I feel a sacred satisfaction in the possible.-Grace and peace be principles I have endeavoured with you: ever yours,

1

A. FULLER.

FURTHER REMARKS

ON HEB. VI. 4—7.

To the Editors of the Baptist Magazine.

In your Magazine for September, I noticed, with much pleasure, a well written paper upon Heb. vi. 4-7. The respectable and sensible writer of that paper, will, perhaps, excuse me when I say, that I think the solution of the supposed difficulty in the section alluded to, is much easier, and lies more within the province of common sense, than has been supposed. Let it be laid down as an axiom, that no hypothesis can receive support from that by which it is impugned. The Arminian says, it is evident from the passage, that a good man may fall from grace. Allow him his point,

to state and defend, they are such in the main, that I can venture upon for eternity: those which I have attempted to refute, still appear to me, and that with abundantly increasing evidence, to be the bane of the churches: they unnerve the Christian for spiritual activity. By what I have read and written in the Socinian controversy, I feel more attached to the great doctrines of Christ's deity and atonement, together with those of salvation by grace alone, from first to last: these truths are not merely the objects of my faith, but the ground of all my hope; and administer what is superior to my daily bread. Excuse this egotism. We shall greatly miss Brother Ryland in this part; but his removal I be lieve, is for the good of the interest of Christ. The same may be said of Carey. Thomas and Carey are not gone from for the sake of trying the the Isle of Wight, but ex-strength of his position. Now, pect to sail every day. He if there be any meaning in has seen Caslon, the letter founder, and finds he has a number of punches for the making of Bengalee types. One thousand pound weight of the letter, I suppose, would set a press agoing in India, by which the Bible might, in time, be printed in that language. It would cost 3 or 4004., but we have above two hundred pounds overplus, towards it. Remember me affectionately to Mr. Trivet, when you see him, our hearty thanks await him for his exertions. If I should come a Tittle before harvest, we must all three be together as much as

k

words, and the opinion of the Arminian be granted in the first instance, it will follow, from the apostle's positive assertion, that it is impossible to recover such from this fall; and every backslider, it should seem, is irrevocably consigned over to everlasting destruction, which is equally repugnant to the system of the Arminians, as well as of them, whom they oppose. These premises might have done, if the apostle had not drawn his own conclusion; but in consequence of that, if the passage be applied to the Arminian system, it will prove

too much; and, therefore, proves congregation of Christ in and

THE CHURCH AT BEDFORD. calling; selling to several per

"For these he hath been of- | the writer proceeds to quote from his author the following passage: "In what state did the primitive Christians receive baptism? The answer MUST

ten admonished, and that for the space of six or seven years, but hath contemned and slighted the same. And, besides, he hath so trampled upon our holy or-be-NAKED." Well, thought

der and fellowship, that, for the space of eight or nine years, he could not be gotten to be present at any of our church assemblies.

I, this is very strange! The primitive Christians baptized naked! And this is proved by "ecclesiastical representations in sculpture, or picture." Who were these primitive Christians? I have been used to hear this term applied to the first Christians, or those of whom we have an account in the New Testament! But, perhaps, it has a greater latitude of meaning, and is here used to denote those Christians who lived two or three centuries after the apostles. This conjecture rather eased my mind, because I knew that several errors and corruptions had then crept into the church; for instance the admission of infants to the Lord's

REMARKS ON AN ARTICLE supper; so that the conduct of

-mod su IN THE

7 EVANGELICAL MAGAZINE.

such primitive Christians, is not an example which we are bound to imitate. Bút, reading fur

To the Editors of the Baptist Magazine.ther, I found myself quite mis

You must know that we taken in this conjecture, it beplain folk in the country have ing very plain that this author been a good deal puzzled with really refers to Christ, and his an article in the Evangelical immediate disciples; and that Magazine for September, 1816, these representations in sculpwhich professes to be a re- ture or picture, exhibit the manview of a book, called Facts ner in which this ordinance was and Evidences on the Sub-appointed to be administered by ject of Baptism. After some triumphant expressions over the poor Baptists, who, it should seem, have, by this champion, been completely routed, and driven from the field of combat, without daring to return to the charge, though strongly solicited" to do so;

VOL. VIII.

our Lord himself, and as practised by the apostles. He asserts that the convert was always baptized naked; it being the original form of this positive institution." It is then added, "If the primitive Christians baptized naked, by what authority do modern Baptists

3 s

perhaps, the representations in those antient sculptures and pictures, are equally unworthy of credit!!!

PETER PLOUGHMAN.

apply the ordinance to persons clothed? Do you know (he asks) what is proper, better than the Institutor of this rite? Do undertake to correct the inyou stitutions of the divine Saviour? -to improve them?—to qualify them? You talk of decency? did not HE know what was decent?" Thus, he infers, the primitive Christians baptized see it. Psalm vii. 9.-Strenu naked-herein they acted ac-ously in wicked men. Psalm cording to the will of the Insti- ci. 4.-More strenuously in tutor and, therefore, they can- good men. Gal. ii. 11.-Most not be charged with inde- strenuously in yourselves. Colos. cency!!!

f

Now, being a poor man, and unable to purchase this extraordinary book, it would be acceptable not only to me, but to others in a similar case, if you would inform us, through the medium of your Magazine, who these artists were who saw, and therefore were able to give an exact representation of the manner in which the apostles administered the ordinance of baptism? Unless they are known to be persons of strict veracity, and did not go upon hearsay evidence, many will pause before they admit their testimony: it being well known that there is so much prejudice upon this subject, that two late writers* have asserted, speaking of the English Baptists, that "to baptize naked, or next to naked, is generally practised in immersion." Having often seen this ordinance performed by immersion, and knowing that there is not a particle of truth in the illiberal assertions of these great and good men, I have thought that,

THE CHRISTIANS' BRIEF DIRECTORY. OPPOSE Sin wherever you

iii. 5.

CHRISTIAN PHILANTHROPY.

THE late Richard Reynolds, of Bristol, of the society of people called Quakers, was eminently distinguished for the extent of his liberality. Among other instances, he gave a hand some donation to a lady, who had applied to him on behalf of an orphan child: "I will teach her, Sir," said the lady, "early to lisp the name of her bountiful benefactor." The worthy man replied, "We do not thank the clouds for rain: thank HIM who giveth both the clouds and rain."

QUERIES.

The Rev. Richard Baxter, and the Rev. Matthew Henry.-See Booth's Pædobaptism Examined, Vol. ii. page 259, 260.

Juvenile Department.

Nov. 9. Lord Mayor's Day. King Richard I. A. D. 1189, first changed the bailiffs of London into mayors. York is the only place in England, besides Lon-will then rise later every succesdon, where the mayor has the title of Lord.