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nion with churches in which thefe ufurpations have been practifed, have been fo difgufted at the impertinent and abfurd queftions of their examiners, as to have taken up an unhappy prejudice against all manner of church-difcipline, and, from conceiving perhaps too highly of the Lord's fupper, have been infenfibly led into the oppofite extreani; and have not only foon undergone a total change in their fentiments with refpect to difcipline and doctrine too, but have learned to inveigh with bitterness against even the appearances of thofe things in any, which they have feen others abufe. It is not at all im probable that Dr. Prieftly himfelf might receive his firft difguft againft Orthodoxy from the injudicious conduct of fome or other of its patrons, and that we may owe his book upon the Lord's Supper, at leaft fome paffages in it, (and perhaps fome other of his writings) to the impertinence of thofe that took upon them to examine him for this ordinance. Afk yourfelf, Sir, whether I am not right in my conjecture; and if I am, tell me whether it is reafonable, in all cafes, to question that authority which may be abufed; or whether it be worthy a wife man, because he has feen or felt the bad confequences of one extream, to run into the oppofite? What though the conduct of those churches be unjuftifiable, that infift upon a circumftantial account of a perfon's experience in public, does it follow, that therefore, the minifter muft not enquire into his life, and question him with refpect to his faith in the leading doctrines of the gofpel, and his views in coming to the Lord's Supper? Or becaufe fome have demanded a confeffion of what they had no right to know, and what, when known, could afford no proof of their fitnefs for the Lord's Supper, must we infer, that therefore requiring any profeffion is an impofition? Between these, there is certainly a very wide difference: the former appears to me to have no foundation either in fcrip

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ture or reafon; the latter, I cannot but think, abundantly warranted by both. From a careful attention to the feveral paffages I have produced, relating to church-fellowship, efpecially those just mentioned, refpecting a verbal profeffion; and from confidering the nature of that relation, into which, receiving the Lord's Supper brings us; and likewife what is ufually practifed upon admiffion into other focieties, it appears to me entirely fcriptural, and most highly rational, that a chriftian church fhould enquire concerning the character of those who want admiffion into their fociety, fhould defire evidence of their faith and piety from others, and should demand a profeffion from themfelves, either from their own mouths, or by the minifter, " that they cordially "embrace the Chriftian religion; that they are not "confcious to any thing in them inconfiftent with "the Chriftian temper; and that it is their firm "refolution, by the grace of God, to walk as "becometh the gofpel, and to behave, in every view, "fuitable to that relation to his church, into which "they are about to enter." Defiring your impartial confideration of what has been advanced, I conclude this Letter, with fubfcribing myfelf,

Rev. SIR,

Your's, &c.

LETTER

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LETTER VIII.

Rev. SIR,

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HE next enquiry, in which I proposed to attend you, is," What is the advantage of celebrating the Lord's Supper?" Your answer to which, is as follows: "It is of the fame nature with that which refults from repeating any cuftom, in "commemoration of any other important event; "of the fame nature with the celebration of the

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paffover, for inftance, among the Jews. It tends to perpetuate the memory of the tranfaction re"corded by it, and to cherish a grateful and joyful "fenfe of it. In this cafe, the custom tends to per"petuate the memory of the death of Chrift, and to "cherish our veneration and love for him: it in"flames our gratitude to fo great a benefastor, and confequently, our zeal to fulfil all his commands: moreover, being the joint action of feveral, it ftrengthens our affection to the common caufe, to "one another, and to all who are engaged in it." (p. 28.) I have no objection, Sir, to this account, fo far as it goes; but think it very defective; and the remark which you have fubjoined, appears to me highly unwarrantable. "If you expect more than "this (fay you) with refpect to yourselves or others, your expectations are unreafonable, enthufiaftical,

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"and fure to be difappointed." Bold enough truly and, I will maintain it, equally falfe. There are thofe, Sir, who not only expect more from this ordinance than you have allowed to be warrantable, but have actually found fomething more in it, which has proved to them beyond difpute, that their expectations were not unreafonable; and the teftimony of fcripture, in my apprehenfion, fufficiently vindicates their expectations, and their feelings, from the charge of enthusiasm.

Befides the advantages which, in the paffage now quoted, you have afferted to be the only ones that can rationally be expected from the Lord's Supper; give me leave to mention the following, as what I apprehend we may with equal reafon hope for from it, confidering the nature of the ordinance, and the general promises of the gofpel, with refpect to the benefits accompanying a due attendance upon all divine inftitutions.

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The first I will mention is, that it tends to confirm the Chriftian's faith in the divine original of the gofpel, and confequently, in the important doctrines of This follows from your own account, (p. 28.) "This cuftom of celebrating the Lord's Supper, may be confidered as a proof of the moft interefting facts, relating to Christianity. If they be "not, true, how could this cuftom have arifen ?" The frequent repetition of it then tends to establish the Chriftian in the belief of those facts, and by the frequent contemplation of thofe fpiritual objects which are prefented to his view in this ordinance, his faith in them is encreased, fo that they make a deeper impreffion upon his mind: nor can I fee that it is irrational to fuppofe, that thofe influences of divine grace are bestowed in this, among other means, to invigorate that faith in Chrift, which is faid to be the gift of God, which is the foundation of, and the grand incitement to all good works.

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Another advantage of celebrating the Lord's Supper is, that it ftrengthens our obligation to a life of univerfal holiness, which it does, not only as we have the moft cogent motives to fuch a life, in the most forcible manner reprefented to our minds in this inftitution, but as we hereby voluntarily enter into the moft folemn engagements to it. This advantage is fo obvious, even upon your own principles, that I am aftonished you fhould have omitted it here; for you exprefly tell us, (p. 30) the language of the action 15, I refolve, by the grace of God, to live and die "like a Chriftian." But can a man make fuch a declaration, in fo folemn a manner, and yet bring himfelf under no stronger obligation to purity of temper and life, than he would be under without it? And would the guilt of fuch a perfon, if he fhould continue in fin, be no greater than that of another man? To me it appears hi hly irrational to affert it; and tho' you have afferted it, when you say, (p. 34.) "If "a man be, in fact, a Chriftian, the obligation to "a Chriftian-like behaviour is much the fame, whe"ther he declare his belief of Chriftianity before "the world, or not;" yet, towards the clofe of your work, (p. 56.) as I hinted in a former letter, you feem to oppofe this fentiment, when (calling upon Chriftians to "declare themselves fuch, by "this folemn act") you say, "I call upon you to "own, and in fome measure to ftrengthen your obliga"tion to a virtuous life, by a more public profeffion "of Christianity; and let it be a motive with you, "to a fritter watch over your thoughts, words, "and actions; that in nothing you may act unworthily of the gofpel of God, whereof you make "profeffion." Now, I would afk, Whether (as we need all poffible obligations to an holy life) it be not an advantage to be brought under the strongest? In this view many have expected great benefit from the Lord's Supper, confidering themselves as thereby bound

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