lieve in Jesus, and thus become united with the invisible church; obligations for the sake of others, to sustain the institutions of religion for the saving benefit of the elect; among whom would be many of their own children, if not themselves.

The

The church is a good olive tree. branches that bear not fruit, the Husbandman will attend to in due time, as he will to the tares of the field.

Should any find this last observation producing disagreeable symptoms in their minds, they are affectionately entreated not to suffer themselves to be overcome. It may prevent unpleasant consequences, to revert to an observation already made, that "we are engaged with general principles of ecclesiastical organization, and not in pursuit of special rules of ecclesiastical discipline."

CHAPTER II.

OF THE NATURE OF THE INITIATORY RITE.

THE initiatory rite under the old dispensation, is called a sign, or token, and a seal. Paul (in Rom. iv.) says that Abraham "received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of faith, which he had, being yet uncircumcised." Pedo-Baptists have little need to be affected by the attempts that have been made to establish a distinction between the significancy of the ordinance as applied to Abraham, and as it was applied to his seed. By referring to the original transaction, it will be seen that the ordinance was administered to the father and the children, upon the same principle. "I will be a God to thee;" therefore be circumcised. "I will be a God to thy seed;" therefore let them be circumcised. If the ordinance was a seal of the righteousness of faith to Abraham, it was the same to his children. The second part of the apostle's language is exegetical of the first, as if he had

said, "the sign of circumcision, which was a seal of the righteousness of faith." This gives the most natural sense to the language, and avoids the incongruity of representing a standing ordinance of the church, as one thing at one time, and another thing at another time.

The righteousness of faith, is the great distinguishing benefit of the covenant of grace, as opposed to the righteousness of the law, under the covenant of works; and the appointment of an ordinance, which signified and sealed it to the heirs of promise, was a glorious attestation to the doctrine of salvation by grace. As a great distinguishing benefit too, with which the other saving benefits of the covenants are inseparably connected, it very naturally, and in strict conformity with Scripture usage, represents them all. Or, as a learned professor of the present day expresses it, "the various grace of the covenant."

Cruden, in explaining the term sign, says, "circumcision was a sign, evidence, or assurance, both of the blessings promised by God, and of man's obligations to the duties required." Under the article seal, he says,

"circumcision was a seal, and an assurance on God's part to Abraham and his spiritual seed, that he would give them Christ the promised seed out of the loins of Abraham; and in him accept of them as his peculiar people, pardon their sins, and cleanse them from their natural corruption. It was a confirmation of the covenant of grace, and of the righteousness therein promised, upon believing in Christ." These quotations are made for two reasons: First, because they express the truly spiritual signification of circumcision; and secondly, because they give the proper extension to the blessing included in the righteousness of faith. Baptism cannot have a more spiritual meaning, nor can any claim for it a meaning more extensive. The "washing away of sins," of which it is the immediate sign and seal, is to be received in the ordinance in its connection with the other benefits of the covenant, in the same manner as the righteousness of faith is received in circumcision. In point of fact, the two sacraments have precisely the same signification.

Circumcision and baptism, as ordinances of

the visible church, (and so also the others,) are seals in a more qualified sense, than that in which the term is applied to the act of the Spirit, in his sealing work. The sealing of the Spirit always implies the personal grace of the subject. The divine agent often makes his impression, in the absence of the visible ordinance. And none who will be likely to take an interest in this discussion, will contend that gracious exercises have always attended the administration of the initiatory rite, either under the present or the former dispensation.

The blessing of the righteousness of faith, Abraham had long possessed; and it had long been sealed to him by the Holy Spirit. But though he had the thing symbolized by circumcision, he received the ordinance itself in his new relation; and as has already been observed, it was administered to him, upon the same principle as it was to his seed, who had not been sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise unto the day of redemption. To Abraham and to his seed, circumcision was an attestation, an evidence, or assurance, as Cruden expresses it, of the blessings promised by God in the