that the baptism of John is not an ordinance of the Gospel, they presume the same conclusion will be adopted, if they take into consideration the practice and opinions of Jesus Christ.

That Jesus Christ never forbade water-baptism, the Quakers readily allow. But they conceive his silence on this subject to have arisen from his knowledge of the internal state of the Jews: he knew how carnal their minds were, how much they were attached to outward ordinances, and how difficult it was all at once to bring them into his spiritual kingdom. Hence he permitted many things for a time, on account of the weakness of their spiritual vision.

That Jesus submitted also to baptism himself, they allow. But he submitted to it not because he intended to make it an ordinance under the new dispensation, but, to use his own words, "that he might fulfil all righteousness." Hence also he was circumcised; hence he celebrated the Passover; and hence he was enabled to use these remarkable words upon the cross," It is fulfilled."

But though Jesus Christ never forbade waterbaptism, and though he was baptised with water by John, yet he never baptised any one himself. A rumor had gone abroad among the Pharisees, that Jesus had baptised more disciples than John the Baptist. But John, the beloved disciple of Jesus, who had leaned on his bosom, and who knew more of his sentiments and practice than any other person, is very careful in correcting this hear-say report, as if unworthy of the spirit

ual mind of his master, and states positively "that Jesus baptised not.*

The Quakers lay a great stress upon this circumstance for they say, that if Jesus never baptised with water himself, it is a proof that he never intended to erect water-baptism into a Gospelrite. It is difficult to conceive, they say, that he should have established a sacrament, and that he should never have administered it. Would he not, on the other hand, if his own baptism had been that of water, have begun his ministry by baptising his own disciples, notwithstanding they had previously been baptised by John? But he not only never baptised himself, but it is no where recorded that he ordered his disciples to baptise with water. He once ordered a leper to go to the priest and to offer the gift for his cleansing; at another time, he ordered a blind man to go and wash in the pool of Siloam; but he never ordered any one to go and be baptised with water. On the other hand, it is said by the Quakers, that he clearly intimated to three of his disciples at the transfiguration, that the dispensations of Moses and John were to pass away; and that he taught himself "that the kingdom of God cometh not with observation;" or that it consisted not in those outward and lifeless ordinances, in which many of those, to whom he addressed himself, placed the essence of their religion.

* John iv, 2.

+ Matth. viii. 4.

+ John ix. 7.

SECTION VII.

Supper of the Lord-Two such suppers; one enjoined by Moses, the other by Jesus Christ-The former called the Passover-original manner of its celebration-the use of bread and wine added to it-these long in use when Jesus Christ celebrated it-Since his time alterations made in this supper by the Jews-but bread and wine still continued to be component parts of it, and continue so to the present day-Modern manner of the celebration of it.

THERE are two suppers of the Lord recorded in the Scriptures; the first enjoined by Moses, and he second by Jesus Christ.

The first is called the supper of the Lord, because it was the last supper which Jesus Christ participated with his disciples, or which the Lord and Master celebrated with them in commemoration of the Passover. And it may not improperly be called the supper of the Lord on another account, because it was the supper, which the lord and master of every Jewish family celebrated, on the same festival, in his own house.

This supper was distinguished, at the time alluded to, by the name of the Passover-supper. The object of the institution of it was to commemorate the event of the Lord passing over the houes of the Israelites in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered the former from their hard and oppressive bondage.

The directions of Moses concerning this festival were short, but precise.

On the fourteenth day of the first month, called Nissan, the Jews were to kill a lamb in the evening. It was to be eaten in the same evening, roasted with fire; and the whole of it was

to be eaten, or the remains of it to be consumed with fire before morning. They were to eat it with loins girded, with their shoes on their feet, and with their staves in their hands, and to eat it in haste. The bread, which they were to eat, was to be unleavened, all of it, and for seven days. There was to be no leaven in their houses during that time. Bitter herbs also were to be used at this feast. And none, who were uncircumcised, were allowed to partake of it.

This was the simple manner, in which the Passover, and the feast of unleavened bread, (which was included in it) were first celebrated. But as the Passover, in the age following its institution, was not to be killed and eaten in any other place than where the Lord chose to fix his name, which was afterwards at Jerusalem, it was suspended for a time. The Jews, however, retained the festival of unleavened bread wherever

they dwelt. At this last feast, in process of time they added the use of wine to the use of bread. The introduction of the wine was followed by the introduction of new customs. The lord or master of the feast used to break the bread, and to bless it, saying, "Blessed be thou, O Lord, who givest us the fruits of the earth!" He used to take the cup, which contained the wine, and bless it also: "Blessed be thou, O Lord, who givest us of the fruit of the vine !" The bread was twice blessed upon this occasion, and given once to every individual at the feast. But the cup was handed round three times to the guests. During the intervals between the blessing and taking of the bread and of the wine, the company acknowl

edge the deliverance of their ancestors from the Egyptian bondage; they lamented their present state; they confessed their sense of the justice of God in their punishment; and they expressed their hope of his mercy, from his former kind dealings and gracious promises.

In process of time, when the Jews were fixed at Jerusalem, they revived the celebration of the Passover; and as the feast of unleavened bread was connected with it, they added the customs of the latter, and blended the eating of the lamb, and the use of the bread and wine, and their several accompaniments of consecration, into one ceremony. The bread therefore and the wine had been long in use as constituent parts of the Passover-supper, (and indeed of all the solemn feasts of the Jews) when Jesus Christ took upon himself, as the master of his own family of disciples, to celebrate it. When he celebrated it, he did as the master of every Jewish family did at that time. He took bread, and blessed, and broke, and gave it to his disciples. He took the cup of wine, and gave it to them also. But he conducted himself differently from others in one respect; for he compared the bread of the Passover to his own body, and the wine to his own blood, and led the attention of his disciples from the old object of the Passover, or deliverance from Egyptian bondage, to a new one, or deliverance from sin.

Since the time of our Saviour, we find that the Jews, who have been dispersed in various parts of the world, have made alterations in this supper; but all of them have concurred in retaining the