tism; and by the Prophet Ezekiel, "Then will "I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall "be clean:"8 but to be had in view also by the Apostle, where he speaks of "having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bo"dies washed with pure water." And though it was less frequently used in the first ages, it must also of necessity have been sometimes used; for instance, when baptism was administered, as we read in the Acts it was, to several thousands at once; when it was administered on a sudden in private houses, as we find it, in the same book, to the gaoler and all his family, the very night in which they were converted; or when sick persons received it; in which last case, the present method was always taken, because the other, of dipping them, might have been dangerous. And from the same apprehension of danger in these colder countries, pouring the water is allowed, even when the person baptized is in health. And the particular manner being left at liberty, that is now universally chosen which is looked on as safer; because were there more to be said for the other, than there is, God "will have mercy, and "not sacrifice."3

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But washing with water is not the whole outward part of this sacrament. For our Saviour commanded his Apostles, not only to "baptize "all nations, but to baptize them in the name of "the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy "Ghost." Sometimes indeed the Scripture speaks of baptism, as if it were administered only "in "the name of the Lord Jesus."5 But it fully appears, 6 that the name of the Holy Ghost was used at the same time; and therefore that of the Father, we may be sure. Now being baptized

(8) Ezek. xxxvi. 25. (9) Heb. x. 22. (1) Acts ii. 41. (2) Acts xvi. 33. (3) Hos. vi. 6. Matt. ix, 13. xii. 7. (4) Mat. xxviii. 19. (5) Acts ii. 38. x. 48, xix. 5. (6) Acts xix. 2, 3.

"in the name" of these three, may signify being baptized by virtue of their authority. But the exacter translation is, “into the name,” and the fuller import of the expression is, by this solemn action taking upon us their name, (for servants are known by the name of their master,) and professing ourselves devoted to the faith, and worship, and obedience of these three; our Creator, our Redeemer, our Sanctifier. In this profession the whole of Christianity is briefly comprehended, and on this foundation therefore the ancient Creeds are all built.

The second and principal thing in Baptism, "the inward and spiritual grace," is said in the Catechism to be, 66 a death unto sin, and a new "birth unto righteousness; for that being by na"ture born in sin, and the children of wrath, we "are hereby made the children of grace." The former part of these words refers to the old custom of baptizing by dipping, just now mentioned; and the meaning of the whole is this. Our first parents having, by disobedience in eating the forbidden fruit, corrupted their own nature; ours, being derived from them, received of necessity an original taint of the same disorder: and therefore, coming into the world under the ill effects of their sin, and being from the time of our entering into it, prone to sin ourselves; we are said to be "born "in sin." And they having also, by the same disobedience, forfeited their immortality, we, as descending from them, become mortal of course; and inheriting, by way of natural consequence, what they suffered as a mark of God's wrath; we, their children, are said to be "children of wrath." Not that God, with whatever disapprobation he must view our native depravity, is, or properly speaking, can be angry with us personally, for what was not our personal fault. But he might undoubtedly both refuse us that immortality,

which our first parents had forfeited, and to which we have no right; and leave us without help, to the poor degree of strength that remained to us in our fallen condition; the effect of which must have been, that had we done our best, as we were entitled to no reward from his justice, so it had been such a nothing, that we could have hoped for little, if any, from his bounty; and had we not done our best, as no man hath, we had no assurance, that even repentance would secure us from punishment. But what in strict justice he might have done, in his infinite goodness he hath not done. For the first covenant being broken by Adam, he hath entered into a new one with mankind, through Jesus Christ; in which he hath promised to free us, both from the mortality which our first parents had brought upon us, by restoring us to life again; and from the inability, by the powerful assistance of his Holy Spirit. Nay, further yet, he hath promised, (and without it the rest would have been of small use) that should we, notwithstanding his assistance, fail in our duty, when we might have performed it; as we have all failed, and made ourselves, by that means, "children of wrath," in the strictest and worst sense; yet, on the most equitable terms, he would still receive us to mercy anew. And thus, the Christian covenant, delivering us, if we are faithful to it, from every thing we had to fear, and bestowing on us every thing we could hope, brings us into a state so unspeakably different from our former, that it is justly expressed by being dead to that, and born into another. And this new birth being effected by the grace or goodness of God, external and internal, we the children of it are properly called "the children of "grace." Now, baptism is not only a sign of this grace; (as indeed it signifies very naturally the washing off both of our original corruption, and

our actual guilt) but the appointed way of entering into the covenant that entitles us to such grace; the "means whereby we receive the same, and a "pledge to assure us thereof.”

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Indeed the mere outward act of being baptized is, as St. Peter, in the words already mentioned, very truly expresses it, the mere putting away "of the filth of the flesh;" unless it be made effectual to save us, as he teaches in the same place it must, by "the answer of a good conscience "towards God;"7 that is, by the sincere stipulation and engagement of "repentance, whereby

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we forsake sin; and faith, whereby we believe "the promises of God, made to us in that sacra"ment." For it is impossible that he should forgive us our past sins, unless we are sorry for them, and resolve to quit them; and it is as impossible that we should quit them effectually, unless a firm persuasion of his helping and rewarding us excite and support our endeavours. These two things therefore we see our Catechism justly mentions as necessary, in answer to the question, "What is required of persons to be baptized ?” Both have been explained in their proper place, and therefore I enlarge on neither here.

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But hence arises immediately another question: If these conditions are necessary, why are infants baptized, when by reason of their tender age "they cannot perform them ?" And as this diffi culty appears to some a great one, I shall give a fuller solution of it than the shortness of a Catechism would easily permit. Repentance and faith are requisite, not before they are possible, but when they are possible. Repentance is what infants need not as yet, being clear of personal guilt; and happy would it be, were they never to need it. Faith, it may be reasonably presumed, by the

(7) 1 Pet. iii. 12.

security given for their Christian education, they will have as soon as they have occasion to exert it. And in the mean time, baptism may be very fitly administered; because God, on his part, can certainly express by it, both his removing at present, the disadvantages which they lie under by the sin of Adam; and his removing hereafter, on proper conditions, the disadvantages which they may come to lie under by their own sins. And though they cannot, on their parts, expressly promise to perform these conditions, yet they are not only bound to perform them, whether they promise it or not; but (which is the point that our Catechism insists on) their sureties promise for them, that they shall be made sensible, as soon as may be, that they are so bound; and ratify the engagements in their own persons; which, when they do, it then becomes complete. For it is by no means necessary, that a covenant should be executed, by both the parties to it, at just the same time: and as the Christian covenant is one of the greatest equity and favour, we cannot doubt, to speak in the language of our Liturgy, "but that God favourably alloweth the charitable "work of bringing infants to his holy baptism." For the promise of the covenant being expressly said to belong to us and to our children," without any limitation of age; why should they not all, since they are to partake of the promise, partake also of the sign of it? especially, since the infants of the Jews were, by a solemn sign, entered into their covenant, and the infants of proselytes to the Jews, by this very sign, amongst others, of baptism. So that supposing the Apostles to imitate either of these examples, as they naturally would, unless they were forbid, which they were not; when they baptized (as the Scripture, with

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(8) Acts ii. 39.