09. Lecture VIII; Farther Presumptions Against Infant Baptism

LECTURE VIII.

FARTHER PRESUMPTIONS AGAINST INFANT BAPTISM. A third presumption against infant baptism arises out of the necessity of being satisfied that it is the will of God.

Satisfaction as to our duty, in every part of the service of God, is frequently required in the Scriptures. Col 3:17, “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus." Rom 14:5 — 23, “Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind." “Whatsoever is not of faith is sin." These rules must be applied to Baptism as well as to other .things, especially as the same injunction is implied, if not expressed, in the common formula of administration.

Satisfaction as to our duty is thus required, but how is it to be found? For infant baptism there is neither doctrine nor precept, nor example, nor evident inference. All the evidence offered, is some unproved inferences drawn from irrelevant premises by a circuitous process of ratiocination. Whether these inferences have in any instance proved satisfactory, each individual must judge. They furnish a pretext, indeed, for such as desire a pretext, but are ill calculated for giving satisfaction to the conscientious worshipper. A fourth presumption against infant baptism arises from the qualifications required in the baptized. The first qualification requisite in baptism is knowledge, of which infants are incapable. The necessity of knowledge to baptism is implied in every baptismal qualification. This necessity is expressly taught in Mat 28:18-20, “Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." In these few words, the necessity of knowledge to baptism is mentioned in three different ways. 1st, The apostles are commanded to teach the nations. 2ndly, They are commanded to baptize the disciples in the name of the Trinity; that is, into the belief of the things which they had been taught respecting the Trinity, — into the faith of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 3dly, They are commanded to teach the baptized after their baptism, as they had taught them before it: “Teaching them to" observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you."

Objections have been made to this testimony. The word "teach" in the beginning of the verses, might, Bay the objectors, be rendered “disciple," or, make disciples of the nations. But the objection is irrelevant, — the translation is sufficiently correct; and though the word were altered, the meaning would remain. To disciple, implies teaching. Farther, what Matthew calls teach, or disciple, Mark renders "preach the gospel to every creature." To teach them, therefore, is to preach to them the gospel. What is baptizing into the Trinity, but baptizing into what we are taught concerning the Trinity? As to the teaching in the second clause, the translation cannot be altered.

I need not say that infants are incapable of being taught, or of being baptized into the name or faith of the Trinity. In these words there is no exception of infants. This has indeed been suggested, but the suggestion refutes itself. It is obvious, from the commission, that the subjects of baptism must first be taught, or made disciples. Unless, then, we find in some part of Scripture an exception in regard to infants, they must be excluded from baptism. They want the requisite qualification of knowledge.

2dly, Faith, which infants do not possess, is a qualification requisite to baptism, of which infants are incapable. That faith is necessary to baptism, appears from many scriptures. I quote a few as examples. Mark 16:15-16, "He that believeth, and is baptized shall be saved." Acts 8:36-37, "And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest (be baptized). Col 2:12, “Buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God." These, and other scriptures, prove that faith is necessary to baptism.

I must not take leave of this particular, without reminding the inquirer of two things: 1st, That every objection known to the writer, has been anticipated in this, or some preceding lecture; 2dly, That selfexamination and discerning the Lord’s body, are not more essential to the observance of the Lord’s-supper, than faith is to baptism. From Mark I learn, that baptism without faith is of no avail. From Luke, I learn, that if the Ethiopian had not believed with all his heart, he could not have been baptized. From Paul, I learn that the Colossians rose with Christ in baptism, only through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised Christ from the dead. This last testimony is particularly to be considered, because it extends to all to whom the epistle is directed. Its doctrine is, that faith is essential to baptism, and is not restricted to any particular class of the baptized. The conclusion is irresistible. Infants cannot be baptized, because they cannot believe, or, what amounts to the same thing, they cannot give evidence of their faith.

Repentance is a third qualification requisite in baptism, of which infants are incapable. The connection between repentance and baptism is asserted or implied in many Scriptures. Mat 3:11, "I indeed, says John, baptize you with water unto repentance." Acts 2:37-39, “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." Acts 22:16, "And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord." In this manner the Scriptures teach us the connection between repentance and baptism. In the passages quoted, there is no exception of infants from the general rule. Repentance is necessary to baptism; and children cannot be baptized, because they cannot repent.

Holiness is the fourth qualification requisite to baptism. The necessity of holiness to the baptized is often intimated. John 3:5, “Jesus answered (Nicodemus) Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." Tit 3:5, “According to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost." Infants are capable of holiness, Jer 1:5; but all infants are not holy; and no infant can give the evidence of holiness required in the Scriptures.

5thly, Putting on Christ, is another qualification requisite to baptism. Gal 3:27, “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." The figure is taken from putting on clothes: it implies action on the part of the person baptized, of which infants are incapable. In baptism the believer professes his faith in Christ. The process here is short, and the conclusion certain. Infants cannot put on Christ, and consequently cannot be baptized. Consider what is implied in putting on Christ, and this will appear still more evident. By Christ, we are to understand the doctrine concerning Christ. 1Co 2:2, “For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified," — not the philosophy of the Greeks; not the ceremonies of the Jews; but what is written concerning the person, character, offices, and work of Christ. To preach Christ, then, is to preach the truth concerning Him. And what is it "to put on Christ," but to understand, believe, apply, and practise that truth? The apostle frequently uses the words in this sense. Rom 13:13-14, “Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof." Col 3:8-10, "But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge, after the image of him that created him." We have, in our own language, expressions of the same kind. We speak of “laying aside bad habits, and acquiring good habits." The general meaning of the passages quoted is similar. To put off the old man and put on the new, is the purpose and practice of reformation; putting on Christ, is the purpose and practice of obeying the Gospel. Observe, next, the comprehensive and unlimited form of the apostle’s assertion. Gal 3:27, “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ." He does not mean that some of the Galatians were baptized and some not. All the members of the churches of Galatia were baptized. He does not mean that the baptized were bound in duty merely to reformation. The fact is asserted: as many of them as were baptized had put on Christ. He means that reformation was essential to baptism, and that every individual baptized either was, or appeared to be, reformed; there was no exception of Jew or Greek, of learned or unlearned, of young or old. The presumption that infants cannot be baptized, is strengthened, because they are incapable of moral agency, and of the actions described and required by the apostle. A sixth qualification requisite to baptism, and incompetent to infants, is the answer of a good conscience. 1Pe 3:21, “The like figure whereunto, even baptism, doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), by the resurrection of Jesus Christ." Here the apostle represents believers as being saved by baptism; but in order to guard them against imagining that salvation was necessarily connected with the observance of the ordinance, he says, “not the putting away the filth of the flesh," but the answer of a good conscience, &c. In baptism, the believer professes his faith in Christ for the remission of his sins, and that by his resurrection he is begotten to a lively hope of salvation, 1Pe 1:3. “It is God that justifieth, who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died; yea, rather that is risen again." Thus he has the answer of a good conscience; his heart no more condemns him. This is the beginning of the believer’s confidence, which he is commanded to hold steadfast to the end, Heb 3:14.

Now, every one must see the consequence; infants cannot be baptized, because they cannot have the answer of a good conscience. To this consequence an objection has been made. Paul says, Rom 2:28-29, “He is not a Jew which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh: but he is a Jew which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God." And it has been asked, will any one hence argue that the Jewish infants, for want of this, were not to be admitted into covenant with God by circumcision? To this question I answer, 1st, Paul is speaking of circumcision, and Peter of baptism. These ordinances must be proved to be similar, before relevant conclusions can be drawn from the one to the other. 2dly, It is true that circumcision, without regeneration, could not save the Jew, and that baptism, if the conscience be not good, will not save the baptized. 3dly, Baptism requires a profession of faith in all its subjects, which circumcision did not.

I have now given six examples of qualifications required in baptism, of all which infants are incapable. These are knowledge, faith, repentance, holiness, putting on Christ, and the answer of a good conscience. It has been proved that each of these stands connected with baptism, in the same way that self-examination and discerning the Lord’s body stand connected with the supper. It has been evinced that the objections to infants observing both ordinances are similar, and similarly answered; and, in particular, that infants are not excepted from the general rules. The presumption, then, is very strong; if the want of qualifications represented in Scripture as essential to the observance of the ordinance, exclude them from the Lord’s supper, must not the want of similar qualifications exclude them from baptism? It is not easy to see that any thing can be opposed to these remarks, without reflecting on the wisdom, or care, or authority of Him who hath given us the Scriptures as the rule of our worship. A fifth presumption against infant sprinkling arises from the duties connected with baptism. For our present purpose, it will not be necessary to enumerate, it is sufficient to exemplify these duties. If it prove true that there are duties required in baptism which infants cannot perform, it will follow that infants cannot be baptized. The following examples will satisfy the inquirer that there are duties of this description.

I take the first example from a profession of the faith. The necessity of professing the faith is often taught in the Scriptures. Mat 10:32, “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven." Rom 10:9, “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.* The connection between confessing the faith and baptism, appears likewise in many ways: — 1st, From the circumstances in which the apostles propagated the gospel. They preached to the Jews and heathen; such of their hearers as believed, professed their faith and were baptized. Thus, at Corinth, Paul preached, and many of the Corinthians hearing, believed and were baptized. 2dly, The connection between professing the faith and baptism, is implied in the commission to the apostles, and in similar Scriptures. The administrator could only learn from a profession who they were who believed. The account which we have of the Ethiopian’s baptism confirms all that has been said.

I take my next example from the concomitant duties — the duties required of the baptized at the time of their immersion. In the supper, more is required than the mere corporeal acts of eating bread and drinking wine. We must remember Christ: without this worship of the mind, the bodily service is useless. The case is similar in baptism. We are baptized for the remission of sins, into the death of Christ, into Christ, into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Our minds must go into the truth respecting these things, as our bodies go into the water. The mere corporeal operation is as useless here as in the supper. “God is a spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." 1Ti 4:8, "Bodily exercise profiteth little." Peter expressly applies these things to baptism, 1 Peter, h1:21; Acts 22:16. But it is not necessary to quote particular Scriptures: the very design of baptism implies that the mind must be exercised about what the ordinance represents.

3dly, I take my next example from the duties consequent upon baptism. I name but two, church association, and the practice of the truth. In ordinary cases, it is the duty of the baptized, without exception, to form themselves into churches, or to unite themselves with churches already formed. Mat 28:19, “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." Amongst the things commanded by Christ, church association holds a prominent place. And, it ought to be observed, that there is to be no unnecessary interval. As soon as a man is taught, he ought to believe; as soon as he believes, he ought to be baptized; as soon as he is baptized, he ought to join the church. Acts 2:1-47. explains the commission. Acts 2:41, “Then they that gladly received the word were baptized; and the same day there were added unto them three thousand souls. And they continued steadfastly in the apostle’s doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." The three thousand were baptized, and added to the church on the same day, 1:e. without delay. 1Co 12:13, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit." All are baptized into one body. The apostle is reasoning on the principle that the church of Corinth represents the general assembly and church of the first born; that is, our obligation to join a particular church is implied in our baptism. Agreeably to these Scriptures, 1 find a church in Jerusalem, in Corinth, and in other cities; but I find neither precept nor example for separating baptism from the supper. Baptism is an ordinance of initiation. Amongst other things, it is designed to signify that we profess ourselves Christians, and that others ought to treat us accordingly. Without baptism we cannot, consistently with the rules of Scripture, be admitted to church fellowship; but being baptized, if there be no obstructions, we ought not to be kept from church communion, either by ourselves or others. The case of the Ethiopian is, from its nature, extraordinary. The collocation of baptized infants, has not a little puzzled both pedo-baptists and sprinklers. Some of the first have admitted infants to the supper. The latter — from the establishment of the doctrine of transubstantiation, — have excluded them from the supper, but received them to a kind of equivocal church membership.

2dly, The practice of the truth was my other example of duties consequent on baptism. This example comprehends learning and practicing whatever Christ has commanded. Of these things infants are incapable. To conclude this particular, let us recollect, that, without exception of young or old, duties to which infants are incompetent, are required in the baptized. By every class of these duties, whether before, at, or after the ordinance, infants must be excluded from baptism.