And whether they were all rhantiz'd,
When your whole household was baptiz'd
We hope, for your own reputation,
They were not born of fornication:
Your answer, madam, we folicit;
Pray, be particular and explicit :
'Tis on your evidence depends *

The cause, for which their priest contends.
Good Abra'm's feed were circumciz'd;
Ergo, our babes must be baptiz'd.

The bloody rite, enjoin'd the Jews,

Was ceremonial, fcripture fhews;

The babe beneath the knife was paffive,

While now, by means of truth perfuafive,
Believ'd and relish'd by the mind,
The active convert is inclin'd

T

There is no reafon, from the fcriptural account of Lydia's household, to suppose, much less to affert, that there were any infants in it: as to the other baptifed households, it is exceedingly evident, that they were believers. Crifpus believed on the Lord, with all his house, A&s xviii. 8. The apoftles fpake unto the jailor the word of the Lord, and to ALL that were in his houfe; and he rejoiced, believing in God with ALL his houfe. Acts xvi. 32, 34. The house of Stephanas were the first fruits of Achaia, and addicted themselves to the miniftry of the faints. xvi. 15. We wish Mr. D. would no more trifle with scrip ture!

1 Cor.

T'obey the Saviour's new command ;
Ergo, our babes, (a willing band!)
A gofpel precept must obey,
Quite in a ceremonial way.

But 'tis a hugely puzzling queftion,
By no means easy of digestion,
Which do obey the law of Christ,
The sponsors, parent, child, or priest ?*
Be pleas'd to tell us, Difputator,
How you obey the great Creator:
Do you by proxy stand before him?
And by a fubftitute adore him?

Or does your worship all proceed

From your free choice, as your own deed;
Were you baptiz'd ;

if that were fact,

When eight days old, as your own a&t ?
Did you the gofpel then believe,"
Its facred rite by faith receive,
And dedicate yourself to God?
If fo, 'tis wonderfully odd

You should forget those blissful days,
And walk fo long in Folly's ways!

If

* We wish Mr. D. in his next treatife upon infant fprink ling, would inform us, who it is that obeys the command of Chrift, when the infant is chriftened? Is it each, or one or neither of the parties concerned? Mr. D. can tell how ignorant the Baptifts are; they truly need his inftruction in

this matter.

If not, who then the Lord obey'd,

When you
66 a child of God" were made?
Or is there no obedience due

At all to this command from you ?
But if there be, pray tell us when
You did or will perform it then?
No more attempt, by flight of hand
To turn the gofpel's new command
Into a ceremonial rite,

And veil a truth divinely bright!
The males alone were circumcis'd,

Ergo, let females be baptiz'd.

Believers now are Abra'm feed,*
Who, from a moral bondage freed,

If

*Letter, p. &c. 51, 52, 53, 54. Where Mr. De Courcy ftrangely confounds the natural infant-feed of believers, with the fpiritnal feed of Abraham, contrary to the express declaration of the apoftle in Rom. ix. 7, 8. Neither because they are the feed of Abraham, are they all children. — That is, they which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God. Rom. iv. 16. Therefore it is of faith to the end the promise might be fure to all the feed, not to that only which is of the law, but to that alfo which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. Galiii. 26 and 29. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jefus. THEN ARE YE ABRAHAM'S SEED, AND HEIRS ACCORDING TO THE PROMISE. Can any thing be more evident than that believers are the fpiritual feed of Abraham? And that Mr. De Courcy's fentiments are involved with inexplicable difficulties and grofs inconfiftencies?

.

And ranfom'd by their Saviour's blood,
Are join'd in covenant with God,
Which, for themfelves, by faith they sign,
And share in bleffings all divine;

Ergo, their infants have a place

Within the covenant of grace,
(Which, from the dire effect of fin,
Saves the bleft number found therein,)
And must receive its fign and feal,
Ere an internal change they feel,
Before a word they understand,
Or of the precept, or command;
Though crouds of them, the truth to tell,
Both live and die, in league with hell.
Well done! my charming Difputator,
A moft illuftrious commentator!
How law and gospel, reason, fact,
Harmonious fhine through all thy tract
External bleffings were bestow'd
In cov'nant, by their maker, God,
On Abra'm's natural defcendents;
(Know this, ye pious Independents!)
Ergo, believers natural feed
Are all included in the deed,

In which is granted faving grace

To all, whofe names have there a place,

The

The Lord doth promise full falvation
To all he calls, of every nation;
Ergo, their babes are taken in,*
Although they live and die in fin.
Young babes are fav'd, we all believe;
Ergo, they fhould this rite receive,t
Although adults, by faith divine,
Alone can answer its defign.
Philosophy, quite sound and sage,
Abounds in Difputator's page:
We can't impart, as all confess,
More than what we ourselves poffefs;
Ergo, unnumber'd parents may

To their young babes that grace convey,
Which they themselves poffefs no more
Than paupers do a boundless store.
Before you do rhantize another,
See, that the father or the mother,
(Pray, take my counsel, Difputator!)
Doth truly worship the Creator.
Unless some other good relation
Secures as well the child's falvation.
The infants of believers are,

Till renovating grace they fhare,

*Letter, &c. p. 55.

+ Letter, &c. p. 69, 70, 71.

Degenerate