The practice of baptizing
the children of God's people, is of essential service to the
interests of religion.
1. It is a sensible and
positive proof of two of the prominent doctrines of revelation, —
the depravity of infants, and their need of grace. It is the natural
tendency of things in this world, for men to deny and disbelieve the
moral corruption of human nature altogether; and, especially, to
maintain the spotless innocence of newborn infants. That such errors
as these would undermine the very foundation of the gospel, is
certain. The denial of human depravity necessarily terminates in the
denial of divine mediation; and the denial of the depravity of
infants, is but the first step to the maintenance of adult innocence.
The history of the church, too, bears ample testimony to the fact,
that all such abatements of total human corruption, has finally
terminated in the most dangerous heresies. Now, in the baptism of
infants, the sinfulness of their natures, and their need of divine
grace, are strikingly exhibited, and put beyond the power of
contradiction.
2. This practice also
impresses on the minds of all, the great importance of the salvation
of children. From mistaken views of the innocence of children, or
from their inferiority in society, there is a very great tendency to
neglect their souls altogether. Thus both the minister and his people
are apt, in contemplating the larger forms of human existence around
them, to overlook those smaller ones, every where diffused through
their families and churches. We preach for adults — we pray for
adults, but forget the children. We spend our lives, for the most
part, in attempting to straighten the old and sturdy oaks of the
forest, while we bestow but little attention upon the saplings and
twigs by their side. But wherever the duty of baptizing children has
been well understood, and uniformly practised, there their salvation
has always been a matter of corresponding interest and effort.
3. The administration of
this ordinance to infants, also strengthens the faith and increases
the fidelity of parents. The salvation of his child, is that which
should burden a parent's heart much more than any thing besides. His
relationship to his child, his affection for him, his influence over
him, all, should make him seek this object above every other. Now, in
the baptism of his child, such parent has his duty defined, his work
laid out before him, and the offer of divine help for its execution
afforded. The parent may be regarded as properly enough entering into
the following soliloquy: 'If my child were not depraved, why baptize
him? If he needed not regeneration, why apply to him its sign? If
grace were not offered him, why am I commanded to bring him to a
gospel ordinance? And if God will not bless my efforts, why enter
into covenant with me in behalf of my offspring?' Surely, no parent
can possibly attend to this important duty, without feeling, in his
own soul, his faith confirmed and his desires elevated.
4. Again. The baptism of
the young, promotes the interests of the church, by securing for them
a proper religious training. It secures this training in two ways:
first, by the propinquity of baptized children to the church; and
secondly, by the obligations this ordinance imposes. This end is
effected by the propinquity of such children to the professing
church. We have already shown, that they stand on the very threshold
of the spiritual temple. They occupy a kind of nursery, in the very
porch of the Christian community. This being the case, they are
neither foreigners nor strangers; but the very seed and offspring of
the kingdom of Christ. Their situation yields to them the very best
advantages they could possibly have, for the attainment of Christian
knowledge. They are like young Samuel, whom his mother dedicated to
the Lord, and had raised in the very tabernacle itself.
All the doctrines and
hopes of religion, its institutions and blessings, are all theirs by
birthright. Over them piety sheds her constant and hallowed
influence. Faith, with all her witnesses for the truth, is
continually pleading with their hearts. The voice of the Redeemer,
saying, 'Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not,
for of such is the kingdom of heaven,' is continually rolling on
their ears. For them, Hope is planting on the fair canopy of heaven
an immortal star; and Charity, loveliest of the graces, is lightening
in their tender countenances, the smiles of eternal joy, and
spreading before them all the attractions of a life of holiness and
peace. Thus circumstanced, how almost inevitable is the surrender of
their youthful hearts to God.
But this practice also
secures the religious training of the young, by the obligations it
imposes. Obedience to divine commands is absolutely enjoined upon
both those who administer and those who receive this ordinance. '
This is my covenant,' said God to Abraham, 'which ye shall keep.' And
said Christ to his apostles, 'teach them to observe whatsoever I have
commanded you.' There is an obligation, therefore, imposed upon the
church, as well as upon the parent, to inculcate upon the young
disciple the lessons of Christianity. There is also an obligation
resting upon the child to receive and practise such instructions. Now
it is evident, that, under such circumstances as these, the religious
training of the child would be as effectually secured, as in the
nature of things it could be in this life.
5. This practice also
elevates the standard of piety in a church. This it does in at least
three ways. First, by promoting the religion of the family. It
awakens a deeper interest in the bosom of parents about the salvation
of their offspring. It causes them to expect more, to undertake more.
The consequence of this will be greater attainments of personal piety
among parents themselves — more prayerfulness — more self-denial
— more frequent fastings, and greater uniformity and consistency of
deportment. And as he, who is most busy at home is most apt to be
industrious abroad, so the domestic labors and piety of the parent,
will but prepare him for entering into more extensive fields of
usefulness and duty. But this end is also attained, by uniting and
harmonizing the entire efforts of the whole church, in promoting the
salvation of her children. From this field of enterprise no believer
in Pædobaptism can feel himself excused: — the obligation is an
universal one, the duty is common. The necessary consequence of this
will be, the originating of all those schemes and plans, by which the
minds of children may be reached and well indoctrinated in the truths
of the gospel. Parents will teach at home — the Pastor and Elders
will visit and catechise — Infant and Sabbath Schools will be
gotten up and supported — ordinary schools and academics will be
established on Christian principles — and every possible instrument
wielded, in order to secure an object so grand and so obligatory.
Now, in the carrying forward of such a work as this, consists the
very vitality of religion in a church. A stagnant religion can have
no existence. Piety is active and benevolent in her very nature. The
more, therefore, that a church is usefully employed, the more
vigorous will be the exercises of grace among her members. Nor will
the good work terminate with the immediate children of the church.
Christians would become, under such circumstances, 'nursing fathers
and mothers' to the offspring of unbelieving parents. They would be
ready to feel for wretchedness, wherever it existed; and thus to
diffuse their prayers, their sympathies, and their alms, over the
whole world. The other way in which this practice would accomplish
the end contemplated is, by furnishing candidates for admission into
the church with the most eminent qualifications. Being born and
raised in the very nursery of piety, and enjoying the very best
opportunities for the improvement of the mind, and the cultivation of
the heart, the children of the church would not only be early
introduced into full membership, but would come in with advantages
for a pious life, which no others could possibly enjoy.
6. This practice also
renders the preaching of the gospel more efficient. One of the
greatest evils with which the ministry has to contend is, the
encountering of that opposition which arises from the ignorance,
stupidity, prejudices, errors, and profligacy, which result from the
neglect of domestic training. To enlighten a mind long enshrouded in
the grossest ignorance, to awaken a conscience long seared in
stupidity and sin, to bend a will long accustomed to its own control,
to purify affections polluted with the grossest indulgences, to
unfetter a soul manacled and chained in impiety, thus to transform
the very image of Satan into that of Christ, is a work as
discouraging as it is difficult. The filling of the house of God with
such hearers as these, is but to render preaching a most hopeless
task. It is like sending for the physician when the patient is in the
very agony of death. It is to expect reformation, when the principle
to be reformed is itself almost entirely annihilated by a course of
abandoned profligacy. It is but to tempt God, and require miracles.
In this case, the ministry becomes almost an insupportable burden,
and is likely to be attended with little or no success. On the
contrary, where parents have been faithful in the discharge of their
duty, and where, by his early baptism, the youth has been placed
under the inspection and control of the church, the work of pulpit
instruction becomes both easy and pleasant. In such cases, the
conscience is tender, the heart impressible, and the disposition
tractable. Long accustomed to venerate his spiritual teacher, the
young man esteems him as a father and loves him as a friend. He
values his counsels and receives his instructions. His place in the
church is agreeable and easy; and every thing connected with religion
has, to the view of his mind, a lovely aspect, and exerts upon him a
softening influence. The triumphs of the gospel, under such
circumstances, must always be great and glorious. The work of saving
men is much more than half accomplished in the family. Thus, while
the pulpit upholds and sustains the piety of the family, in its turn
the latter upholds and sustains that of the pulpit.
7. Another advantage
which this practice renders the church is, that it offers the
greatest possible inducement to unbelievers to embrace religion. The
command to them is like that to Noah, 'Come thou and all thy house
into the ark.' The same covenant that embraces the parent, is also
extended to the children; the same seal by which grace is offered and
confirmed to him, is likewise applied to his offspring. When,
therefore, an ungodly father sees, on the one hand, the great injury
he is rendering his family, through his impenitence and unbelief; and
on the other, the great advantage he may be to them by becoming truly
pious; how irresistible are the reasons that thus operate upon his
mind? And how powerful must be those appeals, from the sacred desk,
to such parents, which represent them as placed in the fearful
alternatives, of either bearing their children along with them to
hell; or lifting them up by their faith to the abodes of blessedness!
What parent's heart can be steeled to such entreaties and motives as
these?
Samuel Jones Cassels,
Lectures on Pædobaptism
(1834), Lecture 12: The Reception of Children into Church-Membership
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