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THE

UNIVERSALITY AND PERPETUITY

OF THE

OBLIGATION UPON CHRISTIANS

ΤΟ

OBSERVE THE RITE OF

BAPTISM WITH WATER;

OR,

WATER BAPTISM A STANDING ORDINANCE

OF THE

GOSPEL.

SERMO N.

ACTS, X. 47.

CAN ANY MAN FORBID WATER, THAT THESE SHOULD NOT BE BAPTIZED, WHO HAVE RECEIVED THE HOLY GHOST AS WELL AS WE?

THOUGH the religion of the gospel is a pure and spiritual fervice, not incumbered with ceremonies, yet being adapted to the nature of man, it does not wholly omit pofitive duties. It enjoins two fimple, eafy, and expreffive rites, as figns and means of moral goodness and vital piety; viz. baptism and the Lord's fupper. Baptifm with water has been almost univerfally by chriftians believed to have been appointed by the author of the difpenfation as a standing ordinance. The apostles evidently administered it to converts, Jewish and Gentile, in token of their admiffion into the number of Chrift's followers, and as a public acknowledgment of the admitted perfons, that they were his difciples, and owned him for their Lord

and Mafter. There is reafon to fuppofe, that this rite was uniformly obferved by all profeffors of christianity, in the age immediately fucceeding the apostles, and therefore had the fanction of both apoftolic inftructions and practice. It is believed that the early hiftory of the church does not point to a time when it was confidered as a novelty, or when the propriety and neceffity of the ordinance were called in queftion.

The nature and design of this service have been variously explained, and without doubt grossly mistaken and perverted in fubfequent periods. In our times, not only the mode and fubjects, but even the obligation and ufe of the ordinance, have become matters of dispute with fome, who name the name of Chrift. There are thofe who contend against forms with a precife formality; and there are others who seem to think pofitive duties of no value, because moral duties are fuperior; and fome have probably been led to difparage rites altogether, from difguft at the abufes attending them.

Different fects in modern times have maintained that baptifm with water was not commanded by Chrift; and that though it was administered by the apostles and first minifters of the church, yet they did not confider it as a gospel ordinance, but as a ceremony to be ufed or neglected according to their discretion. Hence they have inferred, that if baptifm be lawful, yet it is not required. One fe&t profefs to account it a Jewish carnal ordinance, which is abolished. Another talk of there being but one chriftian baptifm, that of the Holy Ghoft and of fire, at the fame time admitting that if any wifh for water baptifm, either by fprinkling or im

merfion, for themselves or their infants, they may be gratified. In the following difcourfe we fhall attempt to fhow that baptifm with water is a ftanding ordinance of the gospel. All unbaptized perfons fhould be baptized in teftimony of their faith, engagements, and privileges as chriftians. The quef tion of the right of children to this rite, and of the mode of administering it, is not now to be confidered. The text has respect to a fentiment of those who decry the rite in queftion, viz. that baptifin by the spirit is all which is meant by baptifm in the New Teftament. From this paffage it appears, that though the defcent of the fpirit, or fpiritual baptifm had preceded, yet the apostle Peter alleges this as a reafon for baptizing with water afterwards.

1. The first clafs of argument in fupport of the univerfal and perpetual obligation of this practice is derived from Chrift's cominiffion to his apoftles. "Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghoft, teaching them to obferve all things whatfoever I have commanded you. And lo! I am with you always even unto the end of the world."

Here we fay is the inftitution of water baptifm by Jefus Chrift; a general account of its meaning and defign; and a strong intimation of its perpetual obligation. Here our Lord expressly appoints that water fhall in a folemn manner be applied to believers. The apostles are not only to teach or difciple, but to baptize; and to baptize in the paf

* Matthew, xxviii. 19, 20.

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