Imatges de pàgina
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buked was fpeechless, having no excuse to make for his conduct. But he might have excufed it, if bare profeffion was all that was neceffary, to render one a member of the vifible church.

The church and the body of Christ are fynonymous expreffions, 1 Cor. xii. 12, 13. Ephes, i. 23. iv. 16. Col. i. 24. It is evident, that, in thefe paffages, the apostle speaks of the true myftical body of Chrift. For we are told, 1 Cor. xii. 13. that "by one fpirit we are all baptized "into one body." And Eph. iv. 16. that from Chrift," the whole body fitly joined together, "and compacted by that which every joint fup"plieth, according to the effectual working in "the measure of every part, maketh increase of "the body, unto the edifying of itself in love." It is equally plain, that the apostle speaks of particular visible churches, reaping benefit from the various gifts of their teachers. Therefore, every particular visible church, was confidered by the apoftles, as compofed only of true believers: and these not baptized with the Holy Ghoft, were accounted by them no members of Chrift's myftical body. What then fhall we fay of thofe, who in all their actions are animated and influenced by the devil, who live after the flesh, and retain nothing of the Chriftian, fave the empty name? Chriftians are as lively ftones, built up a fpiritual house, an holy priesthood to offer up fpiritual facrifices, acceptable to God by Jefus Chrift, 1 Pet. ii. 5. And is that, think you, the character of men dead in trefpaffes and fins?

The church is the pillar and ground of truth, 1 Tim. iii. 15. Chrift's fheep, or the members of that church, hear his voice and follow him.

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And he gives to them eternal life, fo that they fhall never perish, John x. 27, 28. They only are Chrift's difciples indeed, who continue in his words, John viii. 31. and who glorify the father in bearing much fruit, John xv. 8. Such defcriptions can by no means agree to men, who support the most dangerous errors, or who, in their practice, are monfters of wickednefs, fulfilling, in fecret at least, the defires of the flesh and of the mind.

Let us hear what Chrift fays, Matth. xvi. 18. Upon this rock, (meaning himself) I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Has Chrift, or rather has not the devil, polifhed and fashioned the hypocrite and the fecretly profane? Are they built on Chrift, and on the doctrine of his apoftles: or rather, are they not built on atheism and felf-deceit ? Against the church, the gates of hell shall never prevail. Do these then belong to the church, over whom the powers of darkness exercise an abfolute dominion, and against whom the devil and his inftruments prevail to their utter deftruction ?

§ 4. Thefe arguments appear to me fufficiently plain and decifive. Yet, it may not be amifs to ftrengthen them, by a furvey of the nature and defign of the Chriftian facraments, and of the qualifications requifite for the right participation.

of them.

This would indeed be of little importance in our present enquiry, if they were in the right, who maintain, that facraments are only intended to feal the truth of the gospel, and that therefore fuch who defire to have that truth confirmed, may partake of them, although they have no

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actual intereft in covenant bleffings. If this be fo, ignorant and immoral perfons, nay, even infidels may be admitted to the Chriftian fa, craments: because even fuch may defire to be convinced of the truth of Chriftianity. But, that hypothefis, has no folid foundation. The covenant, it is true, and the feals of it, are freely offered in the gospel. Yet these feals being pledges of covenant bleffings, fuch only who accept that offer, have a right to partake of them. Giving a pledge, implies, that we will give the thing of which it is a pledge. If one offer to enter into a contract, and to give certain pledges of fulfilling it, thefe pledges would accompany not the offer, but the acceptance of it. Thote then, who have, no claim to covenant bleffings, have nothing to do with the facramental pledges of them. Perfons indeed who had no right to fpiritual bleffings might typify them, a type not implying any right to the thing typified. And hence bad men were admitted to the facrifices and ceremonies of the law. But the New Teftament facraments are feals, not types. And bleffings can never be fealed to men, no way interested in them.

Let us then enquire, of what covenant baptifm and the Lord's fupper are figns and feals. And here, on the principles which I oppose, a scheme full of darknefs and confufion prefents itself. Tho' feals are not a part of a covenant, but fomething annexed to it for its confirmation; yet, in the fcheme referred to, the New Teftament facraments are feals of the alledged external covenant: they are the principal bleffings of it: and to complete the abfurdity, they are the principal conditions of it too. For profeflion of Christianity is E 3

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the pretended condition of that external covenant. And partaking of the facraments, is the chief act of that profeffion.

But error is beft displayed by setting in a just light the oppofite truth. Scripture fufficiently proves, that the facraments of the New Tefta ment, are figns and feals of no other covenant, than that covenant of grace, which fecures eternal happiness to all interested in it. And the partaking of them manifeftly implies, a partaking of covenant bleffings on the one hand, and the exercife of faith on the other-To begin with baptifm. John baptized for the remiffion of fins (c), and fo did Chrift's difciples (d). We are told, that baptifm faves us (e), and by baptifm we are faid to put on Chrift (f), to die, to be buried, and to rife with him (g): because the water in baptifm reprefents and feals that blood of Jefus, which cleanfeth from the guilt of fin, and purchases for us the fanctifying influences of the fpirit, and all other needful bleffings. Baptifm then is a feal of fpiritual bleffings. And spiritual bleffings it cannot feal to the unconverted." But, "perhaps, baptifm is no more than a badge of "our Chriftian profeffion, ingrafting men into

the vifible church, giving them certain out"ward privileges, and vefting them with the "honourable title of children of the kingdom. "It comes in the room of circumcifion. May

it not therefore be intended for fimilar purpo" fes." That it came in the place of circumcifion I allow, in fo far as circumcifion was a feal

(e) 1 Pet. (g) Rom. vi. 4. Col.

(c) Mark i. 4. (d) Acts ii. 28. iii. 21. (f) Gal. iii. 7.

ii. 12.

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to real faints of the righteoufnefs of faith, not in fo far as it fealed external privileges to all the Jews, and was a badge of diftinction between them and other nations. Baptism has none of these properties, which rendered circumcifion a fit fign and feal of an external covenant. Circumcifion impreffed an abiding mark; was the characteristic of Judaifm; belonged to all Jews, however differing in opinion or practice and those born of a Jew, even when come to age, were entitled to it. Whereas baptism impresses no abiding mark. A profeffion and fuitable practice, not baptifm, is the characteristic of Chriftianity. And perfons come to age, have no juft title to baptifm, till they believe and repent, and therefore are not baptized, unless their opinions and practices appear agreeable to the gofpel, their credible profeffion, and not their defcent, founding their outward claim to that privilege. The proof of this is extremely obvious. John's baptifm was termed the baptifm of repentance (b), and baptifm to repentance (i), because he required of all, whom he admitted to baptifm, a profeffion of repentance, and exhorted them to fuch a conduct as would demonftrate their repentance genuine (j). Peter demanded repentance of his hearers, in order to baptifm, and only they that gladly received his word were baptized (k). And Philip acquaints the Eunuch, if thou believe with thy whole heart, thou mayeft be baptized (1). Well therefore, does Paul join together, the washing of water, and the renew

(b) A&ts xix. 4. iii. 6, 8.

(i) Mat. iii. 11.); (j) Mats (1) A&s viii, 37 • .

(k) Acts ii. 38, 41.

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