destroy it; but it still lives-lives to spread its hallowing and saving influence over the entire habitable globe. True: 66 "When he first the work begun, Small and feeble was his day; Sin's stronghold it now o'erthrows, Shakes the trembling gates of hell." Its promulgators were "in peril by sea and land," and among the heathen, as well as among "false brethren;" but thousands embraced it, and held it dearer than life itself. Only ten days had elapsed after Christ's ascension before "about three thousand souls" embraced Christianity. Soon after that we are informed in the fourth chapter' of the Acts that the number professing faith in Christ was "about five thousand." The Christian religion continued to spread throughout "all Asia ;" and besides, converts were soon multiplied at Rome, Alexandria, Athens, Cyprus, Cyrene, Macedonia, Philippi, &c., and their number is intimated by the expressions, "a great number," great multitude," "much people," &c. About two hundred years after Christ, Christianity became the religion of the Roman empire. This was effected by the conversion of Constantine, a Roman emperor. From Constantine to the present time the religion of the Bible has been gaining ground. In every age it has had its converts and advocates, who, amid calumny, reproach, and persecution of every possible description, have "fearlessly advocated its unpopular cause, and, in defiance of earth and hell, have proclaimed it abroad from city to city, and from one country to another, and established it among the different nations of the world. Hume, that arch infidel, predicted the downfall of Christianity in the nineteenth century. Voltaire as triumphantly asserted, that, although it took twelve men to plant Christianity, his single arm should root it out. And Paine boasted, (but it was before he put off the harness,) that he had cut down every tree in paradise." But have the predictions and sayings of infidels proved true? The very press that scattered Voltaire's pernicious publications has recently been employed by the Paris Bible Society; and also in the very chamber in which Hume uttered his evil prophecy, the first committee assem. bled to form the Edinburgh Bible Society. By means of missionary and Bible societies the word of the Lord goes forth from conquering to conquer. Pagan idolatry, and the rites and superstitions of heathenism are disappearing before its conquering and resuscitating influence. What is Christianity doing for Europe? The man of sin ere this has begun to tremble. Romanism, with all its infallibility, is "nodding to its fall." Asia feels its benign influence. The pagan idols of India are about to be left destitute of worshippers. The way is opening for the salvation of benighted Africa. If the predictions of the Bible be true, Ethiopia must soon "stretch out her hands unto God." America feels its hallowed and redeeming power. Already a fire has been kindled which will melt the chains of her enslaved millions. The degraded tribes beyond the Rocky Mountains rejoice at 7 its approach, while Buenos Ayres, and other portions of the extreme south, are sending out the Macedonian cry, "Come to our help!" The "islands of the sea are waiting for his law." The "stone cut out of the mountain without hands," is rolling and enlarging, and is destined to fill the whole earth. Now, we are led to inquire, Is not Christianity from above? Is not its author God, blessed for ever? Who can doubt it? Let infidelity blush and retire into perpetual silence, while it beholds its progress and triumph! All reason exclaims, it must be from Heaven! Bible, then, must be divine. The In conclusion. That the Bible should receive our increasing attachment, we argue from the fact, that it furnishes the only method of salvation to a lost and ruined world. How discordant and irreconcilable have been the notions and opinions of sages, philosophers, poets, and statesmen, of all ages, respecting man's highest interests! Human reason, with all its boasted infallibility, was insufficient to lead them right respecting one fundamental truth. In proof of this, we need but refer to the endless differences and inconsistencies which prevailed among the most renowned ancient philosophers, some of whom taught the most pernicious doctrines; while the influence of all was very inconsiderable both in rectifying the sentiments and reforming the lives of mankind. Also the speculations of modern deists concerning religion are so glaringly contradictory, and their ethical precepts so utterly subversive of every principle of morality, as to demonstrate the necessity of a revelation from Heaven, in order to lead mankind to the knowledge of God and of their duty to each other. Indeed, the bewildering speculations of unassisted reason of all ages only evinces the absolute necessity of a divine revelation in guiding man through the dark labyrinth of this unfriendly world to the rest prepared for him in heaven. What man would be in his present condition, with nothing but human reason, unassisted by revelation, for his guide, will strikingly appear, when we consider, 1. That it could neither trace the existence nor perfections of God. It could not ascertain whether there were one God or many. Socrates taught the worship of a plurality of gods. Plutarch says, "that the knowledge of the gods can be had only from them." The most vague and confused notions of God and his attributes were entertained by all the ancient heathen philosophers. This has also been the case with all in modern times who have discarded the idea of a divine revelation. Well may we exclaim, in view of the fruitless efforts of reason in ascertaining the being and perfections of God, "Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection?" "The world by wisdom knew not God." Of the heathen world who have never seen the dawn of revelation, it may be said, "they are without God and without hope," that "there is none that understandeth, that seeketh after God." Reason afforded them but an uncertain light. But the Bible furnishes all necessary information respecting the existence and perfections of the "only living and true God." 2. As unassisted reason could not find out the being and perfections of God, so it could not tell us what the will of God is. "Plato wished for a prophet to reveal the will of God to us, without which we cannot know it." Where the Bible has not been received as a divine revela tion, men have invariably been destitute of a knowledge of the will of God. How dreadful must be the want of such knowledge! 3. It could not ascertain how guilty man might be saved. This of all things is the most important. Says Richard Watson :-" Without this book, where should we go to find a single word to support the hope that God would forgive the sins of his creatures? Certain it is, that nature, so called, indicates nothing of this in any of her works. Nor is it indicated by that course of human events which passes before us. If God be favorable to the guilty, he must either wave his just rights altogether, or find some means to satisfy them, without the actual punishment of the offender. In either case it is a matter to be determined by himself, and only to be known by us when he is pleased to reveal it. We should, therefore, untaught by this sacred volume, be so unacquainted with the things of God, as to be ignorant of what he would do with the guilty." How valuable, then, must be the Bible in directing us in a matter of such paramount importance! Think, for a moment, what would be the condition of men could they find no satisfactory answer to the question, "What must I do to be saved?" Reason furnishes no such answer. 4. Unassisted reason would leave man in doubt respecting his future destiny. Of this truth antiquity furnishes ample proof. Though most of the heathen philosophers professed to believe in the immortality of the soul, yet their ideas on the subject were very indefinite and vague, and many of them very discordant. Bishop Warburton has proved, that the four renowned schools among the Greeks, the Pythagoric, the Platonic, the Peripatetic, and the Stoic, believed and taught that the soul was a part of God, and would ultimately be united to him by refusion, as a drop of water to the ocean. It is said, that they taught the doctrine of future reward and punishment as a means of securing the obedience of the populace to the laws. Many of the ancient philosophers held to the transmigration of souls. Cicero informs us, that some "said that the soul was the heart, others the blood, others the brain, others the breath, others fire, others said it was nothing but an empty name," &c. What ignorance and uncertainty must have enveloped the entire heathen world respecting man's future being! It is true, they seemed to have some ideas of great Scriptural truths; but for these they were indebted to revelation, not to reason. What must have been our views of the future, with nothing but erring reason for our guide? But, thank God, "life and immortality are brought to light in the gospel." Were it necessary, other points might be noticed on which reason is insufficient to guide us. Indeed, nothing that is essential to salvation can be clearly taught by its unassisted and uncertain light. How invaluable, then, must be the Bible. Respecting the being and attributes of God-his will concerning us-how the guilty might be saved-and a correct knowledge of our future destiny, it is clear and perspicuous. In all matters essential to our present and eternal salvation it is a "light to our feet, a lamp to our path." But for this blessed book we should now entertain the same views which are spread over the heathen world, and might this day be prostrating ourselves before stocks and stones, and looking up to some being of but yesterday as an object of worship! Look, for a moment, at the nature of those religious systems invented by man without the Bible. How childish, how senseless, how self-contradictory, have been the opinions, how infatuated, how sottish the precepts, by which they have professedly regulated the moral conduct of men; how debased, how full of turpitude, how fraught with frenzy, the religious services by which they have labored to propitiate their gods! The Bible unfolds a better system. It teaches man the true object of worship, how his sins may be forgiven, and how to obtain a glorious immortality. It is the window through which the Christian beholds his long-sought rest. It is man's unerring guide, his only hope. With all the light of reason every thing would be dark and gloomy. The Bible sheds a lustre on our "pathway to the tomb," and points to our home in glory. With the Bible in our hands, who can deprive us of our treasure above? "O how love I thy law !" "May it be my meditation day and night!" Amen. Manchester, Conn., April, 1839. For the Methodist Magazine and Quarterly Review. BAPTISM. A Sermon on Acts x, 47, delivered before the Junior Preachers' Society of the New-England Conference, by REV. J. PORTER. "Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we ?" THIS text forms a part of a conversation which took place between Peter and his associates, in the house of Cornelius, the centurion. At the command of God, which Peter received in a vision, he came to this house; and, after hearing the circumstances which led to his being sent for, he preached unto Cornelius and others Jesus of Naza reth. And while he yet spake, the Holy Ghost fell on them that heard the word, though Gentiles, and they spake with tongues, and magnified God. At this, those of the circumcision were much asto. nished, not because they were ignorant of the Holy Ghost, or his operations; but because he had fallen on the Gentiles, whom they supposed to be precluded from all the blessings of the new, as well as those of the old covenant. Peter, discovering this, and knowing the inveteracy of their prejudices against the Gentiles, addressed them in the language of the text, "Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we ?" As much as if he had said, Have you any objection to their receiving the sign, baptism, and being added to the Christian church, now they have received the thing signified, the Holy Ghost? The water being furnished in token of their assent, they were baptized as the gospel directs. With this view of the text, I have made choice of it as an appropriate foundation for my discourse. And here let it be premised, that at this age of the Christian church, almost every period of which has been characterized by learned and critical discussion on this subject, it can hardly be expected that much new and interesting can be said upon it, especially by a junior in the clerical office. This, it is pre sumed, was not anticipated by the committee, at whose request this discourse has been prepared, much less by your speaker. As, however, the beauty, force, and importance of truth, consist, not in its novelty, or in the manner of its presentation, but rather in its own intrinsic character, a discourse on this subject may not be entirely useless. The least it can do is to stir our minds to remember the relation this doctrine holds in the Christian system, and the principles and arguments by which its practical observance is regulated and enforced. If, however, any yet remain in the mists of error and superstition, we may hope, I trust, without presumption, that it will lead them to, at least, a more careful and unprejudiced examination. And, as in pursuing the subject I shall naturally be led to vindicate those views which we have denominationally adopted, it is exceedingly desirable that it may serve to demolish the walls of partition between us and our opponents, and educe the concession, if no more, that we may be right. But, leaving all results to Him whose blessing we have supplicated, I shall proceed to show I. The nature of water baptism. II. That no particular mode is specified in the gospel. And, I. I am to show the nature of baptism. Error on this point necessarily leads to error in regard to the mode. As, for illustration, if we suppose the nature of baptism to consist chiefly in the amount of water used, we shall naturally incline to that mode which requires the amount supposed to be requisite. Or, if we consider it, as many do, a representation and memorial of the death and resurrection of Christ, we shall of course adopt immersion as more expressive of these events than any other mode practised. And thus it is in regard to every other supposable case, as error is unalterably and for ever the tendency of error. It is therefore highly essential, in seeking the mode in which baptism ought to be administered, that we have correct views of its nature. To proceed, then, I observe, 1. Baptism consists not in the amount of water used, or the manner of its application. It is a common remark among Baptists, that all Christians agree in pronouncing immersion, baptism. But this is not correct. Immersion is not baptism, neither do the Baptists so understand it. I repeat it, immersion is not baptism. If it were, then all who have been immersed are baptized persons, which is not true. That the antediluvians, and Pharaoh and his hosts, were immersed, all concede: but were they baptized? All males, who have come to years of maturity, with scarcely an exception, have been immersed; and yet, to say they have been baptized in the gospel sense is absurd. The same may be said of sprinkling and pouring. Simply considered, they are no more baptism than immersion. 2. Christian baptism is a religious application of water, by a professed minister of Christ, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Thus Christ, when he commissioned his apostles for their great work, said, "Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." And the Apostle Paul seems to have been VOL. X.-July, 1839. 3.9 |