Again, from our subject we see how exactly we follow Christ in the way, in which we attend upon the Sacramental Supper. We profess to follow him altogether, and to make nothing essential, which he doth not make essential. Every communicant is left to his own opinion and free liberty to stand, or sit, or kneel, as he conceives is the will of his divine Lord. As our professed aim is to honor God, and Jesus Christ, we endeavour to make the revealed will of our Lord, in this Ordinance, our rule. Did he set apart the sacramental bread by prayer, so do we. Did he do the same as to the Cup, so do we. Did he close all by an hymn of praise, so do we. We close the solemnity by a well adapted religious song of praise to God and the Saviour.—
We infer, further, from what hath been said, how painful to the real lover of Virtue and piety it is to reflect that this divine Ordinance, upon which we have been discoursing, should be so much disregarded, as it is, among those who call themselves Christians. Some profane it. Some deprecate and speak evil of it, and of all divine institutions even the christian Sabbath and Christian worship. Some cast off prayer, and maliciously and impiously reproach all christian duty. In this Country, it is with difficulty, that many who, in the judgement of Charity, are Christians, can be persuaded to honor God in his special ordinances. How melancholy the idea!—But what is of all the most affecting is, that there should be so many open enemies to that very Redeemer, who died on purpose to save man, lost man! For he came to seek and save that which was lost. His sceptical scoffers, will not have him to reign over them. Such should remember the observation of the wise man respecting the Deity’s treatment of scorners. Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly.—Those who deny Jesus Christ in his word, in his worship, and in his ordinances, and will not have him to save them from sin and misery, will never have any salvation at all. If ye believe not, says our Lord, that I am he, the promised Messiah, ye shall die in your sins.
To conclude all—In the above discourse, I have endeavoured to plead the honor of the only Saviour in his holy ordinance:—I have enquired what saith the scripture, not what men have said, or Councils decreed. If in any thing I have misapprehended, or misrepresented divine truth, I hope it may be forgiven me by a gracious God; and that all my sins may be washed out, as to their guilt, in the precious blood of that Jesus, whose Religion I solemnly believe to be divine, and on whom I am entirely willing, after the most deliberate examination of his celestial pretensions, to risk my eternal felicity.
DISCOURSE IX.
Baptism by water not a piece of Superstition, but appointed by Jesus Christ.
MATTHEW xxviii.—and this part of the 19 verse.
Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
Every true friend of Christ and his Religion mourns over every departure from the duties he enjoined, the doctrines which he taught, and the Ordinances which he appointed. The more sincere and cordial his friendship, the more dear to him, will be the duties, the doctrines and the institutions of his divine Lord and Master.
We should be exceedingly solicitous, then, to abide in the doctrines of Christ, to preserve Gospel-ordinances in their purity; avoiding carefully all human additions, supplements, and traditions; adhering to the original primitive simplicity of Gospel-worship and order; rejecting all that Christ rejects; holding to all, to which he holds; hoping all from him; and keeping from whatever contradicts his doctrines. All the appointments of the Savour are to be highly esteemed, and diligently observed by his professed people. And one of these, is the Ordinance of Baptism by water, to be a standing ordinance in the Church to the end of the world; of the clear and express institution of which it is now proposed to lay before the audience, a plain and faithful account from scripture; being in the enquiry wholly directed and guided by what Christ and his Apostles have left us, have said, and practised respecting it.