entrance by means of that sign, seal and pledge which God

had sacramentally instituted. Nor was this obligation resting upon them as adults merely. It extended to the children also whose privilege it was to "be joined to the Lord" and thus to become "His people."

What then would a member of this Jewish church in announcing to his fellow members the nature of the Messiah's kingdom and of the church under Him-what would he understand by the words before us? What could either he or his readers possibly imagine as its meaning, but that this feature in the constitution of the church should continue and be gloriously displayed in its extension to many nations who should be there joined to the Lord and be His people? That children should be then excluded from God's covenant and from all the rights they had hitherto enjoyed most assuredly they never could infer from this declaration. Nor is it within the limits of possibility that this prophecy ever could be fulfilled on their principle who exclude infants from the Church of God, and they make it certain that no nation, or the bulk of it, ever could be joined to the Lord. The abandonment of this principle or of possible fulfillment of the divine word is therefore imperatively demanded. And for ourselves we say let God be true though every human system should be found baseless as a vision.

This passage therefore evidently teaches that by virtue of His mediation, atonement and sufferings Christ should, as Mr. Scott remarks, "sprinkle many nations with His atoning blood and by the pouring out of His spirit as purifying water of which baptism would be the outward and visible sign." "He shall sprinkle many nations," says Matthew Henry, "by the blood of sprinkling applied to their consciences-and by his heavenly doctrine." "He shall do it by baptism, which is the washing of the body with pure water. So that this promise had its accomplishment when Christ sent His apostles to disciple all nations by baptizing or sprinkling them.”

This view of the passage is not a little confirmed by the recorded fact that it was on this very portion of scripture the Ethiopian Eunuch was meditating when Philip was sent to him in the desert, and most probably he was led by it to solicit

baptism, which was administered we have no manner of doubt in the form of pouring or sprinkling.

It is apparent from these passages that our expectation is not disappointed. We don't find any intimations that God's covenant with His people and their infant offspring upon which the church had hitherto been founded should be abrogated under gospel dispensation. Such a declaration it is not pretended can be found. On the other hand, we do find the language of prophecy every where moulded in perfect conformity with this existing covenant-on the supposition that it should continue as the everlasting basis of the Church of God-and with an almost explicit enunciation of the fact that while it should continue it should be outwardly attested and confirmed by the outward application of water in the form of sprinkling.

Now when we turn to the New Testament we will find a wonderful harmony between its language and the prophetic annunciations. Listen to the words of Christ Himself: "And Jesus took a little child and set him by Him, and said unto them-Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me, and whosoever receiveth me receiveth Him that sent me." (Luke 9: 47, 48.) Christ here identifies children with Himself as His-as one with Him. But such an union can only exist in their relation to His mystical body, the church; and as baptism is the ordinance by which entrance to the church is given little children therefore are here declared to be worthy partakers of this rite. On another occasion He more explicitly teaches the same truth. (Mark 10: 14, 16.) "But when Jesus saw it He was much displeased and said unto them: Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the kingdom of God-and He took them up in His arms and blessed them." "Therefore I say unto you, says Christ to the Jews (Math. 21: 43), “the kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof." And thus when He had laid the deep foundations of the church in His death, and when He proclaimed that charter by which the church is upheld he said: "Go ye therefore and teach-that is disciple-all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy

Ghost." He spoke as by the flesh a Jew, and to Jews, and commands them to disciple all nations and to bring them into covenant with Him. And as up to this moment in every period of the church when any parents were proselyted their children also were regarded as disciples and received into the church. So does he unequivocally and without reservation command them to go and disciple all nations.

Hear also the Apostle Peter, very shortly after receiving this divine commission, when he addressed the assembled multitude as at Jerusalem: "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins * * * for the promise is unto you and your children and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." (Acts 2: 38, 39.) Now what is this but the renewal of God's promise to Abraham: "I will be a God to thee and to thy seed after thee?" Into this covenant the apostle had been admitted as an infant and he assures us that this covenant right continues. Into this covenant his hearers had in like manner been received and they were now informed that under the christian economy the same promise alluded sure to them and to their children.

Hear also the Apostle Paul:* "For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife" (not the believing wife, as many read the passage, but the wife who is in covenant with God), "and the unbelieving wife is," in like manner, "sanctified by the husband; else were children unclean," or beyond the covenant, "but now they are holy," or in a covenant relation to God. The visible church exists now under the same covenant as before. That covenant extends precisely to the same objects, and therefore whenever any parent has been received within it by the application to him of the initiating ordinance the promise is to him and to his children also, who being within the covenant ought of right to receive its seal.

Follow these apostles into their practice and we are confirmed in the same conclusion. In no less than five instances is the fact recorded that their families were included with the parents as in virtue of their faith holy unto the Lord. Thus the nobleman at Capernaum is said to have believed and all *1 Cor. 7, 14.

his house.* Cornelius is described as "one that feared God with all his house." They "were baptized in the name of the Lord." Thus also did Paul baptize "the household of Stephanas." (1 Cor. 1: 16.) Thus was "Lydia and her household baptized." (Acts 16: 15.) And thus also when the Philippian jailer was converted, "he was baptized-he and all his straightway."

The conclusion therefore is, we think, inevitable that unless the opponents of infant church membership can shew some positive enactment by which this characteristic principle in the constitution of the Church of God in all ages and under both the patriarchal and Mosaic dispensations has been abrogated— it must be regarded as unquestionably abiding sure to us and to our children and to as many as the Lord our God shall call. And as no such enactment is pleaded, we may well stand fast and rejoice as the seed of Abraham according to the gospel in this birthright and inheritance. The argument now presented is not much known or often adverted to, but to our minds it carries no inconsiderable weight. We rest our faith upon God's everlasting covenant and immutable purposes and unchangeable promises. We draw our inferences from the original and perpetuated constitution of the church for 2,000 years. We build our hopes upon the whole framework of divine prophecy as descriptive of the gospel church, and upon the fulfillment of these prophecies in the conduct of our Lord and of His apostles and of the universal church in all ages.

We say then to those who would rob our children of their inheritance and defame God's dealings with His church“Stand back. Touch not the ark and covenant of God. Profane not God's sanctuary by requiring what God has not required or excluding whom God has not excluded. Tell not christian parents that God has forgotten to make provision for their children or expunge their title to an inheritance in Zion. Hinder them not as they would crowd His temple and press around His altar and bring their little ones in their arms, but suffer little children to come unto Him and forbid them not for, as the Lord Himself has assuredly declared, that "of such is the kingdom of heaven."

*John 4, 53.

† Acts 10, 2.

25-Vol. X.

ARTICLE VI.

THE DOCTRINE OF BAPTISMAL REGENERATION EXAMINED.

JOHN 3:5.

Jesus answered, verily, verily I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

Nothing can be clearer from the repeated declaration of the sentiments contained in this passage, than that regeneration, whatever it really implies, is absolutely and universally essential to salvation. Without it no man can be a worthy member of the kingdom of God on earth, or as it shall be consummated in heaven. Without controversy, therefore, this is the most important matter which can possibly engage the attention of a rational, intelligent and immortal mind. Without it we are without God and without hope in the world, under condemnation and exposed to everlasting misery. With it we are adopted into God's family, are made His children, partake of His great salvation, and are constituted heirs with Christ to an inheritance of glory. What, then, is regeneration, and how is it wrought within the soul-who are the regenerate, and by what marks or evidence may they be distinguished?-these are questions involving interests as precious as the soul, and destines as lasting as eternity.

On this subject there are various opinions, and errors of the most opposite kind. It is our present object, however, to call your attention to one form of this error which has become extensively prevalent, and for whose propagation the most strenuous efforts are now made. It is taught by the Romish church, by all High-church Episcopalians, by many Baptists, and perhaps by others, that baptism is not only the sacrament or sign and seal of regeneration, but that it is regeneration itself -that all, therefore, who are baptized must be and are regenerated; that no other regeneration besides this or subsequent to it is to be either expected or believed in;—and that the language of our Saviour and the necessity here enjoined has no possible reference to any individuals who have been outwardly baptized. That I may not be regarded as misrepresenting the