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other Christians who were as liable to be misled as themselves , they looked for guidance ) of baptizing little children , in his saying , "Do not forbid them to come to me ; " but Tertullian rejects such an inference from the words , grid endeavours to
give a just idea of their scope , ' Therefore let them come when they are grown up- JLet them come when they understand : when they are instructed whither it is that they come . JLet them be made Christians when
they can know Christ . Why need their guiltless age to make such haste to the forgiveness of sins ?"—** With TertuIHan ' s opinions and arguments /' says Mr . B . " we have nothing to do . " 1 cannot entirely agree with him in this ; it appears to me that we have at least as much to do with them , as
with the intimations which he gives concerning the practice of some of those to whom he was writing . Is it to be supposed that the idea of instructing persons , whither they came while they were yet children , was original with Tertullian ? Or rather , is it not to be inferred , that this sober advice was founded on the established
practice and sentiments of Christians ; while the opinion ami practice , which he in the main opposes , were comparatively novel and of partial prevalence , arising out of the growing superstitions ? That this actually was the case , I shall endeavour to shew
presently , by an extract from Justia Martyr . Mr . Belsham says , that " we hear of hardly a single individual who stood up to bear his testimony against this early corruption . " This is rather an unfortunate remark to accompany the extract in which the first mention
is made of the baptism of little children . No sooner is it mentioned than it is opposed ; and , according to my conceptions , its absurdity glaringly exhibited by some of the plainest and most convitiffing arguments that were
ever alleged : and L cannot help thinking- it is rather a remarkable instance of the power of association , that Mr . Belsham , the able , the indefatigable champion of the M sublimely simple " truths of Unitarian ism , should have
appeared inaccessible to tljis artless appeal to the plainest principles of im Jwroan understanding . I £ instead of considering thai he haa nothing to
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do with such arguments , he would shew the superior propriety of little children , or even infants , nominally embracing Christianity long before they can understand its doctrines , discern its evidences , and imbibe its
spirit , to that of persons really embracing , and making their solemn profession of it , after they have been well instructed in these things , he will , in my apprehension , render a very essential service to the cause he espouses , but a service , of which I have no idea
that even his very superior talents will be equal to the accomplishment . It will not be disputed , that the little children of whom TertulKan speaks , Were those of Christians , whether or not those Christians were converts from the Jews or Heathens .
There is not the least appearance of any distinction in TertuIHan ' s ideas , or those to whom he is writing upon this head . The cause , therefore , that he is advocating , is that of the baptism of the adult offspring of
Christians ; and , as there subsisted a regular practice of training ^ catechumens" for baptism , there is every reason to think that the youthful offspring of Christians were included in the number , and that Tertullian had
this practice in view in speaking of their instruction . The advocates for 44 Infant Baptism /* indeed , make a great distinction between proselytes and disciples who had never been Jews or Pagans ; hence , Mr . B . renders the command of Christ
( Matt , xxviii . ) ** proselyte awd baptize / 9 though , in the " Improved Version , " we read , €€ Go ye and make disciples , baptizing / * &c , and it doe 9
not appear that the primitive Christians made any distinction of this kind < as it respected baptism . The question was not whether they bad previously been Jews or idolaters , but whether they were convinced that Jesus was the Christ , and were
prepared to acknowledge him a * their great law-giver and guide . All enter the world alike ignorant of these things , and the children of Christians , no less than others , must be fully
instructed in the principles and evidences of Christianity before they can embrace it ; nor does it appear reasonable that they , any more than others , should he required to use the rite by which they become deno *
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Mr . Pine ' s Examination of Mr . BelshanCs Arguments for Infant Baptism . 405
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Aug. 2, 1818, page 495, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2479/page/23/
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