PREFACE. T HE Subject of the enfuing Treatife is, in it felf, of fo little Moment, that it may feem needful to apologize for offering it to public View. But no one knows any Thing of the History of RELIGION, that hath not feen, with Aftonishment, the power of that Name to make little Things become great; to give Trifles a folemn Air; and to exalt Circumftances and Modes into Objects, not of Men's grave Attention only, but, of their warmest Paffions and Zeal. Even under the Christian Dispensation, that rational, fublime and Spiritual Scheme of Worship, the Minds of it's Profeffors bave with great violence been agitated, and fierce Controverfies have arofe upon the most frivolous Points-Whether the Sacramental Supper is to be eaten with leavened, or with unleavened Bread ?-Wbether Eafter is to be kept precifely on the fourteenth Day after the firft 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 Chriftian Laity were to cross themfelves with two Fingers only: Or, whether, like the Clergy, they might not use three*?-Furious and dire Controverfies The Church, through the vast Empire of Ruffia, was greatly rent and inflamed, even to Tortures and Death itself, in the reign of CZAR Theodore, by this infignificant Difpute. Vid. Prefent State of Ruffia Vol. I. Page 238. Voltaire fays, a violent Sedition was raised by it in Afracan. Life of Charles XII. page 21. PREFACE. T H E Subject of the ensuing Treatise is, in it felf, of fo little Moment, that it may feem needful to apologize for offering it to public View. But no one knows any Thing of the History of RELIGION, that hath not feen, with Aftonishment, the power of that Name to make little Things become great; to give Trifles a folemn Air; and to exalt Circumftances and Modes into Objects, not of Men's grave Attention only, but, of their warmest Paffions and Zeal. Even under the Christian Dispensation, that rational, fublime and fpiritual Scheme of Worship, the Minds of it's Profeffors have with great violence been agitated, and fierce Controverfies have arofe upon the most frivolous Points-Whether the Sacramental Supper is to be eaten with leavened, or with unleavened Bread ?-Wbether Eafter is to be kept precifely on the fourteenth Day after the firft 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 Chriftian Laity were to cross themfelves with two Fingers only: Or, whether, like the Clergy, they might not ufe three*?-Furious and dire Controverfies The Church, through the vaft Empire of Ruffia, was greatly rent and inflamed, even to Tortures and Death itself, in the reign of CZAR Theodore, by this infignificant Difpute. Vid. Prefent State of Rufa Vol. I. Page 238. Voltaire fays, a vio-. lent Sedition was raised by it in Aftracan. Life of Charles XII. page 21. verfies, to the terrible Convulfion of Kingdoms and States; and to the infinite Reproach of the Chriftian Doctrine and Name, have been kindled up in the Church, upon fuch trifling Debates. Of much the fame Moment is the Point bere difcuffed; viz. whether Baptifm is to be administered by Dipping the Body under Water; Or, by Sprinkling or Pouring on. There are fome worthy and good Perfons (extremely Strange to confider!) who lay fo great firefs upon this trivial Circumftance in Religion, as to allow none to be baptized Chriftians but thofe who have been dipt-To break off chriftian Fellowship, and renounce Communion as Saints, with Men of the most fhining Piety, if they have not been thus baptized-And even to think themfelves obliged to be unwearied in raifing Doubts and Anxieties in the Breafts of Such, concerning the Validity and Truth of their Baptism. Many pious, but weak Minds have been greatly dif turbed, not to fay diftreffed, with Scruples on this Head. When they bear it confidently affirmed-That Baptism evermore, and conftantly, implies Dipping That no Perfon 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 exprefs Command and Institution of CHRIST. Effectually to remove every Scruple of this kind, to fhew, that there is no Occafion of putting this Yoke upon the Neck of the Difciples, and to vindicate CHRISTIANITY from the unworthy Imputation of laying fo great a Stress upon fo merely circumftantial and external a Thing, is the Defign of the enfuing Treatife. How far it fhall be effectual to answer this Purpose-is humbly left to the Favour of Heaven; and to the calm and impartial Fudgment of thofe into whofe Hands it may happen to fall. THE |