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CHRISTIAN
BAPTISM.
[stixM.
vII.
of
this
ordinance, and
in
our
reverence
for it
:
We all
agree
that
the children should
be .devoted to
God,
and
should
be
partakers of
all the
utmost
privileges
into
which scripture admits
them,
and
that
they should
grow
up under
all
possible obligations to duty
;
and
since
each of
us
desires
to find
out the
will
of
Christ, and
practise it accordingly, it
is
a most
unreasonable
thing,
that
we should, be angry
with
each other, because
some
of
us
are devoted
to
God and Christ
by
this
ceremony
a
little sooner, or
a
little later than
'others
;
or
because
some devote their children to
God
in
baptism as
a
claim
of
privileges
and
an obligation
to,
duties,
before they can
do
this
for
themselves;
whereas
others let
this claim
and
obligation alone,
-till
children themselves
are capable of
acting
therein
:
Or
because some
of
us
think
this
ordin-
ance
requires
much water,
and
that
the whole body
be
immersed
in
it;
others suppose a little
is
sufficient,
and
that
he who
hath
the
fate
or
head washed
in
this solem-
nity, has as
true
a significancy
of
gospel benefits and
ob-
ligations,
as
he who
has
his
whole body
put
under
water,
since
our
Saviour
thought
so when he
washed
Peter's
feet
:
John
xiii.
10.
In
short,
where faith in
Christ
and
love to
God, and obedience
to
the sanctifying
ope-
rations of
the Spirit
are
made necessary
to
salvation
and
agreed
upon
by
us
all,
it
is
laity
that
these lesser things
should raise such
unhappy 'and
scandalous contentions
among the
disciples
of the
blessed
Jesus,
who
is
the
Prince
of
Peace.
Having
given
you
some
account of
the subjects
of
this
ordinance,
and the
manner of
performance,
I
cannot
finish
this head
without
adding,
that
since every thing
under
the New
Testament
is
sanctified
by.
the word
and
prayer, it
is
generally
most
proper
to
administer this
ordinance,
with a
word
of
exhortation
or
instruction
to
men,
and a
prayer
lifted up to
God
in.
the name
of
Christ,
that
the blessings
of
grace
may
accompany
this
ordinance,
that
it
may
not
he
a
vain
or empty
sign,
but
may
be
at-
tended
with special
and
divine graces.
I
come now to
the last thing
which
I
proposed, and
that
is
to
mentign a
few
practical exhortations relating
to
the point
in
hand.
Exhortation
I.
" Adore
the
wisdom
of
God,
and
give
thanks to
his
goodness,
who
bath
appointed
such sensi-