Anti-Paedobaptism Part 3, Section 78
SECT. LXXVIII. Mr. Carters exposition of Gen. 22.16, 17, 18. as if God promised to make every believer a blessing, so as to cast ordinarily elect children on elect parents, is refuted.
THat which is Mr. Cs. basis for his fabrick of Infant-Baptism, is from the Covenant of God with Abraham, Gen, 22.16, 17, 18. which he saith contains four things. 1. That God would bless Abraham, and with him all believers, with all spiritual blessings in Christ, Rom. 9.7. Gal. 3.16, 8, 9, 29. and this agrees with Gen. 3.15.] Which I yeeld. Secondly (saith he) more particularly in Gods promise to Abraham is contained something peculiar unto him, and which believers are to claim particularly from his promise made to Abraham; as namely, in the second place, that God would not onelyonly bless Abraham; and in him all believers, but also would make them blessings, and that chiefly and in the first place to their families; and not onelyonly so, but also to Nations. Gen. 12.1, 2, 3. So Gen. 18.18. This promise Peter alledgeth and explaineth to the Jews, Act. 3 25. The word is all the families of the earth. The same word we have, Ephes. 3.15. The Covenant ma…e with Ab…aham therefore, as by this place we see, that we have it in that of Gen. 12.1. where it was first made and given, so also that it respecteth families and posterity; else he had said all the b…lievers, or all the people of the earth, not all the families of the earth shall be blessed. And he could not have said to the Jews, ye are the children of the Covenant, had it not respected the children of the p…ople of God. Nor is it to be restrained onelyonly to the Jews; for the promise is concerning all the fami…ies of the earth, therefore it followeth in the next words, v. 26. unto you first. And this blessing as it is first laid down, Gen. 12. and here repeated by the Apostle, we see is a blessing both upon the people of God themselves, and upon their families. Nor is this promise to be restrained onelyonly unto this▪ that of Abraham and his seed should Christ come, (although that also be included, because what we receive from Abraham we have it all in Christ,) for so all those of the line of Christ were blessings to the world as well as he. And because here is something intended applicable to all believers, namely, that they also shall be blessings in their generations; and because a blessing upon families is intended also, for so the words run, thou shalt be a blessing, and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed; therefore I say it must not be so restrained. But the meaning is, that in his Covenant with Abraham he hath thus far limited himself, and discovered his mind and purpose, that his choice shall not be proportion…bly all over the world alike, but that it shall be by families and nations; so as he will ordinarily cast elect children upon elect parents; and the lot of the Saints in neighbourhoods and places together, and not by eq…al numbers in each part of the world alike. Had not his election been so limited to families and nations, neither Abraham nor believers could have been said to be blessings in spiritual things, either to their families or to any other where they live, as now they are, because God so blesseth onelyonly his elect, Ephes. 1.3, 4.
Answ. The sum of this I conceive to be, that God promising to Abraham he should be a blessing, Gen. 12, 2. that in him all the families of the earth, Gen. 12.3. all the nations of the earth, Gen. 18.18. shall be blessed, in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, Gen. 22.18. did promise that every believer should be a blessing in his generation in spiritual things to his family and neighbourhood, and thereby God ha…h limited himself to cast ordinarily elect children on elect parents, and the lot of the Saints in neighbourhoods and places together, and not by equal numbers in each part of the world alike. Which exposition is many wayes faulty, and the conclusion inferred from it either false or uncertain, and yet if it were true and certain, would not yeeld a sufficient reason for infant baptism, as will be shewed in the sequel.
The first thing I except against this Exposition, that when it is said Gen. 12.2. foreign he takes it for granted, it is to bee understood actively, as if the meaning were that Abraham should be a blessing to others, whereas (as Pareus in his Com saith) it may be an amplification of the things going before, thou shalt bee altogether and very blessed: in which sense we use often the abstract for the contract, as a man very honest is called honesty. Yea the LXX render it foreign, and thou shalt be blessed. Piscat. schol. Vel, esto in benediction…, hoc est benedictus. Diodati annot. Blessed every way: as if all blessings were gathered together in thee, or a pattern of a compleat blessing.
2. That he takes i… as i… what is said must bee applicable to all believers, that they shall be blessings in their generations. But this is not proved from the text, which onelyonly speaks of Abraham being a blessing, and though it is true Heb. 6.14. the promise of bless…ng to Abraham is made a promise of which all believers are heyrs, v. 17. yet is it plain from many passages in that Chapter v 9, 11, 12, 15, 18, 19. that it is meant that they are heirs of the promise of blessing to themselves in enjoying salvation as Abraham did, not of imparting blessing to others.
3. That he takes it as if it must follow, that if Abraham were a blessing to others, it must bee in that spiritual blessings according to election were in some proportion entailed to the post…rity and neighbourhood of all true believers. But Pareus thus; Some expound it actively, thou shalt be a blessing, that is, thou shalt bless others: my blessing shall not bee shut up in thee alone; but out of thee it shall flow also to others. Blessing shall so stick in thee wheresoever thou comest, that by thy ministry others may also come to a blessing. Nor do the exposition of some Hebrews seem to bee refused, that Abraham shall be a publike example of all sort of blessing in the world, so that all that wish well to themselves or o…hers, may wish for the happiness of Abraham: Or as the new annot in Gen. 12.2. shalt be a blessing] That is, more then thou shalt have a blessing, for in this blessing is virtually comprised the happiness of both worlds, and of all that are truely blessed in all ages; whereof though God be the onelyonly Author, Abraham is honoured to bee a principal means under him to bring it to pass in being the progenitour of the promised seed, and setting such an example of beliefe as might qualifie him to be stiled father of the faithfull, Rom. 4.11, 12. The world shall receive by thy seed, which is Christ, the blessing which it lost in Adam.
Mr. C. himselfe denies not to bee included in this promise, that of Abraham and his seed the Lord CHRIST should come, but saith, if it bee restrained onelyonly to this then it will follow that all those of the Line of CHRIST were blessings to the World as well as hee.
To which I reply, 1. if the sense given be included as he grants, then his sense is not necessary, nor can any thing be proved by it. 2. Though the speech in the sense given bee restrained, yet the absurdity followes not, sith the being a blessing by begetting Christ is not so invested in any as in Abraham, who is made the first Trustee as it were, of this blessing by the Covenant, or Charter granted to him. 4. I except that in the promise, In thee, or in thy seed shall all the families or Nations of the earth bee blessed. Mr. Carter conceives thee and thy seed to comprehend every believer: Whereas the Apostle expounds Acts 3.25. [in thy seed] of Christ onelyonly, and [in thee] Galath. 3.8, 9. of Abraham onelyonly, with whom as the pattern o… believing and beeing blessed, they which bee of the faith are blessed. I deny not that by Abrahams seed believers are meant Gen. 17.7. and Gen. 15.5. and that the Apostle Rom. 4.18. Gal. 3.29. and elsewhere so expounds it; But no where do I finde the promises Gen. 1….3 & 18.18. & 22.18. expounded so as that in thy seed should no…e every believer, and the sense in which Mr. Carter takes it, as if in every believer all the families of the earth should bee blessed, it is derogatory from Abrahams peculiar priviledge one way understood, another from Christs, and not much short of blasphemy. 5. That hee makes families and nations of the earth to bee different in the promises mentioned, as appears by his words [and that chiefly and in the first place to their families; and not onelyonly so, but also to nations] whereas the holy Ghost makes no such difference. For as the same promise which is expressed by families, Gen. 12.3. is expressed by nations, Gen. 18.18. so in the new Testament the promise Gen. 12.3. where the word is rendred families, is expressed Gal. 3.8. by nations and the term which is Gen. 22.18. all the nations of the earth is Acts 3.25. all the kindreds or families of the earth, as Mr. C. would have it. 6. Mr. C. seems by families to whom believers should be a blessing, children, as when hee saith, God will ordinarily cast children elect upon elect parents, and by nations neighbourhoods, as when hee saith, the lot of the Saints in neighbourhoods and places together, whereas families in the Hebrew foreign whether rendred by foreign as the LXX Gen. 12.3. that is, tribes, or foreign Acts 3.25. notes more then posterity or housholds, even whole tribes, and kinreds that draw their line from one great Ancestour, and foreign notes a whole people of one language, though in their dwellings so remote as to have no entercourse one with another. I will not trouble my self to enquire what difference there is between the words in Hebrew and Greek which are translated families, tribes, kindreds, nations: This I am sure they contain greater and more ample numbers of men then those who live together under one roof or one town, and if from thence the extent of the Covenant be inferred to posterity of believers and their neighbours, and so the seal of the Covenant (as Mr. C. doth) because believers are promised to bee a blessing to posterity and neighbours, it will follow from the termes families and nations, that they are blessings to whole parishes, townes, cities and nations, and they are to be baptised and parochial, city, national Churches to bee set up again, against which Mr. C. with his brethren have so much hitherto contended. 7. By Mr. Cs. exposition whereas the promises are that all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in a believer, this is brought to so narrow a compass, as that it is restrained to posterity and neighbourhood. 8. The manner how in believers their posterity is said to be blessed, and he a blessing to them is expressed to be, in that God casts elect children upon elect paients, which I know not well how to understand. It seems to bear a sense if not the same yet very near that in which we are said to be chosen in Christ, Ephes. 1.3, 4. which Mr. C. alledgeth to this purpose, and 1 Cor. 1.30. We are of God in him, who is made to us of God wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption, which were near blasphemy. Which to avoid it concerned Mr. C. to have more clearly and distinctly expressed himself.
What he saith [that the Covenant made with Abraham Gen. 12.2, 3. respecteth families and posteritie; else he had said all the believers, or all the people of the earth, not all the families of the earth shall bee blessed] shews his oversight in not observing that it is Gal. 3.8. all the nations of the earth, which is equivalent to all the people of the earth, and yet v. 9. by all the nations of the earth, are meant no more then they that are of faith. And when he saith, that the Apostle Acts 3.25. could not have said to the Jewes, ye are the children of the Covenant, had it not respected the children of the people of God, hee heeded not that they are said as well to bee children of the Prophets, and therefore the sense is not that they were descended from the Covenant or Prophets by natural generation, but ye are they to whose Ancestours the Covenant was at first given, and the Prophets sent, which are not common things to all the children of the people of God or true believers, the Gentile believers children are not children of the Covenant and Prophets in the sense there meant, but proper to the Jews.
Nor is the proposition true which Mr. C. would gather from the Covenant to Abraham. For, 1. God hath plainly discovered his mind Rom. 9.6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 24, 25. that he chuseth at his pleasure children of unbelievers as well as believers, and of the posterity of believers, either none or which he will, arbitrarily and by no ordinary or certain rule, but as a potter doth with his clay, ac…ording to his soveraignty, not out of special grace to the children of his elect for the parents sake, and accordingly the saints praise him for their redemption out of every kinred, and tongue, and people, and nation, Rev. 5.9. without respect to their Ancestours.
2. Our Lord Christ foretold Matt 10.34, 35. that he came to divide a man against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law, and a mans enemies should be they of his own house. And in the families of the most godly, how few were found elect may appear by the posterity of David, Josiah, Jehoshaphat, …li, Samuel, Abraham himself, with many more. As for our own experience in our own times it is so uncertain, that no good estimate can be made thereupon, concerning Gods ordinary way. Perhaps in some families it falls out, that the posterity, and neighbours, and servants are godly, but many complaints of degenerating, of back-sliding, shew it as often to be otherwise.
I wish it were true which Mr. C. writes, though I find no proof of it, That in all ages God hath cast it so in his providence, that his people are not to be found in all places alike: but we finde them together in some families and nations. Now this is not faln out by chance, but because God hath so made his choise, hath been a God to believers and their seed in their generation; and hath made them blessings for the conversion and edification of their children, neighbours and acquaintance, and that not onelyonly by a common providence, as he blesseth the corn and grass of the field, but it is by vertue of a special word of blessing a creating word of promise, which giveth a being to the things promised, even this promise made to Abraham and in him to all believers, Gen. 12 2, 3. without which, good examples and other means of education and conversion, had not had such efficacy and power in turning sinners to God. But I do not believe it, sith neither hath the Covenant such a sense as Mr. C. gives it, nor is there such e…perience proved, and it is found that what good is done among children of believing parents, is done as often by servants, minister, good company, remarkable providences and other wayes, as by parents endeavours, and if without such a promise as Mr. C. imagines, such means had not such efficacy, I think not onelyonly parents who believe no such promise, but also ministers, and others who expect a blessing upon their endeavours without Mr. Cs. promise, would be discouraged in their work.
That which is said Psal. 105.8. though it prove the perpetuity of Gods Covenant with Abraham, yet proves not the sense Mr. C. gives of the Covenant. Nor doth that Luk. 19.9. yeeld any clearness to i…, For salvation came to Zacheus his house in respect of his person, and if it did to others in his house, yet it is not said by vertue of the Covenant to Abraham as Mr. C. imagines, and what Mr. C. saith about Acts 16.31. that it was spoken because of this promise to Abraham is his own gloss without any hint from the text, and would infer this proposition, that by vertue of Gods promise to Abraham upon the faith of an housekeeper his house should be saved, which is contrary to constant experience of believing masters, husbands, parents having unbelieving servants, wives, children.
I grant Abraham to be the holy root, Rom. 11.16. and that v. 28. the Jewes as touching the election are beloved for the Fathers sake and that they shall be graffed in again because the gu…t once given to them, God will not repent of, and though I say not the Church bringeth forth children to Abraham, yet I yeeld Jerusalem which is above the Evangelical Covenant doth, and that the children of promise, or of the free-woman are Abrahams seed▪ all believers even of the Gentiles, but this is so far from proving the blessing upon families and kinreds, and Gods ordering in such manner his election, as Mr. C. devised, and would have perpetual from Psal. 105.8. that it rather proves the contrary. For the breaking off the Jews, and the ingraffing the Gentiles, not of the families or kinred of the root Abraham but a wild Olive by nature, proves the blessing not to be to families, nor election so ordered, as that to a thousand generations, to all generations even to the worlds …nd, God ordinarily casts elect children upon elect parents. Nor doth the citing of Isa. 59.20. which is Rom. 11.26, 27. with the inference thereupon, prove that God entails his blessing upon families from generation to generation; but that God hath such a special love to the family of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that after a long breaking off that nation shall be restored again and re-ingraffed for the Fathers sake, which is there made the peculiar priviledge of Israel after the flesh. But there is not a word in the Apostle, Rom. 11. that shews that priviledge to have been enjoyed by believing Gentiles since their being graffed into the same root and Olive tree from whence the Jews were broken off. Nor is it true. For God hath removed his Candlestick from many places where there were famous Churches, a…d from many kindreds, families, and people, where there were formerly godly company and society; so that now the progeny are become profane, and Apostates, and the Churches replenished with plants out of families in which a little while since Popery, profaneness, and viciousness did abound. No… do 1 Cor. 7.14. Acts 2.38. make any thing for Mr. Cs. purpose, as shall appear in the sequel. Nor doth the application of Circumcis…on to the child, or Abrahams title of Father of all them that believe, prove the Covenant with Abraham in Mr. Cs. sense: Nor is it true, the application of Circumcision to the child is a necessary and essential part of that Ordinance. For that is not an essential part of an Ordina…ce without which it might be: But the Ordinance of Circumcision might be, and perhaps was at first without application to a child, if thereby be meant an infant; however, if none but parents were circumcised, as when the Circumcision was Josh. 5. it had been the Ordinance of Circumcision nevertheless: when onelyonly one proselyte a… age was circumcised it was the Ordinance. Ergo.
As for what Mr. C. answers to the objection from experience, it is indeed a pulling down of what he had spent so much time to build up. For if Gods blessing do not take effect through mens sin, or defect of using means, then the promise is not to families and kindreds in that absolute manner Mr. C. before described it, then the promise is to the quality and diligence of the persons, not to the relation; then is the promise as well to any other so qualified and diligent, as to the parent; then is it false which he said before, pag. 38. that the success was not from example and other means, but a special word of blessing the promise to Abraham. Finally, if that be true which he hath pag. 35. (which is false printed) G 2. that although Gods promise be to carry his election so, as to cast elect children upon elect parents, yet he reserveth to himself, and also useth in this a liberty, namely, ever and anon to be still breaking of … graffing in others into this holy root; then what he said before, p. 7. F 3. that God hath thus far limited himself, and discovered his mind and purpose, that he will ordinarily cast elect children upon elect parents, is false: For what God reserveth to himself, and useth a liberty in, he hath not limited himself so far; and if he ever and anon useth this liberty, to be still breaking of… some, and graffing in others, then he doth not ordinarily cast elect children upon elect parents▪ for what is otherwise ever and anon and still, is not so ordinarily, much less still in being to a thousand generations, to all generations, even to the worlds end, as he said pag. 33. G. So that Mr. Cs. discourse from his own words is found hitherto to contain mistakes, uncertainty, and in the main, inconsistency with it self. Let's view whether in the rest there be any thing worthy of a Lord Mayors imprimatur.
A third thing Mr. C. observes as contained in the Lords promise unto Abraham, is, That by thus blessing and making believers blessings, God would multiply his seed, Gen. 22.16. So Gen. 17.2, 5. That this is part of the Gospel, and contained in the promise made to him and us, is proved from Heb. 6.14. A further proof we have Gen. 15.5. alledged Rom. 4.3, 18, 22. as belonging to believing Gentiles, the increase of whose number by means of Gods blessing believers so as to make them blessings as Abrahams seed, was intended in that promise, and as part of that Gospel, which God preached unto Abraham: There's a promise that the Kingdome of Christ shall fill the world, Dan. 2.35, 44. To this purpose is that of our Saviour, Matth. 13.31, 32, 33. Now the Lords making believers blessings, and thereby multiplying Abrahams seed, is that which makes his Kingdome thus to be like leaven, whereby the whole world at last will be seasoned with the knowledge and love of Christ. Therefore this multiplying of believers, so as to fill the world, is made by the Apostle, Rom. 4.13. to be part of Abrahams promise; then mark what follows, v. 16, 17, 18. This promise was made sure to all believers, as well Gentiles as Jews.
Answ. 1. Why Mr. C. makes that the 3d. thing in Gods promise Gen. 22.17, 18. which is the 2d. and puts that as the 2d. thing which is after the rest v. 18. and so the 4th. I see no reason, but onelyonly that he foresaw that otherwise there had been no colour for this which he here infers, that by thus blessing and making believers blessings God would multiply his seed, Gen. 22.16. But the right order of the promises shews this conceit to be only Mr. Cs. fancy. For in that the promise v. 18. is put last, it is shewed thereby that it is a distinct promise, and that it doth not express the manner how God would multiply Abrahams seed, as Mr. C. conceives. 2. It is true Gen. 15.5. is a Gospel promise to believing Gentiles, Rom. 4.18. but not in Mr. Cs. sense, that the increase of the number of believing Gentiles, should be by means of Gods blessing believers so as to make them blessings as Abrahams seed, in that God would cast ordinarily elect children o… elect parents, and the lot of the Saints in neighbourhoods and places together: But in this sense, that Abraham should have an innumerable company of children, or his seed among the Gentiles by faith, who should be blessed with faithfull …raham, Gal. 3.9. in their own persons, but no mention is there of their being a blessing to others. 3. That the Church of Christ should fill the world, Dan. 2.35, 44. that the Kingdome of Heaven as a grain of mustard seed, or leaven, Matth. 13.31, 32, 33. shall fill or season the world ▪ is granted; but that it is meant in those places to be done in Mr. Cs. way, is denied: I do conceive it to have been meant of the Apostles preaching, as me thinks Christs words, Matth. 24.14. do import. 4 That the promise of being heir of the world was to Abraham and his seed believing Gentiles, is granted; but that his or their being heir of the world did import any such blessing as Mr. C. imagines, as if God would ordinarily cast elect children on elect parents, or that any such thing is intimated by the Apostle v. 16, 17, 18. is denied: Nor do I yet find any interpreter afore Mr. C. who hath so expounded the prom…se.
In the opening of the 4th. promise, that the seed of Abraham should possess the gates of their enemies, though his exposition be granted, I see not what advantage it gives him for proof of infant Baptism, and therefore let it pass; onelyonly I take notice, that when p. 43. he makes the multiplying of the seed of Abraham, and the conquest of the world to be a spiritual work to be effected by the sword of the spirit the word of God, it follows, that it is to be done by preachers rather then by parents, and consequently not in that way Mr. C. imagines, but in the way which Christ took, by sending his Apostles to preach the Gospel to every creature. What he saith p. 45. of the meaning of Gen. 9.26. hath been shewed before to be uncertain, and to be proved false by the History of the Church, in that in Affrica the posterity of Cham were in the Church of Christ as well as Shems and Japhets posterity; and how Abrahams seed shall fill the world at last and rule over it, is so doubtfull, as that I conceive no certainty can be thence deduced. The conceit of the four Kings Gen. 14. as if their people became afterwards the four Monarchies ▪ is such a fancy, as a waking man that knows the distance between Rome, Greece, and Canaan, and the voyage they must take by sea, and other circumstances which the story Gen. 14. and other Histories suggest, will take onelyonly for a dream. Mr. Cs. gloss, p. 50. on the words of Christ, Mark 10.15. Who soever shall not receive the Kingdome of God as a little child▪ that is, as a child receiveth it, shall not enter therein; whether he mean i… of the visible Church or Kingdome of glory, it cannot be true. For let the way of entring the Kingdome of God be by birth, or Baptism, or any other way, yet a true believer by faith and profession may enter into the Kingdome of God in a way different from that a little child receives it in who hath no understanding of Christ: And though both be passive in the first work on their souls, yet believers of age are not meerly p…ssive as little children who have no understanding at all of Christ. But for the true meaning of Christ, I need say no more but refer the Reader to Christs words, Matth. 18.4. whence the meaning appears to be, that no person not endued with that qualification of self-humbling, of which a little child is a fit embleme, Psal. 131.2. shall become an inheritour of glory. Nor is there any proof made by Mr. C. of his dictate, that because Christ would that little children also should be members of his Kingdome, therefore hath he made it one branch of the Gospel of this Kingdome, that the families of the righteous shall be blessed. His reason he gives, p. 51. is no reason; for God might have gone further then ordinarily▪ to cast elect children upon elect parents, even to have done so universally and perpetually, and yet we might no more have been sons of God by natural generation, and as much by nature born children of wrath as now we are conceived. Though God had not so far, as Mr. C. imagines, confined his choice to families, kindreds, and nations, his elect had not been destitute of means of education, sith God could have provided Catechists, Preachers, and others to that end, in other families, kindreds, and na…ions: Sure in some ages of the Church there was so little provision made to that end in families, kindreds, and nations, that it appears that almost all the means of education was from Monasteries in Scotland and Ireland, by the Histories that remain, as may be seen by Seldens Epistle before the Histories collected by Twisden, Ushers relation of the Irish Religion, and elsewhere. If it were the most natural and ready way to multiply the spiritual seed for the increase of Gods Kingdome, by making believers a blessing to families and nations, as Mr. C. saith p. 52. sure God by sending Apostles, and not using Kings and Masters of families for that end, omitted the readiest and most natural way; and I see not why it should be judged the best way to propagate the Gospel, to gather Churches out of Parishes, and set Pastors over them, or to send itinerant preachers, but to reduce all Churches to family and national Churches, and to make Kings and Masters of families Elders and Rulers over them. Nor do I find that either God so casts the lot of his Saints together ▪ as Mr. C. imagines, or that by that means the gifts of Gods people are improved, and light increased; but by raising up holy Teachers and Pastors, and associating of the Saints from their several dwellings into a well ordered assembly. If as Mr. C. saith p. 55. the Israelites destroyed the Canaanites not by common rules of righteousness among men, but by special revelation and command from God; then either they did it not by the promise Gen. 22.17. or that promise did not assure them of the possession of Canaan by common rules of justice, as Mr. C. conceives. That the people of God in the times of the N. T. may not make war against Antichrist or Babylon and their party as an Anathema, but upon a natural and civil account, for the just liberties opposed and invaded by them, may be well doubted, considering sundry passages which are Rev. 17.16, 17. & 18.6, 24. That the dominion which the Saints shall at last obtain, shall need no force either to get or maintain it; but it shall naturally fall upon them, as from other causes, so also by reason of the…r number, according to the law of nature, and common rules of righteousness, is not proved from Isa. 2.3. and how much it may tend to denying the lawfulness of Christians fighting in wars, especially if the chief or onelyonly cause be to preserve the Godly from oppressions in Religion, is to be consid…red. And that power is naturally devolved upon the Saints because of their numbers, (as p. 60. is intimated,) seems to me an unsafe speech, as resting on this position, That power is naturally devolved on the greatest number. It is enough that I have onelyonly by the way noted these things, that what men preach and print may be better considered: I pass on to the examining of Mr. Cs. application.