eral, and indirect support to other arguments, by its suppos ed reference to an existing custom. But, admitting that reference to be real, in the present case; and the inference establishing the existence of the custom to be ever so justly drawn, still it could not impose immersion on the church as the indispensable, and exclusive form of baptism. For, if the custom were to create a rule which could not be departed from, that custom should be entirely and completely adhered to. But I presume baptism with the person naked, which was the practice, where plunging was used in those warm climates, in imitation of bathing, would not now be desired, or tolerated by any christian sect. The habits, modes, and customary ideas of that age, took away that sense of impropriety which would justly shock the delicacy of our modern sentiments. Even on the ground, then, of this figure containing a reference to an existing custom, that custom would not infallibly bind men in every age, and in every climate or state of society.

But, let us carry on this argument from figure into the following verses, and see how it will operate; For, saith the apostle, "if we have been planted in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection; knowing this that our old man is crucified with him." Here then are three figurative expressions, all referring to the same object, the ordinance of baptism, and its symbolic signification of a death unto sin; viz. "buried with him by baptism unto death;

planted in the likeness of his death; and crucifying with him our old man." According to this reasoning, therefore, bap

tism should contain something in the mode of its administration corresponding to all these figures: so that, if the first figure necessarily implies the justification of the mode of baptizing exclusively by immersion: the last will, on the same ground, justify, and require the form of the church of Rome in baptizing with the sign of the cross. But as the friends of immersion do not admit of the latter consequence, those who conform to the practice of baptizing by sprinkling, with equal reason, do not think themselves bound by the former.

Upon the whole view of this subject, I conclude, and, I think, from the fairest reasoning, that the mode of administering baptism, whether by sprinkling, or immersion, is not essential to the validity of the ordinance, which requires only that the emblem of its cleansing and purifying virtue be significantly preserved.

61

OF THE

EXTERNAL SEALS

OF THE

COVENANT OF GRACE.

OF THE LORD'S SUPPER.

THE second seal attached to the covenant of grace, or the second sacrament of the New Testament, is the Lord's supper. This ordinance was instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ, immediately before his final sufferings, in which he appointed bread and wine to be used as memorials of his death for the sins of the world, and symbols of the union of his people to him, and to one another. The apostle Paul, in his first epistle to the Corinthians, ch. ii. v. 23-26: has stated the origin of this festival, and the manner in which it was celebrated by our Lord himself, with his disciples, as an example for the imitation of his church in all ages. Corresponding with this exhibition, is the account recorded by the evangelists Matthew and Luke. And, from the whole, it is evident, that the broken bread was employed as an emblem of the body of the Saviour broken in the room of sinners, and the wine in like manner, was used as an emblem of his

blood shed for the remission of sins. These simple, but lively images were ordained to call up to the memory of the believer, the death and sufferings of his Redeemer, with greater vivacity and force than can be done by the preaching of the gospel in our ordinary assemblies.-Do this, said our Lord, while he broke the bread, and distributed the cup, in remembrance of me. But the ordinance, as I have said, has another and secondary object, which is to represent the union of believers with their great Head by faith and love, and among themselves, by the spirit of charity. "The cup of blessing which we bless," saith the apostle, "is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? and the bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For, we, being many, are one bread, and one bo. dy; for we are all partakers of that one bread."

The different ends which a christian may have in view in this ordinance, have been marked in the various denominations which it has received in the primitive church, the chief of which are continued down to the present age. The Lord's supper, and the table of the Lord, are denominations nearly equivalent; the one taken from the time in which it was celebrated; the other taken from the manner in which it was eaten, wherein it resembled an ordinary meal. It has been a practice in all countries to commemorate great, and interesting events, and to testify mutual joy, and affection on such occasions, by feasting together. These denomina