"God remembered Abraham, in preserving Lot from the overthrow," (Gen. xviii. 17—33; xix. 29). Jacob wrestled with God, and prevailed with him; and Esau's heart was softened and his rage disarmed: he set out an enemy, yet met him as a brother, (Gen. xxxii ; xxxiii). When Moses prayed, Amalek was discomfited: and when he pleaded for Israel, the Lord said, "Let me alone, that I may destroy them." The time would fail to speak of David, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, Nehemiah, &c. Doubtless the conversion of Saul was an answer to the prayer of dying Stephen: and we may suppose, that the believers at Damascus were heard in their cries for protection from that cruel persecutor, in a manner beyond their most enlarged expectations; as were those at Jerusalem, when they prayed for Peter's deliverance from Herod, (Acts xii.) But indeed, except in the case of miraculous interpositions, the same is still experienced; and the more any man has made the trial, the fuller will be his assent to this truth. The Christian, who has been frequent, fervent, and particular in his supplications, for a length of time, has doubtless found, that many of his petitions (defective and defiled as he knows them to be) have been manifestly answered, both in his own temporal and spiritual concerns, and in behalf of others; often beyond his expectations, and contrary to apparent probability: some requests have been granted, not exactly in his meaning, but in a far more desirable way: he hath prayed for the removal of the "thorn in the flesh :" but the Lord hath answered him by showing the sufficiency of his grace, and employing the trial" to humble, and prove him, and to do him good at the latter end, (2 Cor. xii. 1-10:) so that the things that seemed the most against him, have most effectually promoted his highest interest. Or he has found his prayers answered, by feeling his mind wonderfully reconciled to a denial, from a conviction that "he knew not what he asked," or by a calm serenityin waiting the Lord's time for those things, which he had impatiently desired. The causes of his perturbation and anxiety remain, after his prayers have been presented before God; but the solicitude itself has given place to a divine " peace which passeth all understanding;" for "he called on the Lord, and was strengthened with strength in his soul." In short, he can scarcely produce an instance, in which he "poured out his heart," with earnestness and importunity, that he failed of obtaining the blessing he sought, or was not, after a time, satisfied with the denial. In many cases his intercessions for those around him have been graciously answered; in others he may still retain hope; and in all he may be assured, that they will return into his own bosom. So that the efficacy of prayer, to bring light and wisdom into the mind, peace into the conscience, submission into the will, and purity into the affections; to keep our garments clean, our armour bright, and our hearts joyful: to make us strong for the conflict, for service, or for suffering; to obtain sufficiency for our place and work, and a blessing on our endeavours; to secure peace with our enemies, or protection against them; to carry every point that is truly good for us; to bring down blessings on our families, friends, and country; to procure peace and prosperity to the church, the conversion of sinners, and the spread of the gospel; and for all things, which we can desire or conceive; must be allowed by every man, who reverences the Scriptures, or knows what it is "to walk with God." Did men speculate and dispute less, and pray more, their souls would be like a watered garden; fruitful, joyful, beautiful, and fragrant. Prayer is the first breath of divine life: it is the pulse of the believing soul, the best criterion of health or sickness, vigour or debility. By prayer we draw water with joy from the wells of salvation: by prayer faith puts forth its energy, in apprehending the promised blessings, and receiving from the Redeemer's fulness; in leaning on his Almighty arm, and making his name our strong tower, and in overcoming the world, the flesh, and the devil. All other means of grace are made effectual by prayer: every doctrine and instruction produces its effect, in proportion as this is attended to: every grace revives or languishes according to the same rule. Our grand conflict with Satan and our own hearts is about prayer: the sinner feels less reluctance, and meets less resistance, in respect of all other means, than in retiring to pour out his heart before God in secret; and the believer will find his chief difficulty to consist in continuing instant and fervent in this spiritual exercise. If he succeed in this, all else will eventually give place before him, and turn out to his benefit and comfort. It should be remembered, that prayer may be either public, social, or secret. Public worship most honours God, and is the grand end of our assembling together: though few seem to understand it so. Social worship tends greatly to maintain brotherly love, and to bring down blessings on families and societies. But secret prayer is the grand means of maintaining communion with God, and keeping alive the power of religion in the soul. Without this, the others will degenerate into formality; and the man himself will be devoid of life, strength, and comfort in the midst of them. Christians should, therefore, remember to prepare for public and social worship by secret prayer, meditation, and reading the Scriptures; and not yield to the temptation of neglecting the one by spending much time in the other. If we desire to pray aright, we must well observe, that the Scripture always calls upon us to pray in the Spirit," or "in the Holy Ghost," or rather "by the Spirit ;" our first petition, therefore, should be, that the Lord would graciously give us his Holy Spirit to teach and enable us to pray: when this is duly attended to, a very heartless beginning will often have a bright and encouraging conclusion, and our desires may be too large even for utterance; but without it, words will often flow, that have little meaning and no correspondent affections, (Rom. viii. 26, 27.) We should also be particular in our secret devotions; both in confession, supplication for temporal and spiritual mercies according to our circumstances, thanksgivings, and prayers for others; for whilst men deal in general words, they must either be very short and superficial, or run into needless repetition: and occasional ejaculatory petitions are a blessed addition to stated seasons of retirement. our prayers should be explicitly offered in the name, and through the intercession of the Divine Saviour; in dependence on his merits; with realizing expectation of success; and in a loving, forgiving spirit. All Finally, a thorough acquaintance with the prayers contained in the psalms, and other parts of Scripture; and a careful observation of the requests, which the sacred penmen offered, the pleas they used, the order and proportion they observed, and the confessions, adorations, and grateful praises, they intermixed with their fervent supplications for personal and public, temporal and spiritual mercies, will be more useful to the serious Christian, in this part of religion, than all other helps whatsoever. Above all, the Lord's prayer, well understood and digested, will teach him what the confidence and leading desire of his heart in every prayer should be: what are the blessings especially to be sought for; and with what moderation and submission he should ask for temporal mercies, compared with the forgiveness of his sins, and deliverance from temptation and the tempter, from evil and the evil one: that in approaching the throne of grace, he may 66 seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, assured that all other things will be added to him." ESSAY XXIV On Baptism and the Lord's Supper. AMONG the ordinances which the Lord hath appointed in his church, as means of grace and acts of solemn worship, some have from the earliest times been distinguished by the name of sacraments. This word originally signified the military oath, which the Roman generals required from their soldiers; and these institutions were considered as solemn engagements, to be faithful and obedient to Christ, under whose banner all Christians have enlisted. But in process of time sacraments were multiplied, which gave rise to immense superstition and absurdity: and as human nature continually verges to extremes, so it may be queried, whether numbers have not lately been induced too much to disregard all distinctions of this kind. The word sacrament, however, is not Scriptural; and the nature of the two ordinances, which Protestants consider as alone entitled to this name under the Christian dispensation, seems in general to be this: "In them Divine truths are exhibited to our senses, and illustrated to our minds, by outward emblems, and the reception of spiritual blessings is represented by significant actions. Thus observances, in themselves indifferent, by divine appointment become a part of religious worship, honourable to God and profitable to us; and positive duties arise, where none before subsisted by moral obligation." Baptism is the initiatory ordinance of Christianity, as circumcision was under the old dispensation, from Abraham to the ascension of Christ; and it consists in the application of water to the baptized person, "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." Water is the universal purifier of our persons, garments, houses, streets, and cities; it is essential to the beauty and fertility of the earth; and is the original element from which every liquor, that quenches our thirst or exhilarates our spirits, is derived. Water is, therefore, the most expressive Scripture emblem of the pure and satisfying blessings conveyed to us by the gospel; especially of the purifying, enlivening, fructifying, and consolatory influences of the Holy Ghost:, and many ceremonies of the law, as well as the introductory baptism of John, exhibited these benefits by the use of it. The whole of that happy change, which the apostle describes, may be denoted by the baptismal water; "but ye are washed, ye are sanctified, ye are justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God," (1 Cor. vi. 9-11;) according to the Lord's promises by his prophet, "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean; from all your filthiness, and all your idols will I cleanse you," &c., (Ezek. xxxvi. 25–27; Ps. li. 2, 7; Zech. xiii. 1; John xix. 34; 1 John v. 6.) But it more immediately represents the purifying of the judgment and affections from the pollution of sin, by the sanctification of the Holy Spirit. The beginning of this work, therefore, is described with reference to the outward emblem, as being "born of water and of the Spirit;" it is called the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost," which God our Saviour pours upon us abundantly and it is especially, though not exclusively, meant by "the baptism of the Holy Ghost," (John i. 31-33; iii. 3—8; Tit. iii. 5, 6.) The appointment of this emblem, in the initiatory ordinance of Christianity, emphatically testifies the doctrine *The design of this compendious publication renders it wholly improper to treat of this subject in a controversial manner. Upon mature deliberation the writer is a Pædo-baptist; and his discussions will consequently be most applicable to those, who coincide with him in sentiment and practice. But he considers all as brethren who "love the Lord Jesus in sincerity;" and would not willingly offend any man, who conscientiously differs from him in such matters; he hopes, therefore, for similar candour from such readers. The disputes about the mode and subjects of baptism seem to have too long occupied a disproportionate degree of attention; whilst numbers remain ignorant of the nature and obligations of the ordinance itself. Mr Henry's observation seems well grounded; "that if infant baptisin were more conscientiously improved, it would be less disputed." THE LORD'S SUPPER. of original sin, and the necessity of regeneration: for it declares every man, When the apostles went forth to teach," or disciple, "all nations," to baptize them in this name, and then to teach more fully all things that Christ had commanded, that they might observe them, (Matt. xxviii, 19, 20,) the converts, whether made from among the Jews or Gentiles, were baptized on an intelligent profession of repentance and faith. When the Jews made proselytes to their religion, they circumcised the adult males on such a profession, according to the nature of their dispensation: and Pædo-baptists in similar circumstances would adopt the same conduct. But we suppose (for reasons that have been repeatedly assigned,) that as the Jews also circumcised all the males in the families of the proselytes, who were incapable of personally rejecting the Jewish religion; so the apostles baptized the households of their converts, including the females, and only excluding such, as, being able to answer for themselves, gave evidence, by word or deed, that they did not obey the truth: nay, that those children were thus admitted as a part of the visible church, and relatively holy, who had one believing parent, though the other continued an unbeliever, (Acts xvi. 3; Rom. xi. 16, 17; 1 Cor. vii. 14.) The adult convert, by receiving baptism, acknowledged, according to the obvious meaning of the ordinance, that he was a sinner by nature and practice; that he repented of his sins, and believed in Christ for the forgiveness of them; that he renounced idolatry, and all other objects or forms of worship, " to serve the living and true God," in whose name he was baptized, according to the revelation of the gospel; that he cordially believed the truths contained in that revelation, and relied on the mercy of the Father, on the mediation of the incarnate Son, and on the grace of the Holy Spirit, for complete salvation; and that he sincerely purposed to forsake all his sins, and every confidence, pursuit, interest, or indulgence, which interfered with these engagements. Thus he openly joined himself to the Lord, according to the new covenant in Christ Jesus; and embracing its benefits as his portion and salvation, he solemnly vowed to renounce the world, deny himself, bear his cross, endure persecution and hardship, and fight against sin and Satan, as a faithful soldier of Jesus Christ, to the end of his days: and doubtless prayers, instructions, professions, and engagements to this effect, accompanied the administration of baptism, as circumstances required or admitted of them. Such a solemn transaction would tend exceedingly to confirm the faith, to excite the love, to strengthen the mind, and to encourage the hope of the true convert; and though a hypocritical profession could answer none of these purposes, yet we cannot determine, that confused views, partial convictions, and general purposes of following Christ, might not frequently issue in true conversion, even by means of this ordinance, and the prayers, instructions, and admonitions, which preceded, attended, and followed it: for it does not become us to limit the operations of the Holy Spirit. The public administration of baptism would also honour God and the Christian religion; establish and edify believers, by reminding them of their privileges and vows; make way for subsequent exhortations, admonitions, or censures, in respect of the baptized person, as occasion required; and excite the attention of numbers to the peculiar doctrines of Christianity. The baptism of the infant offspring of such converts was likewise a solemn declaration, that they desired the same blessings for their children, as they had chosen for their own portion; and they thus pledged themselves to the church," to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord;" giving them every instruction, and using all means of rendering them wise unto salvation. When they brought the children, which were afterwards born to them, to be baptized, they virtually renewed their former profession and engagements, and declared their presevering purpose of instructing and commanding their households in the fear of God; and as the children grew up, such of them as profited by these means would personally accept of the privileges, and enter into the engagements peculiar to Christianity, in the manner that will shortly be touched upon. As the number of professed Christians increased, the baptism of infants would proportionably grow more common; and when the progress of the gospel among Jews and Gentiles was less rapid, the baptism of adults would not occur so frequently. But when the progress of error and superstition made way for the nominal conversion, and the baptism of whole nations, the latter would be seldom heard of, in countries previously professing Christianity. This indiscriminate administration of infant baptism, however, has produced many very bad effects; and the abuses, misapprehensions, and criminal conduct, which too manifestly connect with it, have given many pious persons a rooted aversion to that way of administering the ordinance, and have furnished them with plausible objections against it. But when a serious parent is persuaded (notwithstanding all these crimes and abuses,) that the baptism of the infant offspring of believers accords to the word of God, and in compliance with what he judges his duty, presents his children to be baptized, he solemnly ratifies and renews the profession and engagements of his own baptism; he avows his earnest desire, that the covenant made with him may be for the good of his seed also, (Jer. xxxii. 38—40 ; Acts ii. 38, 39;) and he engages to bring them up in the faith and obedience of the gospel, as far as his instructions, discourse, example, and prayers can have any influence. As they grow up, he, or other serious relations, may profitably explain to them the nature, meaning, and engagements of baptism; the blessings it signifies; the advantages of being thus early admitted into the visible church, and trained up as her children; and the aggravated guilt of deliberately rejecting the salvation and service of God, from pride of heart and carnal affections; or even of neglecting the means of appropriating these advantages, and complying with those engagements which their parents or senior friends had entered into in their name, and for their benefit. Thus an additional avenue is opened to the consciences of young persons, and an additional restraint imposed on their passions. Ministers also may employ these topics, with great advantage, in addressing both the parents and the children, and even such as wish to have their offspring baptized; and if this were done frequently and generally, both in public and private; if baptism were administered solemnly before the congregation, and proper reference were made to it in the sermon; and if some discouraging barriers to these things were removed, the most diffusive good might be expected. But even as matters now stand, the administration of infant baptism has great influence in giving vast multitudes some ideas of the gospel, especially of original sin, regeneration, and the Trinity; and whilst all who act profanely, deceitfully, or formally in this matter, must answer for their own crimes; if good be done, either to parents, children, or others, |