The Baptism Of Believers Only And The Particular Communion Of The Baptist Churches Explained And Vindicated

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This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

How one settles the matter of baptism will necessarily determine the communion question as well. The American Baptist Dr. Thomas Baldwin addressed himself to both issues, that of baptism of believers and that of close communion, most admirably and convincingly in a three-part volume first published in 1806. This reprint of Baldwin's apologetic has been retyped in modern type with additional commentary added to the original footnotes.

At its foundation, the answer to the question, "What, or perhaps more accurately, Who is the Church?" is the reason for Dr. Baldwin's book. He addresses the subject from the perspective of the ordinances, baptism and the Lord's Supper, that the Head of the Church established, describing from the New Testament record who has a "right" to them, and his answers draw a clear and fixed distinction between the two opposing positions in this vital debate - vital to the life, the character, the visible existence of the Church itself. If his opponents be correct, then the Church may, in the final analysis and by "good and necessary inference," open its ordinances to virtually anyone, and thus to virtually everyone, with practically no previous manifest obedience to Christ. But if his statement of the case be right, then those who disagree find themselves in the unenviable position, in Dr. Baldwin's words, of laying "the foundation for a graceless church, and would leave no other difference between that and the world, than what consists merely in name and external form." It was the unique excellence of the Baptists in the centuries that followed the Reformation to be the advocates for a truly, and exclusively, spiritual kingdom of priests - that the Church in its organized and visible demonstration should be composed only of persons who exhibit the character of those the inspired writers denominate "saints." Thus, they Biblically reasoned, the ordinances that the Lord of the Church has given should reflect, in their application, this distinction "between the holy and profane...between the unclean and the clean." Here, then, is the point of departure for Dr. Baldwin's treatise.

Excerpt from The Baptism of Believers Only, and the Particular Communion of the Baptist Churches, Explained and Vindicated, Vol. 1 of 3: In Three Parts, the First, Published Originally in 1789; The Second, in 1794; The Third, an Appendix, Containing Additional Observations and Arguments, With Strictures on Several Late Publications The Impropriety of the Baptill Churches communicating with thofe of other Denominations confidcrcd, and their difference in Sentiment more particularly pointed out. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Excerpt from The Baptism of Believers Only, and the Particular Communion of the Baptist Churches, Explained and Vindicated, Vol. 3 of 3: In Three Parts; The First Published Originally in 1789; The Second in 1794; The Third an Appendix, Containing Additional Observations and Arguments, With Strictures on Several Late Publications In conformity to thmael of the Congtol's of the United States, entitm tied, An Aft for the encouragement of leatning, by fecuring the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the Authors and Proprietors of foch copies, during the times therein mentioned and alfo to an ah, entitled, An A8 fupplernentary to an ar, entitled, An A3 for the encouragement of learning, by feenring the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the Authors and Proprietors of fuch copies, du'ring times therein mentioned and extending the benefits, thereof to the arts of defigning, engraving, and etching hiflorical and other prints. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.