In such an ordinance God testifies for himself, and not for man. The duties which are imposed constitute another subject.

CHAPTER III.

OF THE RELATION OF THE BAPTIZED TO THE

CHURCH.

ARE those who have been baptized in their infancy members of the church? The constitution of the Reformed Dutch Church says expressly that they are; and that they are subject to her government and discipline. The same doctrine is interwoven with the whole texture, so far as it relates to the subject, of the platform, agreed upon by the Puritans of New England at the Synod of Cambridge, Anno Domini, 1649. As far as certain writers are understood, however, this doctrine, so consonant to every rational idea of the operation of an initiatory rite, is received by some in a very qualified sense. Dr. Wardlaw remarks of those who have been baptized in their infancy, "If on growing up they do not hold the truth in the knowledge of which they have been instructed, and on the principles of which they have been nurtured and admonished, they must be treated according

ly. They cannot be admitted to the communion of the church. If on the contrary they abide in the truth, holding fast the faithful word as they have been taught, then they are at liberty to unite in fellowship wherever their judgment and conscience, on examination of the word of God, may direct them. I do not go so far as to speak of their being separated from the church at any particular age, by a formal sentence of exclusion when they do not give evidence of the reception and influence of the gospel, for the reason just assigned, that their baptism has not constituted them properly members of a particular society, but only disciples of Christ, under training for the duties and enjoyments of his kingdom.

I am not sure that I understand the Rev. author in these remarks. It would seem that baptism constituted a kind of general church membership, a membership which is defective, because it is not with a particular society; and which is not such as to warrant a formal sentence of exclusion. The baptized are only disciples of Christ, under training for the duties and enjoyments of his kingdom.

Can any one tell from these representations, whether the baptized, with the seal of the covenant upon them, are in covenant or not? Is it so much smaller a thing to be a disciple of Christ, than to be a member of a church, that while the latter subjects to discipline, the former does not? And to how little consideration is baptism entitled, when it does not admit its subject far enough into the church, to allow of his being thrust out of it? It would afford some satisfaction to know, whence the doctor's idea of discipleship was derived. Was it from the character of those against whom Saul breathed out threatenings and slaughter? Did he derive it from those disciples, full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, who were chosen and ordained deacons, on account of their exalted spiritual qualifications? Perhaps the seventy, and the twelve also, who are called disciples, as they were not "properly members of a particular church, were under training for the duties and enjoyments of the kingdom of Christ." But leaving particular cases out of the question, it is somewhat surprising, that these should have

been employed to express something less than church membership; a term which is the common designation of the members of the church. But a thing was to be expressed which had no existence but in the writer's imagination; of course it had no name in the Scriptures; a new term had to be invented, or an old one employed out of its usual signification.

The highly esteemed Dr. Cuyler, speaking of those who have been baptized in their infancy, employs the following language:"They are members of the church, as born of believing parents; and baptism is a sign and seal of it. But they are infant members, and can consequently be entitled only to the privileges of infant members." The next sentence is calculated to arrest particular attention. "They change this relation for adult membership, only by a credible profession, and in no other way." There must be some pretty old infants in the church according to this doctrine. Many, alas, remain perpetual babes. One would think, that if as infants they are entitled only to the privileges