medium of sound and vision; which being the first impressions or ideas, are so stamped upon the mind, as to be very rarely if ever removed.

*

Now, if the advocates for infant sprinkling will be candid enough to analyze their own minds, and trace their views and opinions back to the dawn of their conversion, and honestly ask themselves the question, Who was the person or who were the persons that had the influence over their minds at that time? they will find that they were sprinklers, and, as a matter of course, they copied their practice: and thus it has been for sixteen hundred years, that persons have copied, from one generation to another, till we trace it back to the date from whence we started, namely, to the mistaken notion of some Bishop or Presbyter of the Church of Carthage, in the latter end of the second century.

Such are my views and opinions of BABY BAPTISM, or the baptism that I was baptized with when I was a baby.

which

Having settled this long-disputed question, (at least to my own satisfaction) that Believers' Baptism is the only front door into the church militant, and that immersion in water is the only way the scriptures authorize in the administration of this ordinance; we shall now suppose that "Christian" has entered in at this door. Here he will receive the right hand of fellowship; first, by the minister, and then by all those that have entered in before him. He will then be invited to sit down at the table of the Lord with them; he will be presented with bread and wine, to remind him of

* I have tried this experiment upon many persons, and in no one instance have I found it otherwise.

the broken body and shed blood of his Saviour, and thus to awaken in his soul the liveliest affectious of love and gratitude.

This ordinance was instituted by the Great Head of the Church himself. In very plain, simple, but affectionate language, the night before he suffered, when at supper with those he had about him, he took a piece of bread, and as he brake it, he said, This bread represents my body, which shall be broken for you, ere this time totake ye all, and eat. He then took the wine; and as he poured it into the cup,' he said, This wine shall represent my blood, which shall be spilt for you likewise; take ye all, and drink of it; and I have now to request of you, that you will do this (what you now see me do) often; and as often as ye do it, do it in remembrance of me, in all your churches, and throughout all ages, till I come.

morrow;

Thus we have it recorded in the language of those that were present with him at the Supper.

And they went, and found as he had said unto them, and they made ready the passover. And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.

And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer; for I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.

And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves; for I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.

And he took bread, and gave thanks and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body, which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.

Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

Luke.

And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them: and they made ready the passover.

Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve; and as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave to them, saying,

and

gave

Drink ye all of it; for this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.

And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the Mount of Olives. Matthew.

And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them; and they made ready the passover. And in the evening he cometh with the twelve,

And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them and they all drank of it.

And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God. And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the Mount of Olives. Mark.

"Communion, in its strict and proper sense, signifies holding something in common with another, Acts iii. 42. 2ndly. In a more general sense, it denotes conformity, or agreement, 2 Cor. vi, 14. Eph. v. 11. 3dly. It signifies converse, or friendly intercourse, wherein men contrive or consult together about matters of common concern, Luke vi. II. Psalm. iv. 4. 4thly. Communion is also used for the Lord's Supper; because we herein make a public profession of our conformity to Christ and his laws, and of our agree ment with other Christians in the spirit and faith of the Gospel."

Christian Communion, in the sense of Scripture, is that communion, or fellowship, which Christians have with God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, or with one another; and both are joined together by the Apostle John, 1 John i. 3. That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship, or communion, with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

This communion, or fellowship, in the spiritual and invisible part of it, consists in a participation of the favour of God, the spiritual benefits of Christ, and the invisible and everlasting blessings of the Gospel. The visible fellowship, or communion, that Christians have with each other, consists chiefly in the participation of the spiritual ordinances of the Gospel, and mutual assistances for the good of each other.

The special ordinances of the Gospel are chiefly these twoBaptism and the Lord's Supper." Baptism is an ordinance appointed by Christ, for our entrance into the visible church; and when once performed, is never to be repeated. The Lord's Supper is an ordinance appointed by Christ after we are entered into the church, for the assistance and increase of our faith and hope, our comfort and holiness; and ought to be as often repeated as Christians have proper opportunity. It represents our communion with the Lord Jesus Christ in his death, and the benefits which are derived from it, such as the pardon of sin through his sacrifice of atonement, &c. and it represents also our communion with one another in these benefits, or our joint participation thereof, according to the apostle's description of it, 1 Cor. x. 16, 17. "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? We are all partakers of that one bread.”

Now among all the ordinances of worship, it is in our partaking of these two, viz. Baptism and the Lord's Supper, that special christian communion chiefly consists. But when we use the words christian communion, we have most frequently a regard to the Lord's Supper, because our communion with one another, and joint participation in the blessings of the gospel, is most plainly represented thereby; and by the frequent repetition of it, our christian communion, or holy fellowship, is maintained in a more explicit and honourable manner. Having considered briefly the nature of christian communion, we must now inquire into the general terms of it.

As in order to hold an inward and spiritual communion with Christ and his people, we must be sincere believers, or real Christians, so every person seeking visible communion with the church of Christ, should satisfy his conscience with nothing short of real

Christianity: but Christians and churches, not being able to search the heart, as Christ and his conscience can, the term of our visible communion with Christians is a credible profession of real Christianity, or a professed subjection to the gospel of Christ, as the apostle expresses it, 2 Cor. ix. 13. that is, such an outward profession of inward and hearty Christianity, as gives just and credible evidence that this profession is sincere, and that the person thus professing is a hearty Christian; Rom. x. 9, 10. "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved; for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. If a man profess Christianity in any manner or form of profession soever, and yet make it plainly appear, by other parts of his conduct, that his profession is not sincere and hearty, he has no right to salvation according to this text, and has always been deemed unworthy of christian communion in all the scripture history, and in the best and purest ages of the church. Those that profess they know God, but in works deny him, are to be accounted abominable among all Christians. Titus i. 16.

Dr. Watts.

"This do in remembrance of me." This is the particular charge which our Lord gave, when he was going to lay down his life for us. Men commonly observe religiously the charge of a dying friend; and unless it be very difficult and unreasonable, they pay to it implicit obedience. But this is the charge of our best friend; nay, of the greatest benefactor and friend of all mankind, when he was preparing to die in our stead, and to offer up himself a sacrifice for us. And can we deny any thing to him who was about to do so much for us? Can we refuse to comply with this his command, so little grievous and burdensome in itself, so infinitely beneficial to us? Had such a friend, in such circumstances, bid us do some great thing, should we not have done it? How much more, when he has only said, "Do this in remembrance of me!" when he has commended to us one of the most natural and delightful actions, as a fit memorial of his wonderful love to us, and of his cruel sufferings for our sakes! when he has only enjoined