were freed from sin after it departs from the body, in its ascending from earth to heaven, it is still in time." Thus the futility of the argument was clearly

exhibited.

By noticing several subjects in the Author's long letter, we have been led, by the introduction of other matter on the same subjects, to advance in point of time, beyond the period in which that letter was written; which appears to have been in the latter part of the year 1696.

After the Author had yielded to his concern to visit America, he in some manner divulged it so that his father obtained the knowledge of his intention, and expressed disapprobation of his taking such a voyage, by letter on the 13th of the 7th month, 1697., To this Thomas Story wrote on the 18th of the same month, a very affectionate, dutiful, and judicious reply, endeavouring to allay any uneasiness that his father might feel on account of the dangers of the voyage, or of travelling amongst the uncivilized tribes of American natives, by an assurance that he should not "lightly undertake the thing," and encouraging a trust and confidence in the Divine Arm which was able to protect in every danger.

After an affectionate appeal to his father, as to his dutiful conduct in all respects not involving his duty to God, he says: "But whatsoever may come to pass through obedience to the power of God in any case, and his wonderful workings in the soul;

this is always to be remembered as the saying of our LORD JESUS CHRIST: He that loves father or mother,

houses or lands, wife or children, better than Me, is not worthy of Me.' So thou wilt be pleased not to impute that to any disregard or disesteem of thee, or want of that love which is due from every Christian to a parent; but give me up to the Lord in all things; and I am persuaded, in so doing, He who hath been. kind to us more than we can easily see into, will be thy comfort concerning me.

"And now, dear father, though I thus write, I do not yet fully know whether I shall go over thither for some time; but if it should please the Lord to draw my soul after Him to the uttermost parts of the earth, and place my peace with Him on my obedience there, I might not expect it otherwise: And who can live without the comfort of his presence, that has been favoured with it? for his presence is life to all the faithful and obedient; but death and condemnation to such as reject his counsel; which the Lord preserve us from, for all our time to come, to the full end of our days, is the desire of him who prefers thy love before much riches, but not to the love of God, my Heavenly Father, the riches of his grace and his salvation; and, saving my duty to Him alone, I am,

Thy ever-loving and dutiful son,

THOMAS STORY."

In the course of his visit to America, the Author had many discourses or disputations, some of which were in substance nearly similar to what have been already noticed in this Introduction, or to those retained in the Abridgment; but others claim some notice here.

About the 5th month, in the year 1699, at Fairfield, he and his companion had a disputation in a private house with the ministers of seven township's, who had assembled on occasion of a Quarterly Lecture. In the course of the discussion it was stated to them, that "by baptism they mean the sprinkling of infants in the face with water, in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; by which they had deceived the people, by administering that to them for an ordinance of Christ, which He never commanded." Again, "You say in your catechism, that baptism with water, is an ordinance of Christ, necessary to salvation; and what you mean thereby is plain. I therefore demand your proof that sprinkling infants is an ordinance of Christ, necessary to salvation."

To this one of the ministers replied:

"First, That Christ said, Suffer little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not."",

"Secondly, That the goaler's family, as we read in Scripture, were all baptized, and there might be. children among them."

"Thirdly, And that the commission was to baptize the whole world; and surely there were children there." To this I replied: "That what he had advanced for a proof was altogether fallacious; for,

"First, The end the people had in bringing their children to Christ, was, not to sprinkle nor baptize them, for He baptized none, but that He might lay his hands upon them, and bless them; in which He answered the faith and expectation of the people, saying: 'Of such is the kingdom of heaven.' The Son of God therefore having thus blessed them, and declared their innocence, being yet neither baptized nor sprinkled, let us leave them safe in His holy arms, and under his care, protection, and blessing; where they are fully happy, without any thing you can add to their condition."

"Secondly, As there might be children in that goaler's family, so likewise there might be none; and where the Scripture is silent as to facts, we ought not to presume to speak. And from a bare possibility, to assert a fact, especially in a thing of this moment, is not good reasoning: but, besides, it is plain there were no children in the goaler's family; for they all believed, which children cannot do; and, to keep to the point, those believers were baptized not sprinkled."

"Thirdly, As to that text alluded to, with other concomitant Scriptures, (Luke xxiv. 47, 48. Matt. xxviii. 18-20. Mark xvi. 15, 16. Acts i. 8.) The subjects of this baptism (not Rantism) are such as have sinned, and are capable of being taught or discipled; capable of believing, of repentance, of observing all His commands to do them; of receiving the testimony and doctrines of the Gospel in all these

particulars, on pain of damnation; of which children are not capable, and therefore not included in the intent and nature of this commission, though living in the world."

"The word used in the Greek language for baptize, signifies to sink in water, to dip, to overwhelm, or plunge in water; but when the Greeks would express sprinkling, which is a different act from baptizing, they do it by the word 'rantiso.' So that rantizing or sprinkling of infants as an ordinance of Christ is yet to be proved."

To this it was rejoined that: "The reason of things in this, as in all other matters, ought to have some consideration and sway in this case: the baptizing, or dipping of children in cold countries, might hazard their lives; and, for that reason, we may be indulged with sprinkling only, as thereby rendering the ordinance more safe and commodious."

To this I replied: "That though this was sufficiently answered in what had passed before, yet I would give it a more particular reply: that the greatest part of the habitable world lies in the torrid and two temperate zones. In the first it is sufficiently warm at all times, without any hazard of infants taking cold by baptism, or washing; and in each temperate zone it is likewise sufficiently warm great part of the year; and they are not forbid to warm it; so that, if infants were the subjects of baptism, as they are not, the mode need not be altered from washing to sprinkling on that pretence: besides it is never so