tion between bond or free, as being of the fame value in the eye of God, it will hardly be thought probable, that flaves were ever baptized without their own confent. At least, the cuftom did not continue long, especially as flaves were about that time growing more independent of their mafters, acquiring civil as well as religious privileges; till at length, through the influence of maxims which chriftianity greatly countenanced, they were univerfally manumitted in Europe.

The baptifm of children, therefore, is to be confidered as one part of a man's own profeffion of christianity, and consequently an obligation upon him to educate his children in the principles of the christian religion. If a child have no parents, or none who will engage for his religious inftruction, other perfons, who will undertake this kind office, are fo far its parents, and therefore may baptize it, as they would do their own children.

Laftly, I would obferve, that it is an argument in favour of the baptizing of infants, to which I do not fee how any fatisfactory reply can be made, that it appears, from the hiftory of the chriftian church, to have been the conftant practice from the time of the apoftles. The first mention that is made of it is as of an uncontroverted practice, and it is even argued from, as an univerfally received cuftom, against very intelligent perfons, to whose

caufe

cause itwould have been of the greatest advantage to have proved it to be novel, or of no authority. This was more especially the cafe with Pelagius; for, though Auftin, in fupport of his doctrine of original fin, appeals to the practice of infant baptifm, as being neceffary to do it away, his antagonist does not pretend to dispute the fact, but only denies that this was the use of it.

Now it is certainly highly improbable, that fuch a custom as that of infant-baptifm fhould have been established so early as it appears to have been, contrary to the apoftolical practice, and no trace be left of the innovation; efpecially when every thing belonging to chriftianity, about which all perfons were not entirely agreed, became fo foon the fubject of the most eager contention and debate. And it does not appear to be of any confequence by what argument we can infer, that any opinion or practice was apoftolical, whether by their own writing, or any other fufficient evidence. They could not themselves be mistaken in a case of this nature, and their practice is an authoritative rule for us.

he was excommunicated; in confequence of which, he was cut off from joining in any part of chriftian worship, and from this among the reft; but there was no diftinction made between this and other parts of the service, especially the prayers of the church. An excommunicated perfon was one who was publicly declared not to belong to a chriftian fociety; and, therefore, the church would not confent to any thing that should imply their acknowledging him in the character of a brother, and declined affociating with him. The reafon of this conduct was most evident, becaufe the good name of chriftians, and of christian societies, was a thing of the greateft confequence to the propagation of christianity in those early times; and it ought to be confidered at all times as a matter of great confequence.

Confidering that Chrift abfolutely requires of all his difciples the most open and public profeffion of his religion, notwithstanding all the hazards to which it may expofe them, and has declared, that unless we "confefs him before men," he will not acknowledge us before his heavenly father; it certainly behoves all chriftians to take this, as well as every other method, of declaring, in a public manner, their profeffion of christianity. Moreover, as baptifm is generally administered in infancy, and is not the act of the perfon baptized, it feems neceffary, that there should be fome pub

lic

lic act, by which those who are baptized in their infancy, fhould openly, and in their own perfons, declare themselves chriftians; and the moft proper manner of doing this, is certainly the receiving of the Lord's fupper.

According to the custom of the primitive church, a custom so antient and uncontroverted, as, with me, to carry fufficient evidence of its having been an apoftolical one, all perfons who are baptized, children as well as others, fhould receive the Lord's fupper. It is nothing lefs than the revival of this cuftom that will fecure a general attendance upon. this ordinance; and no objection can be made to it, except what may, with equal ftrength, be made to bringing children to public worship at all, fince they are as incapable of understanding the one as the other. Nor would this antient and useful cuftom have been ever laid afide, if it had not been for the introduction of a train of fuperftitious notions, which made this plain and fimple ordinance appear continually more myfterious and awful; till, at length, the monstrous doctrine of tranfubftantiation was completely established.

Indeed, it is not a little remarkable, that the custom of giving the eucharift to children, was not finally abolished in any place till that doctrine had obtained the full function of the church of Rome; and that it maintains its ground to this very day, in all thofe chriftian churches which were never VOL. II. fubject

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fubject to that antichristian power, whose spiritual ufurpations and corruptions of the gofpel have been immenfe, and have extended to almoft every thing belonging to it.

SECTION VI.

Of the government of chriftian churches.

Shall conclude thefe obfervations on the pofi.

tive inftitutions of chriftianity with a short account of the primitive regulations for the government of christian churches; which, though not of divine appointment, were fuch as the wisdom of the apoftles thought to be the most convenient for tranfacting the business of chriftian focieties, and making them fubfervient to the purpose of improvement in knowledge and goodness.

Chriftian churches were formed upon the plan of the Jewish fynagogues, in which a number of the more elderly and respectable members prefided, with the title of elders, or overfeers, which in the Greek language is expreffed by the word which in English is rendered bishop; and one of these perfons was generally, by way of pre-eminence in point of honour, but not of power, stiled the chief, or mafter of the fynagogue.

The