subject of faith in such a manner, that, had he died in infancy, he would certainly have been received into Heaven. What was true of him, can be true of any other infant. The objection, therefore, is founded in error.

4. It is objected also, that Infants cannot make a profession of Faith; and that such a profession is a necessary qualification for Baptism.

That Infants are unable to make a profession of faith is obvious; but that such a profession is a necessary qualification for Baptism, in all instances, cannot be proved. Cornelius, and they that were with him, made no such profession. No profession was demanded by St. Peter: nor were any questions asked concerning the subject. They, indeed, gave evidence, and God furnished evidence for them, that they were true disciples of Christ. The Holy Ghost fell on them; and they spake with tongues, and magnified God. These facts, and not a profession of faith, are alleged by St. Peter as the reason, why he baptized them. Acts xi.

15-17.

This conduct of Peter, which was directed by the Holy Ghost, is clearly expressive of the pleasure of God concerning this subject; and proves beyond debate, that a profession is not always necessary, nor always required, as a qualification for Baptism. The objection, therefore, is not founded in truth.

A Profession is required as evidence of the faith and piety of the Candidate. Whenever, therefore, such evidence is complete without it, the Profession, so far as this end is concerned, is of no use. In ordinary cases a profession is indispensable to an adult, as a proof of his fitness for the reception of this sacrament; and, at the present time, is indispensable in all cases, where adults are concerned; because, as I have shown in a former discourse, it is required in the Scriptures; and because it furnishes important evidence of their character as proper Candidates for Baptism. But, if God has exhibited a part of mankind as proper candidates for this ordinance by an institution of his own, and has not required a profession of them, the use of a profession, and the right of demanding it, so far as they are concerned, is taken away: their fitness for Baptism being, completely proved in another manner.

It is, however, true, that Infants are baptized in consequence of a profession of faith; but it is the profession of their parents; not their own.

5. It is further objected, that persons baptized in infancy, prove, that they were improper candidates for this ordinance by the future degeneracy of their conduct.

The real amount of this objection is, that no persons can be proper subjects of Baptism, to the human eye, who, after their reception of this sacrament, prove themselves to be unrenewed.

This objection fails, because it proves too much. It proves not only, that adults, who are candidates for this ordinance, are often

improper subjects of it, but that the rules, given in the Scriptures for our direction concerning this subject, are insufficient, and useless. If we are required to baptize none, but those who are regenerated; it is absolutely necessary, that we should know whether the candidates for this sacrament are regenerated, or not. But this no Scriptural rule enables us to know, even in a single instance. All Scriptural rules, therefore, concerning this subject, are, on this ground, destitute of any use to us; since we can never lawfully baptize. The Apostles themselves certainly did not always know; for they baptized Hymenæus, Philetus and others, who afterwards proved themselves to be sinners. According to this objection, therefore, the Apostles acted with plain impropriety.

Should it be granted, then, as it must be, that ministers act lawfully, and Scripturally, in baptizing some persons, who afterwards plainly appear to be unregenerated; the objection fails, and is given up; since the objector concedes the very point, for which he contends; to wit, that regeneration is indispensable in the candidate, in order that he may be lawfully baptized. The truth obviously is; this objection is founded in gross error.

The rules, given by God, alone render baptism lawful in any case. No qualifications in any person render him a proper candidate for Baptism, in any other sense, than as they place him within these rules. Without these rules, Regeneration would not render his Baptism lawful. With them we are to accord in every case; and are to ask no questions concerning any thing, except what they require.

6. It is objected further, that all baptized persons are, by that class of Christians to whom I have attached myself, considered as members of the Christian Church; yet those, who are baptized in Infancy, are not treated as if they possessed this character. Particularly, they are not admitted to the Sacramental Supper; nor made objects of Ecclesiastical discipline.

As this objection has, in my own view, a more serious import, than any other, which has been alleged, it deserves a particular consideration.

In the first place, I acknowledge without hesitation, that the conduct of those, with whom I am in immediate communion, and, so far as I know them, their opinions, also, with regard to this subject, are in a greater or less degree erroneous, and indefensible.

Many of the Churches of this Country, and many of its ministers also, appear to me to have judged, and acted, with less accuracy, with less of scheme and comprehensiveness, concerning this subject, than concerning most others. I certainly do not intend to injure either Churches, or Ministers, by this remark; and persuade myself, that I do not. A considerable number of the Ministers have expressed to me their own dissatisfaction with both the views, and the practice, of both themselves and their fellow-Christians, with respect to persons baptized in Infancy. I am equally

dissatisfied with my own former views, and practice, respecting this subject; and readily admit, that a part of what is contained in this objection is justly chargeable on many Churches, and many Ministers, who hold the doctrine of Infant Baptism. But it lies only against the errors of men, who adopt this doctrine, and not against the doctrine itself.

That Infants should be baptized, and then be left by Ministers, and Churches, in a situation, undistinguishable from that of other children, appears to me irreconcilable with any scriptural views of the nature, and importance, of this Sacrament.

Secondly. If baptized Infants are members of the Christian Church, I think we are bound to determine, and declare, the Nature, and Extent, of their membership, as it exists in our view.

That they are members of the Christian Church, if lawfully baptized, I fully believe. All persons are baptized, not in, but into, the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; that is, they are in this ordinance publicly and solemnly introduced into the family, and entitled in a peculiar manner to the name, of God. Accordingly they are called Godly; Christians; Spiritual; Sons and Daughters of God; and Children of God; throughout the Scriptures. That this is the true construction of the passage just quoted is, I think, obvious from the Greek phraseology, is to ovoua, the proper English of which is, into the name. Accordingly it is customarily rendered in this manner, by the Translators of our Bible in those passages where the same subject is mentioned. Thus, Rom. vi. 3 4, St. Paul asks, Know ye not, that so many of us, as were baptized INTO Jesus Christ, were baptized INTO his death? Therefore we are buried with him by Baptism INTo death. 1 Cor. xii. 13; For by one Spirit we were all baptized INTO one body. Gal. iii. 27; As many of you, as have been baptized INTO Christ, have put on Christ. In all these instances the phraseology is the same with that first quoted; and, from analogy, teaches us, that it ought, there also, to have been rendered in the same manner into, being the original and proper meaning of the preposition; and in, being a meaning so uncommon, as heretofore to have been resolved into a Hebraism. Several of these passages. also, directly declare, that those, who are baptized, are baptized into Christ; that is, into the Church, or Body of Christ. At the same time, there is no other account given of this subject. Nor is there any thing in the ordinance of Baptism, which in any manner indicates, that adults, when baptized, are members of the Church and that baptized Infants are not members.

To these observations it is to be added, that there is but one passage, in which in the Name of Christ is joined with the verb baptize; viz. Acts ii. 33, where the preposition is s. It is also to be observed, that the preposition as is never used in any other case, where any thing is done, or said to be done, in the name of Christ; denoting that it is done by his authority. I conclude

therefore, that all those persons, who have been baptized, are members of the Christian Church.

Still, no persons, in my view, become members of the Christian Church by the ordinance of Baptism, in the sense, most commonly intended by those, who use this phraseology.

To make my own apprehensions concerning this subject, clear to those, who hear me, it will be useful to consider some of the meanings, annexed to the word Church. This word denotes, in the first place, The Invisible kingdom of Christ in this world; consisting of all those who are sanctified.

Secondly; The visible kingdom of Christ in this world; consisting of all those, who have publicly professed the Christian religion, and, in my own view, of their baptized offspring, who have not arrived at adult age.

Thirdly; It denotes, also, any body of Christians, who hold the same doctrines, and are united in the same worship and discipline. Thus we speak of the Church of England, of Scotland, or of Holland, of the Lutheran, Greek, and Romish Churches.

Fourthly; It denotes, also, any body of Christians, who worship together in the same place, under the care of the same Minister.

From this account of the different meanings of the word Church, it is evident, that, when persons, baptized in Infancy, are said to be members of the Church, the word cannot be used in all these senses. Such a person is not, of course, a member of the Romish Church, the Church of England, a Presbyterian Church, the Lutheran Church, or the Church of Holland.

Again; A person, baptized in the Church of England, and communing with that Church, is not of course a member of the Church of Scotland, or of the Presbyterian Church in America.

Once more; A person, baptized in one of the Churches of this State, and acknowledged as a member in regular standing, is not, of course, a member of another of these Churches. He could claim no right to vote, or to perform any other act of membership, on the ground of his admission into some other Church.

Finally; A person, baptized in the house, in which one of our Churches customarily worships, and by its own Minister, is not of course a member of that Church.

A Presbyterian from Scotland may, in adult age, be conscientiously baptized by a Minister of one of our Churches; and yet, having no intention of becoming a communicant in that Church, may never become a member of it; or, in other words, never acquire a right to perform any act of membership.

From these remarks, it is perfectly plain, that something beside Baptism, nay, that something, beside making a profession of Religion, is necessary to constitute any person a member of a particular Church; or of a body of Christians, worshipping together in one place, under the care of one Minister, and acting together in ecclesiastical business.

The same doctrine may be also illustrated in another manner. Persons are not unfrequently dismissed from particular Churches, in good standing, and with full recommendations of their Christian character. These persons are certainly not members of any particular Church, or Churches, until they are severally united to other Churches in form. It is plain, that they can act no where as members of the Church of Christ, except in what is called occasional communion.

Further; a Minister by his ordination is constituted not a Minister of a particular Church, but of the Church of Christ at large; and is acknowledged as such by all who consider his ordination as valid. Accordingly, he performs all the common duties of the Ministry wherever he is called to perform them; particularly in vacant Churches; with the same propriety, and authority, as in the Church immediately under his care. He becomes the Minister of a particular Church, solely by the fact, that it is committed to him in charge by the proper Ecclesiastical authority. In accordance with this view of the subject, he is removed from the superintendence of one Church, and placed over another, by the same authority, as often as it is judged proper. But his ordination is never performed a second time, although the charge, which conveys to him the superintendence of a particular Church, may be repeated several times during the course of his ministry. According to this scheme, also, Individual ministers are not unfrequently ordained as Evangelists; and have no particular Churches committed to their care.

From all these facts, it is evident, that a person may be a member of the Church of Christ at large; and not a member of a particular Church. A Minister is a member of the Church of Christ at large; but is never, in the proper sense, a member of a particular Church. Peculiarly is this evident, when he is dismissed in good standing: for then his only relation to the Church, heretofore under his superintendence, has ceased. An Evangelist, also, that is, a minister ordained at large, and having no particular ·Church committed to his care, is a minister in the Church General; and is acknowledged as such by all those who acknowledge the validity of his ordination. He is not, in any sense, the minister of a particular Church; nor in any sense, a member of such a Church.

When an adult offers himself for Baptism; he professes his faith, and enters into covenant with God; or makes a profession of piety. He then receives baptism, as a seal on the part of God, of his own covenant with the man, and of his acceptance of him into his family. As this seal is voluntarily received by the man; it becomes, also, his own seal of his own covenant with God; a solemn and final acknowledgment of his enrolment in the same family. He is now, therefore, a member of the Church; and may lawfully