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    " They go astray as soon as they be born , speaking lies , " and applied to babies , as the language and testimony of Tertullian , Allowing it to be " impossible" that Irenaeus " could be ignorant of the

    injunctions and the practice of the apostles concerning baptism , " it does not follow that baby-baptism is right , or that f renaeus countenances the practice . Shall we explain the words of

    the tiitor by the scholar ' s , or the disciple ' s by the instructor ' s ? When John used the terms , ** fathers , " 4 t young men , " «• child ren , " and «• little children , or Peter , " new-born babes , "

    can we suppose they meant what those terms literally mean > Why are not I renceus * 8 terms of similar import ? Why do not they mean the same description of characters , and not persons of different ages ? •* By regeneration , " says Mr . B ., " baptism is unquestionably to

    be understood , that being the only regeneration &f which infants are capable " This may be Mr , B . V . unquestionable opinion , and yet not mine ; it is grounded on a mere begging the point in question , namely , that Irenaeus is

    talking of babies , instead of converts to Christianity . I may as well say , that regeneration denotes a change from Heathenism to Christianity ; but babies are not capable of such a change , and , therefore , Irenseus ' s infantes are not our little babies .

    Stumbling then at the very threshold of saintly ground , I wish these blocks to be removed , or I cannot tread another step with safety and satisfaction . In vain 1 rub my eyes , without some farther assistance , to see

    that it follows " by obvious and necessary deduction , that the baptism of theinfant ( T mean baby ) descendants of baptised persons , was authorized and instituted by the npostles themselves . " Mr . B . endeavours to clear the rite

    from what he conceives erroneous views . " Baptism is not intended to wash away the stains of original sin * " says Mr . B ., page 87 . While Origen , tltfe second witness , to support the ^ Plea , " speaking of original sin , says ,

    *•* For this ated it was that the church fiad a tradition or order fr 6 m the apostles to give baptism even to infants . ' * 4 t Infants are baptized for the forgiveness of sins . Of what sins ; oj ^* when have titey ^ rfttn ^ d ? .... ; -If is because , by tlte » ft ^ m < ibt of b ; m-

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    tism , the pollution of our birth is taken away , that infants are baptized *" Now , Sir , I am so blind as not to be able to discern the necessity of

    believing Origen , when he says , the church had a tradition to give baptism , and of rejecting his testimony , when he declares the purpose for which auch tradition or order was given *

    Mr . B . may ask , how came it to pass that such a practice should prevail universally in the church , if it were not authorized by apostolic warrant ? I frankly own that 1 do not know that it was universal * I do not

    know whence arose the custom o / kissing the babies after baptism in the African churches , unless it were from the apostle ' s declaration , " Salute the brethren with a holy kiss ; " nor can I

    tell how tfae practice of baptizing them before kissing , in the laver of regeneration , to wash away the pollution of their birth , crept into use , unless by a strange comment on the apostle ' s ex-€ t

    pression , else were your children unclean . " I can say I was not so conscientiously delicate as Tidus , for I kissed my baby at three hours of age without baptism ; and notwithstanding Mr . Bel&ham ' s kind endeavours to

    persuade me , with others , to act so as not to recollect the time when our children were not believers in Christ , mine still remains in the gall of bit * terness and bond of iniquity , according to father Origen ' s testimony . Mr . B . fails , / think , in his first

    testimony , and therefore " the unrform , universal , undisputed practice , ** remains to be established , and then its connexion with the apostolic command . AN UNLETTERED RUSTIC .

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    378 <) n Infant Baptism .

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    « j — Sandonbury , Sir , April £ 5 , 1818 . THE controversy , upon the subject of Infant Baptism , does not appear to me to be conducted on right principles , by either the advocate * or the opponents of that rite . I lay it down as a simple , immutable

    principle , adapted to the understandings of all men , rich and poor , that no rite or ceremony Wdbligatory upon Christians in general like ourselves unless it stands upon a clear , positive command to observe it through ¦ all ages accompanied with the pirtic ^ l ^ rs of the time when it ia jto lie wpckised ,

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), June 2, 1818, page 378, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2477/page/34/