Q. What is required of persons to be bap

tized?'

A. Repentance, whereby they forsake sin; and faith, whereby they stedfastly believe the promises of God, made to them in that Sacrament.'

Q. 'Why then are infants baptized, when by reason of their tender age they cannot perform them?'

A. Because they promise them both by their sureties; which promise, when they come to age, themselves are bound to perform.'

C. I should have thought, if matter of fact had not proved the contrary, that these questions and answers were decisive on the point at issue. For the pre-requisites to Baptism, repentance and faith, precisely correspond with the definition of 'the inward and spiritual grace,' as it is here explained to be a death unto sin and a new birth unto righteousness;' for surely an impenitent sinner cannot be said to be dead to sin, nor can a believer in the promises of God be unregenerate or destitute of that new birth unto righteousness,' in which 'the inward and spiritual grace' is said to consist. The transition from a state of nature is the effect of this new-birth; for thereby we become children of grace.' To this change of character it is exclusively attributed. But, as the words of the Catechism have been differently understood, we will proceed with the proposed examination of the sub

the

ject. But what do you consider to be the precise nature of the doctrine, about which you have asked my opinion?

U. It is this;-that the outward and visible sign or form in Baptism is never unaccompanied by the inward and spiritual grace; and that Baptism is exclusively the medium through which that grace is communicated. It is affirmed, that every unbaptized person is unregenerate, and that every baptized becomes of course regenerate, or person dead to sin, and new-born unto righteousness,' by partaking of that Sacrament.

C. This then is the doctrine we have to canvass. Its deep importance requires that we should enter on it in the spirit of prayer to God for his directing influence, and with an entire submission to the decisions of the word of God; constantly bearing in mind the VIth Article of our Church, which you just now repeated. You are aware, my young friend, of the importance of some plan and arrangement in the investigation of truth.

U. I am fully aware how desirable and even necessary method must be in such an investigation.

C. Well then, we will first make our appeal to the New Testament, and see what light is thrown on our subject by the many cases of adult Baptism which are there recorded. You know there are no instances of infant Baptism to which we can have

recourse.

We will, next, inquire what information may be derived on the subject of infant Baptism, following the course through which a just analogy will naturally lead us. And then, thirdly, we will inquire more particularly, what is the doctrine of our own venerable Church on the subject.

U. This appears to me an excellent arrange. ment; and I shall listen without interrupting you, unless any question should arise in my mind, on which I shall want further explanation.

mus.

C. Before we enter on the cases of adult baptism recorded in the New Testament, it seems necessary to take into review, the important words of our Lord himself, in his conversation with NicodeOur Lord told that enquirer, first, in more general terms, that "except a man be born again, (or from above,) he could not see the kingdom of God." Baptism into the doctrine of the blessed Trinity had not then been instituted: and though the disciples of Christ probably baptised in the name of Jesus,' (Comp. John iv. 2. Acts ii. 38. viii. 16.) or into a profession of the Christian faith, our Lord can hardly be supposed to have censured Nicodemus for ignorance of that which was then very partially administered, and had not as yet been generally explained. It is much more probable, if not quite certain, that our Lord in the appeal he made to the official character of Nicodemus as a master in Israel," an instructor of others in the Divinely

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"divers

instituted Mosaic law, referred to the washings," or baptisms, which that law enjoined ; and censured him for his ignorance of the cause, necessity, nature, and effects of those typical washings. And if our Lord referred to these, he could not mean that the being "born of water," was inseparably connected with the inward and spiritual grace, unless those washings or baptisms were so connected, as performed through the preceding ages of the Jewish church. But Nicodemus, as 66 a master in Israel," ought to have known that these physical actions signified something beyond themselves, and could of themselves produce no moral or spiritual change in those persons on whom they were performed. Our Lord afterwards explained what the thing signified by these outward actions was, when he added, "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." This shews what he before meant by being "born from above." Is there any thing in this assertion, that can be fairly construed as necessarily connecting the inward and spiritual grace, 6 a death unto sin, and a new birth unto righteousness,' with the "divers washings" on the reception of proselytes into the Jewish church, &c. to which our Lord must have referred, in a conversation with a Jew, who had enjoyed no opportunity of learning the nature and object of Christian Baptism?

U. But does not our Catechism affirm that a

participation of 'the outward and visible sign is a means whereby we receive the same, and a pledge to assure us thereof?'

C. It does affirm this, and most truly. But you will observe that it does not say the means, as if there were no other means; nor that it is the ex

covenant right, as a

clusive "pledge. There are other means, and other pledges. In the case of Infant baptism, it is a means conducive to the attainment of the inward and spiritual grace,' inasmuch as it confers on the baptized infant a member of the visible church of Christ, to other means of grace, when he becomes capable of profiting by them; which means are provided in the church of Christ, to which he is thus introduced. To these, the regenerating influence of the Holy Ghost, is often ascribed in the word of God, so as it is never ascribed to baptism. (See John xv. 3. Rom. i. 11. 1 Cor. iv. 15. James i. 18. 1 Pet. i. 23.) In the case of adult baptism, by the outward and visible sign of regeneration or new birth,' they 'that receive Baptism rightly,' as the XXVIIth Article 1 expresseth it, that is, penitent believers, 'are grafted into the church; the promises of the forgiveness of sins, and of our adoption to be the sons of God by the Holy Ghost, are visibly signed and sealed; faith,' already existing, 'is confirmed,

1 See Bp. Burnet's distinction in his exposition of this Article, hereafter quoted.