287 SERMON XV. ON THE SACRAMENTS. PART III.-INFANT BAPTISM. MARK X. 14. Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of Heaven. THE Church Catechism, after stating what is required of persons to be baptized,-"Repentance, whereby they forsake sin, and faith, whereby they steadfastly believe the promises of God made to them in that sacrament,”— properly inquires,-"Why then are infants baptized, when by reason of their tender age they cannot perform them?" The answer returned, "Because they promise them both by their sureties, which promise when they come to age, themselves are bound to perform," is perhaps, from its brevity, the least satisfactory part of this most admirable and comprehensive formulary. For though it may be conceded that an infant is bound by a promise made in its behalf by its natural guardians for an unquestionable benefit; yet if faith and repentance procure grace in baptism, instrumentally, either in whole or in part; or, if these conditions are required by divine appointment, absolutely, and for their own sakes; the regeneration of an infant, must, after all, be future and contingent; which is contrary to the orthodox faith. "Seeing, dearly beloved brethren, that this child is regenerate," are the Church's own words. And, again, if by "sureties," those who appear as sponsors in public baptism, be exclusively intended, and if the promise made by these on behalf of the child, be an essential part of the rite, then the sacrament must be supposed to labour under some defect, where from any cause these sureties are not present, which is equally opposed to the faith of the Church. For there are no sponsors in private baptism. Yet we are enjoined not to doubt, but that the child so baptized, as the Church directs, is lawfully and sufficiently baptized; that is to say, "is now by the laver of regeneration in baptism, received into the number of the children of God, and heirs of everlasting life'." If, however, it has been shown, that on the abovenamed conditions depend not the validity of the sacrament, but its eventual efficacy, and if the appearance of sponsors at the font be a point of order, not affecting the sacrament itself, though conducive to the use of edifying, these objections fall to the ground, and the answer of the Church in her Catechism will appear, not more brief, than satisfactory. Thus the subject seems to arrange itself under two heads, which I shall consider separately; speaking first of the propriety of infant baptism, considered as a sacrament, secondly, of its orderly administration, and the supplementary rite of confirmation. This will lead me to speak of the office of sponsors. A few words on the history of baptism will properly close this discourse and complete the general subject. And first, of the sacrament as administered to infants. To set this matter in its true light, it will be necessary to recur to the principles already laid down. We have seen that baptism is the sign and instrument of regeneration, a divine gift, purely gratuitous, and the very first 1 Office of Private Baptism. beginning of spiritual life. A man must be born again before he can see the kingdom of God. Hence baptism is properly used to mark the entrance of Christianity. In the case of an adult convert, while he remains unbaptized, he is not formally a Christian at all: he has not entered the sacred precinct, though he has placed himself at the gate. He has turned his back upon old things, the world, the flesh, and the devil, but he cannot yet say, he has no authority to say with confidence, "old things are passed away; behold all things are become new'." For regeneration, the inward grace pre-supposed in this change, is not itself cognizable by the senses; so that to refer this mysterious operation to such a time, or circumstance, from any inward emotion, or outward sign, except that which God Himself has appointed, is fanatical delusion: therefore, the line of demarcation between the old and the new is fixed, according to a divine promise, by baptism, given, and to be taken, as "a means whereby we may receive" the required grace, "and a pledge to assure us thereof." The use of baptism then, is to mark the turning point between nature and grace, between the flesh and the spirit, between darkness and light, between the world which is then and thereby left, and the Church which is then and thereby entered. "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body'." Therefore to remain unbaptized is to continue in sin. For in the language of our Church, (herein pronouncing a self-evident truth,) "works done. before the grace of Christ, and the inspiration of His spirit, are not pleasant to God"." And baptism for this use is necessary: for hereby God does that for man which he cannot do for himself. He makes known to themselves and others, those whom He has made to become His own children. He sets upon them His own mark, and gathers them together into one fold, under one shepherd. Where indeed this sacrament is by God's providence withheld from one duly prepared, and heartily desirous to receive it, the Church charitably accepts, and in some cases distinctly recognises such other signs of regeneration as He is pleased to vouchsafe. An earnestly expressed wish, prevented by death; and again, martyrdom, or the baptism of blood, are specified cases", which may be cited in illustration of a general principle: but these exceptions, by the uncertainty of their nature, or the rarity of their occurrence, only prove "the great necessity of this sacrament where it may be had." Now apply this to the case of an infant, born, we may suppose, of believing parents, reared "in the nurture and 11 Cor. xii. 13. Article xiii. * Sufficit Spiritus et aqua: suffcit spiritus, et sanguis ; si aquam non exclusit contemptus religionis, sed articulus necessitatis: sufficiet spiritus solus quia testimonium ipsius pondus habet. Petrus Blesensis, Serm. xxii. de S. Trinitate. Ὁ δὲ ἀξιωθεὶς μαρτυρίου .... καν κατηχούμενος ᾖ, ἄλυπος ἀπίτω· τὸ γὰρ πάθος τὸ ὑπὲρ See also HOOKER'S Eccl. Pol. admonition of the Lord," cherished day by day by the Church, as by a tender mother watching over, training, and protecting a beloved child; or to state the case more generally born in a Christian land, surrounded by Christian people, instructed (more or less directly and efficiently), in Christian doctrine, invited to partake of Christian ordinances, to hear the word of God, and join in common prayers. When is such an one to be baptized? Is he all this while without the Church, or within it? Is he in a state of nature or of grace? Can his parents, trembling with anxiety for his spiritual welfare,—can his friends and neighbours, the holy brotherhood and society in which he is cast,-can the watchful, loving Church, with which he is on every side surrounded, do nothing for him till he come of riper years? Reason, conscience, Scripture, the voice of God intelligibly heard in each, and echoed from heart to heart, reject the supposition. But if from the first he may be in a state of acceptance, may be a child of God, may be capable of Church fellowship, may be one of Christ's little ones; if there is nothing in his outward position to prevent, and every thing to promote this blessed hope; if there be nothing in Christ's word to check, or chill, but every thing to encourage this precious assurance; if the Saviour Himself has said, "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of Heaven';" if He has declared that conversion (which is but another name for repentance and faith), is being like a little child, an approach at best, (so far as mere recipiency is concerned; and what else has man to do with regeneration?) an approach at best to the unblemished innocence and docile heart of infancy, (prevented by sovereign grace, |