name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, would be always apt to think thofe names to exprefs the Deity in which they were to believe; which he did not mean they should do. And fome of his followers have been fo difgufted with that form of baptifm, that they have given profane infinuations that those words were not originally in the fcripture; but were taken from the ufual doxology into the form of baptism, and then inserted into the text of Matt. xxviii. 19.'*—The fame fufpicions, relating to this matter, were entertained by Mr. Thomas Bradbury, as appears by the following words: My friends, I ought to warn you, that the main debate in a little time will be, not how much water should be used, but whether any at all. They who deny the doctrine of the Trinity are fo uneafy at the form of words, that our Saviour has made effential to baptifm, that they have a great mind to lay afide the ordinance, as Socinus did in Poland. They write and argue that it is not neceffary; by which if they mean any thing that is worth our heeding, it must be, that it is not commanded. For though we dare not say that it is neceffary to God's grace, yet the question is whether he has not made it fo to our duty? And when they afk you, Whether a man may not be faved without it? Do you ask them, whether he is obedient without it? whether he ftands complete in all the will of God? whether he fulfils all righteousness? or whether he neglects to do what the fcripture told him he ought to do "+ * History of Infant Baptism, Part II. Chap. VII. · † Duty and Doctrine, p. 52. It is with peculiar pleasure, on this occafion, that I introduce the following pertinent paffage from a little publication written by Mr. John Ryland. His words are thefe: Dr. Daniel Water land justly observes, that the true doctrine of the Trinity and the atonement of Chrift, have been kept up in the Christian church, by the inftitutions of baptifm and the Lord's fupper, more than by any other means whatsoever; and, humanly speaking, these glorious truths, which are effential to falvation, would have been loft long ago, if the two pofitive inftitutions had been totally neglected and difufed amongst profeffors of Chriftianity. In this point of view, baptism and the Lord's fupper appear to be of unspeakable importance to the glory of God, and the very being of the true church of Chrift on earth.'*-Again; In another little piece, to which I have already referred, and of which the fame worthy minifter of Jefus Chrift has expreffed his approbation in more ways than one, though it does not bear his name, I find the following strong affertions relating to the importance and utility of baptifm. It is highly incumbent on all that love the Lord Jefus Christ in sincerity, and are glad to behold their Saviour in every view in which he is pleased to reveal himself, to confider the dignity and glory of his holy inftitutions. These laft legacies of a dying Saviour, these pledges of his eternal and immutable love, ought to be received with the greatest reverence and the warmest gratitude. And as they directly relate to the death of the great Redeemer, which is an event the most interefting, an action the moft grand and noble Beauty of Social Religion, p. 10. that ever appeared in the world, they ought to be held in the highest efteem, and performed with the utmoft folemnity. Of thefe inftitutions, baptifm calls for our firfl regard, as it is appointed to be firft performed and however lightly the inconfiderate part of mankind may affect to treat this ordinance, it ought to be remembered, [I hope Candidus, and especially Pacificus, will never forget it] that Chrift himfelf confidered it and fubmitted to it, as an important part of that righteoufnefs which it became even the Son of God to fulfil. As this ordinance is to be once performed, and not repeated, every Chriftian ought to be particularly careful that it is done in a right manner; or the benefit arifing to the foul from this inftitution is loft, and loft forever. We ought with the utmost deliberation and care to confider-its own native dignity, as an action of the pofitive or ritual kind, the most great and noble in itself, and well pleafing to God, that it is poffible for us to perform on this fide heaven. In this action, Christians, you behold the counfel of God; it is the refult of his wife and eternal purpose: it is clearly commanded in his word: it is enforced by his own example; and honoured in the most distinguished and wonderful manner, by every Perfon in the adorable Trinity. This ordinance is no trivial affair; it is no mean thing; and whoever is fo unhappy as to defpife it, wants eyes to fee its beauty and excellency. Our great Redeemer feems to have defigned this ordinance as a test of our fincerity, and to diftinguifh his followers from the reft of mankind. As a captain who, to try a new foldier, employs him at first in fome arduous and important fervice; fo our Saviour, to try his own work, and to make the reality of his powerful grace in the hearts of his people manifest to themselves and to the world, calls them out at first to a great and fingular action, and requires their fubmiffion to an institution that is difguftful to their nature and mortifying to their pride.' And the title of the pamphlet, from which these extracts are made, fpeaks of baptifm, As an act of fublime worship to the adorable Perfons in the Godhead-As a reprefentation of the fufferings of Chrift, his death, burial, and refurrection-As the answer of a good confcience towards God-As an emblem of regeneration and fanctification-As a powerful obligation to newness of life-And as a lively figure of the natural death of every Christian.’* Mr. Daniel Turner has alfo borne his teftimony to the usefulness and importance of baptifm. For, fpeaking of that ordinance, he fays: Chrift himfelf fubmitted to this rite, as administered by John; not indeed with the fame views, or to the fame ends, with others; but as pointing out by his example, the duty of Chriftians in general. He alfo gave his minifters a commiffion and order, to baptize all the nations they taught.-It appears that being baptized, was the common token of fubjection to Chrift, and necessary to a regular entrance into is vifible church. And, when defcribing the qualifi cations of those that are to be received into communion, he fays; They fhould be acquainted with the chief defign of the rites and pofitive inftitutions of Christianity, and reverently use them; viz. baptism, and the Lord's fupper.' Once more : Speaking of that refpect which the two pofitive appointments have to vifible fellowship among be * Six Views of Believers' Baptifm, p. 1, 2, 3, 15. lievers, he fays; Baptism, indeed, by which we are first formally incorporated into the visible church, or body of Chrift, is the beginning and foundation of this external communion: but the Lord's fupper is beft adapted for the conftant fupport and continual manifestation of it.'* Nay, he mentions the reverent ufe of the two facraments, among thofe things which are effential to the conftitution of a particular vifible church.'t After fuch confiderations as thefe, relating to the vaft utility and grand importance of baptifm, one cannot but wonder at Pacificus, Candidus, and others of our opponents that were never fufpected of Antitrinitarian error; calling that ordinance a Ron-essential, an external rite, an indifferent thing, a Shadow, a mere outward form; comparing it with the antiquated rite of circumcifion, in the apoftolic age. How different this way of talking from the quotations I have juft produced; efpccially thofe I have taken from pieces that were either published, or compofed and recommended, by my worthy friend Mr. Ryland! For he looks upon baptifm, in connexion with the Lord's fupper, as of unfpeakable importance to the glory of God, and the very being of a true church upon earth. He infifts upon it, that baptism demands the believer's regard, prior to the holy fupper, as it was appointed to be first administered: and he feverely cenfures those inconfiderate mortals, who treat the ordinance lightly. Mr. Turner alfo, as we have feen, maintains that baptifm is the duty of Chriftians in general; that - * Compend. Social Religion, p 27. (Net2); and p. 63, 120. (Note). + Sec p. 5. Note, |