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by toafi&ijuik # 8 &fcfa tfcat I fefctffc tiol ^^ m ^^ fi . ; : % ^ m $% iitta # » lp ^^ be Hot ri $ tm > rkabi $ r prominent jothe author , thq orgftft of perc ^ ptiveness mus t be re inarka- ; l $ y defective in me ; for I was never more puzzled with any abstrusity of Emmanuel Swedenbori ? or Jacob
Bellmen than on the present occasion : ai ta the , antUbaptist doctrine of Robert Barclay , albeit somewhat conjectural , mystical and remote from vulgar apprehension , it is light readingperception made easy when compared to that of Dr . J . Jones .
The worthy Doctor though somewhat pa *** ^ to paradox , does admit the fact ( am ) doubtless it is a stubbora opte ) , that water ^ baptism was practised ia apostolic times ; but he asserts , " The practice owed its
temporary continuance to two circumstances peculiar to the times , > vhich tendered it expedient , " In resolving the practice into expediency the ingeaioua author agrees with if he does
not say after Robert Barclay and the Quakers , but their mode of account * ipg forthe feet seems to have been too easy ¦ jute } simply and plausible , for he fiifcs , off ia & tangent from the Quakers t # their elder brethren the Irenes .
It seems , however , to have occurred in the way to the JEssenes , that a renwk of Mr , Eutou wight be turned to . soipa ^ account as . a sort of subsidiary ajrg ^ meixt for the temporary exp&iftewy pf baptism . Here Dr . Jones
is less ingenious , original and ab-9 $ n }* & thajj usual , and as there is no ^ thing ; hut wfcat any body may understand w $ quote the whole passage , Having said . " baptism in water jvs a branch of th $ Christian dispensation is , blown on the wind" th $ author
adds , . ' The Christian name at first Wflts in the highest degree matter of reproach , which it required the gre ^ teftjt resolution to encounter and from which themfcands , though deeply convificed of t \\§ tr \ i % h of Christianity , re rink .
\ y ^ d ^ po ^^ d to sh Nothing WM boiter ^ d ^ pted to overcome this reluctance i \\ $ n baptism , as every convert by submitting to it was called upon to tfiflk $ ^ public avowal of his tb of
( flit . }} ij ^ ] ^ faco the church and of t ) ^ wb ?\ & . JJ ^ ii c ^ bi ^ ptisxn vvas conr WP ^' iW the apostjee W XhQ t ^ st pf ^ ee ^^ . fi 8 proui ]> tio ^ ^ o tha t manly resolution which > vhen founded in
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rea « 0 a ^^ - ^ mmM 4 ktW ^^ dmigbt , iwy M ^ iffi ^ i ^^^ the ftyi ^ r $ . Th # 4 a ^| ^ leepreiN ^ ^ tvirre of % b ^ a *^ ie tft&ff tS 6 cpS : upon it t 4 G % iVerts ^ xverci t <^ 3 enter the church by baptism p p ^ tify € a ^ &t the fac ^ of the wdrid akd to wj tn eis s ¦ $ ¦ good confession before men . Clieerful submission to this ordinanceWs
at once the test of tt \ eir sincerity arid obedience . For ^ be it remettibered , that to be baj > tfee ^ a »(| opeiily' t& profess the Christi na name was > a $ - tencted in thoSie d > &y $ wijk no iucon-r siderable risk and d ^ nger > It wa $ - this risk aiid dstnger : that ir ^ ntfered ;
baptism expedient as means weU calculated to guard against disisimttl ^ ttofe and pusillanimity , but wheni tW t ^ nUijyi tation to » thes . e ceased , the e ^ peiliewjjh of baptism , as far a ^ it was adapted to answer the above end , qectsbcl \ yitfi 1
it . * Piain and intelligible an 4 coniutdiiplace as all this is , ( for it bears littli ^ of the iippress of the author's extr&U ordinary mind , ) we are not quite sure about the correctness of the .
statement or the soundness , of the ratiocination . But we are pot disposed to stand upon logical niceties on the ? present occasion . Assuming , then , that baptism was admirably adapted , to overcome reluctance , to encounter
the reproafch of the Christian name , that it was employed by the apostles $ s * ' the test of sincerity , as prompting to manly resolution , * and that it was * expedient as means wejl cal- » cul ^ ted to guard against dissimulation and pusillanimity ; " is it not as fit ;
and expedient and necessary as ever ? Or , has ( as Dr . Jones indeed inti- » mates ) aU temptation to dissimula ^ tion and pusillanimity really ceased ? | f such temptation has not erased , ( and very few believers of any sort , it is presumed , will doubt or deny tli ] $ , )
and if nothing but expediency or 0 ^ vious utility will satisfy as a foundation of religious faith aad practice , ia not ; water baptism flccordiij # to I ? l > Jopes ' s own shewing worthy of all acceptation ? He has said , indeed , dis
" When the temptation to these [ - simulation and pusillanimity ] cea $ ed , the expediency of baptjs n * as far as it was adapted to answer ihe above enq , ceased with i ( . But if , as we i ^ 0 " ? t > eJieve , all y 0 i * r readers ( vvith tpe single exception of Dr . Jones ) will
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51 * Mr . - GitchrktWfttiplg i&& ^ Jm& *( ri& * P ®^^ ftmud
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Sept. 2, 1826, page 514, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2552/page/6/
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