So with regard to the ordinance of Baptifm, this was exhibited under the figure or type of Noah's ark, wherein few, that is eight fouls, were faved by water-the like figure whereunto ''AVTITUTTOV the antitype to which) even baptifm doth now fave us, not the putting away the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good confcience towards GOD, by the refurrection of JESUS CHRIST. 1 Pet. iii. 20, 21. As the bread and wine represent the body and blood of CHRIST, in the LORD's Supper, so the water in baptifm reprefents the cleanfing of the Holy Spirit, and all exhibit to our faith, touching what is past, what the facraments of the passover and circumcifion reprefented to the faith of the Old-Teftament faints, touching what was then to come; but all meet in one grand central point-CHRIST, the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth, Rom. x. 4. Therefore the facraments of the LORD'S Supper and baptifm, are not new ordinances*, in any other fenfe, than as appointed of GoD to attend on the difpenfation of the gospel of His grace, under the New Testament, when thofe facraments were abolished which were to attend a different difpenfation of the fame gospel under the Old Testament. All argue one uniform, confiftent defign in the bleffed GOD, carried on in different manifeftations of

* See the outward vifible fign and the inward and fpiritual grace, in the facrament of baptifm, beautifully fet forth, If. xliv. 3. Ezek. xxxvi. 25, 26, 27. with John

iii. 5.

it,

it, under the Patriarchal-* Mofaical-Prophetical, and Evangelical ages, but fubject to no controul, oppofition, or variation, as to the matter of any fingle part or atom of it. The further we follow the notion of CHRIST'S being the giver of a new law, in opposition to the law of the Old Teftament, the more muft we fee it pregnant with confequences of the most alarming and dreadful kind—becaufe, this being the cafe, we are without a Redeemer, and of course without any redemption; for we are told, that CHRIST died for the redemption of the tranfgreffions that were under the FIRST TESTAMENT, Heb. ix. 15. by which FIRST TESTAMENT we must underftand the law of GOD delivered by Moses; but I can find no trace of any fatisfaction for fins committed against any new law of CHRIST: we must look to ourselves for any tranfgref fions against this: and if fo-no flesh can be faved. Therefore fome of the old heretics, who were maintainers of this new-law fcheme, were perfectly confiftent, in declaring, that

no fin after baptifm could be forgiven"— against which horrible error, the 16th Article of the Church of England is very fcripturally and properly levelled.—But again—this notion of CHRIST's abrogating the old rule of

*Thofe divers washings which we read of in the law of Mofes, and which (Heb. ix. 10.) the apofile claffes among the carnal ordinances impofed till the time of reformation, were doubtlefs typical of Chriftian baptifm, wherein, as before under the law, the body is washed with pure water.

Heb. x. 22.

life, and enacting a new one in its place, as it turns us over to feek our falvation by a new plan of obedience, or perfonal righteousness of our own, makes void both Teftaments. It annihilates the law which was given by Mofes, it of course destroys the grace and truth which came by JESUS CHRIST. John i. 17. If we are not bound by the old moral law, we have no occafion to feek redemption from its curfe, and abfolution from its condemnation.-The divinity of CHRIST-the atonement of his precious blood-the imputation of His righteoufnefs His fatisfaction-merit-vicarious fufferings and obedience, together with his interceffion at the right hand of GoD, and all other appendages belonging and effentially neceffary to his priestly office, by which alone we can have redemption, even the forgiveness of our fins, may bear as small a price in our eyes as in the eyes of Socinus, Mahomet, or Cerinthus. If the old law be abrogated as a rule of life, then have we nothing to do with -Curfed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. Gal. iii. 10. 10. The law is no longer a miniftration of death, 2 Cor. iii. 7. and condemnation. And, if this be the case, the whole foundation of the redemption that is in CHRIST JESUS is fapped and destroyed, and the whole fabric of man's falvation, which is built upon it, muft fall into one dreadful and horrible union; we muft reverfe CHRIST'S declaration-I came not to destroy the law, but to fulfil it-and fay, that he came not to fulfil

but to destroy it. Here we must join in the madness of the Antinomians, and deny the obligation of the law-or in the horrid errors of the Socinians, and renounce the hope of the gospel. To mention all the appendages to this new-law fcheme would be endlefs; fuffice it to say, that they are, in one fhape or other, connected with every berefy that ever was, or can be invented; for all herefy, however coloured or disguised by the art and subtlety of men, or, as the Apoftle fays, Eph. iv. 14. by the height of men, and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive, muft originate in the confounding those two distinct propofitions, which are laid down in the beginning of St. John's gospel as above-mentioned-The law was given by Mofes-Grace and truth came by JESUS CHRIST.

CHRIST Came, neither to fet up a new law nor a new gospel, but (as the Scripture had foretold) to bear teftimony to the truth of both, as revealed by Mofes and the Prophets.Thus he told Pilate, John xviii. 37.—To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I fhould bear witness unto THE TRUTH: Every one that is of THE TRUTH beareth my voice. And in that most affec→ tionate prayer for His difciples-John xvii. -He faith, ver. 17. Sanctify them through

THY TRUTH-THY WORD IS TRUTH.

To conclude this point :-If we compare fcripture with scripture in every inftance, we shall not find a single law, or rule of life, in the New Testament, which has not its foun

dation in the Old Teftament, and that CHRIST came not as a law-giver and a judge, when He appeared in the likeness of finful flesh-Rom. viii. 3. but as a law-fulfiller and a Saviour-I came not (faid He, John xii. 47) to judge the world, but to fave the world. Not to introduce any new rule of right and wrong, which was to change the nature of moral good and evil; but for the redemption of the tranfgreffions under the firft teftament, that they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. Heb. ix. 15.

As a prophet-He opened and explained the law, and preached the gospel. As a priest -He made atonement for the guilty. -As king

-He established the moral law as a rule of life to his fubjects; leaving it as He found it a fpiritual, holy, righteous, perfect inftitution Pf. xix. 7.) to which nothing could be added, from which nothing could be diminished; reaching not only to the outward actions of the life, but to the inward thoughts, tempers, defires, and intents of the heart. Were it otherwife, and the New Teftament can be fuppofed to contain fome rule of life which is not in the Old Teftament, Abraham's counfel, which he advifed the rich man's five brethren to follow, was very imperfect-They have MOSES and the PROPHETS, let them hear them -If they hear not Moses and the PROPHETS, neither will they be perfuaded though one rofe from the dead. What good would Mofes have done them, if the rule of life laid down by him had been incomplete and deficient ?—what beneVOL. I.

Z

fit