Go ye, He said unto them, "All power is given f Mat.xxvii. 18, 19. them, the Holy they spake with In this narration, Acts xix. Holy Ghost is re 1-6. h Acts viii. 9-13. h "both men and women' of Samaria, including Simon the sorcerer, "when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of GOD, and the name of Jesus Christ, were baptized;" and, "when the apostles, which were at Jerusalem, heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John, who, when they were come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost; for, as yet, He was fallen upon none of them, only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then laid they hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. And, when Simon saw, that, through the laying on of the apostles' hands, the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands he may receive the Holy Ghost. But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of GOD may be purchased with money, thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter; for thy heart is not right in the sight of GOD; repent, therefore, of this thy wickedness, and pray GoD, if, perhaps, the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee, for I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the i k i k 14-23. bond of iniquity.” So that, believing in Acts viii. Christ and being baptized in His name by Philip, had not procured for these "men and women" of Samaria the gift of the Holy Ghost; but this "gift" was imparted to them, afterwards, when Peter and John had laid hands on them. And, although Simon the sorcerer "himself believed also, and, when he was baptized, continued with Philip and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done;" yet, he was so — — 13. far from having received this "gift," that Peter told him that he had " neither part nor lot in this matter," but was still "in the bond of iniquity." We also read, that, when Peter, who was preaching to Cornelius and his kinsmen and near friends, in the presence of certain of the brethren who had accompanied Peter from Joppa, was yet uttering the declaration, that, through the name of Christ, whosoever believed on Him should "receive remission of sins," "the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed, were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles, also, was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify -48. GOD. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized Acts x. 43 in the name of the Lord.' So that, we see, that the gift of the Holy Ghost was imparted to the unbaptized, and that those who had thus, received it, afterwards underwent the rite of baptism. Some, then, who had been baptized, had not received the Holy Ghost, but had that " gift," subsequently, imparted to them; and others, that had received the Holy Ghost, while yet, unbaptized, subsequently underwent the rite of baptism. So that the gift of the Holy Ghost was independent of the performance of the rite of baptism. As faith, on the part of the Christian neophyte, is a necessary prelude and accompaniment to his subjection to the rite of baptism; it is evident, that an infant, whose reasoning faculties are, as yet, undeveloped, cannot possess that essential requisite which gives to that rite all its force and import. And, moreover, as infants are not cognizant of the law of righteousness; as they do not possess that " knowledge of good and evil" which is the ground-work of human sinful i. 39.Rom. ix. 11. ness; so, cannot they have committed sin.mm See Deut. Infants, therefore, cannot require the rite of baptism. They cannot have faith; they have not any "knowledge of good and evil;" they have not any law in their minds, not any law, as yet, legible in their hearts; they are sin-less. The scheme of Christianity fully embraces them, independently of any act or rite; for, "of such is the kingdom. of heaven." And, as we have, already, re- » Matt.xix. marked, while all the adult Israelites, who had rebelled in the wilderness, were excluded from the land of Canaan, (the land of promise, the figure of the heavenly Canaan), none of these, excepting Caleb, (who had 66 n 14. • Deut. i. 36. Heb. iv.8. Deut. i. 38. wholly followed Jehovah" ") and Joshua, (or Jesus) who was to "cause Israel to inherit it," (a type of Jesus Christ, who causes "the Israel of GOD" to inherit the heavenly Canaan), being permitted to enter it; yet, the infants and the children of these excluded Israelites were suffered to go into it: "Moreover your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children, which, in that day, had no knowledge of good and evil, they shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it."--39. Nor, do we, any where, find an injunction to |