DOCTOR COLEMAN says: "After the general introduction of infant baptism, in the _second and third centuries,_ the sacrament continued to be administered to all who had been baptized, whether infants or adults. The reason alleged by Cyprian and others for this practice was, that age was no impediment. Augustine strongly advocates the practice. The custom continued for several centuries. It is mentioned in the third Council of Tours, A. D. 813; and even the Council of Trent, A. D. 1545, only decreed that it should not be considered essential to salvation. It is still scrupulously observed by the Greek Church." _Anc. Christ. Exemp., Ch. 22, Sec. 8; Bing., Orig., B. 15, Ch. 4, Sec. 7. Many other writers bear the same testimony._
There is a small class of Baptists who are at times inclined to desire, and it may be, to seek a wider liberty at the Lord's Table than they find accorded in their own churches. The one prevailing argument with them is _sympathy._ To them it seems kindly and fraternal to invite all who say they love our common Lord and Saviour to unite in commemorating His death in the Supper. Even if they have not been baptized, they themselves believe they have, and they are good Christian people. "Why stand upon a technicality?" they say. To such the service is merely a sentimental service; a kind of love feast to show Christian fellowship, rather than an instituted commemoration of their dying Lord. They have neither Scripture, logic, expediency, the scholarship, nor the concurrent practice of Christendom, either past or present, to sustain their position. But _sympathy_ influences them; yet sympathy should not control conduct in matters of faith, or in acts of conscience. It is a grave perversion when affection for his disciples sways us more than fidelity to our Lord. We should not be so kind to _them_ as to be untrue to _Him._ Sincere Christians will honor those who are loyal to Christ, even though they differ in opinion.
Baptists give the following reasons in justification of their course in the following cases:
1. They do not invite Pedobaptists to the Lord's Supper with them, because such persons are not baptized, as has been shown, they being simply sprinkled. They may be true converts, and have the spiritual qualifications, but they are destitute of the ceremonial qualification--baptism. The "buried in baptism" comes before the "breaking of bread."