" swer to J. H., on Church Communion. I have no desire for controversy on a subject, which is so much pro and con, but being a particular baptist, I begin by saying that the words "mixed communion is an ambiguous term, and decidedly unscriptural; we have the words mixed in scripture, but not mixed communion (see Exod. xii. 38; Num. xi. 4; Neh. xiii. 3), for communion can only be in unity, or the strict bond of union. The eternal Spirit is very plain on the subject, shewing that things that may mix, or are mixed do not produce communion (see 2 Cor. vi. 14—18). But will W. F. deny, that all Israel did not eat of the Lord's passover before they were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea and did they not, also, all eat of the manna, and drink of the water from the rock? the Holy Ghost saith they did, but with many of them God was not well pleased (see 1 Cor. x). Now as these things happened unto them for ensamples, and they are written for our admonision, upon whom the ends of the world are come, I hope W. F. will not charge God foolishly, that such things were in the visible church, neither limit the Holy One of Israel, for permitting the tares to remain with the wheat until the harvest. I think, if the Lord were to open his eyes, as he did the prophet's servant, to see things as they are, he would see and know that there are some tares among the wheat, in his strict baptist church, though they have entered by the door of water to the table. And as it was in the days of old, so it is now, and I believe there ever will be, a mixed multitude with the professing visible church; and many such will and do partake of the emblems, but never had nor will have communion with the Lord God of Israel upon the mercy seat. I wonder that the strict baptists do not rail openly against God, which in a certain sense they do, for sending Balaam to preach, and admitting Ju das to partake of the supper. I am decidedly opposed to an indiscriminate way of admitting persons to the table, yet I dare not keep back one that hath followed Christ in the regeneration, or that can speak, in ever so feeble language, of the dealings of God with him, expressing, thereby, their desires after Christ and his great salvation. W. F. speaks of some perusing the sacred scriptures superficially, &c.; this, to me, savours a little of Moab, for it is the Holy Ghost that teaches the church all things, and guides them into all truth. Such do not simply peruse, but search the scriptures daily to see where these things are so ; but not to quibble about words. I will suppose W. F. peruses the scriptures solidly, which is the antithesis of superficially, and from his knowledge of the scriptures let him answer the following queries, and this by chapter and verse; that is, where, when, and who Christ baptized with water; also, why or wherefore the apostles, to whom the solemn injunction was given, to baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever he commanded them; that they themselves did not attend to this, nor do as they were commanded, and yet the Lord was with them, confirming their ministry both with signs and wonders. And I think I do not err, in saying, that W. F. will find it difficult to point out from scripture, that the apostles ever preached baptism, or baptized any in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. I, in love, desire W. F. to explain these things in his answers, on scriptural ground, with that readiness he manifested in endeavouring to answer J. H. The next thing I desire him to explain (for it needeth that we baptists should have our foundation clear and fixed, that our opponents cannot overthrow it or our statement) is, why he calls those, brethren, that have not been baptized; and from whence he gets his authority to preach in their pulpits, and will not permit them to sit with him at the ordinance of the Lord's supper. If they are brethren, certainly they are of the household of God, consequently they have a right and title to all the immunities of the children; unless baptism be a meritorious act, and so we baptists obtain this one privilege, for our personal sect, and thus have one more blessing than others, that have not merited it. Think these things over soberly, W. F. and the Lord give thee understanding in all things. I say, with David, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity; for without union there cannot be communion. I have thought, from observation, that the greatest confusion in churches, hath been, and is now, by kindling the fire of contention about water as the only door to church fellowship, &c. But God is not the author of confusion. I doubt not but W. F. hath had sorrow of heart, and disquietude of mind, from the unscriptural acts of some of his baptized ones, who have passed the scrutiny of himself and his deacons, and through the water at the table, unless he hath more than his Master had, that is a pure church. I write in love, for the truth's sake. A MEMBER OF A PARTICULAR BAPTIST CHURCH. Dated from the Tabernacle, UNPUBLISHED LETTER OF THE LATE SAMUEL EYLES PIERCE TO A FRIEND. My dear brother in the Lord Jesus Christ, even Jesus our Head and Hope, I received your letter, but was not at Chard at the time it came. I had been taken very ill at Dunkswell, and expected to have been removed to glory. But the time not being come, the Lord was pleased to recover me. Since which time I have been in Cornwall, and preached thirteen times successively, and administered the Lord's Supper. And on my return to Chard, I preached in Devonshire twelve times in one week: so good has the Lord been to me. On my coming to Chard, my time being come to return to London, I stayed but four days, and set off for London; so that I could not accept of your kindness. Yet should I ever be admitted to come your way, I most assuredly will if the Lord please. I love you for the Lord's sake, and am well pleased with your views of the truths of the everlasting gospel. If it were the good pleasure of the Lord, I should most heartily rejoice if every one who preaches had the same views with ourselves. But our Lord says, "Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but unto them it is not given." It becomes us then to fall into nothingness, whilst we at the same time admire and adore the sovereignty of the divine majesty in the revela tion of his grace towards us, in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. It seems to me to be the more expressive of his grace, that in the present day in the which we live, and whilst errors and heresies of all sorts abound, we should be favoured with the true knowledge of Christ, and be led to the Bible for our creed, and submit ourselves to the scriptures of truth for the same; whilst every one around us starts up with some new thing which ariseth out of their own heart, and which cometh not from the word of the Lord: neither hath it a "Thus saith the Lord," to enforce it. I am as much and as truly despised for my testimony of and concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, as you are, or can possibly be Yet I am content to be a fool for Christ's sake. I would not for ten thousand worlds have any other object, or subject for life and salvation, but the person and finished salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is God over all blessed for ever. Amen. He is my foundation on whom I trust, and with whom I trust my everlasting all. He is my object and subject for everlasting life and salvation. The blood and righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ is my everlasting perfection. I would have self in all its shapes and workings everlastingly renounced. I would it should be wholly renounced, despised, trampled on, and rejected as nothing worth. Ever since I have been a public observer of the religious world, and religious people, so called, I have perceived a good deal of something with them all, which they themselves have vastly admired, which had nothing to do with Christ, nor with themselves either, but as it served to feed vain pride and self-sufficiency. And this is so far from being abated, that I conceive it is continually increasing; insomuch as all these very religious ones, throughout the whole nation, are altogether swallowed up with natural religion, and the gospel neutralized. As for the supernatural gospel, and that supernatural knowledge of Christ produced in the minds of real saints thereby, there is no place scarce for its reception. It hath at present scarce a friend. So that such as live in Christ, and preach Christ, they are so diminished, as they are scarce to be found. Nay, if you do not find it so I really do. Amongst some of these, who would of all things be thought to be very knowing in gospel matters, and on the side of truth, yet if it by any means clashes with their outward respect amongst men, they will not stand up for the truth, nor for such as preach it. But even these will be amongst the very first class of those who shall speak and behave disre spectfully towards those who are the real friends of truth. My friend, you are not the only one who is dis-esteemed for Christ's sake. Indeed you are not. You only feel for yourself; and experience in your own mind the truth of what the apostle asserts when he says, Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." The children of the bondwoman and the children of the freewoman did never yet agree. I most assuredly go on very quietly, notwithstanding all the insult and contempt I continually meet with, and various oppositions from various quarters; reason for which is this, I am fully persuaded of the truth of this old and common saying, "what can't be cured must be endured." one I know I am aged. Time will soon end with me. Death is within It stares me continually in the me. face. I am not afraid of it. God's will is immutable. His love is everlasting. His covenant immoveable. His mercy is from everlasting to everlasting. I am in Christ: what I am in him I shall be for evermore. The thoughts of creatures concerning myself give me no concern; it is God's views and thoughts of me my everlasting all depends upon. It is not even my own thoughts of my self are of the least consequence in this great business; I therefore wil lingly leave the whole of my eternal case and state to the Lord's own sovereign will. And whilst I am in the body, I want nothing but to have my eye fixed on Jesus. I find, and have for many years past, it is what I know of him keeps up my mind and fixes it on him alone with real content. He being my centre, what the people think or say of me, or what even saints may think or say of me, does not, as it may be they would have it should, disturb my peace. I really am glad I am not much respected and thought of; it will yield me no sorrow in the article of death. No: it will not. My good friend, you cannot have a more glorious per You are also setting before the people God's salvation. And I am sure you have then such real fellowship with Christ as is heaven upon earth. I do wish you, and the people with you who are of one heart and one soul, would give yourselves up to the Lord, and to each other by the will of God, and become a body to Christ, and have and enjoy together and amongst yourselves the ordinances of Christ, baptism and the supper. There is no need of any one to be called in on such an occasion. I could wish you were led by the Holy Spirit to consider the ordinance of baptism, which is a most solemn memorial of the overwhelming sorrows, suffering, bloody sweat, and of the Lord and Saviour having been immersed and baptized in his own blood; of his death, burial, and resurrection; and in the knowledge and faith of which we are baptized. in water, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: making thereby a solemn confession of our faith in the Holy Trinity. I really do wish you were led to this institution, as also to the other, as I really think you and your friends, in the Lord Jesus Christ, should not live in the neglect in these most precious ordinances. It is but for you to be baptized, and you then can baptize such of your friends as see into the nature, use, end, and design of that institution. What though it made a great noise amongst carnal men? you would not be more insulted than you have already been. You must not consult flesh and blood. Our Lord says, Whosoever, therefore shall be ashamed of me, and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father, with the holy angels. I do not, by any means, design to suggest you are ashamed of Christ. I write but to impress upon you the importance of the ordinance of baptism; receive the whole in love, and cover all with the mantle of love. May the Lord Christ be with your spirit, and bless you in every one of your attempts to shew forth his praise. And I heartily wish the Lord's people with you every spiritual gift, grace, and blessing. May you have most blessed increasing knowledge of the Father's everlasting love to the elect in Christ. May you be favoured with more glorious, high, scriptural, and exalted apprehensions of the person and salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ,-of his love to his church,-of his union, interest, and relation to his church,of what he hath done for her, of his delight in her, and of her completeness, perfection, and blessedness in him. May you have most blessed and clear perceptions, from the word of grace, concerning the personality, work and office of the Holy Ghost, in the economy of grace. And may you be thereby led to worship the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost as the one incomprehensible Jehovah. Blessing the Father for his love, the Son for his salvation, and the Holy Ghost for his revealing Christ in you, forming Christ in your renewed mind, and for his taking of the things of Christ and shewing the same to you, and for his shedding abroad the love of God the Father in your heart. May you have most blessed communion with the Holy Trinity in your soul, in your contemplations of their love to you, and interest in you. I am now in London, you have my address. My christian love to your spouse. I remain, Your's in the Lord Jesus. S. E. PIERCE. A LETTER WRITTEN DURING THE TIME OF THE CHOLERA. To my very dear friend, Sweet Immanuel be with you, with all the unctious blessings of his rich anointings. I hail and greet you in his exalted name, who is Jehovah's elect, in whom his soul delighteth, the greatest miracle, yea the firm standing miracle of the Father's richest grace; whose person, fulness, blood and righteousness, Jehovah the Spirit is constantly testifying of to the church; the bride, the Lamb's wife; by whose teaching she comprehends, somewhat of that great mystery, never to be fully explored, of God, and of the Father, and of Christ, in whom are hid all the trea. sures of wisdom and of knowledge. How are you and your dear pastor? You know I highly respect him, as a vessel of mercy fore-ordained to glory, and as one of those with whom I have had fellowship. You both are often in my mind, but are never forgotten by your Lord. O Israel," saith he, thou shalt never be forgotten of me." Even so, But I hear the pestilence has visited your town, but you are spared. Why is this, and others cut off? Father; we can say no more. should it remove us, we have nothing to fear; refugees in Christ are always safe; and a moment brings us to our God to join the enraptured choir. Israel is safe under the covert of his wings in life, in death, and to eternity. Old Adam, in consequence of the pestilence which walketh in darkness, and has made rapid strides in our land, has been putting on his religi ous garment everywhere. But it is too thin, too contracted, too short, and of a bad texture. But we know of no robe but his nuptial garment, and have declared before God and man we will mention none else. All beside is dung and dross. Let me hear from you soon, and how you get on in this uneven world, and when it is well with you remember your ever sincere friend in the Lord, Fragment from Elisha Coles.-Our faith, or act of believing, cannot be the matter of justification, for that it is an imperfect thing, and so cannot be reckoned in the place of perfect righteousness: for it must be a righteousness perfectly perfect that justifies, as it was a sin perfectly sinful that condemned. This righteousness also must be our own in a way of right, (as Adam's sin also was) though performed in the person of another. Christ and Adam being parallels in their headship, the imputation of one's guiltiness and the other's righteousness are righteously applied to their respective seeds. And this was a main end of God's putting those he would justify into Christ; "That he being made sin and a curse for them, they might be made the righteousness of God in him; and so God might be just in justifying them."Rom. iii. 24, 25, 26. |