Page images
PDF
EPUB
[ocr errors]

It is perfectly fair in our Antipædobaptist brethren to ask, what connection all this has with the faith of the gospel, and the spiritual blessings of the kingdom of Christ, which is not of this world? and what with the New Testament ordinance of Baptism? Let the apostles Paul and Peter be heard in reply. Heb. xi. 7. "By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of THE RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH IS BY FAITH.” 1 Pet. iii. 18-22. "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God; being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: by which (Spirit) also he went and preached unto the Spirits (now) in prison; which sometime were disobedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noe, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is eight, souls were saved by water. THE LIKE FIGURE WHEREUNTO even BAPTISM DOTH

[ocr errors]

ALSO NOW SAVE US, (ᾧ, καὶ ἡμᾶς ἀντίτυπον νῦν σώζει βάπ τισμα, an antitype to which also,' or, 'And what answereth to this, even Baptism now saveth us also,”) (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer, rather, "THE REQUISITE*," of a good con

The original word is izsgárnua, a thing asked, demanded, or required, a requisite, any thing necessary. It is derived from igwráw, to ask, demand, or require concerning something. The Apostle says that the figure of Baptism, which is now an emblem of our salvation, consists, not in representing the putting away of the filth of the flesh, which would be merely the Pharisaical wash

science toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: who is gone into heaven, and is on the right

ing of the outside of the cup and the platter, a thing of no use; but in representing the thing required, or necessary, viz. a good conscience towards God; a conscience purified from the sense of guilt and pollution, and so blessed with a well founded confidence in holding fellowship with God.

The reader may compare this explanation with the usual one, in which the word is represented as signifying a question or an answer, or rather a series of questions and answers; a dialogue or bargain, consisting of demands on the one part, and engagements, promises or vows, in consequence of being asked, on the other. 'Erigúrnua has had the misfortune to be illustrated by a practice, which arose long after the period of its use in the holy scriptures. For this also, we are indebted to that celebrated authority on the subject of Baptism, Tertullian. He says, that at Baptism, the Bishop asked, Dost thou renounce Satan? Dost thou believe in Christ? The person to be baptized answered, I renounce, I believe. This Tertullian, de Baptismo, cap. 18, calls sponsionem salutis, an engagement of salvation, and so delighted was be with that he ascribes all the benefit of the ordinance, to the

this vow,

respouse of the receiver. In his treatise de Resurrectione, cap. 48, referring to the above text in Peter he says, The soul is consecrated (sancitur) not by washing, but by ANSWERING (responsione). This interpretation of izsgárnua, Grotius endeavours to confirm by a technical meaning affixed to the word, when used as a judicial term, by the Greek expounders of the Roman Law.-To which some have added the conversation between the Ethiopian Nobleman and Philip, Acts viii. 36, 37. Now, although the scripture quotation is merely a declaration of Faith, without any imposition or reception of vows whatever, yet, on such grounds as the above, are founded the mutual stipulations, between the administrators, and the Parents, or Sponsors, in the observance of this ordinance, which have so long and so greatly tended to obscure its meaning. See Parkhurst, and Schleusner, on the word.

hand of God; angels, and authorities, and powers, being made subject unto him." Peter's language implies, that being saved by water in the ark, was a Túπov, a figure; and expresses that being saved by Baptism, is an ȧvríTutov, a corresponding figure; and that we may not mistake the point of resemblance to which he refers, he observes of the ark, that in it a "few (that is eight, that is the whole family,) souls were saved by water." When, therefore, we say that Baptism is come in the room of circumcision, we say nothing more than Peter has said of its coming in the room of a prior ordinance of precisely the same nature; and we are justified in the inference which we drew from the words of Paul respecting believers in Christ, that, "being buried with Christ in Baptism, they are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands."

When we compare the ordinance of Baptism with that of circumcision, we are led to the very same observations which we were led to, when we compared it with that of going into the ark. Gen. xvii. 7-14. “And I will establish my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee, in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee, in their generations. This is my covenant, which ye

ye

shall keep between me and you, and thy seed after thee; Every man-child among you shall be circumcised. And shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man-child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed. He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised; and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. And the uncircumcised manchild, whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised on the eighth day, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.”* nant is the same as that which was established with Noah; there is, as before, a particular establishment of it with Abraham; it contains the promises of the resurrection, and heavenly felicity, before the subordinate and temporal promise of the land of Ca-” naan; it is also accompanied with an appropriate ordinance of confirmation; this ordinance is to be administered to the full extent of the family; and as God had given to Abraham, not only children, but bondmen and bondwomen, the administration is expressly extended to them. This covenant includes the promise of Canaan to Abraham's children in the line of Isaac; but it is evidently in itself "the cove

The cove

* This clause, "on the eighth day," is inserted on the authority of the Samaritan text, the Greek and Samaritan versions, and the citations of Philo, Josephus, Justin Martyr, and Origen.

nant confirmed of God in Christ ;" and it is in virtue of the promises of salvation which it contains, and which were originally made to the fathers, that all subsequent, particular, and temporary promises are included. Lev. xxvi. 42. Deut. iv. 31. and xxix. 13. Luke i. 67-75.

In like manner, the ordinance of circumcision, the sign by which the establishing of God's covenant with Abraham was confirmed, is of spiritual and heavenly import. It signifies regeneration. Paul says, Rom. ii. 28. "For 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." Again, Phil. iii. 2, 3, "Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." In making these remarks, the apostle is not introducing a new doctrine concerning Jews and circumcision, (which seems to be the opinion of some,) but asserting the old and constant doctrine of Moses and the prophets. Deut. x. 15, 16. "Only the Lord had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day. Circumcise, therefore, the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiff-necked." Deut. xxx. 6. "And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all

« PreviousContinue »