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Mosaic account. This island must have been early peopled from the continent of America. The inhabitants of America, in all probability, have sprung from the Asiatics; for Dr. Robertson, in his History of America, endeavours to prove, that at an early period the natives of Asia crossed at Behringe Straits, as there is a remarkable coincidence of manners, shape, colour, religion, &c. between the inhabitants of either side of the Straits. Here we might again trace this tradition to Shem, the son of Noah, as in the case of those of Otaheite.

The natives of Terra Firma say, that there was once a universal deluge; by means of which the whole inhabitants of the world were drowned, except one man, who escaped in a canoe; and from him sprung all the human race afterward. Yours,

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Rome, May 22, 1770.

WITH great pleasure I received your obliging letter as I passed through Flanders. The esteem yourself and some of my friends have for me, humbles me to think what I ought to be. But, how mean and defective! yet, amidst all, a sincere love I hope I have to all who bear the impress of our divine Master.

Since I left Holland, and through all the southern part of France, and over the Appenine mountains into Italy, I travelled not a mile with any of our countrymen. Those mountains are three or four days in passing for many, many miles, there is hardly a three foot road, with precipices into the sea, I should guess, three times the height of St. Paul's; but the mules are so

sure-footed there is nothing to fear, though the road is also very bad. Through the mercy and goodness of God I travel pleasantly on. I have an easy calm flow of spirits. A little tea equipage I carry with me, with which I regale; and little regard if I have nothing else.

Florence being the seat of the arts, I visited the famous gallery many days, from whence I travelled to this renowned city. The amazing ruins of temples, palaces, aqueducts, &c. gives one some faint idea of its ancient grandeur; but comparatively now a desert. The description of them, as also of St. Peter's church and the Vatican, I must defer till I have the pleasure of seeing you. The Pope passed very close by me yesterday; he waved his hand to bless me. I bowed; but not kneeling, some of the cardinals were displeased. But I never can nor will to any human creature or invention, as I should tremble at the thought of the adoration I have seen to him and the wafer. My temper is too open for this country, yet an important piece of news of this court (expuls--n of the J-s-ites) that I now know I durst not commit to writing. That cruelist of all inventions, the Inqui sition, stops all mouths.

I set out to-morrow for Naples. As I return to see the great procession on the 15th of June, I intend staying about a fortnight. Afterwards I am bound for Loretto, Ancona, Bologna, and Venice; at which last place it will be a great pleasure to receive a line

from you. My thoughts are often with my Bedford friends. I beg to be remembered to Mrs. Symmonds, Mess. Neguses, Mr. Palmer, Mr. Odell, Mr. Wiltshire; and, as they know it is the divine presence and favour that makes every place happy and comfortable, my most grateful acknowledgements for any interest I have had in their sacred moments.

Thu, my dear friend, am I tra

velling over desolate places of an- magnifies the size of man, that he is cient grandeur, and felt it to over- afraid of him; but were this the power that selfish and vain princi- fact, he would be equally afraid of ple that is rooted in my constitu- a sheep or a cow; which he is not. tion, and humble the pride of one's That none of us were devoured heart! And when at other times by lions, tygers, and other rave1 view in statues, paintings, archi- nous animals in South Africa, dutecture, &c. the utmost stretch of ring a journey of nine months, human skill, how should one's could only arise from God's fulfilthoughts be raised to that glorious ment of this promise. Frequently world, that heavenly city, the city two or three of these were seen in of the living God,-where sin, sor- a day; at one time, five were seen row, and every imperfection will together, about two hundred yards be done away! Oh, the free, sove- from our waggons; and at another reign, unbounded grace of our Lord time we saw nine very near us in Jesus Christ! how thankful should one day; yet, during all the jourwe Protestants be for this glorious ney, not one of us received the gospel which we have in our hands. The happiness we are exulting in, millions in this country are denied. But I must conclude that I remain with much esteem,

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"God said unto Noah, &c. (and his sons soon after the deluge) The fear of you, and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth," &c.

THAT this promise has been fulfilled to these original representatives of the new world, and, in in all succeeding ages to the present, I have no doubt.

The lion is called the king of beasts, because of his noble appearance, great strength, and boldness; yet the eye of man disarms him, So long as a man has fortitude to look direct in a lion's face, this ani

mal is arrested, and will not advance; but should the person happen to look behind, to see if assistance be coming to him, the lion will advance. Repeated instances of this occurred during our journey in Africa: whence it seems not so much the human shape as the human that intimidates him. Some suppose that the lion's eye so

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smallest injury. It is true that many persons have been torn to pieces by ferocious animals; but this may frequently have arisen from coming upon them suddenly, or when they were extremely pinched by hunger, or when they have been wounded but not disabled,

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6. Because our Lord and his

dent allusion to Dan. ii. 44, and Lord and his apostles inculcated. vii. 14. By the Evangelist Mat- John iii. 35, 36, compared with thew alone it is called "The king- v. 16—19. dom of Heaven" in many places: and both by him and the other immediate disciples received the evangelists, "The kingdom of baptism of John, and (with reGod," with reference to the minis- spect to himself at least) that only. try both of John the Baptist, and Mat. iii. 13-16. John i. 37. of our Lord himself; Mat. iii. 2. Q. III. Doth the New Testaiv. 17; Mark i. 14, 15; John iii. ment represent Baptism as being 3; evidently meaning the spiritual of prior obligation to that of the kingdom of Christ, as it is publish- Lord's Supper?

ed by the gospel among all nations. A. In support of the affirmative, Sometimes, indeed, these phrases the following considerations appear have an ultimate respect to the fu- to have great force:

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ture state of felicity in Heaven; 1. Our Lord's own example, who but, for the most part, their pri- submitted to and sanctioned the mary application is to the present authority of Baptism as a divine state of the gospel-dispensation, or ordinance, before he entered on his the visible kingdom of Christ in public ministry, and prior to his calling any into visible fellowship with himself.

this world.

Q. II. Was the Baptism of John an ordinance of the Christian dispensation?

A. The following considerations seem to prove that it was:

2. Our Lord's doctrine to Nicodemus (John iii. 5.); where he seems clearly to speak both of Baptism as the outward sign of allegi1. Because the beginning of ance to his kingly authority,-and the gospel of Christ" is mentioned of spiritual renovation, as the inas contemporaneous with the com- ward and qualifying principle of mission and ministry of John the holy obedience; and to inculcate Baptist, Mark i. 1—3. the necessity of the former, in order

2. Because" the kingdom of to visible connection with his church God" is said by our Lord to have on earth, as well as of the latter, been "preached since the time of in order to spiritual communion John the Baptist," Luke xvi. 16; with himself, and a final admission i. e. plainly, from the time of his to the glories of his heavenly kingfirst public appearance and minis- dom. try.

3. Because, in describing the peried of our Lord's personal ministry, particular mention is made of its "beginning from the baptism of John." Acts. i. 22.

3. Our Lord's commission to his apostles after his resurrection; which was not the original institution of Baptism, but the authorized extension of the gospel dispensation among the Gentiles (Mat. xxviii, 4. Because the preaching of 19.): "Go ye, therefore, and peace by Jesus Christ" is said to (μanledσale, Banholes) disciple all have begun from Galilee, after nations, baptizing them," them," &c. the baptism of John." Acts x. 37, compared with Mat. iv. 12-17.

whence it appears, that baptizing was the instituted method of disci5. Because the baptism of John pling, or publicly recognizing the and Christian baptism are spoken subjects of Christ's visible kingof as connected with " repentance dom; and therefore, if the Lord's for the remission of sins." Mark i. Supper is to be administered only 4. Acts ii. 38. John also preach- to avowed and acknowledged dised the same doctrine of salvation ciples of Christ, the inference seems by faith in Christ Jesus as our to be fair, that all such must have.

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been previously baptized, and essentiality of any particular mode thereby brought under a professed of baptizing; and must regard it subjection to his regal authority; only under the generic idea of agreeably to Gal. iii. 27. "As many washing with water in the name, of you as have been baptized into &c. for sacramental purposes, and Christ, have put on Christ." with a moral significancy; which generic and comprehensive sense of the word baptize (even were it allowed that the primary import of Bar is to plunge) well enough comports with the analogical use of other words in the New Testament: e.g. that of the word crucify, which properly and primarily signifies putting to death by suspension on a cross; but is often used in the sense of gradually promoting the death of sin, without any other correspondency to its literal and primary import: so likewise the word (vola) sacrifice, which primarily and properly implies mactation of a victim, is frequently used by the sacred writers in the sense only of oblation to God.

4. Apostolic practice confirms this; as appears from Acts ii. 38, and following verses: Repent and be baptized every one of you, for the remission of sins," &c. “Then (verse 41) they that gladly received his word were baptized; and the same day there were added unto them (doubtless by the same ordinance) about 3000 souls ;"— of whom it is afterwards said, "And they continued steadfastly in the apostle's doctrine, and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers."

Q. IV. On what principles then may free or mixed communion between the members of Baptist churches and those of Padobaptists be scripturally maintained?

4. The practice of mixed com4. 1. Not by relinquishing the munion between Baptists and Pæobligation of Baptism as a New dobaptists, is to be grounded in Testament ordinance; the perma- their both equally acknowledging nency of which appears, both from and reverencing the authority of our Lord's discourse with Nico- Christ in the ordinance of Baptism, demus, and from the words with as well as in that of the Lord's Supwhich he closed his commission to per; their difference of judgment his apostles after his resurrection, respecting neither the element it“And lo, I am with you always, self, nor the moral intention of its even unto the end of the world. application, but simply the external Amen!" As also, by analogy, from form of administering it; as to the conduct of the Pharisees, who, which, nothing but a claim of inby refusing submission to John's fallibility can deny that much may, baptism, are said to have "rejected with great plausibility, be pleaded the counsel of God;" i. e. the reon bosh sides; and therefore, as vealed method of his mercy, and "the kingdom of God is not meat the instituted mode of acceptable and drink, but righteousness, and worship; which, consequently, now peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost," applies to all that contumaciously he that (in his submission to the reject the obligation of Christian baptism.

2. Neither by giving up the prior obligation of Baptism to that of the Lord's Supper, in the order of their administration, of which good evidence appears in the answer to the preceding query. There fore,

3. Consistently with the above, this practice must involve the non

divine authority of Baptism) "serv, eth the Lord Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men." Rom, xiv. 17, 18.

5. The propriety of the practice is further justified by the obliga tion that is laid on Christian churches to overlook matters of doubtful disputation in admitting believers into their fellowship; which obligation the apostle ap

plies with great earnestness in the 14th chapter of Romans, to a conscientious scruple about the lawfulness of eating certain meats; where, it is presumed that every man of intelligence and candour will admit, there was clearly as little room for variety of judgment as there is in the mode of administering Christian baptism.

On the whole, therefore, where any persons make a credible profession of 66 repentance towards

God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ," with a practical submission to what they conscientiously judge to be the voice of His authority in the ordinance of Baptism, they appear to possess the scriptural qualifications for church-fellowship; and therefore may consistently hold communion together at the table of the Lord, without arraigning each other's faith as to circumstantial differences of judgment.

Obituary.

MR. FRANCIS BRAIDWOOD.
Os April 3, 1815, died at Penzance,
Mr. Francis Braidwood, of Edinburgh,
aged 30 years; and very precious in
the sight of the Lord was the death of
this saint: - he was favoured with
the presence of his God and Saviour
in so high a degree, that his Heaven
was begun below. His dying scene
was most edifying and delightful ;-
it displayed so strikingly the blessed
ness of true Christian piety, and
brought the heavenly world so near,
that it was a great privilege to be
present. There was such sweet peace
and comfort reigning in his soul;
such serenity and lustre on his
countenance; --such grace and praise
dwelling on his tongue, as seemed to
convert his chamber into a temple
of light and glory. When I remind-
ed him, some time before his death,
that he had many companions in af-
fliction, he replied, "My case hardly
deserves the name of affliction, I

am so blessed with the presence of
Jesus." March 28, after prayer, and
on being told by a near relative that
his affliction had been useful to her
mind, he clasped his hands in an ec-
stacy, and raising his eyes, cried out,
"God is too good; Oh, he is too
good! Oh! to be away to praise
him" and he made an effort as if he
would have flown, and left his weak
body behind him, while his eyes were
filled with tears of joy. March 29,
being asked if he felt the Lord pre-
sent with him, he said, Blessed be
his name,
- he never leaves me. I
feel always ready to die in his hands."
When asked if he had had all the

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temporal comforts he could have wished, he replied, "O yes; and a thousand times more!" And in the evening, after a relative had related to him some of her own experience, he said, "Oh, tell me more, my dear child; you make my heart glad!" and clasping his hands, while the tears ran down his cheeks, exclaimed, "O God, this goodness is too much! Oh that I had a tongue to praise the Lord! but I cannot praise him as I could wish!" April 1st, he asked his friends to sing "The hour of my departure's come;" and said his hour would soon arrive. April, 2, he seemed to think himself very near death, and told his relative not to be alarmed at whatever might happen; that all would be well; and whenever his change took place, to fall down on her knees, and thank God for his release. To the servant he said, "O Mary, give yourself up to Jesus; do not hesitate between two masters; - God will not have a divided heart. Do not delay to come to Jesus; He is a sweet Master." On her saying "We must all try to follow your steps," he raised his eyes, and said with much firmness, "Follow Christ; I am a great Sinner." When he thought himself very near death, he uttered a most fervent prayer for every individual in his family. "O Lord, remember my dear parents! Ilear the prayers of a dying sinner! Thou knowest how near and dear they are to me; my dear father and mother! O Lord, grant that they may join the choir above, singing the songs of Zion!

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