapter. In these passages, in the
Evangelists, there is a pointed and marked distinction between John's
_baptizing with_ water, and Christ's _baptizing with_ the holy ghost,
of giving the _miraculous powers_ thereof. They are entirely
different. But Christ's _baptizing_ with the holy Ghost and with
fire, does not mean the sanctifying grace, but the _extraordinary
gifts_ of the holy Ghost, as now proved from Acts i. 5, and ii. 1-16.
Christ's baptizing with the holy Ghost and with fire, or imparting
the miraculous powers thereof, is essentially different from John's
baptism; but it neither proves, nor disproves the ordinance of
_baptizing by water_ as a _standing_ ordinance, to be continued in
his church, to the end of the world. It hath no reference to such a
thing, more or less. What kind of logic must that man have who
reasons thus; Christ's _baptizing_ with the holy Ghost is altogether
different from John's _baptism_ of water unto repentance, and
therefore he never intended to have any ordinance of _water-baptism_
in his dispensation of religion, or in the Gospel-church? A man who
can suppose this to be just reasoning, or any kind of reasoning, must
be disordered in his mental capacities. There is but _one_ instance,
where being _baptized_ by the spirit can mean being regenerated by
his divine influence. And that is 1 Cor. xii. 13. In describing
christian graces and exercises, allusions to baptism by water are
many times made, which is an argument in favour of it, and not
against it, as will be illustrated, in its proper place. The word
translated _baptize_ with its derivatives, in the Old Testament, is
the common word used for _applications of water,_ in some form, to
the subject. In the New-Testament the words, _baptism_ and _baptize,_
with their derivatives, or compounds, borrowed and brought down from
the Old Testament, are used about sixty times; and must necessarily
mean the application of water, in some way, to the subject, except in
the four instances and their parallel places, now recited. I have
endeavoured from the original to make the selection with diligence
and care. We know that the first, original, and natural signification
of the word, _baptism_ or _baptize_ is, as well as we do know, or can
know the sense of any word, in any language. And that the _first,
plain, original_ signification of the word, _baptize,_ and its
derivatives, is the _application of water,_ in some form, to the
subject, all the learned know:--and to them I appeal, as the only
proper judges, in this case: though unlearned men may see how it is
used, in the New-Testament, to their full satisfaction in the sequel.
Whenever the word is applied to denote either the _sufferings_ of
Christ, or the _sanctifying grace,_ or the _extraordinary and
miraculous powers_ of the holy Ghost, I affirm from scripture, it is
used in a figurative and metaphorical sense. To reject the plain
common meaning of a word, in nearly fifty instances out of sixty, and
to insist on the metaphorical sense, for the sake of expunging from
Christianity, a PLAIN ORDINANCE, is having recourse to a strange
expedient to establish a point.--And whether it be not a gross
perversion of scripture, and contrary to all the rules of a fair and
candid construction, is left for all to judge, who have eyes to see,
or ears to hear.--We will now attend to those texts, numerous indeed,
which directly or impliedly speak of baptism by water, as a _standing
ordinance_ in the spiritual religion of Jesus Christ, according to
Apostolic practice. Rom. vi. 4. _We are buried with him by baptism._
Ephe. iv. 5. _One baptism._ Col. ii. 12. _Buried with him in
baptism._ Heb. vi. 2. _Doctrine of Baptisms._ 1. Pet. iii. 21.
_Baptism doth now save us._ Acts. ii. 38. _Be baptized every one of
you._ EVERY ONE OF YOU. 41 verse, _They that gladly received his word
were baptized._ viii. 12. _They were baptized both men and women._ NO
DISTINCTION OF SEX AS IN CIRCUMCISION. 13 verse, _Simon believed and
was baptized._ 16 verse, _Only they were baptized in the name of
Jesus._ 36 verse, _Here is water, what doth hinder me to be
baptized?_ 38 verse, _And he baptized him._ ix. 8. _Saul received
sight, and arose and was baptized._ x. 47. _Can any forbid that these
should not be baptized?_ 48 verse, _Peter commanded them to be
baptized._ COMMANDED. xvi. 15. _Lydia was baptized and her
household._ 33 verse, _The Jailor was baptized, he and ALL HIS
straitway._ xviii. 8. _Many of the Corinthians believed, and were
baptized._ xix. 5. _And when they heard this, they were baptized._
xxii. 16. _Arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sins._ Rom.
vi. 8. _Were baptized into Jesus._ 1. Cor. i. 16. _I baptized the
household of Stephanas._ x. 2. _And were all baptized unto Moses in
the cloud._ xv. 29. _Else what shall they do, that are baptized for
the dead?_ Gal. iii. 27. _As many as have been baptized._ These are
some of the principal places in the New-Testament, where _baptism_
and _baptize_ are used: and they all, mean the ORDINANCE of water
baptism, or allude to the use of it, as a _standing ordinance._ How
numerous are these texts, more so than any one, at first view, would
have imagined. How unhappy is our Lot, if against all these, and
plain are the most of them, as words can be, we are to believe Jesus
Christ never intended to have the sacrament of water-baptism
administered, as a _standing_ ordinance, in his Church! So
considerable a portion of the New-Testament occupied in giving us a
plain account of this sacrament deserves notice. Could reason wish
for more? With a beautiful display of divine wisdom, in so fully and
so particularly stating the matter, as if, on purpose, to cut off all
the cavils and objections of gainsayers--as if, on purpose, to
prevent any from DENYING, REJECTING, or EXPLAINING away the
Ordinance.--It seems utterly unaccountable how a denial of it, can
consist with a serious belief that the scriptures are from God, or
the only rule of Christian faith and practice.