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love of the Spirit, and to bear with them in all gentleness, meeknefs, and long fuffering. For we cannot now refer the matter in debate betwixt profelfing Chriftians, touching the externals of religion, to an infallible fynod, as that was at Jerufalem, where the HOLY GHOST prefided in the hearts of the Apostles and Elders, by whom they knew affu redly that their fentence and decree was according to the will of GOD: But every one, being fully perfuaded in his own mind, is now at liberty to judge and think for himself; nor hath any church or power upon earth a lawful authority to compel any perfon to fubscribe and act contrary to his pri vate judgment and confcience in these things, on pain of his being excluded from the visible communion and privilege of the churches of Chrift, provided he is found in the faith of Christ, and walketh in love.

To ftrive and contend about leffer matters, fo as to separate and divide the brethren in CHRIST ; when they are agreed in the weightier and effential truths of the Gofpel, is contrary to that love which is the end of the commandment and of all Gospel order.If a man hath CHRIST dwelling in his heart by faith, even that faith which worketh by love and overcometh the world, he is a member of CHRIST, a child of God, and an inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven; whether he externally hold communion with Epifcopalians, Pref byterians,

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byterians, or Independents But if a man be desti tute of this faith, it matters not to which of the three he belongs: his outward fellowship with the best regulated church in the world, without this life of religion, can profit him nothing. But where the power of godliness is made manifeft in a man's life and converfation, whether he hears one that wears a furplice, gown,or cloke,or that wears none; whether he kneels, at the Lord's table er ftands or fits his outward drefs or mode in receiving the Lord's Supper is of no real importance, provided he lays no manner of ftrefs thereon, fo as to compel others to do the fame and hath CHRIST in him the hope of glory.

But further; what doth it avail, whether a perfon be baptized in his infancy or when adult, if he holds the fame faith, and his love both to Gop and his people is made manifeft by his daily walk and converfation? Or of what importance is it whether a man be immersed in much water, or fprinkled with a little only; when the fame thing is understood and acknowledged thereby, and CHRIST crucified, his

and death, is that truth into which both are baptized?Whatever difference there be as to the time and mode of baptifm, it is certain that the Scripture makes it no ways effential to Christian communion or falvation; and whatever stress some have laid, and do lay on the circumstantials, of

this ordinance, it is manifelt that God lays no fuch ftrefs thereon, for he forms CHRIST in the hearts of both, and gives his Holy Spirit to them that are baptized in their infancy, or that are fprinkled in the name of Christ only, as well as to those who are immerfed in riper years; neither do the latter prove their faith by their works in a more clear and undoubted manner than many of the former. It is therefore certain that God bath received them; and if so, how can any one reject them and be guiltlefs? Moreover, in baptifm the ftrefs is not to be laid on the mode of it, but on the object, or truth into which a perfon is baptized: This is plain from the inftance of the twelve Disciples that Paul met with at Epbefus; they had been already baptized with John's baptifm, but when Paul told them that John in his preaching directed the people to believe on him that fhould come after him, that is, on CHRIST JESUS; they were rebaptized, in the name of the Lord Jefus.-Befides, if as fome affirm, immersion is the only and neceffary mode of baptifm, as it is a proper emblem and figure of CHRIST's death and refurrection; how is it that fobn was commanded to use that mode, when he did not baptize at all into the name of CHRIST, but unto repentance only? But as baptifm with water into the death of CHRIST is a proper figure, fign, or representation of a man's being baptized with

the

the HOLY GHOST, thro' faith in the blood of CHRIST, the Scripture expreffes it by fprinkling, as well as by, immerfion; wherefore he faith, I will fprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: And that this fprinkling is fufficient to cleanse the whole foul on whom it is poured, is evident from the following words; From all your filthiness, and from all your idols will I cleanfe you; for he that is wafhed, faith CHRIST, needeth not fave to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: Thus to wash, or fprinkle with water one part of the body only in the name of CHRIST, is equally available or expreffive of the cleanfing virtue and baptifm of the Spirit. The children of Ifrael feem to have been baptized unto Mafes in the cloud, and in the fea, by fprinkling; and I humbly conceive that John baptized in the fame manner, or elfe by pouring water upon their heads, which imported Spiritually CHRIST's pouring out of the HOLY GHOST upon his difciples; which had the fame fignification, ufe, and end, as an entire corporal immerfion, without any of its inconveniencies,

Again: If the infants of believing parents are not proper fubjects of baptifm, doubtless the Scripture would have exprefly prohibited it, because the children of Abraham at eight days old, were entitled to that great ordinance of circumcifion:

But

But it appears to be quite otherwife; and the filence of the Scripture on that head, feems to arife from its apparent reasonableness, and agreement with the covenant and promise which God made to Abraham, and his feed: yet the Scripture doth hot, I think, altogether leave us without plain intimations of the will of God, and of CHRIST in this matter. For it is plain from Scripture,

1.That every child born into this world hath Adam's fin imputed to him, and inherits a depravity of nature from his parents, without any will, confent, or act of his own ; therefore alfo, as he ftands in need of CHRIST's redemption, and the washing of the HOLY GHOST, from his mother's womb, it is very fit and reasonable that his believing parents, who know and acknowledge this great truth, fhould offer him to the LORD in baptifm, which is a figure and fhadow of it, for the child can nei ther will nor afk this bleffing for himself: And verily he is as capable of receiving the righteousness of CHRIST by imputation, and the washing of regeneration by the HOLY GHOST, without any actual confent, will or deed of his own; as he was of having original fin, that is, Adam's offence imputed to him, and corruption of nature tranfmitted to him, before he knew any thing of it.

2. Children