"BUT, without due confideration in examining for the light of the fcriptures upon this important point; in a hafty and inconfiderate manner, I confented to receive that ordinance again, by immerfion in the doing of which, I humbly conceive, I have not only renounced all that my parents had done for me, in baptifm; and what I had done, by receiving it as my baptifm; and what I had done for my children: But, alfo, I have trifled with this divine inftitution, and have broken covenant with God, and have juftly offended the great Head of the church. For which, I defire to take shame to myself; and to humble myself before God and men; and ask pardon and forgiveness.

"To God, I earnestly pray, that he would graciously pardon this my grievous offence against him, and his holy inftitutions; and again lift on me, a vile finner, the light of his countenance. I afk the forgiveness of all my chriftian friends, whom I have offended by this my hafty, wicked, and unjustifiable conduct.

"By the grace of God affifting me, I engage,. for the future, to be more confiderate and circumSpect in my walk; and to honour my holy profeffion, by a humble walk with God, and steadfastnefs in the faith and order of the gospel.

"I fincerely ask the prayers of all God's people, that I may be preferved from all errours, in future; and carefully adorn the doctrines and inftitutions of God our Saviour, in all things; and, at last, be found to divine acceptance.-AMEN.'

My christian brethren and fifters: I have no fault to charge upon you ;-to myself be all the folly, fhame, and guilt. I have done what I could, in public retraction, from a fincere defire that the

injury I have given Chrift, in the world, may, in fome measure, be wiped away; and you and all other churches and chriftians, be built up an holy people, in the Lord; and Satan rage in vain, and vent his malice to no purpose, except his confufion and utter deftruction.

I WISH for the honour to fubfcribe myself, your fifter, (though moft unworthy) in the common faith of Jefus Chrift, our bleeding Saviour.

ELIZABETH JACKSON.

FOR the fatisfaction of all, into whose hands this confeffion may fall, I hereby certify, from perfonal acquaintance, that the Rev. LATHROP THOMSON, is a gentleman of unblemished moral character, fincere piety, and of refpectable standing in the chriftian ministry. His ftatement, communicated to me, prefixed to the confeffion, may, therefore, be relied on, as a faithful narrative of facts; and not to be evaded, by the evil furmifings, and uncharitable reflections, of prejudiced or incredulous read

ers.

WALTER KING,
Paftor of a Church, in Norwich, Connecticut.

FINIS.

FOR

DECLINING TO ADOPT

THE

BAPTIST THEORY AND PRACTICE:

IN A

SERIES OF LETTERS

TO A

BAPTIST MINISTER.

BY NOAH WORCESTER, A. M.

Pastor of a Church in Thornton.

TO WHICH IS ADDED,

A QUESTION CONCERNING BAPTISM.

SOLOMON.

Rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.-Not he that commendeth himself is approved; but whom the Lord commendeth

ST. PAUL.

And he spake this parable unto certain, who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others.

ST. LUKE.

THIRD EDITION.

Charlestown, (Mass.)

PRINTED BY SAMUEL T. ARMSTRONG.

....

1809.

ADVERTISEMENT.

IT is very well known, that the denomination called Baptists, have claimed for themselves the honor of being the visible church of Christ, to the exclusion of all others; and that they have manifested a disposition to attribute it to criminal blindness, and selfish motives, that all who enjoy the light of the gospel do not embrace their distinguishing sentiments. This being the case, it doubtless behoves every one who is capable of it, seriously to inquire, Why he is not a Baptist? And if, on inquiry, any one finds that he has other reasons than those alleged against him, he has doubtless a right to exhibit them, in his own vindication, and for the consideration of others.

The writer of the following Letters has availed himself of this right; and he hopes that what he has written may be of use both to Baptists and Pedobaptists.

In writing the following Letters, the name Baptist has been generally used in preference to Anti-Pedobaptist; not as being more correct and distinguishing, but because that is the name by which the denomination generally distinguish themselves, and by which they are more universally known.

Letters to a Baptist Minister.

Rev. Sir,

LETTER I.

IN the discourse I lately had with you, some things were suggested, which have led me to serious inquiry. I cannot doubt that some persons have viewed me as inclined to the Baptist sentiments, excepting the sentiment of close communion. Such apprehensions probably arose from the following things;-the readiness which I have discovered in receiving Baptists into the church of which I have had the care; the affectionate freedom with which I have conversed with such Baptists as I esteemed real Christians; my exchanging with some preachers of that denomination; and my attempts to open the way for free communion between Baptists and Pedobaptists.

Nor can I say that I never had any doubts in my mind as to the truth of the Pedobaptist theory. In my younger years, I had some struggle in my mind. This I think was occasioned, in a great degree, by the overwhelming confidence with which the Baptist preachers and writers affirmed their sentiments. But in riper years, I became convinced that great confidence in asserting an opinion is no evidence of the rectitude of the sentiment, nor of the goodness nor prudence of him who makes use of this art to gain proselytes.

The struggle in my mind, however, had probably a salutary effect, in softening my feelings