RELIGIOUS CONVINCEMENT AND PLEA, FOR THE BAPTISM AND COMMUNION OF THE SPIRIT, AND THAT WHICH IS OF Material Bread, Wine and Water REJECTED AS JEWISH RITES; BOTH UNPROFITABLE, AND THE CAUSE OF GREAT DIVISION AMONG CHRISTIANS. ALSO, SOME REMARKS ON THE ABUSE, USE AND MISAPPLICATION OF THE SCRIPTURES; AND THE ECCLESIASTICAL SUCCESSION REFUTED; WHEREBY THE RITE TO ORDAIN BY THE LAYING ON OF HANDS IS LOST; BESIDES NOT NECESSARY TO QUAL IFY A GOSPEL MINISTER. BY TALLCUT PATCHING. "This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his trouble." The angel of the LORD encompasseth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. O, taste and see that the LORD is good. BLESSED IS THE MAN THAT TRUSTETH IN HIM.-Ps. xxxiv. 6, 7, 8. There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. Prov. xiv. 12, BUFFALO: PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR, BY H. A. SALISBURY. 1822. PREFACE. NOTHING is more common to the natural minded, than to put the most favorable construction upon their situation, especially in matters of religion. For this reason, when God sent his prophets to the Jews, they were far from believing that their preaching was any way applicable to them; or that their denunciations, were by any means fitting to their condition. When the prophet Micaiah prophesied to Ahab he had to prophesy against four hundred who professed to be the servants of God; they would that he should have prophesied smooth things and because he could not, "bread of affliction," and "waters of affliction" were given him. The language of the Jews was, "Is not the law with us. If they were charged with inconstaney, they were ready to say "Wherein have we robbed God ?" Sudden destruction cometh, when men cry peace and safety, and frequently when danger is least expected. I know that there is a certain part in man that feels itself mortified, whenever it is charged with mistake or error; but though it should be my lot, to be counted among the singular, yet it is my intention not to speak smooth things since the |