for baptism, is not from heaven, but was the offspring of error, and fostered by the dark ages of Papistical ufurpation, we are hardly perfuaded to renounce it. But, my brethren, my expectation is, that after you have searched your Bibles through and through, and find nothing of it there, you will give it up. Should the Lord inquire of us, why we fubftitute fprinkling for baptizing, and say unto us, Whence is this fubstitution, from heaven, or of men? Would there not be great reasonings among us what anfwer to return? Should we fay, From heaven; He might reply, How do you prove it? Should we fay, Of men, then might he afk, Why do ye practise it? 7. Another confequence is, we have the fame kind of evidence, and perhaps more of it, that baptifm is to be administered by, immerfion, or dipping, or putting into water, than we have to fupport any other gospel precept, or practice. The evidence which we have, in either cafe, is the fignification of the words which are used to point out the thing to be believed, or practised. Were it not for the influence of habit, or custom, you would as readily and naturally conclude, from the very words used, that immersion, or dipping, or washing the body in water, was the meaning of baptifm, as that a religious eating of bread, and drinking of wine, in commemoration of our dying Lord, was the way to obferve the Lord's fupper. 8. We appear to be brought to this dilemma: We muft either embrace the tradition of the elders, for the rule of one part of our practice; or we must no more sprinkle, and call it baptism. 9. Another confequence is, Thofe, who first introduc ed fprinkling for baptizing, had no more right fo to do, than they had to institute a new rite, or ordinance, and call it Chrift's. What authority have we to follow their erroneous and hurtful practice? 10. We have another confequence worthy of confideration, and it is this: The Chriftian ordinance of bap-* tifm is a moft folemn and fignificant ordinance, and of very high importance. I fpeak not of the vifible, or actual, adminiftration of it, in particular; for I never faw it administered, as Chrift hath delivered it to his people. But I refer to the purport, end and defign of it. It is, among many other things, the great dividing line, which Heaven hath appointed to be drawn between the vifible kingdom of Immanuel, and the men of this world. Doubtless there are. a large number who belong to Chrift's invifible kingdom, who are not, ftrictly speaking, or regularly, in his kingdom vifibly, having not fubmitted to this ordinance, which is the great and important line of diftinction. I!. It appears that we are, truly, in a trying state. We must depart, in one inftance, from a long habit, or continue to do as we have done, and yet not be able to vindicate, by the fcriptures of truth, our own conduct. Laftly. We come, at length, to the answer of this old and difficult and perplexing question: Where, and when, did the religious fect, called Baptifts, arife? The answer is, plainly, this. They arofe in Judea, at the time when John came, preaching in the wilderness the baptifm of repentance. I mention this confequence with confide rable affurance, becaufe the New Teftament abundantly favours it, and no man is able to contradict me. Should any attempt it, he will fail for want of evidence. I hould, not long fince, have been gratified, could I have found found their origin any where in the dark ages of Popery, or at the commencement of the reformation, among the famous enthufiafts of Germany, Holland, Switzerland, or Weftphalia. But, after having long pursued the perplexing research, I found their origin, where I leaftTM of all expected it, in Enon and Jordan. A few questions are now to close the present subject. 1. Is not immerfion the fcripture baptifm? 2. Is fprinkling a mode of baptizing warranted by fcripture? If so, where? 3. Are Old Testament rites to explain New Testament ordinances? Is Mofes to correct what Chrift hath left incomplete? Is it fo? 4. Will Chrift approve of that practice of men, which fo changes his pofitive inftitution, as to lofe, greatly to lofe, the purport, end and defign of it? 5. Was it ever right, and is it now, for men to change what Christ hath commanded to be in perpetual obfervation? Did the fuppofed extreme cafes justify this change at first, and will trifling inconveniences justify us now? 6. Will it be wife and fafe for us continually to forfake the commandment of Chrift for the precepts of men ? 7. Do you, my brethren, or can you, blame me for wishing you to keep the ordinances of Christ as he hath delivered them to the faints? 8. Should I have manifefted myself your friend, or Christ's, if, after having found fuch a precious, new and old treasure in his word, as is the Christian ordinance of baptism, I had not ventured my life, or in other words, my reputation, my eafe, my property, and my every worldly confideration, to bring it forth to your view and acceptance, that you might more fully walk in all the ftatutes and ordinances of the Lord blame. lefs? One. request, my brethren, I pray you to grant me, and it is this: Search the fcriptures devoutly, and follow me fo far as I follow Jesus Christ, your Lord and mine. THE MODE AND SUBJECTS OF BAPTISM. SERMON VI. 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 Ghoft; 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 HAVE already obferved to you, that Christ Jefus, the head of the church, and Lord of all, was now conftitutiug his prefent and fucceeding difciples to be apostles unto all nations. My text is their commiffion, and general and particular orders. In it they are directed 7 I. To go and difciple all nations.. II. To baptize them in the name of the Father, &c. III. He directs thefe newly constituted apoftles, and all their fucceffors, to teach their baptized difciples to obferve all things whatfoever he had given in command ment. Laftly. For their encouragement and comfort, he adds, |