bard affirms) any more, than that the apos tles could work miracles by any power inherent in themselves as men, which, I presume, no one contends they ever did.

THE LORD'S SUPPER.

As Hibbard connects what he calls the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper with baptism, and charges us with error, as denying it; referring to Barclay, page 485, as his authority; but giving no further explanation; his readers are left under the necessity of examining Barclay upon this subject, in order to discover fully what our sentiments are; which I desire them to do, before they censure or condemn us. But, for the sake of those who may not have this opportunity, I am willing to remark, that as I cannot believe, that the using of elementary water, or the putting away the filth of the flesh, is the baptism of Christ; so neither can I admit, that the mere partaking of outward bread and wine, can by any means nourish the soul; nor that it was intended by Christ to perpetuate this, (which was originally but the Jewish passover,) as a standing ordinance in his church, any more than the washing of one another's feet,

which he not only recommended by his example, but also enjoined by a special exhortation, more pressing than for the observance of the Supper.

We fully believe the Jewish passover to have been a divine institution, appointed by the Almighty, for the children of Israel to observe as a memorial of their preservation, when the destroying Angel was sent forth to slay the first born in Egypt, that the signal deliverance experienced by them, might be kept in grateful remembrance from one generation to another; and it appears that Christ who came not to destroy the law, but to fulfil it, observed this, as well as other rituals of the law; and he saith: verily I say unto you, "till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled." We thus believing that Christ, the high priest of good things to come, having fulfilled the law; and abolished the outward observance of those legal rites and ceremonies, which were to cease at the ushering in of his more excellent, spiritual dispensation, hath also completely fulfilled this ordinance at the last supper with his disciples, when

Mat. v. 18.

he said, "I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God;" and of the cup; "I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come." 992 We therefore believe, that thenceforward, the true Christian supper, represented by the outward passover, is inward and spiritual. There are many sayings of our Lord that might be adduced, which must be understood in a spiritual sense; and by which it is evident, that in speaking of himself, as the bread which came down from heaven, he meant the divine nature, of which the believers must partake, in order that they might have life in themselves; for, he expressly saith, "I am the living bread which came down from Heaven; if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh; which I will give, for the life of the world :" Yet the carnal Jews "Strove amongst themselves, saying, how can this man give us his flesh to eat. Then Jesus said unto them; verily, verily, I say unto you, except you eat the flesh of the son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. As the living Father hath

sent me, and I live by the father, so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me." He also calls their attention from flesh to spirit in these words: "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life." From these ample testimonies, and others of similar import, we think it clearly evident, that the partaking of the bread of life here alluded to, must be understood to import that communion, or participation of his flesh and blood spiritually, or, in other words, his divine nature, by which, all the souls of true believers are quickened and made alive unto God. And although it is represented in the similitude of eating and drinking, yet it changeth not, but remains in us the same eternal principle of life and virtue, even as Christ himself testifies of the water which he shall give, that it shall be in him who drinketh of it, "a well of water springing up into everlasting life."

Thus, as the soul comes to partake of this living bread and water, it is thereby nourished up unto eternal life. And this is what we call the true supper of our Lord,

John, vi. 51, 57.

W

John, vi. 63. * Johm, iv. 14.

of which that outward supper was a type and figure. Therefore, we cannot have the least doubt respecting the spirituality of his meaning, when he said; "Take, eat, this is my body," and of the cup; "this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many, for the remission of sins;" nor can we suppose, that the all-wise being ever designed that a type or shadow should point to an outward ceremony; the design of types and figures being to point to the substance. But, notwithstanding this remains to be a great mystery to many, even of the wise and prudent of this world, who may despise and deny this spiritual communion, yet we believe there are those not only amongst us, but in the various denominations of Christians, who clearly see it to be consistent with Scripture doctrine, and also experimentally know the same to be no cunningly devised fables, but substantial truth. Thus, as we do not understand those words of Christ in a literal sense, we cannot but esteem the outward observance of these ordinances unnecessary; seeing that "Christ our passover is sacrificed for us," "blotting out the hand writing of ordinan-z 1 Cor. v. 7:

* Mat. xxvi. 26, 28.