BAPTISM

are taught, or made disciples; and that, consequently infants, who cannot be thus taught, are to be excluded It does not appear, say they, that the apostles, in executing Christ's commission, ever baptized any but those who were first instructed in the Christian faith, and professed their belief of it. They contend that infants can receive no benefit from it, are not capable of faith and repentance, which are to be considered as pre-requisites.

As to the mode.

They observe that the meaning of the word 8. signifies immersion or dipping only; that John baptized in Jordan; that he chose a place where there was much water; that Jesus came ap out of the water; that Philip and the eunuch went down both into the water. That the terms washing, purifying, burying in baptism, so often mentioned in Scripture, allude to this mode; that immersion only was the practice of the apostles and the first Christians; and that it was only laid aside from the love of novelty, and the coldness of our climate. These positions, they think are so clear from Scripture, and the history of the church, that they stand in need of but little argument to support them. Further, they also insist that all positive institutions depend entirely upon the will and declaration of the institutor, and that, therefore, reasoning by analogy from previous abrogated rites, is to be rejected, and the express command of Christ respecting baptisin ought to be our rule.

PÆDOBAPTISTS.

The Paedobaptists, however, are of a different opinion. As to the subject, they believe that qualified adults who have not been baptized before are certainly proper subjects; but, then, they think also that infants are not to be excluded. They believe that, as the Abrahamic and the Christian covenants are the same, Gen. xvii. 7. Heb. viii. 12; that as children were admitted under the former; and that as baptism is now a seal, sign, or confirmation of this covenant, infants have as great a right to it as the children had a right to the seal of circumcision under the law, Acts i. 39. Rom. iv. 11. That if children are not to be baptized because there is no positive command for it, for the same reason women should not come to the Lord's Supper; we should not keep the first day of the week, nor attend public worship, for none of these are expressly commanded; that if infant bapism had been a human invention, how would it have been so universal in the first 300 years, and yet no record left when it was in troduced, nor any dispute or controversy about it? Some bring it to these two ideas: 1. That God did constitute in the Jewish church, the membership of infants, and admitted them to it by a religious ordinance, Gen. xvii. Gal. iii. 14, 17. 2. That this right of infants to church membership was never taken away. This being the case, infants must be received, because God has instituted it; and, since infants must be received, it raust be either without baptism or with it: but none must be received without baptism, therefore infants must, of necessity, be baptized. Hence, it is clear, that under the Gospel, infants are still continued exactly in the same relation to God and his church, in which they were originally placed under the former dispensation.

BAPTISM

That infants are to be received into the church, and as such baptized, is also inferred from the following passages of Scripture: Gen. xvii. Isa. xliv. 3. Matt xix. 13. Luke ix. 47, 48. Mark ix, 14. Acts ii. 38, 39. Rom. xi. 17, 21. 1 Cor. vii. 14. Though there are no express examples in the New Testament of Christ and his apostles baptizing infants, yet this is no proof that they were excluded. Jesus Christ actually blessed little children; and it would be hard to believe that such received his blessing, and yet were not to be members of the Gospel church. If Christ received them, and would have us receive them in his name, how can it be reconciled to keep them out of the visible church? Besides, if children were not to be baptized, it would have been expressly forbidden. None of the Jews had any apprehension of the rejection of infants, which they must have had, if infants had been rejected. As whole households were baptized, it is probable there were children among them. From the year 400 to 1150, no society of men, in all that period of 750 years, ever pretended to say it was unlawful to baptize infants; and still nearer the time of cur Saviour, there appears to have been scarcely any one that so much as advised the delay of infant baptism. Irenæus, who lived in the second century, and was well acquainted with Polycarp, who was John's disciple, declares expressly that the church learned from the apostles to baptize children. Origen, in the third century, affirmed that the custom of baptizing infants was received from Christ and his apostles. Cyprian, and a council of ministers (held about the year 254), no less than sixtysix in number, unanimously agreed that children might be baptized as soon as they were born. Ambrose, who wrote about 274 years from the apostles, declares that the baptism of infants had been the practice of the apostles themselves, and of the church, till that tine. The catholic church every where declared, says Chrysostom, in the fifth century, that infants should be bap tized; And Augustin affirmed that he never heard nor read of any Christian, catholic, or sectarian, but who always held that infants were to be baptized. They further believe, that there needed no mention in the New Testament of receiving infants into the church, as it had been once appointed and never repealed. The dictates of nature, also, in parental feelings; the verdict of reason in favour of privileges; the evidence in favour of children being sharers of the seals of grace, in common with their parents, for the space of 4000 years; and especially the language of prophecy, in reference to the children of the Gospel church, make it very probable that they were not to be rejected. So far from confining it to adults it must be remembered that there is not a single instance recorded in the New Testament in which the descendants of Christian parents were baptized in adult years.

That infants are not proper subjects for baptism because they cannot profess faith and repentance, they deny. This objection falls with as much weight upon the institution of circumcision as infant baptism; since they are as capable, or are as ft subjects for the one as the other. It is generally acknowledged, that, if infants die (and a great part of the human race do die in infancy,) they are saved: if this be the case, then, why refuse them the sign in infancy, if they are capable of enjoying the thing signified? "Why," my

BAPTISM

BAPTISM

17

Dr. Owen, "is it the will of God that unbelievers | the Spirit, pouring must be the mode of adininisshould not be baptized? It is because, not grant-tration; for that is the Scriptural term most ing them the grace he will not grant them the commonly and properly used for the communicasign. If God, therefore, denies the sign to the tion of divine influences. There is no object infant seed of believers, it must be because he de- whatever in all the New Testament so frequently nies them the grace of it; and then all the chil- and so explicitly signified by baptism as these dren of believing parents (upon these principles) divine influences. Matt. iii. 11. Mark i. 8, 10. dying in their infancy, must, without hope, be Luke iii. 16 to 22. John i. 33. Acts i. 5. ii. 38, eternally damned. I do not say that all must be 39. viii. 12, 17. xi. 15, 16. The term sprinkling, so who are not baptized; but all must be so whom also, is made use of in reference to the act of pu God would not have baptized." Something is rifying, Isa. lii. 15. Heb. ix. 13, 14. Ezek. xxxvi. said of baptism, it is observed, that cannot agree 25, and therefore cannot be inapplicable to bapto infants: faith goes before baptism; and, as tismal purification. But it is observed that John none but adults are capable of believing, so no baptized in Jordan: to this it is replied, to infer others are capable of baptism; but it is replied, if always a plunging of the whole body in water infants must not be baptized because something from this word, would, in many instances, be is said of baptism that does not agree to infants, false and absurd: the same Greek preposition Mark xvi. 16, then infants must not be saved, is used when it is said they should be baptized because something is said of salvation that does with fire; while few will assert that they should not agree to infants, Mark xvi. 16. As none be plunged into it. The apostle, speaking of but adults are capable of believing, so, by the ar- Christ, says, he came not (v) by water only, but gument of the Baptists, none but adults are capa-() by water and blood. There the same word ble of salvation: for he that believeth not shall be damned. But Christ, it is said, set an example of adult baptism. True; but he was baptized in honour to John's ministry, and to conform himself to what he appointed to his followers; for which last reason he drank of the sacramental cup: but this is rather an argument for the Padobaptists than against them; since it plainly shows, as Doddridge observes, that baptism may be administered to those who are not capable of all the purposes for which it was designed; since Jesus Christ, not being a sinner, could not be capable of that faith and repentance which are said to be necessary to this ordi

nance.

As to the mode.

is translated by, and with justice and propriety, for we know no good sense in which we could say he came in water. It has been remarked, that is more than a hundred times, in the New Testament, rendered "at," and in a hundred and fifty others it is translated with. If it be rendered so here, "John baptized at Jordan," or with the water of Jordan, there is no proof from thence that he plunged his disciples in it.

It is urged that John's choosing a place where there was much water is a certain proof of inmersion. To which it is answered, that as there went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan, that by choos ing a place where there were many streams or rivu. lets, it would be much more expeditiously perform ed by pouring; and that it seems in the nature of things highly improbable that John should have baptized this vast multitude by immersion, to say nothing of the indecency of both sexes being bap tized together.

Again: it is said that Philip and the eunuch went down both into the water. To this it is answered that here is no proof of immersion; for if the expression of their going down into the water necessarily includes dipping, then Philip was dipped as well as the eunuch. The prepo

They believe that the word a signifies to dip or plunge; but that the term BATI, which is only a derivative of BT, and consequently must be somewhat less in its signification, should be invariably used in the New Testament to exJesus, it is said, came up out of the water; but press plunging, is not so clear. It is therefore this is said to be no proof of his being immersed, doubted whether dipping be the only meaning, as the Greek term . often signifies from; for and whether Christ absolutely enjoined immer-instance, "who hath warned you to flee from," sion, and that it is his positive will that no other not out of, "the wrath to come," with many should be used. As the word BTC is used for others which might be mentioned. the various ablutions among the Jews, such as sprinkling, pouring, &c. Heb. ix. 10; for the custom of washing before meals, and the washing of household furniture, pots, &c.; it is evident from hence that it does not express the manner of doing, whether by immersion or affusion, but only the thing done, that is, washing, or the appli-sition (s) translated into, often signifies no more cation of water in one form or other. Dr. Owen than to or unto. See Matt. xv. 24. Rom. x. 10. observes, that it no where signifies to dip but as Acts xxviii. 14. Matt. xvii. 27. iii. 11. So that, denoting a mode of and in order to washing or from all these circumstances, it cannot be conclucleansing; and, according to others, the mode of ded that there was a single person of all the bapuse is only the ceremonial part of a positive in- tized who went into the water ankle deep. As stitute; just as in the supper of the Lord, the to the apostle's expression, "buried with him in time of the day, the number and posture of com- baptism," they think it has no force; and that it municants, the quality and quantity of bread does not allude to any custom of dipping, any and wine, are circumstances not accounted esmore than our baptismal crucifixion and death sential by any party of Christians. As to the has any such reference. It is not the sign but Hebrew word Tabal, it is considered as a generic the thing signified that is here alluded to. As term; that its radical, primary, and proper mean- Christ was buried, and rose again to a heavenly ing is to tinge, to dye, to wet, or the like: which life, so we by baptism signify that we are cut off primary design is effected by different modes of from the life of sin, that we may rise again to a application. If in baptism also there is an ex- new life of faith and love. pressive emblem of the descending influence of

To conclude this article, it is observed against

BAPTISM

BARDESANISTS

BAPTISTS, a denomination of Christians who maintain that baptism is to be administered by immersion, and not by sprinkling. See BAPTISM.

year 1638, and set up for themselves under the pastoral care of Mr. Jesse; and, having renounced their former baptism, they sent over one of their number to be immersed by one of the Dutch Anabaptists of Amsterdam, that he might be qualified to baptize his friends in England after the same manner.

derstood that those who have not been baptized by immersion, on the profession of their faith, may sit down at the Lord's table with those who have been thus baptized. Others, however, disallow it, supposing that such have not been actually bap tized at all. See FREE COMMUNION.

the mode of immersion, that, as it carries with it [ture the term Baptism is used as referring to the too much of the appearance of a burdensome rite work of the Spirit on the heart, Matt. iii. 11.; also for the Gospel dispensation; that as it is too into the sufferings of Christ, Matt. xx. 22; and to decent for so solemn an ordinance; as it has a so much of the Gospel as John the Baptist taught tendency to agitate the spirits, often rendering the his disciples, Acts xviii. 25. subject unfit for the exercise of proper thoughts and affections, and, indeed, utterly incapable of them; as in many cases the immersion of the body would in all probability be instant death; as in Although there were several Baptists among other situations it would be impracticable for want the Albigenses, Waldenses, and the followers of of a sufficient quantity of water, it cannot be con- Wicklifle, it does not appear that they were formsidered as necessary to the ordinance of baptism. ed into any stability until the time of Menno, See Gale, Robinson, Stennett, Gill, and Booth, about the year 1536. See ANABAPTISTS and on Antipadobaptism; and Wall, Henry, Brad- MENNONITES. About 1644 they began to make bury, Bastwick, Torgood, Addington, Williams, a considerable figure in England, and spread Edwards, Miller, Evans, &c. on the other side. themselves into several separate congregations. BAPTISM OF THE DEAD, a custom They separated from the Independents about the which anciently prevailed among some people in Africa, of giving baptism to the dead. The third council of Carthage speaks of it as a thing that ignorant Christians are fond of: Gregory Nazianzen also takes notice of the same superstitious opinion. The practice seems to be grounded on a vain idea, that, when men had neglected to receive baptism in their lifetime, some compensation might The Baptists subsist under two denominations, be made for this default by receiving it after death. viz. the Particular, or Calvinistical, and the BAPTISM FOR THE DEAD, a practice General, or Arminian. Their modes of church formerly in use, when a person dying without government and worship are the same as those of baptism, another was baptized in his stead; thus the Independents; in the exercise of which they supposing that God would accept the baptism of are protected, in common with other dissenters, by the proxy, as though it had been administered to the act of toleration. Some of both denominations the principal. Chrysostom says, this was prac-allow of mixed communion; by which it is untised among the Marcionites with a great deal of ridiculous ceremony, which he thus describes :"After any catechumen was dead, they had a living man under the bed of the deceased: then, coming to the dead man, they asked him whether he would receive baptism: and he making no answer, the other answered for him, and said he would be baptized in his stead; and so they baptized the living for the dead." If it can be proved (as some think it can) that this practice was as early as the days of the apostle Paul, it might The Baptists in America and in the East and probably form a solution of those remarkable West Indies are chiefly Calvinists, and hold ocwords in 1 Cor. xv. 29: "If the dead rise not at casional fellowship with the Particular Baptist all, what shall they do who are baptized for the churches in England. Those in Scotland, having dead? The allusion of the apostle to this prac-imbibed a considerable part of the principles of tice, however, is rejected by some, and especially Messrs. Glass and Sandeman, have no commuby Dr. Doddridge, who thinks it too early: henion with the other. They have liberally conthus paraphrases the passage: "Such are our tributed, however, towards the translation of the views and hopes as Christians, else, if it were not Scriptures into the Bengalee language, which 80, what should they do who are baptized in token some of the Baptist brethren are now accomplishof their embracing the Christian faith, in the rooming in the East. See Rippon's Baptist Register, of the dead, who are just fallen in the cause of vol. i. p. 172-175; Adams's View of Religions, Christ, but are yet supported by a succession of article Baptists; Evans's Sketch of Religious new converts, who immediately offer themselves Denominations. (See APPENDIX, No. 4.] to fill up their places, as ranks of soldiers that BAPTISTERY, the place in which the cere advance to the combat in the room of their com-mony of baptism is performed. In the ancient panions who have just been slain in their sight?"church, it is said, it was generally a building Lay baptism we find to have been permitted by separate and distinct from the church. It conboth the common prayer-books of king Edward sisted of an ante-room, where the adult persons to and queen Elizabeth, when an infant was in im-be baptized made their confession of faith; and mediate danger of death, and a lawful minister an inner room, where the ceremony of baptism could not be had. This was founded on a mis- was perforined. Thus it continued to the sixth taken notion of the impossibility of salvation century, when the baptisteries began to be taken without the sacrament of baptism; hut afterwards, into the church. when they came to have clearer notions of the saBARDESANISTS, a sect so denominated craments, it was unanimously resolved, in a con- from their leader Bardesanes, a Syrian, of Edessa, vocation held in 1575, that even private baptism in in Mesopotamia, who lived in the second century. A case of necessity was only to be administered by They believed that the actions of men depended lawful minister. altogether on fate, and that God himself is subject BAPTISM METAPHORICAL, In Scrip-to necessity.-They denied the resurrection of

Some of them observe the seventh day of the week as the Sabbath, apprehending the law that enjoined it not to have been repealed by Christ.

BAXTERIANS

BEGUINES

his hand, when ten young men in white, who | ance.-4. The Spirit of Christ to dwell in us and were standing on an adjacent tower, instantly threw themselves down. To one of his guards he said, "Draw your dagger, and plunge it into your breast;" which was no sooner said than obeyed. At the command of their chief, they made no difficulty of stabbing any prince, even on his throne; and for that purpose conformed to the dress and religion of the country, that they might be less suspected. To animate them on such attempts, the Scheik previously indulged them with a foretaste of the delights of paradise. Delicious soporific drinks were given them; and while they lay asleep, they were carried into beautiful gardens, where, awakening, as it were, in paradise, and inflamed with views of perpetual enjoyments, they sallied forth to perform assassinations of the blackest dye.

sanctify us, by a habit of divine love, Rom. viii. 9-13. Gal. v. 6.-5. Employment in holy, ac ceptable service, and access in prayer, with a pro mise of being heard through Christ, Heb. ii. 5, 6. John xiv. 13.-6. Well-grounded hopes of salvation, peace of conscience, and spiritual communion with the church mystical in heaven and earth, Rom. v. 12. Heb. xii. 22.-7. A special interest in Christ, and intercession with the Father, Rom. viii. 32, 33.-8. Resurrection unto life, and justification in judgment; glorification of the soul at death, and of the body at the resurrection, Phil. iii. 20, 21. 2 Cor. v. 1, 2, 3.

It is said, they once thought of embracing the Christian religion; and some have thought the Druses a remnant of this singular race of barba

rians.

BATH-KOL (i. e. the daughter of a voice), an oracle among the Jews, frequently mentioned in their books, especially the Talmud. It was a fantastical way of divination invented by the Jews, though called by them a revelation from God's will, which he made to his chosen people after all verbal prophecies had ceased in Israel.

Christ has made a conditional deed of gift of these benefits to all mankind; but the elect only accept and possess them. Hence he infers, that though Christ never absolutely intended or decreed that his death should eventually put all men in possession of those benefits, yet he did intend and decree that all men should have a conditional gift of them by his death.

Baxter, it is said, wrote 120 books, and had 60 written against him. 20,000 of his Call to the Unconverted were sold in one year. He told a friend, that six brothers were converted by reading that Call. The eminent Mr. Elliott, of New England, translated this tract into the Indian tongue. A young Indian prince was so taken BAXTERIANS, so called from the learned with it, that he read it with tears, and died with and pious Mr. Richard Baxter, who was born in it in his hand. Calamy's Life of Baxter ; Baxthe year 1615. His design was to reconcile Cal-ter's Catholic Theology, p. 51-53; Baxter's vin and Arminius: for this purpose he formed a End of Doctrinal Controversy, p. 154, 155. middle scheme between their systems. He taught BEATIFICATION, in the Romish church, that God had elected some, whom he is deter- the act whereby the pope declares a person happy mined to save, without any foresight of their good after death. See CANONIZATION. works; and that others to whom the Gospel is BEATITUDE imports the highest degree of preached have common grace, which, if they im-happiness human nature can arrive to, the fruition prove, they shall obtain saving grace, according of God in a future life to all eternity. It is also to the doctrine of Arminius. This denomination used when speaking of the theses contained in own, with Calvin, that the merits of Christ's Christ's sermon on the Mount, whereby he prodeath are to be applied to believers only; but they nounces the several characters there mentioned also assert that all men are in a state capable of blessed. salvation.

Mr. Baxter maintains that there may be a certainty of perseverance here, and yet he cannot tell whether a man may not have so weak a degree of saving grace as to lose it again.

firmed that of the third order of St. Francis, in 1289, they embraced it the year following.

BEGHARDS, or BEGUARDS, a sect that arose in Germany in the thirteenth century, and took St. Begghe for their patroness. They employed themselves in making linen cloth, each supporting himself by his labour, and were united only by In order to prove that the death of Christ has the bonds of charity, without having any particuput all in a state capable of salvation, the follow-lar rule; but when pope Nicholas IV. had coning arguments are alleged by this learned author. 1. It was the nature of all mankind which Christ assumed at his incarnation, and the sins of BÉGUINES, a congregation of nuns, founded all mankind were the occasion of his suffering. either by St. Begghe or by Lambert le Begue, 2. It was to Adam, as the common father of They were established, first at Liege, and afterlapsed mankind, that God made the promise wards at Neville, in 1207; and from this last setGen. iii. 15.) The conditional new covenant tlement sprang the great number of Beguinages does equally give Christ, pardon, and life to all which are spread over all Flanders, and which mankind, on condition of acceptance. The con- I have passed from Flanders into Germany. In the ditional grant is universal: Whoever believeth shall be saved.-3. It is not to the elect only, but to all mankind, that Christ has commanded his ministers to proclaim his Gospel, and offer the benefits of his procuring.

There are, Mr. Baxter allows, certain fruits of Christ's death which are proper to the elect only: 1. Grace eventually worketh in them true faith, repentance, conversion, and union with Christ as his living members.-2. The actual forgiveness of sin as to the spiritual and eternal panishment.-3. Our reconciliation with God, and adoption and right to the heavenly inherit

latter country some of them fell into extravagant errors, persuading themselves that it was possible in the present life to arrive to the highest perfection, even to impeccability, and a clear view of God; in short, to so eminent a degrec of contemplation, that there was no necessity, after this, to submit to the laws of mortal men, civil or ecclesiastical. The council of Vienna condemned these errors; permitting, nevertheless, those among them, who continued in the true faith, to live in charity and penitence, either with or without vows. There still subsists, or at least subsisted till lately, many communities of them in