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ligion among them? and that, unless men are of their party, they will not be faved? Do they with fuccefs to none that are employed in the vineyard, but themselves? or fay of others, engaged in the fame common caufe, Mafter, forbid them, because they follow not with us? On the contrary, do they not profess a warm efteem and affection for all thofe, of whatever communion, who love the Lord Jesus Christ, and aim to promote his cause in the world? and do they not give proof of this, by holding a friendly correfpondence with them as opportunities offer; and by cordially joining them in occafional exercifes of public worfhip? It is not the distinguishing tenet of Baptifm, how much fo ever they with it to prevail, that is the main band that knits them in affection to one another: it is the infinitely nobler confideration of the relation they stand in to Chrift as his difciples. They hope, therefore, to be believed when they declare, that they molt cordially embrace in the arms of Christian love the friends of Jefus, who differ from them in this point; and to be further believed when they add, that they hold the temper and conduct of the furious zealot for Baptifm, who fails in his allegiance to Chrift, and in the charity he owes his fellow Chriftians, in fovereign contempt."

Nor are they who plead for infant baptifm the only perfons under whofe cenfure the generality of us have the unhappiness to fall. So very peculiar is our fituation, that fome even of our Baptill brethren, charge us with being too ftrict and rigid, because we do not receive Pædobaptifts into com

• Dr. Stennett's Anfwer to Mr. Addington, Part II. p. 284, 285.

munion; a practice which they have adopted and warmly defend. Nay, fome of them have boldly declared, that our conduct by refusing fo to do, is greatly prejudicial to the honour and intereft of true religion, and not a little contributing to the caufe of infidelity."* This, it must be allowed, is a home thrust. We have need, confequently, to be provided with armour of proof; with Robur et Es triplex. Efpecially, confidering, that this charge is laid against us, by two of our brethren, under thofe refpectable characters, The Candid and The Peaceful. For when fuch amiable and venerable perfonages as Candour and Peace, unite in preferring a bill of indictment against a fuppofed offender, the grand jury can hardly forbear prejudging the cause, by finding it a true bill, before they have examined fo much as one witnefs on either fide.-Mr. Bunyan alfo, who zealously pleaded the caufe of free communion, when it was yet in its infancy, and who entitled one of his publications in defence of his favourite hypothefis, Peaceable principles and true; did not fail to charge his Baptift brethren, whodiffered from him in that particular, in a fimilar way. Yes, notwithstanding Mr. Bunyan's candid, catholic, peaceable principles; and though he was, at that very time, pleading for candour, catholicifm, and peace, in the churches of Chrift; he draws up a long lift of hateful confequences, and charges them to the account of his brethren's conduct, merely because they did not admit Pædobaptifts into communion with them. The defign of the following pages, therefore, is to fhew, That

* Candidus and Pacificus, in their Modeft Plea for Free Communion.

C

we cannot receive Pædobaptifts into communion at the Lord's table, without doing violence to our profelfed fentiments, as Baptifts; and to anfwer the principal objections which these our brethren have started against us. In doing of which, I fhall argue with them on their own principles, as Proteftant Diffenters and Antipædobaptifts; which kind of argumentation is always efteemed both fair and forcible, when rightly applied.

My reader will not here expect a difcuffion of the mode and fubject of Baptifm; for it is not that ordinance confidered in itself, or as detached from other appointments of Jefus Chrift; but the order in which it is placed, and the connexion in which it ftands with the Lord's fupper, that are the fubject of our inquiry. Nor will my Pædobaptift brethren be offended, if I affume, as truths and facts, things which are controverted between them and us: because I do not here difpute with them, but with fuch as profefs themfelves Baptifts, yet practise free communion. And though I look upon the former as under a mistake, in regard to baptifm; I confider them as acting, not only confcientiously, but confiftently with their own principles, in refpect to that ordinance : while I view the conduct of the latter, not only as contrary to the order of the primitive Christian churches, but as inconfiftent with their own avowed fentiments; which diforder and inconfiftency! fhall now endeavour to prove.

SECTION II.

The general grounds on which we proceed, in refufing Communion at the Lord's Table, to Padobaptift believers-Novelty of the Sentiment and Practice of our Brethren, who plead for Free Communion: and the Inconfiftency of fuch a Conduct with their Baptift Principles.

HE following pofitions are fo evidently

Turue, and to generally admitted by Proteft

ant Diffenters, that they will not be difputed by thofe of our brethren who plead for free communion.

Our divine Lord, in whom are hid all the treafures of wisdom and knowledge, is perfectly well qualified to judge, what ordinances are proper to be appointed, and what measures are neceffary to be pursued, in order to obtain the great defign of religion among mankind.-Being head over all things to the church, he poffeffes the highest authority to appoint fuch ordinances of divine worfhip, and to enact fuch laws for the government of his houfe, as are agreeable to his unerring wifdom, and calculated to promote the important objects he has in view; which appointments and laws muft bind the fubjects of his government in the strictest manner-Having loved the church to the most astonishing degree, even fo as to give himself a ransom for her; he must be confidered, as having made the wifeft and the best appointments, as having given the moft falutary and perfect laws, with a view to promote her happiness, and as means of his own glory.-Thefe laws and ordinances are committed to writing and contained in the Bible: which heavenly voi

ume is the rule of our faith and practice, in things pertaining to religion; our complete and only rule, in all things relating to the inftituted worfhip of God and the order of his houfe. So that we should not receive any thing, as an article of our creed, which is not contained in it: do nothing as a part of divine worship, not commanded by it; neither omit, nor alter any thing that has the fanction of our Lord's appointment.-Nor have we any reason to expect, that our divine Lawgiver and fovereign Judge will accept our folemn fervices, any further than we follow thofe directions which he has given, without addition, alteration, or diminution. "What thing foever I command you, obferve to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it;" were the injunctions of Jehovah to the ancient Ifraelitish church. "Teaching them to obferve all things, whatsoever I have commanded you;" is the requifition of Jefus Chrift to all his miniftering fervants.*

In the worship of God there cannot be either obedience or faith, unless we regard the divine appointments. Not obedience; for that fuppofes a precept, or what is equivalent to it. Not faith; for that requires a promise, or fome divine declaration. If, then, we act without a command, we have reason to apprehend that God will fay to us, as he did to Ifrael of old, "Who hath required this at your hand?" And, on the contrary, when our divine Sovereign enjoins the performance of any duty, to deliberate is difloyalty; to difpute is rebellion. Believers, who really

* Deut. xii. 32. Matt. xxviii. 20.-Smith's Compendious Account of the Form and Order of the Church, p. 15, 16.

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