PART SECOND.

SUBJECTS OF BAPTISM.

CHAPTER FIRST.

GENERAL STATEMENT OF THE QUESTION.

CHARACTER OF THIS PART OF THE DISCUSSION.-BAPTIST AND PÆDOBAPTIST TO SOME EXTENT OCCUPY COMMON GROUND. - BOTH ADMINISTER BAPTISM TO A BELIEVING ADULT.-POINT OF DIVERGENCE. THE INFANTS OF CHURCH MEMBERS ALSO ADMITTED TO THE ORDINANCE BY THE PÆDOBAPTIST.- HIS OPPONENT PROFESSES TO BAPTIZE NONE BUT BELIEVERS. -SCRIPTURE THE SUPREME AND SOLE ARBITER.

WE now enter upon the second leading department of our inquiry, which has for its object to furnish a scriptural answer to the question, "To whom is baptism to be administered?" The investigations indispensable to a satisfactory solution are perhaps less learned and recondite than those in which we have been hitherto engaged, though the issue involves consequences which are obviously more momentous to the constitution and character of the Christian church. On this field "Greek meets Greek," in less frequent encounter; yet no one will pretend to weigh the mere mode of receiving into church membership against the fœderal standing, or religious qualifications of the candidate.

In discussing this great question, it is pleasing to reflect that in defiance of the encroaching spirit of controversy, some common ground still remains to the Baptist and Pædobaptist. On one prominent part of the field, the strife of angry polemics is exchanged for the accents of peace and Christian harmony. We refer, of course, to the universal recognition of a believing adult, as a scriptural subject of baptism. Difference of opinion may exist respecting the requisite amount of qualification in knowledge, dispositions, and character; and all may not adopt the same standard in judging of the credibility of a religious profession; -but the church officers who keep the door of admission once satisfied on this score, we are aware of no denomination of Christians that would, for a moment, hesitate to administer the initiatory rite. With all promptitude and sincerity does the Pædobaptist address the peoples and nations of the world in the language of Peter, -" Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ." Let it be remembered, then, that a believing adult, or one making a credible profession of faith in the Saviour, is regarded by ourselves, no less than by our opponents, as a proper and scriptural subject of Christian baptism.

Having proceeded thus far along the same path, the parties unhappily reach the point of divergence. The Baptist takes his stand upon the principle that the word of God distinctly and absolutely limits the ordi

nance to the believer in Christ. We admit the believer to be a Scriptural subject of baptism: the opposing view regards him as the only Scriptural subject of baptism. As we found our opponents maintaining immersion to be the exclusive mode, so they contend that the believer is the exclusive subject, of this solemn ordinance. The Pædobaptist, on the other hand, recognises another interesting class as equally entitled to the symbol of the washing of regeneration. The doctrine of our church on the entire question is thus clearly and nervously expressed in the Westminster Confession, chap. xxviii. 4, "Not only those that do actually profess faith in and obedience unto Christ, but also the infants of one or both believing parents are to be baptized."-Such we conceive to be the two leading points of agreement and difference respecting the rightful subjects of baptism; and the way is so far opened up for canvassing the evidence of that inspired record, which forms the supreme and authoritative arbiter in this and every other case of conflicting doctrines and observances.

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CHAPTER SECOND.

PROFESSION A PREREQUISITE TO ADULT BAPTISM.

IMPORTANCE OF ASCERTAINING THE SCRIPTURAL QUALIFICATIONS FOR ADULT BAPTISM.CONNECTION OF THIS TOPIC WITH INFANT BAPTISM.-PRESUMPTIVE ARGUMENT DRAWN FROM JEWISH PROSELYTE BAPTISM, AND FROM JOHN'S "BAPTISM OF REPENTANCE." - THE DOCTRINE OF THE APOSTOLIC COMMISSION FAVOURABLE TO THE NECESSITY OF A PROFESSION OF FAITH AND OBEDIENCE BY THE ADULT CANDIDATE FOR THE ORDINANCE. -OUR VIEW OF MAT. XXVIII. 19, BORNE OUT AND STRENGTHENED BY THE INSTRUCTION RECORDED IN MARK XVI. 16.-VALUE OF SUCH FORMS OF EXPRESSION AS PLACE BAPTISM POSTERIOR TO FAITH AND REPENTANCE.

THE indiscriminate admission of adults to baptism necessarily rules the indiscriminate admission of infants. If infants are to be admitted at all, no ground of distinction among them can survive the polity of baptizing adults irrespective of all religious qualification. On the supposition that faith, or a credible profession of faith, forms no prerequisite to baptism in the adult, who does not see the absurdity and wrong of restricting infant baptism to the children of believing parents? This liberal, or latitudinarian view is, we understand, very generally embraced by our brethren of the English Independent Churches. "There are those," observes Dr. Halley, "who baptize all applicants whatsoever

provided the application does not appear to be made scoffingly and profanely, for that would be a manifest desecration of the service, and all children offered by their parents, guardians, or others who may have the care of them. These interpret the commission in its widest sense, and most literally explain 'all the nations." Against this interpretation, to which Dr. Halley has lent the aid of his powerful advocacy, is arrayed, as we believe, the general tenor of Scripture testimony, with the particular evidence of the apostolic commission, and of apostolic and evangelical practice thereon founded. The proof of our point we shall endeavour to furnish as briefly as may be consistent with justice to the subject.

The relation of baptism to diverse systems exhibits some species of religious profession as a uniform prerequisite in the adult to whom the ordinance is administered. Baptism properly so called has invariably sustained the character of an initiatory observance. Its leading design, as a symbol of purification, is to signalize in an impressive manner, the transition from the world to the church, or more generally the admission of man into the visible family of God. This applies to various economies.

1. A profession was required of the adult candidate for Jewish proselyte baptism. The Jews admitted people of other tribes into the fellowship of their peculiar privileges. On what principle did their narrow economy open a wide and effectual door" for the entrance of Gentile worshippers? Were the waters of proselyte baptism accessible to a heathen, on the mere respectful intimation of his wish to that effect? On the

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