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DIPPING

NOT THE ONLY

SCRIPTURAL AND PRIMITIVE MANNER

OF

BAPTIZING.

AND SUPPOSING IT WERE, YET A STRICT ADHERENCE

TO IT NOT OBLIGATORY ON US.

By MICAIAH TOWGOOD.

IN CHRIST JESUS, NEITHER CIRCUMCISION AVAILETH ANY THING, NOR UNCIRCUMCISION, BUT A NEW CREATURE.

Galat. vi. 15.

[FIRST PUBLISHED, 1751.]

THE subject of the ensuing Treatise is, in itself,

of so little moment, that it may seem needful to apologize for offering it to public view. But no one knows any thing of the history of religion, that hath not seen, with astonishment, the power of that name to make little things become great; to give trifles a solemn air; and to exalt circumstances and modes into objects, not of men's grave attention only, but of their warmest passions and zeal.

Even under the christian dispensation, that rational, sublime and spiritual scheme of worship, the minds of its professors have with great violence been agitated, and fierce controversies have arose upon the most frivolous points.-Whether the sacramental supper is to be eaten with leavened, or with unleavened bread?-Whether Eas ter is to be kept precisely on the fourteenth day after the first vernal moon; or, not till the Sunday following-Whether the Holy Ghost proceeded from the Father AND the Son: or, from the Father BY the Son ?-Whether the christian laity were to cross themselves with two fingers only; or, whether, like the clergy, they might not use three ?*-Furious and dire controversies to the terrible convulsion of kingdoms and states, and to the infinite reproach of the christian doctrine and name, have been kindled up in the church, upon such trifling debates.

The church, through the vast empire of Russia, was greatly rent and inflamed, even to tortures and death itself, in the reign of Czar Theodore, by this insignificant dispute. Vid. Present State of Russia-Vol. I. page 238. Voltaire says, a violent sedition was raised by it in Astracan. Life of Charles XII. page 21. Q

Of much the same moment is the point here discussed; viz. whether baptism is to be administered by dipping the body under water; or, by sprinkling or pouring on.

There are some worthy and good persons-(extremely strange to consider!) who lay so great stress upon this trivial circumstance in religion, as to allow none to be baptised christians but those who have been dipt-to break off christian fellowship, and renounce communion as saints, with men of the most shining piety, if they have not been thus baptized--and even to think themselves obliged to be unwearied in raising doubts and anxieties in the breasts of such, concerning the validity and truth of their baptism.

Many pious, but weak minds have been greatly disturbed, not to say distressed, with scruples on this head. When they hear it confidently affirmed -That baptism evermore, and constantly, implies dipping-That no person ever was, or can be, baptized, who has not been dipt-And consequently, that themselves are as really unbaptized, as pagans or Turks.-It fills them with concern. They doubt whether they are not wanting in obedience to an express command and institution of Christ.

Effectually to remove every scruple of this kind; to shew, that there is no occasion of putting this yoke upon the neck of the disciples, and to vindicate CHRISTIANITY from the unworthy imputation of laying so great a stress upon so merely cir cumstantial and external a thing, is the design of the ensuing treatise. How far it shall be effectual to answer this purpose, is humbly left to the favour of heaven; and to the calm and impartial judgment of those into whose hands it may happen

to fall.

THE

QUESTION.

Is CHRISTIAN-BAPTISM TO BE ADMINISTERED ONLY BY IMMERSION, OR DIPPING THE BODY UNDER WATER? OR, MAY IT NOT ALSO, BY SPRINKLING, OR POURING WATER ON IT?

THE following tract is intended to prove, FIRST, That dipping the body under water, was not the only antient and scriptural way of baptizing. And

SECONDLY, That, if it was, yet a strict adherence to it, is not obligatory upon us; but that this circumstance may, very lawfully and properly be now exchanged for that of sprinkling or pouring.

SECTION I.

IT is, first, to be shewn that dipping the body under water, was not the only ancient and scriptural way of baptizing. To which purpose, the three following things are premised; in which all a: agreed.

I. That baptism (i. e. water-baptism) is but an emblematical, or figurative thing.

II. That the general nature or design of this emblem or figure, is-by the application of water, to signify or betoken a person to be holy or clean; appropriated to, and fit for the divine service. And,

III. That baptism was really a divine institution; and, by the express command of GoD,

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