when they are "born again." God sends forth the Spirit of His Son into their hearts, whereby they cry, Abba, Father. They are born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, according to the will of God, being begotten with the word of truth, by the power of the Spirit of truth. A new life is thus received from Christ, "for every one that is righteous is born of Him;" and thus we have our Triune Covenant God concurring to form every new-born child of heavenly birth.

Fifth. Believingly. By a living faith in the Son of God, as saith the Apostle, "Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." The brethren beloved of the Lord are chosen to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. The Spirit works faith in the heart, and faith lays hold on and receives the blessings of adopting favour, and thus puts us instrumentally amongst the living family of God.

Sixth. Professedly. That is, by baptism. We are born of water in baptism in the same sense that we are said to be saved by baptism, that is, figuratively and professedly; that we should walk in newness of life, as the children of our Triune God, in whose name we are baptized. We enter the visible and professed family of God by this most solemn and significant ordinance which is the symbol of our death unto the service of sin and of our rising to a new life in the service of Christ.

Seventh. Obediently. This is the manifestation, the proof, the outcome, the result of all the rest. For if we do not walk as the children of God, in humble and willing obedience to His revealed will, we give no proof that we are His sons in any other sense. This is constantly insisted on in the word of

one.

God, and that in all the various forms of expression that can be supposed capable of being used to distinguish the children of God from the children of the wicked To this effect let us cite four passages from amongst many others that might be adduced :-"As obedient children," ""As He who hath called us is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation." "But love ye your enemies, and do good, and ye shall be the children of the Highest." "That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God without rebuke." "Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you and will be a Father to you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord God Almighty." Obedience, then, is the test, the token, the manifestation of sonship even as it is of discipleship. We are called upon to be followers of God as dear children, and to walk in love as Christ also hath loved us. Apostle teaches us that the love and grace of our Heavenly Father, as manifested in and through Christ, together with the love of Christ and what he has done to shew it in giving Himself for us, should incite in us, His children, a willing, loving, and constant obedience to His commands and imitation of his example. Without this we give no proof that we are His children at all. The Lord give us grace and wisdom to walk before Him as 66 dear children," from those high and powerful motives, and may the blessed Spirit seal us more and more as heirs of glory, and so may we be enabled to say in humble faith and with adoring gratitude, "Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God." R. HODDY. Pentonville, December, 1873.

The

tendency with respect to the communion question.

About a hundred years ago, nearly all our Baptist churches held the scriptural truth that the commemoration of the Redeemer's death should be preceded by

baptism into it. Early in the present century, however, this sentiment was contravened, and by none more vigorously than the celebrated Robert Hall. Beguiled by the splendour of his genius, many of our churches left "the old paths," and took the first step in the course which I will now endeavour to describe.

1. The unbaptized were admitted by them to "The Lord's table."

It was asserted that baptism was not a term of communion; but that faith in Christ was the only one. Robert Hall was too keen-sighted a logician to take the ground which some had previously occupied who, while holding that baptism ought to precede the commemoration of the Saviour's death, maintained that we should regard as baptized any who deemed that they were. A monstrous opinion; for it makes the notions of men rather than the will of Christ our rule of action. An opinion which, if fully carried out, would admit Socinians to our church fellowship; since most of them apply the same terms and phrases to the person and work of our Lord that we ourselves do, but with an infinitely lower meaning. The latest defenders of mixed communion, too sagacious to assume such a position as this, have removed the ordinance of baptism from the place in which the Master had put it, and substituted for it a fond fancy of their own. Hence, instead of gathering at "the Lord's Supper" those who had followed Him through the baptismal waters, it was surrounded by a motley group of the baptized and the unbaptized, churchmen and dissenters, Calvinists and Arminians. They all agreed that baptism was a nonessential; and complacently asked concerning the appointment of the King in Zion, "Is it not a little one?"

2. For many years, this limit, with a few exceptions, was not exceeded: the table was open, but the church was strict. None except the baptized were admitted to membership. Of late years, some churches among us have grown broader, and receive into full church fellowship, "a mixed multitude" of all kinds; thus devising an ark "out of their own heart," instead of cleaving to the pattern showed in the "holy mount" of revelation.

The only slender tie which bound these

churches to the Baptist denomination was the proviso embodied in their trust deeds that their pastors, and in some cases their deacons, also, should be Baptists. They, forsooth, must be loyal; the members might be just what they liked. The standard-bearers must uplift the royal banner; the troops might muster beneath what flag they preferred.

I cannot, in the space of a brief paper, point out the evils resulting from the pursuance of so devious a course. I have sought to do this in a Tract, No. 30, of the "Baptist Tract Society," entitled "The Practical Tendency of Mixed Communion." Suffice it to say here, that, in virtue of such heterogeneous assemblages, unrighteous compromises have been made, the voice of truth stifled, a sacred institution neglected, the authority of the Head of the church weakened, and most unseemly bickerings and divisions occasioned.

3. As if Churches of the above class had not become sufficiently latitudinarian, there are some which have taken away the one link that at all united them, although loosely enough, with Baptists. The members of the church may be of any persuasion, and so may the pastor and deacons Baptist or Pædo-baptist, or well-nigh anything else, it matters not which. Many of these people dislike and repudiate the very name of Baptist. I suppose, if they had to translate the New Testament, that in their nice and delicate catholicity, they would be fain to render the official phrase," John the Baptist," by John the Herald, or some such designation. Things must have come to a strange pass when some among us deem the term which is the badge of our honour, the stigma of our disgrace.

4. But there seems to be a more downward course still. We hear of chapels in which provision is made for the sprinkling of infants and the immersion of believers the font, that vestige of Popery, as if in mockery and scorn of a christian ordinance, put side by side with the baptistery. Rumour tells of Baptist pastors prepared to administer the rite in in both forms, and to both subjects. Whether parties so unprincipled, do really exist in this country, I cannot positively affirm. Some years ago, how

ever, a minister who had avowed himself a "Baptist to the back-bone," soon after effected a union between a Baptist and a Pædo-baptist community, of which he took the charge, and to which on one occasion, he announced his willingness to baptize (i.e., sprinkle) the children of Christians. The only reason why he did not thereafter immerse believers was, I think, because they would not be immersed by such a man.

Thus we see that "the beginning of error, like that of strife, is as when one letteth out water." The perforation in the bank may be slight at first; but the out-flow increases it to a wide breach, and the reservoir becomes empty and dry. We may well add, "therefore leave off [error] before it be meddled with."

5. It is a mournful fact that, together with grievously lax views on the nature and relationship of baptism and "the Lord's Supper," there should be the diffusion of notions affecting great fundamental truths; notions which disparage or ignore the dignity of the Redeemer's

person, the grandeur and efficacy of his atoning sacrifice, and the importance and necessity of the work of the Holy Spirit. I do not allege that there is a necessary connection between what I regard as wrong on the question of communion, and the adoption of those graver errors to which I have just referred. It is, nevertheless, a somewhat suspicious and lamentable circumstance that they so often "both grow together." The taller and more pernicious weeds spring up and flourish near the smaller ones.

Let me, in conclusion, counsel the churches among which your periodical circulates, to hold fast the prime doctrines of "the everlasting gospel," and the ordinances of divine institution; to retain all the goodly trees planted in "the garden of the Lord," and to keep up the fence. I remain,

Yours very truly,
JAMES WEBB.

Bury, Lancashire, January 5th, 1874.

THE lips of man are perverse, speaking evil, and that continually; and the words of Holy Writ are confirmed by what we daily experience, that man

goeth astray from the womb, speaking lies," and his "throat is an open sepulchre." The heart is a corrupt fountain, and sendeth forth the deadly stream of sin through the lips; hence, ere a man can speak the language of Canaan, divine power must stem the torrent of evil, and implant the deathless principle of grace, so bringing the lips into subjection to the gospel. In considering the above words we notice first, the fruit of the lips; second, the peace which God reveals third, the promise to the sin-sick and weary: "I will heal him." Firstly, the fruit of the lips; which may be spoken

of in respect to the deep and penitential confessions of a new-born soul. What a miracle of mercy it is to see and hear a man under conviction of sin, expressing true regret for his wrong doings, and not attempting to excuse or hide his guilt, but taking all the shame to himself, and owning that God would be just were he to condemn him. This is the fruit of a silent, secret work in the mind whereby God reveals the inward corruption of the heart, and so creates deep penitence which flows from the lips in sighs and cries. Another fruit may be that of earnest wrestling prayer, when a man under a consciousness of sin, seeks for mercy, whose hope is built on the finished work of Jesus, and whose hourly cry is, Lord, save or I perish." This fruit of

supplication is created by the inward drawings of the Holy Spirit, through whom we learn how to approach the mercy-seat. A third fruit is praise, holy exultation and joy, finding vent in such words as those uttered by the Psalmist, "While I live will I praise the Lord I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being." This invariably follows penitence and prayer. This is a comely fruit, God admires and approves it, and although we may now feel the keen blast, yet he hath promised to turn our sorrow into joy. Blessed are they that weep, for they shall laugh. If we have wept over our lost estate, God will create the joy arising from a sense of union with Christ, and then the fruit shall be seen. Praise is our privilege, and none have such cause to rejoice as the blood-bought children of the Highest. Again, a very precious fruit is open, candid avowal of faith in Christ, created through the inward assurance that we have God on our side and for our portion, and that it is an honour to be accounted worthy (if needs be) to suffer for His sake. How boldly Paul before Agrippa preached the gospel, and though he knew that everywhere bonds and imprisonment awaited him, yet it did not deter him from preaching Jesus. Quickened, pardoned, and brought into Gospel liberty, he knew no fear of man.

With the lips "confession is made unto salvation," and by the same means it behoves us to tell of Him, whom we love and serve. Let the solemn question be asked, How do I use my lips? Do I render them to God to praise and glorify him? Is my conversation such as becometh the gospel I profess? Or do I give my lips to the vain conversation of the wicked? Be assured that as the heart is, whether for good or bad, so are they. Oh the blessedness of our interest in His covenant love, and a mind disposed to

and applied by the Holy Spirit. National and domestic peace is a blessing, but God through Christ, bestows a peace which passeth all understanding, and is freely given to the rebellious sons of men, who if left to themselves, would never sue for it. "Even to them that are afar off;" which may refer to the deeply sunken in sin, or to those who have lived alike destitute of example and precept,the outcast, removed far from God, even unto the uttermost parts of the earth, and him that is near in point of moral rectitude or godly training, as the young lawyer who came running to Jesus and was said to be only lacking in one thing. This message of peace is needed both by the fifty and five-hundred-pence debtor. All must come on equal ground as guilty ruined sinners; but the blackest need not despair, for God's thoughts are peace towards every humble penitent. Christ hath made peace by his blood, and law and justice are as one with all believers in him. To be at peace with God is ours, by His grace subduing the enmity of the carnal mind; and happy is the man that hath been led to exclaim,

"Yes, but I yield, I yield,

I can hold out no more;
I sink, by dying love compelled,
And own thee conqueror."

Thirdly, the encouragement flowing from the promise, "I will heal him.' First, him, (i.e.) the contrite sinner seeking peace, sensible of an inward disease, a moral leprosy. Secondly, "his ways;' (see preceding verse.) Are our ways perverse, crooked, uneven, perplexing, distressing? The Lord can make the rough plain, and the crooked straight; and he will do so. Thirdly, he healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds." "He sent his word and healed them." Reflect upon the all-powerful, efficacious, and costly medicine, the precious blood of Christ. It always cures. O ye

who have need of healing, come to this fountain, so free and full. Over the portals of mercy, these words are inscribed, "I will give to him that is athirst, of the water of life freely." Come then, for without money and without price, he healeth all diseases. When may the great Physician be seen? I answer, now! Listen and obey. "Come now