Ethiopian officer, Treasurer of an Ethiopian Queen, who heard Philip preach the same gospel, and was, on profession of that faith, baptized in a certain water to which they came on their journey.

Q. 34. And what was the next baptism reported in the Acts of the Apostles? A. It is that of Saul of Tarsus. Doubtless he was a believing subject.

Q. 35. And how was he baptized? A. Neither while sitting nor standing. We are not informed in what place, but that he was commanded to arise, and of course to accompany Ananias somewhere. "Arise," said he, "why tarriest thou, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling upon the name of the Lord." He accordingly arose and accompanied him to a suitable place, and was baptized.

Q. 36. Having now seen from an induction of the first converts in Jerusalem, Samaria, Damascus, and Ethiopia, that all baptized persons were first taught and instructed in the way of the Lord before their baptism, and not one indication of a different practice, what is wanting to complete this chapter of evidences? A. We must look from the Jews-whether in Jerusalem, Samaria, Damascus, or Ethiopia,—to the Gentiles. Perhaps, there was a different dispensation of baptism to the Gentiles.

Q. 37. And what were the circumstances of the baptism or conversion of the aliens? A. The Gentiles were, indeed, aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise. But admission to the new dispensation was proposed to Jews and Gentiles on the same premises, because God is not a God of the Jews, but of the Gentiles also; and he made no difference, says an Apostle, between them, "purifying their hearts by faith."

Q. 38. But give us a case. Where was the first baptism of Gentiles? A. At Cesarea. Cornelius, an Italian Captain, an intelligent, pious, and prayerful soldier, with his family and personal friends, were the first fruits of the nations to Jesus Christ. All the converts of that day heard, believed, and received the Holy Spirit before they were baptized. It was in reference to these that Peter challenged the Jews, his companions, from Joppa, asking if any of them dare refuse baptism to these enlightened and sanctified Pagans. He then commanded them so distinguished with knowledge, faith, and the Holy Spiait, to be baptized in the name, or by the authority, of the Lord. Such Gentiles, then, as believed and were enlightened were to be baptized by the authority of the Lord.

Q. 39. Have we any other public baptisms reported among the

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Gentiles? A. We have the baptism of the Corinthians under the ministry of the Apostle Paul.

Q. 40. What are the details of their baptism? A. We are solemnly teld that many of the Corinthians,hearing,believed,and were baptized. Q. 41. Had infant baptism been preached in those days, how would it have read? A. Many infants, being baptized, believed and heard.'

Q. 42. Would it not be incongruous to say that they first believed and then heard? A. Not in the least more unprecedented or more unreasonable than to say they were first baptized and then believed. According to the Acts of the Apostles and the tenor of the New Testament, it is as good sense, as good style, and as fully authorized to say many infants first believed and then heard the gospel, as to say many infants were baptized and then believed the gospel.

Q. 43. But is it generally true in fact that baptized infants do afterwards believe the gospel! A. It may sometimes happen, but experience or accurate observation would prove, according to our observation, that, taking Pedobaptist Christendom into the account, not a tithe of baptized infants do really ever believe the gospel.

Q. 44. Of sixty millions of Russian baptized infants-of one hundred millions of Roman sprinkled infants--and of fifty millions of Lutheran, and Episcopal, and Presbyterian, and Methodistic sprinkled or poured infants, can any one reasonably conclude from all published data that, in the aggregate, ten or eleven millions of them really and truly believe the gospel to the salvation of their souls! A. If so, surely the millennium must be at the door.

Q. 45. Waving all matters of doubtful disputation on the premises, what is laid down in the Acts of the Apostles as the indispensable qualifications necessary to baptism? A. "If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest."

Q. 46. Did you ever read of the baptism of any infants in the scriptures? A. No.

Q. 47. Did you ever read of the sprinkling of any infants in the scriptures? A. No.

Q. 48. Whose commandment, then, do we obey in having our infants baptized or sprinkled? A. The commandment of the clergy. Q. 49. Dɔ we transgress any divine command in neglecting to have our infants baptized? A. No: I never read of any one being accused of this sin in the Bible, nor of any commandment that was thereby transgressed.

Q. 50. Did you ever read of any sponsors in the Bible? A. No. SERIES III.-VOL. VI.

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Q. 51. What do you mean by a sponsor? A. I mean one that promises and engages for another in baptism.

Q. 52. Did you ever read in the scriptures of any one promising any thing for another in baptism? A. No: no promises of parent nor of child, at baptism, is ever mentioned in the Bible.

Q. 53. Whence originated the custom of promising and vowing in baptism? A. From the Clergy.

Q. 54. Did you ever read in the scriptures of any vows that minors or adults were under in consequence of baptism? A. None. Q. 55. What are the promises given to baptized infants or minors in the New Testament? A. None.

Q. 56. What are the threats denounced against them that neglect to have their infants baptized? A. Many from the Clergy, but none from the Bible.

Q. 57. Is baptism a command? A. Yes: "Be baptized every one of you."

Q. 58. Should not every divine command be obeyed? A. Yes. Q. 59. In what does religious obedience consist? A. In a voluntary act of an intelligent agent.

Q. 60. Is a person active or passive in obeying a command? A. Active.

Q. 61. Is an infant active or passive, conscions or unconscious, in receiving baptism? A. It is passive and unconscious.

Q. 62. Can a being that is passive and unconscious in suffering an action, be said to be obeying a command in that same action? A. By no means.

Q. 63. Can those persons who have been baptized in infancy be said, on the foregoing principles, to have obeyed the divine command, "Be baptized." A. No: impossible.

Q. 64. Is baptism an act of religious worship? A. Yes: all divine ordinances were appointed for us to worship God thereby.

Q. 65. How must acceptable worship be performed? A. "In spirit and in truth." "God is a spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”

Q. 66. Can unthinking and unconscious infants worship God in spirit and in truth? A. No.

Q. 67. Can they, then, in conformity with these principles, be baptized as an act of religious worship? A. No.

Q. 68. Is baptism appointed for the benefit of the subject. A. Yes.

Q. 69. Are there any benefits resulting from baptism in this life? A. Many.

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Q. 70. What are the benefits resulting from baptism in this life? A. They are briefly comprehended in one sentence-viz. "The answer of a good conscience towards God." 1 Pet. iii. 21.

Q. 71. In what does the answer of a good conscience consist? In three things:-1st. The knowledge of the meaning of baptism. 2d. A belief of the fact and import of the death and resurrection of Christ, to which baptism refers. 3d. In the consciousness of our own minds that we have voluntarily and intelligently obeyed the divine command. See Rom. vi. 1–6: 1 Pet. iii. 20-22.

Q. 72. Can any infant be conscious of these things in baptism; or can it afterwards reflect that it intelligently, voluntarily, and cheerfully obeyed the divine command? A. It is utterly impossible.

Q. 73. Is there, then, no way in which an infant can obtain by reflection or otherwise, the answer of a good conscience from bap. tism? A. None.

Q. 74. Can an adult, when instructed in the import of baptism, receive any consolation from reflecting that his parents had him baptized when an infant? A. No, unless it be a delusive consolation; for the answer of a good conscience can only be enjoyed through an inward consciousness that the subject has intelligently and voluntarily obeyed a divine commandment.

Q. 75. How does any adult know that he was baptized in infancy? A. By the report of others.

Q. 76. Is there any duty inculcated in the New Testament that requires us only to have the testimony of others for our having performed it? A. Not one.

Q. 77. Is there any promise accompanying our obedience to the commands of God? A. Yes: "In keeping of them there is a great reward." Ps. xix. 11; Prov., iii. 16-18, xi. 18, xxix. 18; Heb. xi. 6-26; James i. 25.

Q. 78. Is there any reward accompanying infant baptism?— A. None, except "the praise of men.”

Q. 79. Is there any peculiar promise accompanying baptism? A. Yes; the promise of the Divine Spirit as a "comforter." Acts ii. 38, xix. 2-7.

Q. 80. What was the immediate duties of those baptized? A. Union with the church and obedience to all the commandments and ordinances.

Q 81. How soon were the baptized added to the church? A. "That same day;" "and they continued steadfastly in the Apostles' doctrine, in breaking of bread, in fellowship, and in prayers." Acts ii. 41, 42.

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82. Is this true of any infants after baptism? No; it never was, nor in the nature of things can it ever be.

83. What is the necessary qualification to all parts of Christian practice? Faith.

84. Is there no Christian duty to be performed without faith in the subject? None.

85. Why so? Because "without faith it is impossible to please God." Heb. xi. 6.

86. Can it then be pleasing to God to baptize or sprinkle infants? No, seeing that without faith it is impossible to please God.

87. Can the infant itself, in receiving this rite, please God? No; for it is destitute of faith.

88. How do you know that infants are destitute of faith? Because they cannot believe in him of whom they have never heard? As saith the Apostle, Rom. x. 14, "How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?"

89. But may there not be two kinds of baptism-one suited to believers, and one to infants destitute of faith? No; for the scriptures speak only of one baptism.

90. Why did John baptize at Enon? "Because there was much water there."

91. Would not a few quarts of water baptize hundreds? No; a few quarts might sprinkle hundreds, but could not baptize one. 92. Who appointed the sprinkling of infants? The Clergy.

93. When did sprinkling become general amongst Roman Pedobaptists? The Pope, in the year 1311, declared sprinkling or immersion as indifferent-either would do very well. But in England it did not become general till after the reign of Queen Elizabeth. 91. Why do you sprinkle water upon the face? Because thus the Clergy have ordained.

95. Why do they not sprinkle the foreskin, seeing the Jews circumcised it? Because it would be indecent and impolite.

96. Was not, then, circumcision indecent and impolite? No; for. it was commanded of God.

97. Can you give no better reason for sprinkling the face than that given? No; the Clergy have pitched upon it, and perhaps they had some reason for it.

98. To what is baptism compared in the New Testament? To a burial and resurrection. Rom. vi. 4-6.

99. Does sprinkling the face resemble a burial? No.

100. Does immersing the whole person resemble a burial? Yes: "We are buried with him in baptism."