ligion, which ever appeared in the world; a religion in itfelf every way worthy of God, and fit for men, every way falutary and beneficial to the virtuous and good, should, by the unwarrantable additions, alterations, and unfcriptural practices of its profeflors, and in fome measure to their own fhame and confufion, be thus expofed to the contempt, and derifion of its avowed enemies, in these words?

7" Where is reafon concerned, when babes accept the "terms of falvation by deputy, and are intitled to all the "privileges of the most extenfive faith by another's act? "By the baptifmal ceremony they commence true be"lievers at once, and are made heirs of heaven, you "know, by the faith of their bondfmen." (page 9.) And to the fame purpofe, in your 69th page,' "The "merits of the moft finished conviction are already "theirs by imputation, &c."

This is all that the doctor quotes from this writer's objection on the head of baptifm, but if my readers turn back to page 14. they will there fee it more at large: tho' to this the doctor replies, very honestly indeed, but in fuch a manner, as if he was confcious, that his own practice of infant-fprinkling was alfo indefenfible. For he fays, Now here, Sir, I am obliged to fay, that if there be any form of baptifm in the chriftian world, which justifies * fuch inferences and fuch a manner of speaking, I am extremely forry for it. But I am very confident, the fcripture teaches nothing of this kind;' [no, nor yet the doctor's own method and pleas for infant-baptifm, any more than thofe of our established church, the kirk of Scotland, or the church of Rome.] And,' as he very justly obJerves, it is by that, [viz. the fcripture] and not by the rubrick [or customs] of any particular church, whether Popish or Proteftant, that the merits of this cause are to be tried.'Nor, as he elsewhere afferts, is this pofition only inconfiftent with the pertinency of any reafoning whatfoever, but particularly inconfiftent with that footing on which you profefs to place Chriftianity, when its rational proofs are [attacked or] given up.'

8

But the doctor proceeds thus, I cannot fee, how any fponfor, whether he be, or be not a parent, can pretend to answer for a child, that he fhall believe, or obey the gofpel: Nor does the bringing children to baptism, • by

7 Third Letter, p. 55. 8 First Letter, p. 10.

by any means imply it. Surely the doctor had forgotten the rubric of our eftablifhed church, which pofitively afferts it, as much as he had forgotten himself immediately after, when he tells us; they are thereby lifted under the banners of Chrift, fo far as they could be lifted by the act of another; fo that they must either confirm, or, in effect at leaft, renounce what was then done. But certainly the doctor must know, there are great numbers of fober perfons, who neither confirm nor renounce what was then done; who can never be prevailed upon to join in communion with any Chriftian fociety, nor yet openly, and profeffedly renounce and deny Chriftianity. And many others there are, who never think, nor concern themselves at all about the matter. He himself tells us of triflers in religion, fuch as are in doubt; but not folicitous to bring their doubts to an iffue. Does the doctor mean any or all of thefe, when he fpeaks of fome, who, in effect, renounce what was done? Surely he fhould have afcertained his meaning a little more clearly, that we might not mistake him. And does the doctor think, that tho' he gives up the unfcriptural ceremonies practifed by our established church, and the kirk of Scotland, that he can maintain his own? This he will find impoffible. Befides, his own conceffions are fo many and fo ftrong, that he cannot evade them. 9 He hath now rifen [up to] plead the injured caufe of God and virtue, against all the wretched train of fophiftry;' [which this infidel writer hath laid together] and I will venture to fay, that the arguments and the distinctions, by which he confutes [him] fhall be [his] own anfwer,' for which reafon I fhall bestow very little elfe upon him. He befpeaks his infidel thus:

I

As you take it for granted in the whole of your letter, that infant-baptifm is a chriftian ordinance, you will alfo allow me to mention it as a common principle, tho' little of my argument will depend upon its being fo.'

Here the doctor is very willing to agree with the Infidel, in taking that for granted, which ought firft to be proved, but there is a vast difference between them; for the Infidel may be thought exculable enough in doing fo, because, as he does not believe the fcriptures to be of divine authority, he cannot be under fo great obligation to examine them upon that point, as the doctor is. Moreover, as he forms his judgment of Chriftianity, and likewife of the pofitive

Second Letter, p. 56. First Letter, p. 13.

pofitive duties therein required, from what he obferves to be the belief and practice of Chriftians in general; how should he be fuppofed to think any otherwife about it? On the contrary, the doctor acknowledges, That his bufinefs is with the law, and with the teftimony, by which only the merits of this caufe are to be tried, and therefore it is abfolutely inexcufable in him to practise it, and yet evade the proof of it, as he does, by faying, "What reafon we have to conclude infant-baptifm a rite of divine inftitution, I fhall not now enquire. It is enough if I fhew, that admitting it to be fo, (which I really think it is very reasonable that we should admit) it by no means implies this abfurd confequence.'

But to use the doctor's own words immediately before, I am very confident, the fcripture teaches nothing of this kind; and it is by that, and not by the rubric of any parti uber church, whether Popish or Proteftant, that the merits this caufe are to be tried, and therefore if we do admit it without any proof from thence, notwithflanding adult-baptifm alone is fo very plainly and clearly taught there; fo thefe very abfurd, and moft pernicious confequences muft neceffarily art from it, namely, that the laws of Chrift in this inftitution are not much to be regarded; that the wifeft and beft difpenfation, which was ever given to men by the greatest law-giver, that ever appeared, and was fent from God, is fo very defective, that the imperfections thereof are forced to be fupplied, according as the various fancies of men fhall dictate, or fuggeft: notwithstanding one of the most eminent ambassadors of Chrift could, in a folemn manner, appeal to God, that he had not fhunned to declare unto his church all the counsel of God; and kept back nothing that was profitable unto them. Acts xx. 20—27; and hath warned us, in the ftrongest terms, not to admit any other gospel than that which he had preached, even tho' it fhould be brought by himself, or by an angel from heaven, upon pain of the fevereft anathema, Galat. i. 6-9.

It may indeed be very reafonable for the doctor, with all fuch as practise it, to admit it, because otherwise their own confciences must condemn them, as much as their own words, and conceffions do: but what is this to them, who abfolutely deny, there is any reafon to conclude, that infant-baptifm is a rite of divine inflitution; on the contrary, are well perfuaded that there is all the reafon in

Third Letter, p. 10.

the

6

men.

the world to conclude, it is not? And what will the doctor's admitting it in this manner, fignify to an Infidel, who must thereby see it is a mere begging the queftion; and only taking that for granted, which ought firft to be clearly proved from that very rule, by which Chriftians pretend to walk, and to be guided in all matters of religion. This the doctor never attempts, for in all his letters, where he occafionally mentions it, he takes it for granted, as I have already fhewn in fome, and might add more inftances. The doctor imagines indeed, that other ends might be answered by it, valuable enough to justify the wisdom of the ordinance; but let it be confidered, as the christian rule affures us, I Cor. i. ii. iii.That God will deftroy the wisdom of the wife, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wife? where is the fcribe? where is the difputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? Because the foolishness of God is wifer than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than For ye fee your calling, brethren, how that not many wife men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. But God hath chofen the foolish things of the world to confound the wife; and God hath chofen the weak things of the world, to confound the mighty; and the bafe things of the world, and things which are defpifed, hath God chofen, yea, and things which are not [esteemed] to bring to nought things that are that no flesh fhould glory in his prefence. That your faith fhould not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. Not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought. Which things alfo we fpeak, not in the words which man's wifdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghoft teachetb; comparing fpiritual things with fpiritual. Whereby St. Paul according to the grace of God given unto him, as a wife mafter builder, laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay, than that is laid, which is Jesus Chrift. Now if any man build upon this foundation, gold, filver, precious fones, wood, bay, fubble: every mans work fhall be made manifeft, for the day fhall declare it, because it fhall be revealed by fire; and the fire fhall try every man's work, of what fort it is. If any man's work abide, which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burnt, he shall fuffer lofs: but he himfelf fhall be faved; yet fo, as by fire. Let no man deceive himfelf: If any man among you feemeth to be wife in this

world,

world, let him become a fool, that he may be wife. For the wifdom of this world is foolishness with God: for it is written, he taketh the wife in their own craftiness. And again, the Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wife, that they are vain. Therefore let no man glory in men. 1 Cor. i. 19. tó ch. iii. 21. Ifhall leave the application of thefe fcriptures to the doctor, becaufe, with a long train of mays and may be's, he fays, other ends might be anfwered by it, valuable enough to juftify the wildom of the ordinance: As for instance, hereby parents may give a public token of their faith in Chriftianity, and their confequent defire that their children may partake of its benefits, and anfwer its demands: hereby they may folemnly declare their refolution to train them up in the inftitutions of our bleffed mafter, and their refignation of them to the difpofal of divine providence, if God fhould fee fit early to remove them: This alfo may remain, throughou all generations, as a memorial of the tendernefs which our Lord fhewed to little children, and of the perpetuity of that covenant, the efficacy of which reaches from one generation to another: and to add no more, it may lay a foundation for affectionate addreffes to the children afterwards, as being already lifted under the banners of Chrift, fo far as they could be lifted by the act of another; fo that they muft either confirm, or, in effect at leaft, renounce what was then done.'

6

6

But how should they renounce that, in which they never engaged themselves? As they never confented to the act, can they be at all bound by it? Befides, the practice. of these things, which are no where appointed, or required in the word of God, but are only the fancies and contrivances of men, mere human traditions, are attended with this ill effect, that the commandments of God are thereby made void, Matt. xv. 2-9. Mark vii. 2-9. By these thousands of fincere Chriftians are kept from fubmitting to Chrift's own inftitution of baptifm, to which they would otherwife have yielded themfelves, in the uprightness of their hearts; if their minds had not been foreftalled with this error, their judgments mifled, and their obedience hereby prevented. This is the great, I muft not fay valuable, end, which is anfwered by infant-baptifm; and in this they, who practife it, have no juft caufe to glory, as this wily Infidel has now fhewn them. And therefore, without entering into a more particular difcuffion of the doctor's valuable ends, I must' in his own words upon another point, take leave to premise I

་ one