teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft:" and, because there are many duties incumbent upon the followers of Jefus Chrift, it is added

Teaching them to obferve all things whatsoever I have commanded you.'

The fame order is obferved by the Evangelist Mark, chap. xvi. 15, 16. "And he faid unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature : He that believeth, and is baptized, shall be faved; but he that believeth not, shall be damned." Obferve, preaching and believing precede Baptifm.

I pass on to the Acts of the Apostles.— It is to be fuppofed, that these inspired fervants of the exalted Jefus were taught by his Spirit to understand the commiffion which they had received: how did they act? After they had been endued with power from on high, Peter preached a folemn fermon; many of his hearers were pricked in their hearts, and faid unto him and to the rest of the Apoftles, "Men and

brethren, what fhall we do?" Then Peter faid unto them, " Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jefus, for the remiffion of fins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." Obferve,-Peter firft preached; the power of God attended the word; many who heard were convinced of fin, and inquired concerning falvation: he first inculcated repentance, and then Baptism.

It may be asked, Did they act agreeably to this word of exhortation ?-read the 41ft verse of the above quoted chapter (Acts ii.) "Then they, that gladly received his word, were baptized; and the fame day, there were added unto them about three thoufand fouls." First, gladly received the word; then, were baptized; and after this, joined in communion with the Difciples:-the order which we think it our duty to observe. Could they be infants ?-Judge ye what I fay.

But it may be fome of my dear hearers will fay, "You have ftudioufly paffed over unnoticed a paffage which has had

con

confiderable influence upon our practice, refpecting our dear offspring, and which has fometimes been infifted upon by the moft wife and learned of our ministers, as directly in favour of our practice; yea, as containing almost demonstration upon the fubject; namely, ver. 39, The promise is unto you, and to your children.'I purpose to take notice of these words: the Lord forbid that I fhould either trifle with or pervert the facred Scriptures.

Remember, alfo, I have the happiness to be a father; and, I truft, feel in my breaft parental affection toward my dear children; yea, the tender paternal affection of a chriftian parent: I defire daily, by prayer, to commit my tender offspring to -the bleffing of heaven, and earnestly to beg, above all things, that they may be taught to know themselves as finners, to know and love our Lord Jefus Chrift, and then to follow him in his ordinances.-To baptize them without a divine command, would fubject me to that penetrating in

terrogative, "Who hath required this at your hand?" Ifa. i. 12.

Inftead of wishing to evade the paffage referred to, I rejoice in it; whether, by “ the promise," you understand the promise of the Holy Spirit, the promise of divine forgiveness, or the grand promife of eternal life.

The promise is to you, who are now made fenfible of your finfulness; and to your children, upon whofe heads you have awfully imprecated the blood of Chrift, by faying "His blood be on us and on our children:" Matt. xxvii. 25. concerning whom, probably, you now feel the most painful anxiety. And to all that are afar off, even to poor outcast finners of the Gentiles, the promises are pregnant with bleffings Even as many as the Lord our God fhall call," as I truft he has you, by the miniftry of his word, and the almighty energy of his Holy Spirit.

I confefs I cannot fee any thing in the paffage which relates to the baptism of

children: Neither, perhaps, after all, is it quite fo plain as fome have imagined; or the late learned Dr. Hammond, who was an advocate for the baptifm of infants, would not have faid, "If any have made ufe of that very inconcludent argument, Acts ii. 39. I have nothing to fay in defence of them."-See his Works, Vol. I. page 490.

I proceed to other inftances, in this part of facred record, of perfons being baptized.

Philip, one of the feven deacons, went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Chrift unto them: "And when they believed Philip, preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jefus Chrift, they were baptized, both men and women. Acts viii. 12. The perfons are exprefly faid to be men and women, without the leaft hint in reference to children; and the characters of thefe perfons, who were baptized, are recorded as being alfo believers.