e received, freely give;' and hence our
conscientious refusal to support such ministry by tithes or other means.

"As we dare not encourage any ministry but that which we believe to spring
from the influence of the Holy Spirit, so neither dare we attempt to
restrain this influence to persons of any condition in life, or to the
male sex alone; but, as male and female are one in Christ, we allow such
of the female sex as we believe to be endued with a right qualification
for the ministry, to exercise their gifts for the general edification of
the church; and this liberty we esteem a peculiar mark of the gospel
dispensation, as foretold by the prophet Joel, and noticed by the apostle
Peter.

"There are two ceremonies in use among most professors of the Christian
name--water baptism, and what is termed the Lord's supper. The first of
these is generally esteemed the essential means of initiation into the
church of Christ, and the latter of maintaining communion with him. But,
as we have been convinced that nothing short of his redeeming power,
inwardly revealed, can set the soul free from the thraldom of sin, by this
power alone we believe salvation to be effected. We hold that, as there is
one Lord, and one faith, so his baptism is one, in nature and operation;
that nothing short of it can make us living members of his mystical body;
and that the baptism with water, administered by his forerunner John,
belonged, as the latter confessed, to an inferior and decreasing
dispensation.

"With respect to the other rite, we believe that communion between Christ
and his church is not maintained by that, nor any other external
performance, but only by a real participation of his divine nature,
through faith; that this is the supper alluded to in Revelation, 'Behold,
I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the
door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me;' and
that, where the substance is attained, it is unnecessary to attend to the
shadow, which doth not confer grace, and concerning which, opinions so
different, and animosities so violent, have arisen.

"Now, as we thus believe that the grace of God, which comes by Jesus
Christ, is alone sufficient for salvation, we can neither admit that it is
conferred on a few only, whilst others are left without it, nor, thus
asserting its universality, can we limit its operation to a partial
cleansing of the soul from sin, even in this life. We