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"If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love."-John x. 15.

NEW-YORK:

SOLD AT THE BAPTIST MISSION ROOM, CLINTON HALL-BY Í. M. ALLEN,
21 SOUTH FOURTH-STREET, PHILADELPHIA ;-BENNETT & BRIGHT,
UTICA -AND BY THE BOOKSELLERS GENERALLY.

Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1836, by WILLARD JUDD, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Southern District of New-York.

West & Trow, Printers.

PREFACE.

THOUGH few topics of a religious nature, especially in modern times, have oftener employed the pens of the learned and unlearned, or enlisted a larger share of zeal, than the baptismal controversy, it must by no means be inferred that Jesus Christ left that rite by which he required every believer to profess his relation to him, necessarily involved in perplexing doubt and uncertainty. To admit such a thought would be a reflection on the wisdom and goodness of the King in Zion. Every command that is of general obligation, must be supposed to be level to the humblest capacity; and this certainly is pre-eminently the case with respect to the institution of Baptism. Let the obedient disciple who sincerely desires to know his Master's will, only take up the New Testament, uninfluenced by education, and untrammelled by human sophistry, and the light shines upon his path with the clearness of noon-day. It is not the indefiniteness of the statute, but the sophistry of men who have superadded to the plain commands of Jesus their own inventions, that furnishes at once the occasion and apology for the repeated discussion of this subject. Probably few are aware how much their opinions on almost every subject are influenced by early habits and education, and having formed an opinion, how easily they may be inclined to adopt a method of reasoning whose fallacy would be readily perceived by themselves, were it not employed in support of a favorite theory. But to whatever cause we ascribe the difference of opinion existing among Christians with respect to the ordinance in question, if it be a fact that they honestly differ, it must be granted that calm, dispassionate discussion, is both proper and highly important. It is proper-because an interchange of views, and a careful comparison of the arguments by which they

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