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CHAPTER III.

Baptism, and the Lord's Supper.

THE Ground and Foundation of continuing the practice of these two ordinances in the Christian church, appear to the writer to be alike mistaken, erroneous, and calculated greatly to retard the return of the church from her wilderness state"the woman that was clothed with the Sun and the moon under her feet," at the time "she bare a man child that was to rule all nations with a rod of iron." Hence any general remarks upon either, being equally applicable to both, there seems a propriety in comprehending them in the same chapter.

It may not be venturing too far, to consider the glorious attife of the Church, the Sun, as representing "the Sun of Righteousness," who, I trust, is yet to "arise with healing in his wings," imparting to his lapsed and fallen church, the IMMEDIATE influence of his solar rays, as in the time in which she is represented as "bearing a man child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron." This rod I conceive to denote, not severity, but, as in Nebuchadnezzer's Image, strength, and also the stability and durability of His sway-and that over all nations.

The birth of this man child, I conceive to denote that period of the Christian Church, in which she was in the zenith of her glory, clothed with "the Sun of Righteousness," by the "immediate revelation" of his own glorious beams of Light; in which time" the moon," representing all secondary means of grace, was "under her feet." By this, I understand, that the woman-the Church had not cast them off; but held them in dominion under her, through the influence of the glorious

beams of "the Sun of Righteousness;" with the splendour of whose rays she was so irradiated, as to keep the light of the moon in perfect obeisance; having "upon her head a crown of twelve stars; "the twelve apostles.

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This crown, however, was of very short duration; for no sooner was "the man child" born, than He was 'caught up unto GOD and to his THRONE;" and "the woman,"-the church, was preparing for that flight into the wilderness, which was greatly hastened after the persecution of the great red dragon; as then represented by the "two wings of a great eagle given to her, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place."

Though fully persuaded in my own mind, I write, especially on these mysterious revelations, with feelings of deference to others, desiring to invite them to judge, through a close attention to that Divine" Inward Light," some portion of which, I believe," the Sun of Righteousness" imparts to "every man that cometh into the world."

Many instances might be adduced wherein the sacred penmen, give the outline of their narrative in such a consecutive form, as to convey the idea of immediate continuity; though a fuller developement of facts, introduces intervening events between those which appeared to be so closely conjoined; and this I conceive to be done in the prediction before us. In verses 5 and 6 there are two events predicted -the one is "the man-child being caught up unto God and His throne," to rescue him from the jaws of the "great red dragon," who "stood before the woman to devour her child as soon as it was born." Here the whole tenour of the passage as well as the words of it, denote immediate and inseparably consecutive action. But in what follows in verse 6, have we not ground to judge otherwise? The words of the text are: "And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God."

Thus much is sufficient for the present design-“ a place is prepared," and "prepared of God;" but the subsequent narrative of the vision, clearly demonstrates, to my apprehension, that at least what may be with strict propriety denominated the flight, did not commence tiil-"to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle;" whilst "the woman fled into the wilderness "-in verse 6, seems to warrant the idea of her preparing for it; during what is related between verses 6 and 14 of "the war in heaven between Michael and his angels, and the dragon and his angels,” and the event of it.

But I must remember the Title of this work, "a Glance," therefore, without expatiating at all on this important feature of the prophecy, it may suffice to observe; that what the woman, the church, endured by the open war of the dragon and his angels, would probably have had little effect to wound her, had she not had to encounter a more insidious foeHUMAN INVENTIONS.

These I conceive to be the grand phalanx whose array against the woman removed her from her glorious position,— disrobed her of "the sun;" and instead of "the moon continuing under her feet," set external and visible ordinances in dominion over her; so that when that memorable, and sometimes deemed glorious event occurred, the conversion of the Emperor Constantine, the "two wings of a great eagle were given her;" even worldly prosperity and abundant increase of professors of the Christian name; and the great red dragon, "the serpent cast out of his mouth water [people] as a flood, after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood" of this inglorious accession to the church; which soon resulted in substituting a worldly, a wARLIKE, and pompous Christianity, instead of the crucifying, the suffering, and the meek religion of Jesus.

Hence I conceive that the church, though I am willing to hope that she has in some measure commenced her return from her wilderness abode, will not be again "clothed with the sun," till all these shadowy rites and ordinances are completely removed, out of the way.

Those things which are altogether of “human invention,” it is needless to waste time in consigning to oblivion; for "in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." And of the two ordinances which are the subject of this chapter, I trust it may be shown, that "Baptism with water," is not only evanescent as a Divine Commission, and must therefore cease; but that it was never enjoined by our blessed Lord, whilst personally on earth; and that the "Lord's Supper," as practised in the Christian church, never issued as a command from His lips.

Hence, it is conceived, that the practices of His Apostles and immediate Disciples, relative to every thing of this character, may be considered as adapted to a people relinquishing the obligations of the law of rituals, or emerging from the unhallowed rites of polytheism; and may with strict propriety be classed and included with those, concerning which the apostle of the Gentiles, in relation to his becoming "all things to all men," emphatically adds: "to the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak."

Much tenderness, I conceive, is due to pious minds who take a very different view of these subjects; and I do not censure, but pity, J. W. for doing so. And whilst I am unable to perceive, in relation to these points of doctrine, any clearer evidence than in his treating on others, that his "very spirit of Christian Love," has been imbued with that heavenly virtue called charity; yet I am not disposed to add further specimens, without necessity, to the few already adduced; which to many readers, I apprehend, will have appeared at least of a very doubtful character.

J. W. thus heads his Chapter V., p. 251:"ARE THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS JUSTIFIED IN NOT OBSERVING THE ORDINANCES OF BAPTISM AND THE LORD'S SUPPER?"

He then says: "Although I wish, as much as possible, to confine myself to the exhibition of the leading principles of the Society of Friends, and not to descend much into particulars; yet it appears to be so serious a matter—to fritter away the injunctions of the Lord Jesus Christ, given under circumstances so deeply affecting, and calculated to make the most powerful impression on the mind, that I cannot allow myself to pass over the views of the Society respecting Baptism, and the Lord's Supper."

To avoid prolixity, and in accordance with the remarks just made on charity, I pass over what follows, without specification or comment, as I purpose also to do by J. W.'s observations on the Lord's Supper, p. 277; having intended, in commencing this work, to keep silence on both these subjects; the sentiments of the Society thereon, having been so often and so ably advocated: but in the prosecution of this "Glance," it appeared most eligible to notice both Baptism, and the Lord's Supper. Whether the remarks now to be offered, may further illustrate the subjects, or contribute to nullify J. W.'s charges, the reader is left to decide.

Though the subjects are so intimately connected in prin. ciple, that any general remarks on one will be likely to apply to the other also; yet it will no doubt be most perspicuous to treat on them distinctly, if it even occasion some repetition.

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