sons for our present practice; for, believe me, the Church has gone into the question carefully and anxiously, and is as desirous of being right as the Dissenters can be. 1. In the first place, recollect that a practice not being mentioned in Scripture is not the same as its being forbidden; and some reasons may be given why Infant Baptism is not mentioned in Scripture. One is, that the persons baptized in the times we there read of, were converted to the Christian faith when of full age, and therefore the question of baptizing infants did not concern them. Another reason is that the Jews were so familiar with the practice of bringing their children into covenant with God at eight days old, that it would never occur to them that infants were not admissible into the Christian Church. The thing is taken for granted. They would have been very much surprised at the contrary. Besides this, when we read of whole households being baptized, it is likely there were children among them. Again, the Baptists say that Infant Baptism was a corrupt practice introduced in the third century; thus putting it on a level with Popish practices, which crept in by degrees in times of darkness and ignorance But the fact is, that it is mentioned with approval, by the earliest writers after the Apostles, in whose time persons were still living who had been actually born in the Apostles' times, and who, from the way they are spoken of, might very possibly have been baptized with the consent of the Apostles. The Popish practices which were given up at the Reformation, began several hundred years later, and Infant Baptism is practised not only by the Church, but by far the greatest number of the Dissenting bodies in this country. It seems to me that the idea at the bottom of all this objection to Infant Baptism is that something is required on our side to bring us into covenant with God. The Church says that nothing is required, beyond being born in sin, and needing salvation. True it is, that a grown-up person cannot be received without repentance and profession of faith : but that is because impenitence or unbelief would render him unfit to be received, not because faith and repentance are claims to be received. But the infant has never sinned, and cannot be an unbeliever. And so the Church receives him as the redeemed of Christ, on whom Christ freely bestows His blessing and receives him into covenant. And I think I can show you that the Baptist, after all, cannot help believing something of this kind. Ask him what he thinks will become of his child if it dies an infant? He will most probably tell you he hopes it will be saved through the mercy of Christ. That is just what I hope, and on that very account would baptize it. If the redemption of Christ will save the child born in sin, may not the sign and seal of salvation be given to it? If your child, supposing it dies, will by the free mercy of the Saviour be received into the Church in heaven, may it not be received into the Church on earth? 66 Again, are we able to say at what age the first workings of the Spirit take place in the heart? Are there not many cases of children influenced by the Holy Ghost before they can speak plain? Of these I would say, can any one forbid water that these should not be baptized?" The fact is that the Baptists follow the letter of Scripture, instead of seeking the Spirit. But it is following the letter which leads to the Roman Catholic doctrine of the bread in the Holy Communion being changed into the body of our Lord. They quote His own words, "This is my body." They forget St. Paul's words, 66 The letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life;" and our Lord's own on the very subject, "The words that I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life." Again, the Baptists mix up with Infant Baptism the question of immersion or sprinkling. There is no kind of doubt that the early baptisms were mostly performed by immersion, in a climate where bathing was common, and not only safe but pleasant. From the earliest times, however, it has been done by sprinkling, in illness and other cases, where immersion would have been dangerous or impossible. This is only applying the principle of our Lord's words, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath." On this principle most Christian Churches have given a discretion to the minister, so to perform the ordinance as not to do bodily injury. On this account, in this cold climate, most ministers do not immerse infants; but if you look at the Rubric you will see that the Church directs immersion, but only when it is certified that the child may well endure it. I entreat you, my dear brethren, not to allow yourselves to be disturbed and unsettled merely because people say that the Church is wrong. Be assured that the objections you hear, have been all answered often before. Finally, let nothing in the way of disputed doctrine interfere with your Christian charity; and, however much we and some of our neighbours may differ as to doctrine, let us pray that both we and they may so use the Scriptures and profit by them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life given to us in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. |