Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

in the economies of religion, so that two different ones are never in force at one and the same time. The first ceases when the second succeeds, just as Judaism was abolished by Christianity, and the patriarchal dispensation superseded by Judaism. Unless we are prepared to assert that the dispensations of religion are not obligatory, one light in which they must be considered is that of different laws, or codes of law; but it is essential to the nature of laws, that the new one, except it be merely declaratory, invariably repeals the old. In whatever particular it differs, it necessarily abolishes or annuls the former. But as John continued to baptize by divine authority, at the same time with the disciples of our Saviour, it is evident his institution was not superseded; consequently, it was of such a nature that it could subsist in conjunction with the baptism performed by our Lord, through the hands of his apostles. But for the reason already alleged, this could not have been the case, unless it had been one and the same thing. The inference I wish to deduce from the whole is, that the baptisms celebrated by Christ's disciples, during his personal ministry, in no respect differed from John's, either in the action itself, or in the import, but were merely a joint execution of the same work; agreeably to which, we find a perfect identity in the language which our Saviour enjoined his disciples to use, and in the preaching of John: "Repent ye, for the kingdom of God is at hand." Whatever

information our Lord imparted to his disciples beyond that which was communicated by his forerunner, (which we all know was much,) was given in detached portions, at distinct intervals, and was never embodied or incorporated with any positive institution, till after his ascension, which may be considered as the commencement of the christian dispensation, in its strictest sense.

THE

ESSENTIAL DIFFERENCE

BETWEEN

CHRISTIAN BAPTISM,

AND THE

BAPTISM OF JOHN,

MORE FULLY STATED AND CONFIRMED;

66

IN REPLY TO A PAMPHLET, ENTITLED A PLEA FOR PRIMITIVE COMMUNION."

[PUBLISHED IN 1816]

PREFACE.

WHETHER the writer of the following pages has acted judiciously in noticing the anonymous author of the Plea, &c. it is not for him to determine. He was certainly not induced to reply by any apprehension that the arguments of his opponent would produce much effect on candid and enlightened minds: but he recollected that what is not answered, is often deemed unanswerable. He has confined himself, as the reader will perceive, to that branch of the controversy which relates to the baptism of John: the consideration of the remaining parts, will more properly occur in reply to a work which is already announced to the public by a person of distinguished reputation. With an answer to that publication, it is the decided resolution of this author to terminate his part of the controversy.

[blocks in formation]
« AnteriorContinuar »