Mark 16:16 He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believes not shall be damned. Wesley's teaching on this subject is instructive. He recommends to us all, and enjoins upon us all, to follow the example of Philip Henry. He had a method of improving infant baptism, superior to that of most divines, and decidedly better than I have at any time met with. He drew out what he called a form of the Baptismal Covenant, "I take God the Father to be my Father; I take God the Son to be my Saviour; I take God the Holy Ghost to be my Comforter, Teacher, Guide, and Sanctifier; I take the Word of God to be the rule of my actions; I take the people of God to be my people in all conditions: and all this I do deliberately, freely, and forever." He taught all his children to say this to him every Sunday night: when they were able to write, he made every one of them write it, and sign it. "Now," he said, "I shall keep this as a testimony against you." And he did keep it. And there is found among his papers one of the most affecting documents in the English language — a copy of this covenant, signed by each of his children in succession. But he never had to produce it against them. By God's grace, they kept it; and thus verified his own frequent adage, "Fast bind, fast find." (Dr. Osborn.) Parallel Verses KJV: He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.WEB: He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who disbelieves will be condemned. |
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