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they would not acknowledge him as a friend, until Barnabas introduced him to the apostles. It is not said, that he assayed to join himself to them as a church; nor did Barnabas introduce him to the church, but to the apostles; that is, to Peter and James, for other of the apostles saw he none, (Gal. i. 19.) There is not the least resemblance between this and the general method of admission into our churches; if it countenance any method of admission into them, it is more in favour of another than of that; probably, it was not intended to teach us any thing of the kind.

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By members," in this question, I suppose we are to understand all the members of the church; for whatever means some of them may have to form their judgment, whether the person desiring communion be a spiritual person or not, these cannot suffice for the others. Nor does there appear any connexion between this and the former query, unless this construction be ad

Having neither precept nor president for this custom, we may wonder how it became so general amongst our churches; and, in many instances, so tenaciously contended for; many of our good people would think, that were it done away, and another method substituted in its place,mitted; but the querist seems they had greatly departed from primitive purity, and original simplicity.

carefully to have united his questions together, that he might arrive at a certain difficulty, which he supposes to lie in the way of some men.

I do not, however, object to this method in all cases; there are persons, as has been intima- He seems to think, that if it ted, who can speak before the be said it is essential to churcheburch with a good degree of fellowship, that the members comfort, both to themselves and should have an opportunity of to its members; let such be al-judging of the spirituality of the lowed, and even encouraged to person to be admitted or reject· do it; but let it not be demandeded; then it is necessary that such as a condition of acceptance. person should come before the Probably it would, in most cases, church, to give a verbal account be best to leave it with the per- of his experience, that he may be son to be admitted; let him received or rejected by their sufcome before the church, or not, frages. But should we allow as he pleases. Satisfaction of his this, it by no means follows, that religion is all that is necessary; it must be done in a certain methis should be obtained in the thod; especially if that method least objectionable manner. Many be open to objections which do may be ready to ask, but how is not lie against other methods, the church to be satisfied con- that are equally safe and effeccerning the religion of the party? tual. If I am mistaken, I beg the We answer, that there is a method querist's pardon...

ship, being transferred from the church to the world?

In some churches a part of | their members live at a great distance from their place of worship; To this I answer. There is no persons may apply for member- good reason, that I can perceive, ship with the church of whom to be assigned for such a transfer, they have heard nothing, and be either from the scripture or any admitted or rejected, before they thing else. The church, in the have even heard their names. admission of its members, has What is to be done in these nothing to do with the world; cases? is the administration of nor has the world any thing to the Lord's Supper to be delayed do with the church. It may, till the members of the church be however, be remarked, that this all informed of the circumstances, question is not founded exactly and have evidence laid before upon what the biographer of the them, from which to judge of the late Mr. Hinton has said. His spirituality of the applicant? The words are, "After all, it is a same difficulty occurs when any question worthy of consideration, of the members are ill, and can- whether the profession of faith not attend church-meetings; in ought not rather to be made beboth these cases, the absent mem-fore the world, and in connexion bers must give their brethren with the ordinance of baptism." credit for having acted according He says nothing about church to the best of their judgment; fellowship, though his words may and this is precisely what would seem to imply it; nor of transbe required, if another and better ferring any thing from the church plan of admission were adopted. to the world. All he means may We should be very careful how we be, that when persons are bapmake any thing essential to church tized, they should, if they choose, fellowship, which Jesus Christ have an opportunity to ansign has not expressly commanded. the reasons of their conduct, before all men assembled on that occasion. And if this be what he means, then I do not see any great reason to differ from him, provided it be done with prudence. I know the late excellent Mr. Samuel Medley, of Liverpool, assented to this, on one occasion; and I suppose there are many worthy men now living, who would assent to it, were they requested.

If it be said, that although things be thus, the church, as a body, has an opportunity of judging of the spirituality of the person, and this is sufficient; then the principle of its being essential that every member of the church should have an opportunity of judging for himself is given up.

I answer this question, there fore, by saying, it is not essential to church fellowship, that all the members should have an opportunity of judging, by a verbal hearing, whether the person desiring communion with them, be a spiritual person or not.

4th Question. If the profession of faith be required in future, in connexion with the ordinance of baptism; how will the mixt communion Baptist churches receive pædobaptists to fellowship?

3rd Question. What scriptural, I answer, not at all; but still it or other reasons, can be assigned remains to be proved, whether for this experience of candidates the ordinance of baptism be for baptism and church fellow-scripturally and inseparably con

nected with church fellowship, I which we proceed on occasions

like the present. The turning point of every subject lies in a narrow compass; and, if the principles which we shall lay down, and briefly explain, appear to be true, either by their own light, or by the evidence of the word of God, we need not be apprehensive respecting their application. Truth always defends itself.

or not. The mixt communion Baptist churches think it is not; nor can they be convinced otherwise by all that has been written on the subject. And they, undoubtedly, have the privilege of thinking for themselves. "To their own Master they stand or fall." No man, or body of men, has any power over them, they are accountable only to God. They may, therefore, receive pædobaptists to fellowship on the same principle they ever have done; and if, after all that has been said and written on this sub-appeal: this is the New Testaject, they choose to go on as usual, who can help it?

I shall, Mr. Editor, forbear to state the reasons they assign for their conduct, partly because my paper is full, and, partly, because I do not wish to say auy thing that would offend either a young or an old disciple. With great respect, I am, Sir,

I. Our first subject of consideration relates to the rule of action, by which we should be guided, and to which we should

ment. There exists no doubt among Christians, of any party, that the New Testament was written either by the apostles, or apostolic men; and that it contains a true statement of what it relates. Now, from hence, we infer its inspiration; because it was written by those who had the promise of the Holy Spirit given to them, to lead them into AN ELDER. all truth. Admitting, then, that Our having inserted the the accounts of our Lord's conabove paper, is not to be consi-versations with his disciples are dered as expressing our approbation of its principles.

Yours,

Editors.

correct, this is the necessary inference, and we need not the authority of any man, or set of men, for believing that the New To the Editor of the Baptist Magazine. Testament is the word of God.

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While we receive the New Testament as of divine authority, we admit nothing else to be of equal authority, for this plain reason, that we have no evidence, nor, from the nature of the case, can we have evidence, that any portion of divine truth has come down to us by any other channel, that has equal proof of being the dictate of the Holy Spirit. We acknowledge, that whatever God has revealed, we ought to receive; but, in our view, it is impossible that what has been handed down by uninspired men, can contain

equally precise and correct state- All parties acknowledge that ments of the dictates of inspira- the church has suffered from cortion, with those which were writ-ruptions; their mutual differences ten by men who were themselves inspired. The reason is obvious to the common sense and common observation of all men. We, therefore, adhere to the New Testament as the only volume that contains a correct display of the will of God.

II. Our second observation relates to the nature of a Christian church. A church of Christ is a body of men who believe in Christ, who through him seek the salvation of their souls, and who unite for the purposes of worshipping God, and of obeying his will, according to the directions of his word.

compel them to make this concession. To what standard, then, should they appeal, except to that raised in the times of inspiration? It is useless to refer to the opinions and practices of those periods, when power and ignorance had turned men away from the simplicity that is in Christ. The primitive church was distinguished by the particulars mentioned, Eph. iv. 5, 6. One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all; and, wherever any body of Christians recognize these particulars, as they were received and practised by the Apostolic church, they have a claim to the title of a Christian church, which nothing can rea sonably oppose.

III. The next subject of consideration is, the design and cha

Such an assembly is distinct from a worldly community; for it is composed of professed believers in Christ, assembled for spiritual purposes. It does not interfere with the civil govern-racter of the Christian ministry : ment of the nation; nor does it which was not to exercise dorequire the sanction and support minion, but to edify those who of the ruling powers to give it had believed; and to promote existence; for the church of the kingdom of God, by extendChrist existed nearly three cen- ing the knowledge of the gospel turies before it was established to those who had not received it. by the magistrate. It has no re- These were the purposes for lation to any particular place or which the Christian ministry was building; for a church may meet instituted; and hence arose the in a private house, as was some-duty of selecting and appointing times the case in the primitive such men as pastors of churches, ages. It requires neither splen- who were likely to promote this dour nor power to give it either design. being or visibility; for wherever a small number of Christians, distinguished by their faith in Christ, and their obedience to his will, meet, for the purposes already mentioned, though in the retirement of a private dwelling, they are as much a part of his visible church, as a body consisting of thousands of persons, assembled in the most splendid temple in the world.

VOL. XVI.

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The apostles had no successors, either in power or officeother ministers are their successors merely in point of time. No man has a right to speak and act with apostolic authority; for this plain reason, that the authority of the apostles was immediately from Christ, in consequence of his appointing them to be witnesses of what he did and taught. They were to go into

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all the world; and not to take | laid, but not to alter or enthe specific charge of any parti- large it, or make the building cular congregation or church. It different from what was first inwas contrary to the design of tended. their commission to act as settled ministers any where. Their office was that of universal inspection. None could, therefore, take their place, or inherit their authority. The business of succeeding ministers was chiefly to carry on the system, by conveying instruction. The things which they had heard, they were to commit to faithful men, that they might teach others also. 2 Tim. ii. 2. In cases of doubt, the question was, What did the apostles teach? This naturally led to the inquiry, What saith the scriptures?

The ministers of Christ are designated by different appellations, which all have a relation to the same character. From the privilege of superiority by office, and, probably, in the primitive times, from age, they are called elders, or presbyters. From their being the servants of Christ, they are called ministers. From their having the inspection of part of the flock of Christ, they are called pastors, overseers, and bishops: the two last terms being only different translations of the same word, which, in the New Testament, and in early times, was the appellation given to all who were settled over any part of the church of Christ. After the apostolic age, ministers had not the guidance of direct inspiration; they could not work miracles; but they were exhorted to be ensamples of the flock, and helpers of their joy; they were to rule only according to the law which the Lord had appointed; they were not to impose any articles of doctrine unknown in the sacred records; their object was to build on the foundation already

IV. The voluntary and mutual connection between ministers and people, next demands our consideration. The church consisted of all the believers who composed it, not of those individuals who were afterwards called the priesthood. Ministers were designed for the use of the church, not the church for them. When elders were ordained in every city, the term employed, originally and naturally supposed, that it was in consequence of the suf frages of the people; and it is acknowledged by all parties, that this was the case in the primitive church. The relative duties of ministers and people, naturally implied mutual agreement. The first instance of the choice of officers for the church, shews that an appeal was made to the people, Acts vi. 3: and when the Apostle Paul sent Titus_to Crete, to set in order things that were wanting, it followed, that if, in any instance, they had been set in order, he would let them alone. So, also, Peter's admonition was, to take the oversight of the church not by constraint, but willingly, not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind, 1 Pet. v. 2. A clear indication, that nothing could go forward well, that was not begun with a feeling of mutual connection and interest.

In these observations, we have rather pointed to the sources of evidence, than brought forward the evidence itself. We have done this for the sake of brevity. Besides, some things scarcely require proof: all men who read the New Testament can instantly see, whether they agree with what is there recorded, or not. It s

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