In the fame chapter, we have a pleafing narrative concerning an Eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians: This man had been up to Jerufalem to worship the God of Ifrael, and, in returning through the defart, employed himfelf in studying the facred fcriptures Philip, by direction of the Holy Spirit, met him thus engaged, and from the fame scripture preached unto him Jefus when they came to a certain water, the eunuch inquired-" What doth hinder me to be baptized ?" Philip replied " If thou believeft with all thine heart, thou mayeft!" Does not this imply-If you are deftitute of faith in the Son of God, you are not a proper fubject for Baptifm? Judge ye what I fay.

There is one paffage more I beg leave to recite, in the 18th chapter of this book, verfe 8." And Crifpus, the chief ruler of the fynagogue, believed on the Lord, with all his houfe: and many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed, and were baptized."

Hence

Hence it appears to me, from the word of God, that thofe perfons who were baptized by the Apostles, and by the first minifters of the Gospel, were perfons profeffing godlinefs: and the records of history agree with the oracles of heavenly truth. Bishop Taylor fays" The wifeft of our "fathers in Chrift did not come unto

Baptifm, until they were come to a "confirmed wit and age. There is no "pretence of tradition, that the church " in all ages did baptize all the infants of christian parents: it is more certain that they did not do it always, than that

they did it in the firft age. St. Am"brofe, St. Hierom, and St. Austin, were "born of chriftian parents, and yet not baptized, till the full age of a man.” We are told, that "Gregory Nazianzen, "born in the year three hundred and eigh

teen, whofe parents were chriftians, and "his father a bishop, was not baptized "till about thirty years of age: And Chryfoftom, alfo born of chriftian pa"rents, in the year 347, was not bap"tized

B 4

"tized till near twenty-one years of age." (See Mr. Booth's Padobaptifm Examined, Vol. II. pp. 117, 118.)

By way of objection to what I have afferted upon this part of the fubject in fupport of the fecond propofition, it may be faid, "The Apoftles baptized whole houfholds, and confequently baptized infants." The fact that houfholds. were baptized, is readily granted; but that infants compofed a part of those fami lies is to me by no means evident. I am willing to examine the word of God, with candour and ferioufnels.

Several houfholds are mentioned in fcripture, which I beg leave to notice.We read of a certain nobleman, who ap-. plied to Chrift on behalf of an afflicted fon, who appeared to be at the point of death. Our Lord, by an exertion of almighty power, though at a distance, removed the fever, and restored the patient, It is added" And himself believed, and his whole houfe," John iv. 53. Does it

not

not appear that here is an houfhold without one infant ?-Judge ye.

Again, we read of a devout Gentile, who was liberal to his fellow-creatures, and called upon the God of Ifrael in folemn prayer; of whom it is faid, "He feared God, with all his house." Acts x. 2. It must either be admitted, that the term house does not include every individual in the family; or, that the houshold of Cornelius was compofed of members who were the fubjects of perfonal religion.

Farther, there is another houfhold mentioned by the infpired penman of the book of the Acts, of which it is declared-That Crifpus, the chief ruler of the fynagogue, believed on the Lord, with all his houfe.-Hence, does it not appear, that here are three houfholds, which were compofed of perfons who profeffed to be partakers of divine grace?

I now proceed to take notice of those three houfholds, of which it is faid they were all baptized. The first is the houf

hold of Lydia, whofe heart the Lord. opened, and she attended to the things spoken by the Apostle; but whether the was a maiden, a wife, or a widow, the Holy Spirit has not condescended to inform us; -whether her family confifted of children or fervants, we are not told. It is faid, that after the Apoftles were released from prison, they entered into the house of Lydia, and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them and departed. Acts xvi. 40. Does it appear composed of in

that her houfhold was

fants, or of fuch as profeffed to love the Bleffed Redeemer ?-Pause, confider, and determine for yourselves.

We are informed, in the fame chapter, of the converfion of the jailor, and of fome ftriking circumftances which attended that merciful event. He was brought seriously and earnestly to inquire, 66 Sirs, what muft I do to be faved ?" How pleafing and important the question-Oh! that it may be your language! How encouraging the anfwer!" And they faid, Believe on

the