BAP 



218 



BAP 



Baptism. 



Adminis- 

 tration of 

 baptism. 



T. ay- bap- 

 tism. 



pretended. Perhaps the Valentinians embraced it. The 

 Paulicians interpreted all tliat is said of baptism in an 

 allegorical manner, and by the water understood the 

 gospel. The Manichseans, however, did baptize ; 

 though the contrary has been generally believed. 

 The Quakers, at the present day, reject baptism, and 

 maintain, that it was appointed only for the Jews on 

 account of their prejudices; or, at most, was to be 

 observed only once, when Christianity was founding, 

 to represent visibly the mystical purification of the 

 soul. In support of this opinion they adduce, 1 Cor. 

 i. 17- But the context clearly proves, that though 

 Paul did not commonly baptize, it was not because it 

 was unnecessary, for the persons to whom he was wri- 

 ting were baptized ; but because that office was com- 

 mitted to others, to prevent the bad consequences 

 which might have resulted from its being said that he 

 baptized in his own name. They, likewise, adduce, 

 Ephes. iv. 7, and maintain, that the one baptism, there 

 mentioned, is that of the spirit. But the baptism of 

 the spirit (an expression altogether figurative) was 

 so far from superseding baptism by water, that, ac- 

 cording to the express reasoning of Peter, Acts x. 14, 

 it both gave a right to it, and implied the necessity 

 of its being administered. The words of the insti- 

 tution, likewise, as well as the practice of the apos- 

 tles, are sufficient to prove that baptism was appoint- 

 ed for both Jews and Gentiles. The opinion of some 

 Socinians, likewise, deserves notice. From the man- 

 ner in which Jewish proselytes were baptized, they 

 maintain, that only converts from a different religion 

 are proper subjects of baptism, and though the chil- 

 dren which were born to them before conversion are 

 to be baptized, yet such as are born afterwards are 

 baptized in their parents. But the legitimate office 

 of analogy is not to prove but to illustrate ; and Jew- 

 ish baptism was so different from the baptism of 

 Christ, that no just conclusion can be drawn from it. 

 The whole tenor of scripture, likewise, even of those 

 parts which were written many years after Christian- 

 ity was published, always represents believers as per- 

 sonally baptized. Many other arguments might be 

 adduced, but they appear not necessary in this place. 

 As the commission to baptize was given to the 

 apostles, we conclude that none but the ministers of 

 Christ have authority to baptize. But we are far 

 from thinking, as some have done, that none but the 

 successors of the apostles in office should administer 

 this rite. Indeed, it would not be difficult to prove, 

 that the apostles had really no successors. But if 

 this should not be granted, we would ask, Was Phi- 

 lip, who baptized the Samaritan, an apostle ? Was 

 Ananias, who baptized Paul, an apostle ? Certainly 

 not. Others, therefore, besides apostles, had autho- 

 rity to baptize. As deaconnesscs, abo, were appoint- 

 ed by the apostles, it is certain that they, at a very 

 early period, administered baptism to their own sex. 

 Immediately after the apostles, bishops only, or such 

 presbyters as were authorised by them, baptized. 

 But in the 2d century, Tertullian informs us, laymen 

 baptized in cases of necessity; though in a synod held 

 at Elvira, in 306, this office was restricted to laymen 

 who had not been married a second time. Persons 

 thus baptized, if they survived, were afterwards to be 

 confirmed by the bishop. When Augustin, however, 



in the 4th century, established the doctrine of original E 

 sin, it was supposed that all infants, dying unbapti- B-'P" ,;tr y- 

 zed, were excluded from heaven. Hence, a licence v 



to baptize was given to mid wives; and this was soon 

 extended to any person, whether Jew or Christian, 

 righteous or wicked. The truth of history obliges 

 us to add, that this doctrine was carried so far, tliat 

 in difficult births water was commanded to be poured 

 upon whatever part of the infant should appear, and 

 when that could not be done, baptism was to be 

 attempted, by means of a syringe, in a way that de- 

 licacy forbids us to explain. This practice is still 

 authorised in the church of Rome. Even in England, 

 the common prayer books of Edward and Elizabeth 

 permitted lay-baptism in cases of necessity. In the 

 Hampton-court conference, 1603, it was condemned 

 with some difficulty. From that time it has been 

 accounted unlawful. 



When Christianity was first established, converts Time and 

 were admitted to baptism without any respect to time placeofad- 

 or place. But early in the 2d century, except in m, "j tcr - 

 cases of necessity, the celebration of this rite was con- 1"^ ap " 

 fined to the festivals of Easter and Whitsuntide. 

 Baptisteries and fonts were erected in the 3d and 4th 

 centuries. The novitiate of catechumens, which then 

 universally prevailed, was productive of two bad con- 

 sequences ; some converts, conscious of their imper- 

 fections, never imagined that they were sufficiently 

 prepared, and refused to dedicate themselves to God; 

 others, of which number was Constantine the Great, 

 unwilling to forsake their sins, and imagining that 

 baptism cancelled every violation of duty, postponed 

 that ordinance to the end of life, that thus they might 

 be dismissed pure to heaven. In this situation things 

 remained till the Reformation. Even after the Re- 

 formation, the preface to the book of common prayer, 

 published by authority in 1519, enjoins the adminis- 

 tration of this rite, as far as can be done conveniently, 

 only at Easter and Whitsuntide. Neither the re- 

 formed, nor the Greek church, observe any particular 

 period ; but infants are commonly baptized by the 

 latter on the eighth or tenth day. 



Almost all the ceremonies formerly mentioned are 

 still retained in the church of Rome. Tiie Greek 

 church observes nearly the same form, but employs im- 

 mersion. Immersion, either single or trine, is adopt- 

 ed in all the Oriental churches. The reformed 

 churches, in general, reject human inventions, but 

 observe sprinkling. The Baptists suppose immer- 

 sion and a personal profession of Christianity abso- 

 lutely necessary to the validity of the deed. Baptism 

 has sometimes been performed in wine when water 

 could not be obtained. In ancient times, the baptism 

 of such as had committed public sins was often, by way 

 of punishment, deferred till the end of life. The an- 

 cient rubricks almost universally condemn private 

 baptism, except in cases of necessity, but grant a 

 dispensation to the children of kings and princes. 

 The giving a name to the child at baptism, though 

 probably derived from the conduct of the Jews at 

 circumcision, is by no means to be considered as part 

 of the rite. ( N ) 



BAPTISTA Porta. See the History rfOi'Tics. 



BAPTISTERY, in its proper acceptation, is 

 a place where water is kept for the administration 



