of his covenant put upon them, acknowledge his right to them, and their obligations to bring them up for him, seems to be in perfect conformity with the best feelings of every pious parent's heart. It may he asked, what good Baptism can do the child? It would be a sufficient answer to say, "It is God's own institution, and He will bless it." It might with the same propriety be asked, what good it could do the child to be circumcised at eight days old? It was asked in the apostle's day, "what profit is there of circumcision?" And he answers, "much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God." So Baptism is designed to secure to children religious discipline, christian instruction, the watch, and care, and prayers of the Church, &c. And where do we find children most carefully taught and instructed in the doctrines and duties of religion; and trained up in the way in which they should go? Not, I think, among Antipedobaptists; who are generally, if I mistake not, notoriously lax in family discipline, and the religious instruction of children. Nay, some of this denomination do actually condemn the religious discipline and education of children, as calculated to put knowledge into the head, with which they are likely to be satisfied, without obtaining grace in the heart. "Let them alone," say they, "and then when God puts his grace into their hearts, they will know it." On the proper use and improvement of the ordinance, see Bradbury on Baptism. It seems to me therefore, that the practice of Pedobaptism is abundantly sustained by Scripture, the history of the Church, as well as by the reason and nature of the case.

II. 1. I now proceed to consider the mode of Baptism; and shall attempt to prove that " dipping the person into the water is not necessary: but that Baptism is rightly administered by pouring or sprinkling water upon the person." It is not denied that Baptism by immersion is valid Baptism; but it is denied that immersion is the only valid mode. We hold that the application of water to a fit subject, by a properly authorised minister of the gospel, in the name of the sacred Trinity, is Christian Baptism, without regard to the manner in which the water is applied, whether by sprinkling, pouring, or immersion. We believe that the mode of Baptism has been purposely left indefinite; as the modes and forms of external worship, in the New Testament, generally have been. It is not consistent with

the spirit of the New Testament dispensation, to lay grea stress upon external forms and ceremonies. It was otherwise under the Old Testament dispensation; because that was typical. Then, external forms and ceremonies were significant as the types and figures, or shadows, as the apostle calls them, of good things to come. To change their form would have been to destroy their typical significancy, and to render them nugatory, as to the end designed by them. Hence Moses was admonished of God "when he was about to make the tabernacle; for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern showed to thee in the mount." (Heb. viii. 5.) Forms and ceremonies, therefore, under that dispensation, were particularly and precisely prescribed and defined. But under the gospel it is not so. The whole stress is laid upon the spirit, the principle, the motive: and forms and ceremonies are very little accounted of, and in no case particularly and definitely prescribed. So it is with regard to the other Christian ordinance-the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. We are not told how often it was to be administered; whether once a week, as seems to have been the practice of the apostles; or once a month, as some churches have judged most expedient; or once or twice a year, as others. We are not told whether the wine was to be sweet, as some of late have concluded, or fermented; whether pure, or diluted with water, as others think. With regard to the bread to be used; it is not decided whether it should be unleavened, as was doubtless that first used at its institution, and which some think should still be used; or leavened, as is perhaps more common at the present day. The time of day is not prescribed as was that of the passover; and it was first instituted in the night. The posture in which it is to be received is not pointed out: whether sitting, as is common with us; or kneeling, as some think most proper; or reclining, as Christ and his apostles probably first received it. And we are nowhere informed whether women were entitled to this ordinance; but are left to infer their right from the nature of the case. The same might be said of the external forms of religious worship. The apostle Paul corrects some abuses and irregularities that had sprung up in the Church at Corinth; such as, several persons speaking at the same time-women speaking in the Church-irregularities in partaking of the Lord's Supper, &c. ; but there is no prescribed form of public worship any where laid down in the New Testa

ment. Can it then be reasonably supposed that in the single case of Baptism, so great stress should be laid on the external mode and form of it?-that in this one instance, the spirit of the gospel dispensation should be so far departed from, as to make the validity of the ordinance depend on the particular mode of its administration? I cannot think so. The mode of administering Baptism, as well as the other external forms of Christian worship, as I conceive, come under the general rules of the apostle-"Let all things be done decently and in order”- Let all things be done unto edification"—and may therefore be modified according to the particular circumstances in which men are placed.

2. Christianity was designed to be an universal religion, extending to every nation and tribe of men on the earth; and therefore adapted to every condition of our globe, and to all the varieties and habits of human society. Baptism by immersion, in many parts of the world, would be very inconvenient. In very high latitudes, it would be impracticable to obtain water of a proper temperature, through the greater part of the year at least, without applying to it artificial warmth. In many regions of the world it would be very difficult, if not impracticable, to obtain a sufficient quantity of water. In the sandy deserts of Africa, the faithful Mussulman, in the absence of water, performs his prescribed ablutions with sand. But in Baptism, if the element might be changed, it would be rather difficult, as well as dangerous, to immerse in sand. And in many feeble states of bodily health, immersion in water would be attended with no little danger to the individual, and in some cases perhaps, produce instant death. With our habits of society, Baptism by immersion is attended at times, with no little inconvenience-requiring a change of raiment, a dressing room, sufficient quantity and depth of water, &c., not to say, that it places the female subject in an attitude, not very congenial with our common sense of delicacy. Unless a baptistery be provided, which cannot commonly be done; it prevents that solemn ordinance being performed in the church, where we think all public acts of religious worship should be performed. There must be a resort to some stream or pond of sufficient capacity and depth, attended often with no little disorder and confusion. But I will not say all on this subject that I think might be said. It is not denied that Baptism by immersion was practised at a very early period in the east; but with them it was attended with much less inconvenience

than with us. Their climate was mild most of the year round; they wore loose garments, went with naked feet, or only with sandals, and were in the common habit of bathing.

3. It is acknowledged on all hands that Baptism is emblematical, and is intended to represent moral purifica tion-the cleansing efficacy of the blood of Christ in procuring the pardon of sin, and the regenerating and sanctifying influences of the Holy Spirit upon the heart. But it is evident that the idea of moral purification may be as well represented by sprinkling or pouring, as by immersion. And a small quantity of water will be as significant, as an emblem, as a large quantity. The quantity of water effects nothing towards the end designed. If indeed the design were "the putting away of the filth of the flesh," which the apostle says, it is not, (1 Pet. iii. 21,) the thing would be quite otherwise. The quantity of water would then be a material point; and it might be necessary not only to plunge the body into it, but then to rub and wash it well. But as Baptism is only emblematical of moral purification, and the "answer of a good conscience before God," in having obeyed his commandments; the quantity of water is wholly immaterial-a drop is as good as an ocean.

But how is the blood of Christ represented as being applied to the sinner's heart? Always by sprinkling. Having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience," says the apostle, "and our bodies washed with pure water." (Heb. x. 22.) "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Christ." (1 Pet. i. 2.) Here are the two sources of moral purification; the sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience, and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. By the one, comes the pure heart; by the other, cancelled guilt. The blood of Christ is called the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than the blood of Abel." The blood of the paschal lamb, a type of Christ, was to be sprinkled on the door posts of their houses. So the apostle tells us, (Heb. ix. 19—22) that "when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book and all the people, saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. Moreover he sprinkled likewise with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry. And almost all things are by the law purged

with blood and without shedding of blood there is no remission." One source of that moral purification then, of which Baptism is the external sign, viz. the blood of Christ, seems uniformly represented as being applied by sprinkling. Isaiah in reference to the same thing, speaking of the extension of Christ's kingdom, says, "So shall he sprinkle many nations." (Isaiah lii. 15.) And Ezekiel, speaking of the restoration of the Jews, says, that they shall be cleansed from all their filthiness and idols;—and how? by immersion? Not at all, "I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean; from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you." (Eze. xxxvi. 25.) Here is the idea of cleansing, as it is all along, and yet it is by sprinkling. And I have no doubt that there is an allusion here to water Baptism.

But how is the Spirit, which is the other source of that moral purification of which Baptism is the external sign, represented as being applied? The Holy Spirit is every where represented as being poured out, shed down, or distilled like rain or dew. The texts of Scripture to this effect are very numerous, and familiar to every one, and I need not recite them. Now if there is to be any similarity or agreement between the sign and the thing signified— between Baptism with water, and spiritual Baptism, or that moral purification effected by the blood and spirit of Christ-between having "our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water,' as the apostle expresses it; surely Baptism should be performed by sprinkling or pouring, and not by immersion. And the apostle John tells us that the Spirit, the water, and the blood agree in one. They agree in the moral purification of the heart: the Spirit effecting it by regeneration, the blood by its atoning efficacy, and the water representing and sealing it as an external sign-and should they not agree in the manner of their application?

4. But we shall be told that this is all speculation; that we must go to the very words of institution, and to the practice of the apostles, to ascertain the mode of Baptism— That Christ is king in Zion, and head over his church, and has a right therefore to prescribe laws for its government: and that it is our duty to obey, and not to decide or conjecture what is right and fit in the matter. "To the law, and to the testimony."-To this I say agreed: and our appeal shall now be directly to that quarter.

Baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the