tion of "How is it?" Of one thing however we are certain, to wit, the editor of the Christian Messenger is not the author; indeed, on reading "How is it?" we concluded from the style and manner, it was from the pen of some of our American brethren. Being in the way, the editor of the Christian Messenger handed us the manuscript of R. E. R. for perusal, with the permission to make a few remarks in reply, should we feel so disposed. Of this permission we take advantage with the more cheerfulness, as from the spirit of R. E. R., exhibited in the foregoing article, we indulge the hope that he desires to know the truth; and that when perceived, he will, without hesitation, yield implicit submission to the authority and will of God.

It is neither our intention nor desire that the following remarks should supersede any reply on the part of the author of "How is it?" From the specimen he has given of ability, we entertain no fear of his answering R. Ē. R. both in a candid and scriptural manner. But the question. First. In reply to the author of How is it's " question "How can persons who regard God's word, and know they need remission, ever hope to go to heaven without the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins," R. E. R. affirms, The reason why I, with many others, think that we shall get to heaven without undergoing this process, is because we think that it is not required of us by God; that it is no part of the Christian dispensation; but that it belongs to times when divers washings and ordinances were required of the servant of God." Paul, in his letter to the Hebrews, informs us that "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son." The Son of God was Jesus Christ. Whatsoever He said personally, or by the Holy Spirit through the apostles, is stamped with the authority of God: it is God speaking to To ascertain, therefore, what under the Christian dispensation we are to believe and Do, and what to leave unperformed, we have only to read the testimony of the Son of God, and the testimony of the Holy Spirit by the apostles. R. E. R. and all who act with him, in all candour will admit that this is a more rational and certain ground to found our hope of entering heaven on, than the " we think of the wisest and most sincere class of men in the world. The

us.

Saviour of mankind having borne our sins in his own body on the tree, rose again from the dead; after spending forty days with his disciples, instructing them in matters relating to the kingdom of heaven, uttered those emphatic words as his final address to them, immediately before he ascended to his Father's right hand in glory :-" Go," said he, “go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized SHALL be saved; but he that believeth not SHALL be damned." "'* He that believeth what? The Gospel in all its departments surely, the precepts or commands being part thereof; one of which precepts was that the believer should be baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. + Such were the instructions given to the apostles by God, through his Son relating to the opening of the kingdom of Heaven-the Christian dispensation. N.B. This gospel was to be preached throughout the whole world, and every individual, without exception, who should hear and believe that gospel was to be baptized in order to salvation: therefore God does require all believers to "undergo this process," or his word is altered. It is also hereby proved to belong to the Christian dispensation, and not "to the times when divers washings and ordinances were required by the servant of God." The divers washings and carnal ordinances, referred to by Paul, in his letter to the Hebrews, belonged to a dispensation anterior to the Christian, and has no more reference to Christian baptism than the immersion of the Syrian officer for recovery of leprosy has to do with the immersion of Paul by Ananias, as any candid and intelligent person will perceive at once, by reading the whole passage in its connexion. Second. R. E. R. intimates that the Christian dispensation or "" system, is above all rites and ceremonies of whatever kind, and that by the rite of immersion no one received the least benefit; that it conferred no blessing; and that it was a rite empty and useless.” These astounding assertions surely require, and ought to have been supported by something at least like Scripture authority; the total absence of which disappointed us not a little on reading the article.

The Christian dispensation above all rites and ceremonies of whatever kind! Then is it, indeed, above the compre

* Mark xvi. 15, 16. † Matthew xxviii, 19. Hebrews ix. 10.

hension of every human being, and superior to the cognition of sentient man. Will R. E. R. attentively read the following passage ?" Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances as I delivered them to you.' Ordinances signify and include the laws, directions, rites, institutions, or ceremonies, and constitutions. What these ordinances were which Paul delivered to the disciples in Corinth, will be seen by a reference to their history, the letters of the apostles to them, and the general practice of the church during the first century. Luke informs us that Paul planted the church in Corinth; that having preached the gospel there, "Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord, with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing, believed, and were baptized."† Paul, moreover, received from the Lord, and delivered to the Corinthians the ordinance, institution, rite, or ceremony of the Lord's Supper? The church in Jerusalem "continued steadfast in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers, § after their conversion and baptism. In short, all the disciples of the Lord Jesus, without an exception, dwelling in Jerusalem, Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Colosse, Philippi, &c., &c., were baptized into Jesus Christ, as the history and apostolic letters abundantly shew; nor can it be proved that one disciple was ever made or received into the kingdom of God, in any other way after the resurrection of our Saviour; and mark, all these passages and ordinances belonged to the Christian dispensation, and were coeval with the "times of reformation," and not prior to these times as intimated by R. E. R.

"By the rite of immersion no one ever received any benefit or blessing," &c. We have already proved that Jesus connected immersion and salvation. The apostles, in executing their commission, while under the powerful and immediate influence of the Holy Spirit, answered the broken-hearted and inquiring penitents on the day of Pentecost thus-" Repent," or reform" and be baptized every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission," or pardon of "sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Ananias,

* 1 Cor. xi. 2. + Acts xviii. 8: see also 1 Cor. i. 13. 1 Cor. xi, 23, § Acts ii. 42. Acts ii. 38.

by the command of God, said unto the weeping, praying, fasting, believing Saul," arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord."* Thus we prove again, by the word of God, that salvation, pardon of sin, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, are received by the penitent believer: mind this, the penitent believer only, in, through, or by baptism. Are these no benefits or blessings ? Do these prove that baptism is an empty ceremony ?" Ah! R. E. R. read the Scriptures of truth once more 66 carefully and virtuously," and your mind and practice may yet be changed.

Third. R. E. R. next asks the following question, "If a person does," &c., &c., " to find the truth, but cannot find it will God punish him for not observing this rite ?" What God will do in every case presented at his impartial bar it becometh not a frail, erring, and sinful worm of the dust to pronounce, further than this, He, the judge of all the earth will do right. But if we admit that all will be saved eternally, who say they have read the Scriptures "carefully and virtuously," "faithfully and carefully," and yet refuse to do what they command, then are we launched on a sea of uncertainty and doubt, which has neither haven nor shore. Do not all the Arians, Socinians, and Unitarians, tell us they have read the Scriptures carefully and virtuously, yet they cannot believe that salvation is the gift of God, through the merits and blood of the Lamb of God, or that Jesus Christ is one with the Father! Do not the numerous classes of Universalists say, they have read the Scriptures carefully and faithfully, yet they cannot believe that God will punish those eternally who reject his Son and gospel; but that the vilest of characters who have even died blaspheming his holy name, will be ultimately received into heaven? Does not the sceptic, the deist, and the infidel affirm, that they have read the Scriptures carefully and virtuously, yet they cannot believe but that the Bible is all a fable? Yea, does not the Atheist inform us that he also has studied nature and the Scriptures carefully and faithfully, yet he cannot believe in the being of a God? What shall we say to these things? That either the word of God is so mysterious that they could not understand it, or that he had so constituted their minds,

* Acts xxii. 16.

that they could not believe it? Oh, no! this cannot be the case, for the word of God is so plain that he who runneth may read, and would they only come to it with honest and unbiassed minds, they would soon realize the truth of this statement. But false education, early prejudice, confirmed habit, the love of some favourite system or speculation, interest, and a thousand other things form the catalogue of reasons why men do not, neither will they, see the true light; and to excuse themselves, they charge the blame on God, for not either giving them a plainer revelation, or minds able to understand it. Such characters, we say again, Jehovah will judge in righteousness. Of one thing however, we are in no doubt, to wit, "blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have a right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city."*

Fourth. It is the desire of R. E. R. " to unite all Christians," that is, if we understand him correctly, all professing Christians, "together into one fold, having one shepherd;" and this he intends to accomplish by making no "other bond of union than that which Christ hath made." This also is our desire and intention; but we dare not select and present any portion of Scripture or command of the Saviour to the exclusion of others, as our bond of union. No; our bond of Christian union is the New Testament, all which our Lord and King has taught in person, or by the apostles ; more than this we do not require, and less we may not accept; for he who addeth one word thereto, or taketh one word therefrom, will not only incur the displeasure of the Master, but be visited by all the plagues written in the Book when he comes to judge the quick and dead.

Fifth. One word on Christian charity. He alone is the charitable man who speaks the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, in love, and without fear of consequences; and that man is possessed of a spurious and unscriptural charity who keeps back any part thereof. This last is modern sectarian charity: shun it, for it is neither from nor like the love of God; shun it, for it leads to error, guilt, and ruin. Embrace the true charity, and God will bless you and make you a blessing, and at last receive you into the kingdom of everlasting love and glory.

VOL, VIII.

Rev. xxii. 14.

G. C. REID.

I