were Heathens on one side, and those that were professed or baptized Christians on the other, there was a vast number of a middle sort; half-converts, Heathen men converted thus far, that they were convinced that Christianity was the true religion, and that they must be baptized into it some time or other; but not being willing as yet to abandon their lusts, they put it off from time to time. These men did, as many wicked men do now, instruct their children in the godly precepts of religion, but they could not offer them to baptism till they were baptized themselves; and those that St. Basil speaks to, had been the children of such men.

We see a woful example in our churches of a much like nature. Many wicked men do, at times, resolve to become serious some time or other, and then they think they will come to the holy commuaion, and engage themselves to a godly life; they put off this from time to time, many times till death seizes them. These men, if they had been born of Heathens, and not yet baptized, but yet had come to the knowledge of Christianity, would put off their baptism as they now do the other sacrament; much at the rate as the fathers of those to whom St. Basil preaches, had done their baptism, and as he complains the sons also, to whom he preaches, did. And as we see now that nigh half the world of nominal Christians are such procrastinators, so there seems to have been not a much less proportion among the catechumens then. And as the fathers do speak of those who were during this dilatory course seized with death, as lost men; so I doubt it is but poor comfort that we can give to men so seized, that have, for like reasons, all their life long, put off the receiving the communion, viz. because they would not yet repent.

But still this state of religion in St. Basil's time, does not prove, that any who were once baptized themselves, did delay or put off the baptizing of their children.

4. Some arguments against infant baptism have all their strength from that imperfect conception of things,

which arises from one's reading only the vulgar translations of Scripture, and do vanish when one consults the originals. That commission of our Saviour to the Apostles (Matt. xxviii. 19) which is in the English, Go and teach all nations, baptizing them, &c.; teaching them to observe, &c.; as it affords on one side this argument for Pædobaptism, "Infants are part of the nations, and so to be baptized by this commission:" so on the other side, it gives occasion to the Antipædobaptists to retort, and say, "Infants are such a part of the nation as are not capable of being taught, and so not to be baptized."

But the word which is translated teach, in the first of those clauses, has a peculiar signification in the original, and is not the same word as that which is translated teaching, in the second; but signifies much like what we say in English, to enter any one's name as a scholar, disciple, or proselyte, to such a master, school, or profession. Now, the common language of the Jews (in which language it was that St. Matthew wrote his Gospel) as it does not admit of this phrase, "An infant is taught or instructed", so it very well allows of this other, "Such or such an infant is entered a disciple, or made a proselyte" to such a profession or religion. And the Jews did commonly call a Heathen man's infant, whom they had taken and circumcised and baptized, a yonng proselyte, as I shewed in the Introduction. And St. Peter, speaking against the imposing of circumcision on the Heathen converts and their children, words it thus: To put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples; whereas it was infants especially, on whom this yoke was attempted to be put, Acts xv. 10. And St. Justin, as I shewed in the first part, chap. 2, expressly mentions infants, or at least children, as "made disciples," in the very same word that is used by St. Matthew [40] in that place; and when he speaks of people baptized in the name of Christ, uses the same word μαθητευόμενοι εἰς τὸ ovoμа TW Xploтs. As in his Dialog. p. 57, Ed. Steph. he says, "God has not hitherto brought on, nor

does yet bring on, the day of judgment; yivwokwv ĚTL καθ ̓ ἡμέραν τινὼς μαθετευομένες εἰς τὸ ὄνομα το Χριστε αυτέ. Knowing that there are still every day, some discipled into the name of his Christ, and withdrawn from the way of error." Where that he, by "discipled in the name of Christ," means " baptized in his name," is apparent by the next words, which are, Who do also receive gifts, every one as he is worthy, when they are enlightened [or baptized owrilóavor] in the name of this Christ. For one receives the spirit of understanding; another of council; another of strength; another of healing; another of foreknow. ing for foretelling things, Igoyvwows], &c. These, and such like gifts of the Spirit did, it seems, continue in his time to be given to the Christians at their baptism.

And whereas the main objection against this sense of the word μαθητής and μαθητεύεθαι, in the case of in fants, that they should be understood to be discipled to Christ by baptism before any actual teaching of them, is, that that word is seldom (the objectors. say, never) used without including present actual teaching in its signification.

It is true, that it is far oftener used in the case of such as do at that time learn, or have learned, or been taught, and so are all words like or parallel to it; as when we say Such a master's scholar, pupil, servant, apprentice, &c.; such a captain's soldier, &c. These words are far oftener used in the case of present learning, serving, bearing arms, &c. because there is oftener occasion to speak of them in that state; but yet it is truly and properly said of any lad, that he is such a man's pupil or scholar, as soon as he is entered and consigned to learn of him, though he has not yet began. Such a master's servant or apprentice, as soon as he is bound to him, though he does not yet practise or learn any part of his trade, or do any service; such a captain's soldier, as soon as he is listed, though he does not yet bear arms.

In like manner the word μαθητής Χριστέ, a disciple of

Christ, is far oftener used in the case of such as have already began to learn and practise his religion, because there is oftener occasion in books to speak of something which they do or say, or which happens to them during the time of their discipleship, than there is of that first act of their entering; but it may truly and properly be used concerning one that is now dedicated, consigned, agreed, and entered, to learn and practise it, though he has not yet began; and it is so used when there is occasion to speak of such a case.

།་ .

If any one will diligently compare these three texts, Matt. x. 42, Mark ix. 41, Luke ix. 48, he will perceive these three terms: The receiving of any one as paðŋínv, a disciple; and the receiving him as T8 Xpurs ővra, belonging to Christ; and the receiving him év óvóμare Xpiors, in the name of Christ, to be used by our Saviour as terms equivalent, signifying the same thing; and he will there see also a child so received by our

Saviour himself.

As for the language of the Old Testament, a child, or little one, has the term given him of being entered into a covenant, Deut. xxix. 11, 12. Now, in that language, a covenanter, or son of the covenant, and a proselyte, and a disciple, do signify the same thing. An infant can for the present no more covenant than he can learn; yet he has the name of a covenanter, being entered into the covenant by his parents.

Beside the instance that I gave before of the phrase being ordinary in the Jews language, to call the infant child that was dedicated and baptized a proselyte, though he was not yet capable of present learning, but only was consigned to learn, there is (as Dr. Light foot in his Hor. Hebr. quotes) in Bab. Shabb. fol. 31, an apposite example of such a way of speaking, where one comes to Rabbi Hillel and intreats him:

Fac me discipulum, ut me doceas. "Make me for enter me] thy disciple, that thou mayest teach me."

So that it was a usual acceptation of the word pro selyte or disciple, in the language which our Saviour spoke, and in which St Matthew wrote.

It is said, Luke ix. 57, It came to pass, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. Now, St. Matthew calls this man, and another who offered himself at the same time, disciples; for he (chap. viii. 19, 20, 21) having recited the same that St. Luke does concerning the first man, subjoins immediately, Another of his disciples, ἕτερος δὲ τῶν μαθητῶν αυτό, said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. The latter is expressly called a disciple by St. Matthew, who, calling him another disciple, does implicitly call the former likewise a disciple, though it seems to be the first meeting that the first had with our Saviour, and neither of them had gone any farther than to express a purpose of following him.

Eusebius, in his Demonstr. Evangel. lib. 3, chap. 7, [215] brings an instance of one that makes a proposal, or sets up for a teacher of any art or science. Οτε γὰρ διδάσκων ἐπαγγελίαων μαθήματός τινος ἐπαγγέλλε ται: Οι τε μαθηταὶ μαθημάτων ορεγόμενοι σφᾶς αυτές τῶ διδασκάλῳ προσφέροντές ἐπιτρεπέσιν. One gives out that he will teach some art; the disciples being desirous of the skill, offer and commit themselves to the master. They are here called disciples, before they had began to learn any thing; only they were appointed to learn.

In Numb, iii. 28, the Kohathites were set apart to be keepers of the charge of the sanctuary. The infants, as well as their fathers, have the title given them of KEEPERS of that charge; for so are the words: - In the number of all the males, from a month old and upwards, were eight thousand six hundred, keeping the charge of the sanctuary.

So little do grammatical derivations of words signify to limit the sense of them, which must rather be taken from the cominon use of them in the books and languages from whence they are quoted. Ma@nrns is derived from μavlávw, to learn. Therefore may a grammarian perhaps say, It cannot be applied but to one that does actually learn. But we must rather see in what latitude St. Matthew (who, or whose interpreter, was, I think, the