Page:Brief inquiry into the origin and tendency of sacramental preaching-days (1).pdf/11

Rh The Lord’s Supper is a very solemn, a very important ordinance; but that it is so in a manner or a degree peculiar to itself, is without proof in or in Scripture. What Paul says to the Corinthians on this subject, (1 Epistle chap. xi) arises not from any peculiar solemnity in this, but from the manner in which they prostituted profaned it. All the ordinances of the Lord solemn and important, and to profane any of  is highly criminal. The ordinance of Baptism, instance, is instituted by the same anthority, and  to represent the same truth— the salvation  sinners by the death of Christ; must it not then  equally solemn, and equally important; and not the abuse or profanation of it be equally. Yet how few are there, even among, who view the object in this light— would not shudder at the thought of placing  on a level in point of solemnity and , with the Lord’s Supper. Now whence this supposed disparity arise? Not from language of scripture on the subject of these, surely. “Baptizing them in the of the Father, and of the Son and of the  is, to say the least of it, just as solemn  impressive, as, ‘Do this in remembrance of me.’— ‘As often as ye eat this bread and drink this, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.’  from the nature of these institutions, for if they  enjoined by the same authority— distinct parts the same religious system, and designed to  the same important truth, they must be  solemn in their nature, and alike entitled to  reverence and veneration. It must arise therefore, principally, from the spurious glare thrown the latter by a parade of holy-days, and a  of prescribed exercises, by means of which  other ordinance is thrown into the shade, and  into comparative insignificancy!