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ministration, he gave evidence to the divine origin of the call of John to that particular service. He in like manner fulfilled the ordinances of the Jews; as in the instance of his submission to circumcision; and therefore he said, when John hesitated about administering his baptism," suffer it to be so now, for thus It it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness." is proper, even though thy mission has but a temporary existence, that as it was a measure appointed for its proper uses, I should give it my countenance, as I have done every other dispensation of divine appointment. But that those outward and typical dispensations were not to remain, we apprehend, may be gathered by his own testimony afterward: for though he informed his disciples that John, who we have already said, was his immediate forerunner, was the greatest prophet born of a woman, yet the least in the kingdom of heaven was greater than he. And it is remarkable, that at the time when some of his disciples saw his transfiguration upon the mount, and Moses, the representative of the Jewish law, and Elias talking with him, that both these passed away, but Jesus remained; and at that time was heard a voice from heaven informing them,

that "this is my beloved Son, hear ye him," which to us appears no less than saying, that though for wise purposes you have had the dispensation of the law, and also that of John the Baptist, yet now these having been as schoolmasters to bring to my beloved Son, you are to lean only upon him. But the disciples remembering the prophecy concerning Elias, queried of Christ, "but how say the Jews that Elias must first come?" he then informed them that Elias had already come, and they had done to him as they listed. By which his disciples knew that he spake of John the Baptist. Wherefore we infer that the Saviour of men, having led his creation through different administrations, and opened the way to come to him, the all-sufficient means of salvation, has now completely blotted out the hand writing of ordinances, and given a free and full opportunity to enter the last and highest dispensation. And his pleasure, we believe, is that no outside means of dependence should detach the spiritual members of his church from leaning upon and following him. He even drew the disciples off from resting upon his person, that they might come to receive. and live in his spirit. It is, says he, expedient

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for you that I go away, for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come. As though he had said, if I remain with you, ye will not be the spiritual followers that I design you to be, you will still lean upon my outward testimony and instructions; but if I go away, I will pray the Father, and he will send you another Comforter, even the Spirit of Truth, and he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance. "But the anointing which ye have received of him, abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you, but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth and no lie." John ii. 26, 27. This is the end of an outward religion. It is neither the law of Moses, the baptism of John, nor any thing less than the Gospel of Christ, which is the power of God unto salvation to all them that believe. The reader may observe, that having given a particular account of the end for which John the Baptist appears to have been sent into the world, and noticed that he was not designed to be the founder of a system, but merely a witness, and minister to the Jews, I have omitted saying any thing about the practice of the disciples in regard to water baptism, apprehending it would not be neces

şary. But before I wholly leave the subject, I will add, that when Christ commissioned his disciples to go teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, as water is not mentioned in the charge, we infer that it was not meant; but that he who sent them to preach in his name, would be with them in spirit always, even to the end of the world. And having his spirit and power with them, they should, by its influence, baptize into the divine nature, those who were willing to receive their testimony. This we consider to be the only saving baptism, not the putting away the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God.

Having now closed the remarks upon the subject of water baptism, I will just inform the reader, that in going through this point of controversial doctrine, I have apprehended the evidences brought into view are so far conclusive, and so fully manifest that the religion of Christianity is not entangled with Jewish ceremony that not much is necessary to be remarked upon the profession of others concerning the communion and outward partaking of bread and wine, in commemoration of the Lord's supper.

Very little, therefore, will be said on that sub

ject.

ON THE COMMUNION; OR CEREMONY OF THE LORD'S SUPPER.

THE Society of Friends believe, that the communion of Christ is not an outward partaking of bread.and wine, but an union of spirit with God. This they believe to be attainable, and have no doubt is offered to all: and being satisfied that the kingdom is within, that it does not consist in meats and in drinks, but in rightcousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, we are concerned to draw the attention of all from those outward and formal acts, to that which is spiritual; that they may open to him, who has long stood knocking, and waiting for an entrance; and then they will experience the fulfilment of the promise, that he will come › in and sup with them, and they with him." Rev. iii. 20. Under those views of the heavenly union, which we believe may be attained, our attention is directed to a divine and spiritual communion; this we are satisfied cannot be supplied by any outward ordinance to which

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