I. Design and Benefits of Baptism. — As to the design and benefits of baptism there are various views held. The principal are the following: 1. That it is a direct instrument of grace ; the application of water to the person by a properly qualified functionary being re- garded as the appointed vehicle by which God bestows regenerating grace upon men. This is the view of the Roman and Eastern churches, and of one (the "High- Church") party in the Protestant Episcopal and the Lutheran churches. Nearly the same view is held by the Disciples of Christ (Campbellites), who regard bap- tism as the remitting ordinance of the Gospel, or the appointed means through which the penitent sinner obtains the assurance of that remission of sins procured by the death of Christ. See Regeneration. 2. That it is neither an instrument nor a seal of grace, but simp'g a ceremony of initiation into church membership. This is the Socinian view of the ordinance. 3. That it is a token of regeneration, to be received only by those who give evidence of being really regenerated. This is the view adopted by the Baptists. 4. That it is a sym- bol of purification, the use of which simply announces that the religion of Christ is a purifying religion, and intimates that the party receiving the rite assumes the profession, and is to be instructed in the principles of that religion. This opinion is extensively entertained among the Congregationalists of England. 5. That it is the rite of initiation into the visible church, and that, though not an instrument, it is a seal of grace, divine blessings being thereby confirmed and obsignated to the individual. This is the doctrine of the Confessions of the majority of the Reformed churches. The Augs- burg Confession states, Art. 9 : " Concerning baptism, our churches teach that it is a necessary ordinance ; that it is a means of grace, and ought to be adminis- tered also to children, who are thereb}' dedicated to God, and received into his favor. They condemn the Anahaptists who reject the baptism of children, and who affirm that infants may be saved without bap- tism." The Westminster Confession, Art. 28 : " Bap- tism is a sacrament of the New Testament, ordained b)' Jesus Christ, not only for the solemn admission of the party baptized into the visible church, but also to be unto him a sign and seal of the covenant of grace, of his ingrafting into Christ, of regeneration, of remis- sion of sins, and of his giving up unto God, through Jesus Christ, to walk in newness of life; which sacra- ment is, by Christ's own appointment, to be continued in his church until the end of the world. The out- ward element to be used in this sacrament is water, wherewith the party is to lie baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, by a minister of the Gospel lawfully called thereunto. Dipping of the person into water is not necessan- ; but baptism is rightly administered by pouring or sprink- ling water upon the person. Not only those that do actually profess faith in and obedience unto < Ihrist, but also the infants of one or both believing parents, are to
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i baj tized. Although it be a great Bin to contemn 01 oe^lect this ordinance, yet grace and salvation are inseparably annexed unto it as that no person ; {generated or Bared withoutit, or that all that ate baptized arc undoubtedly regenerated. The effi- cacy "I" baptism is not tied to that moment of time wherein it i> administered; yet, notwithstanding, by the right use of this ordinance the grace promised is not only offered, but really exhibited and conferred by ; ■ Holy Ghost to such (whether of age or infants) as that grace belongeth unto, according to the counsel of ( io l's <>w a will, in his appointed time. The sacrament < f bapl ism is l>ut once to lie administered to any person." in the 17th article of the Methodist Episcopal Church it is declared that "Baptism is not only a sign of pro- fession and mark of difference ■whereby Christians are distinguished from others that are not baptized, but it i- also a sign of regeneration, or the new birth. The baptism of young children is to be retained in the church." The same formula appears in the Articles of the Church of England and of the Protestant Episco- pal Church in the United States, with certain addi- tions, as follows : " Art. '27. Baptism is not only a sign of profession and mark of difference whereby Chris- tian men are discerned from others that be not chris- tened, but it is also a sign of regeneration, or new birth, whereby, as by an instrument, they that receive baptism rightly are grafted into the church : the prom- ises of the forgiveness of sin, and of our adoption to be the -ons of Cod by the Holy Ghost, are visibly signed and sealed : faith is continued, and grace increased by virtue of prayer unto God. The baptism of young children is in any wise to be retained in the church as most agreeable with the institution of Christ." The following excellent summary of the benefits of baptism is given by Watson (Institutes, ii, G46) : "Baptism in- trodu ;es the adult believer into the covenant of grace and the Church of Christ, and is the seal, the pledge to him on the part of God of the fulfilment of all its provisions in time and in eternity, while on his part he takes upon himself the obligations of steadfast faith and obedience. To the infant child it is a visible re- ception into the same covenant and church — a pledge of acceptance through Christ — the bestowment of a title to all the grac ■ of the covenant as circumstances may require, ami as the mind of the child may be ca- pable, or made capable of receiving it, and as it may ill in future life by prayer, when the period of and moral choice shall arrive. It conveys, al-o, the present L blessing' of Christ, of which we are assured by his taking children in his arms and bless- ing them; which blessing cannot be merely nominal, but musl be substantial and efficacious. It recures, too, the git! of the Holy Ghost in those secret spiritual influences by which the actual regeneration of those children who die in infancy is effected, and which are a -.-oil of life in those who arc spared, to prepare them lor instruction in the Word of (bid, as they are taught ii by parental care, to incline their will and affections