into the synagogue and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God. And so on, we might multiply texts to any number, to show that to bring men to repentance and faith, we have only to address the word to their understandings.

But says an objector: we must have something more than the word, we must have the Holy Spirit. Granted. But are we not lead and influenced by the Spirit, when we follow, and are under the influence of the word? Is not the Word of God the language and teachings of the Spirit? If the Spirit's power is not brought to bear upon the heart by the preaching, and hearing, and believing the word of God, how can you show that it will operate through and sanction other means? Can any one be so stupid and fanatical as to believe that the rubbing of the hands, and shouting, and pounding, &c., is a channel through which the Spirit can reach the heart and operate more effectually than by the calm, rational preaching of the Word? The whole system of preaching and worship taught by Christ and his apostles, is a rebuke upon such a sentiment. you want in reality that men should feel the spirit and power of God upon them? Then hark! I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth-to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. Romans 1: 16. What is the power

Do

of God? The gospel. To what extent is it the power of God? Unto salvation. This, then, will do. If it is the power of God unto salvation, to receive and believe the gospel, it will accomplish all we need to have done, the anxious-seat operations, to the contrary notwithstanding.

Heb. 4: 12, For the Word of God is quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of

the heart. Here is the same sentiment again. The word of God, the same as the gospel of Christ, is the all-powerful agent to subdue the heart, and bring it into subjection to the mind and will of Christ. This being the correct and only means to restore that communion and fellowship to God that man lost by the fall, we shall find that true religious experience will tally with this truth. That is, every true scriptural conversion to Christ, will have been brought about by the power of truth operating upon the heart, and they have become Christians because they have heard or studied the word of God, and believed it.

1 Pet. 1: 22, 23, Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.

Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible,-by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

This is what I understand to be a true Christian and scriptural conversion, and experience. The Spirit and the word both agree, and are together; you cannot separate the one from the other; for the word is the language, and consequently the sword and the power of the Spirit. We cannot see or know any thing of the Spirit, only as we receive and understand the word, for this is the only medium the Spirit has to effect our minds. Therefore, says the same apostle, If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God.. Gal. 4: 11. Jam. 1: 18. Of his own will begat he us. How? by the word of truth, Col. 1:28. Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. 3: 16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom. Eph. 5: 25, 26. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word. 1 Cor. 1: 18. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolish

ness, but unto us who are saved it is the power of God. V. 21, For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. We might add to this catalogue of texts, but if the point at which we aim is not discerned, and established by these, others would add no strength.

Answer

How then shall a man become a Christian? By repenting or reforming his life, believing and obeying the gospel. The gospel contains the glad tidings and good news of man's salvation; or in other words, the plan of Christ to save men, and the duties it enjoins upon them. To teach men their duty, and give them a living example of piety and obedience, and show them the way, and inspire them with confidence in Him as their Redeemer, Christ came, or was manifested to the world, and demonstrated that he had power to forgive sins, and raise the dead, and do all that we need to have done to regain our former standing with the Father, and all our inheritance and blessings. Christ does not propose, neither can he save us from the ills incident to this mortal life, though we believe and obey him. Christ in this life can only console us with the joys of his pardoning love, and those that would naturally arise from a reformation of life, and with the positive assurance that He will complete the work of redemption at the time appointed. Consequently no change takes place here but in our affections and moral character. Being carnally-minded, we may become spiritually-minded. As we have been the servants of sin, of our lusts, we may change masters, and become the servants of Christ, and of righteousness. We may put off the old man with his deeds, which is our corrupt life and habits, and put on the new man, Christ Jesus, or a new moral life of holiness and righteousness, and walk according to Christ, and the Spirit, or word. In short, in every instance where we

have been accustomed to evil, we must overcome it with good, and thus learn to fear God and work righteousness. This will bring us into that change of life and moral character, which alone is acceptable to God, and into fellowship with Him, and with his Son Jesus Christ, and secure to us all the rich blessings of redemption. The fruits of the old man, or the wicked spirit in us, is in all evil, but the fruits of the Spirit, and of the word, are in all goodness. Christ says follow me. He is our example. We are then to bless and curse not. We are to clothe the naked, feed the hungry, visit the sick, help the poor and distressed, grow in grace and in the knowledge of Christ, and be an example of piety and good works to all around. us. Then the pledge is, ye shall be mine in that day when I come to make up my jewels-I will resurrect them at the last day.

When a person has really been brought to repentance, faith, and obedience to Christ, he becomes voluntarily a disciple of Christ, and is a fit subject of Baptism and the Lord's Supper-the two New Testament

ORDINANCES.

Christ instituted these two ordinances to be observed by every disciple of His, as emblematical of His death, burial, and resurrection. This is the only reason of their institution, and the only use to be made of them. 1 Cor. 11: 23, 24, 25, and 26.

For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread:

And, when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat; this is my body, which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of me.

After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped,

saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood; this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come.

Here we have the reason given for this ordinance of the supper, and an explanation of the symbols, and no remark is necessary to make it more clear, or show it to be a positive duty. As often as ye eat this bread.-This ordinance is to be repeated, and is unlike baptism in this particular. It is to be continued also, till he shall come the second time. But what shall carry us through His burial and resurrection? Are we to be cut short here? Are we to remember and celebrate His death, and stop there? Are we not interested in His burial and resurrection, and have not these as great a claim upon our faith as the former, and consequently as necessary to be embraced in a symbol and observed by his disciples? Most certainly; and Christ has not failed to symbolize the whole scene. Baptism is a symbol of his burial and resurrection. Rom. 6: 3, 4, 5.

Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death?

Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death; that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.

Col. 2: 12, Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

There has been considerable controversy in the Christian world about the mode of baptism; but it is all unnecessary. The symbol will not admit of but one mode. It is to represent Christ's burial and resurrection, consequently the disciple must be buried in water, or immersed, and raised up out of it, or this ordinance is not observed at all.