how they may be fupported For if we are obliged, in fome cafes, to fet afide an ordinance of divine worship, and to break a pofitive command, in order that certain individuals may perform another pofitive injunction of the great Legislator; the laws of Chrift are not half fo confiftent as Paul's preaching; "which was not yea and nay," as thofe would be, if the argument here oppofed were val id.-Nor have we, that I remember, any thing like a parallel cafe, either in the Old or New Teftament. We find, indeed, an inftance or two, of pofitive and typical rites giving way to natural neceffities and moral obligations, when the performance of both was impracticable; as, when David ate of the fhew-bread, without incurring a divine cenfure; but we have no example of a pofitive ordinance being fet afide, in favour of any one's ignorance or prejudice against it, that he might he edified by fubmitting to another pofitive inftitu tion, of which he defired to partake. That maxim of our Lord, "I will have mercy and not facrifice;" is, therefore, totally inapplicable in the prefent case.

Mr. Bunyan, I know, ftrenuously pleads the neglect of circumcifion by the Ifraelites in the wilderness, while they attended on other pofitive appointments of God, as arguing ftrongly for free communion; but he feems to have forgotten that the omiffion of which he speaks, is keenly cenfured by the Holy Ghoft. The uncircumcifed ftate of the people, whatever might be the occafion of it, is called a reproach, "the reproach of Egypt;" which odium was rolled from them on the borders of Canaan, and the place in which they were circumcised was called by a new name, to perpetuate

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the memory of that event.* Now, as that neglect of the Ifraelites was a breach of the divine command, a reproach to their character as the fons of Abraham, and stands condemned by the Spirit of God; it cannot be pleaded in defence of a fimilar omiffion, with the least appearance of reafon. And if fo, I leave our brethren to judge whether it can be imitated without injuring the honour of true religion, and promoting the cause of infidelity.'Nor is that other inftance, which the fame author produces, relating to the feast of passover, in the reign of Hezekiah, any more to his purpose. For though many of the people were not "cleanfed according to the purification of the fanctuary;" though they did eat the paffover otherwife than it was written," and were accepted of God; yet Hezekiah was fo confcious of thofe irregularities, that he deprecated the divine anger, faying, "The good Lord pardon every one that prepareth his heart to feek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though he be not cleanfed according to the purification of the fanctuary. And the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people." With what fhadow of reason, then, or of reverence for God's commands, can any one plead this inftance in favour of free communion? What, fhall a deviation from the divine rule, in the performance of facred rites a deviation that is acknowledged as criminal before the Lord, and for which pardon is requested, be adduced, as a precedent for the conduct of Christians! What would our brethren, what would Mr. Bunyan himself have thought of Hezekiah and his people, had they taken the liberty of re+ 2 Chron. xxx. 18, 19, 20.

✦ Joshua v. 9.

peating the diforderly conduct, whenever they cel ebrated the pafchal anniversary ?-Taken the liberty of tranfgreffing the divine rule, because Jehovah had once graciously pardoned their irregularities, and accepted their fervices, on a fimilar occafion? Would they not have been chargeable with bold prefumption, and with doing evil that good might come?-But I return to our candid and peaceful opponents.

Disturb and break the order of churches, or order by Jefus Chrift, with a view to edification? The reader will here observe, the order intended is that of adminiftering baptifm to believers, before they are admitted to the Lord's table. That infraction of order, therefore, for which they plead, is no other than Jetting afide an ordinance, allowed to be divine; and this to promote the edification of those concerned. Very extraordinary, I must confefs. For profeffors in every age, have been more difpofed to increase the number of religious rites, than to leffen it, with a view to edification. So the Jews of old frequently acted, and as frequently offended God. So the church of Rome has appointed many forms and rites of worship, with a view to the edification of her deluded votaries. The church of England also has retained the fign of the crofs in baptifm, and claims a pow er to decree rites and ceremonies in divine worfhip whenever the pleafes; and all, no doubt, with a view to edification. Yet I never heard that either of those establishments, arrogant as the former is, ever talked of altering the primitive order of the Chriftian church, or of omitting an ordinance, allowed to be divine, with a view to edification. Our brethren, however, plead for this; and, which

is equally wonderful, they plead for it under the fpecious pretext, that a command of Chrift may be performed. But is not baptifm a command, an acknowledged command of Chrift? And was it not graciously intended, as well as the holy fupper, for the edification of Chriftians? Or, do our opponents imagine, that we may flight, with impunity, one command, provided we be but careful to obferve another even though the command neglected has a prior claim on our obedience?-In oppofition to their novel way of proceeding, and their unprecedented manner of talking, I will prefent my reader with the fage maxim of a smart writer. He [Christ] has not published his laws as men do their's, with those imperfections, that they must be explained and mended.'* To which I may add the following declarations of a learned pen ; We must serve God, not as we think fit, but as he hath appointed. God must be judge of his own honour.-Nothing, then, is small, whereupon depends the fanctity of God's commandment and our obedience.'+ There is, however, little need of the maxims, or the declarations of men, while we have the decifion of Him who purchased the church with his own blood; of-Him who is to be our final judge. Now the language of that fublime Being is; "In all things that I have faid unto you, be circumfped-Teaching them to obferve all things whatfoever I have command you." And it is worthy of being remarked, that it stands recorded, to the honour of Mofes, seven or eight

Mr. Bradbury's Duty and Doctrine of Baptifm, p. 24. + Pemble's Introduction to Worthy Receiving the Lord's Supper, p. 21, 31.

times in one chapter, that "he did as the Lord commanded him."*

The question is not, whatever our opponents may think, Whether baptism is effential to our falvation? But, Whether God has not commanded it? Whether it is not a believer's duty to be found in it? And, Whether the paftor and members of a gospel church can justify themselves, in admitting perfons to communion that have never been baptized? On the principle affumed by our oppofers, a profeffor that has no inclination to obey the divine command, in any particular inftance, may vindicate his refufal, by faying; The performance of it is not effential to my happiness; for a finner may be faved without it.' A mode of arguing this, that is big with rebellion against the domin ion of God: a vile Antinomian principle, which, pursued in its confequences, is pregnant with ruin to immortal fouls. What, fhall we do nothing that God has commanded, unless we look upon it as effentially neceffary to our future felicity! Is this the way to manifest our faith in Jesus and love to God!-How much better is the reasoning of Mr. Charnock, when he fays: 'Deus voluit, is a fufficient motive? and we cannot free ourselves from the cenfure of difobedience, if we obferve not his commands in the fame manner that he enjoins them; in their circumftances, as well as their fubstance-Who can, upon a better account, challenge an exemption from pofitive inftitutions than our Saviour, who had no need of them; yet how ob. fervant was he of them, because they were estab. lifhed by divine authority! So that he calls his

* See Exod. xl.