It does seem an unreal and exaggerated way of speak ing, to characterise a mere rite of dedication, or solemn profession, in such extraordinary terms as "a burial and resurrection with Christ;" a means by which Christ "sanctifies and cleanses His Church," the "bath of New Birth," whereby we are saved-the antitype of the Noachic water, whereby we are now saved," and to connect it as needful to Salvation with Repentance, Faith, and the New Birth of the Spirit. (Rom. vi. 1-4; Ephes. v. 26; Tit. iii. 5; Mark xvi. 16; John iii, 5.)

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Then, in the next place, I would remark that there are no counter passages to these—no Scripture statements can be produced, which modify these statements or explain them away-no statements which contrast "water" with "Spirit" Baptism, so as to lead Christians to believe that God's Son, after having solemnly annexed a certain blessing to the due reception of Baptism, has withdrawn that blessing.

The reader will also notice, that if the natural meaning of the above passages be the true one, then the reception of Baptism is a divinely-specified link in that sequence of truth which men call the "Plan of Salvation." If Christ declared the terms of salvation in His discourse with Nicodemus, then to be "born of water and of the Spirit is an essential to salvation. If St. Peter proclaimed aright the plan of salvation in the first Christian sermon ever preached, then to be "baptized for the remission of sins forms a part of that plan. If there be a true scheme of Christian doctrine revealed in the Epistle to the Romans, then Baptism, as a "burial and resurrection with Christ," forms an important practical feature of that scheme. Amongst the great things pertaining to salvation, grouped together in the beginning of the fourth chapter of the Epistle to the Ephesians, we have "one Baptism" men

tioned along with "One Lord," and "One God and Father of all."

It is plain, then, that no symbolical book, service book, or confession of faith can be Scriptural which ignores the place of Baptism amongst the great things of the Gospel.

I am well aware that there is great difficulty in ascertaining the relation of this Sacrament to predestination, justification by faith, conversion, and other matters of the highest importance; but what of this? God requires us to believe His statements, not to reconcile them with one another, or determine their exact places in the Christian scheme.

So far for the direct Scripture assertions respecting the grace which God is pleased to communicate to us in this Sacrament.

II. We now come to consider another point of equal importance with the above direct statements, which ie this, that the Christians of the Apostolic Churches are always addressed in God's word as having entered into a state of Grace, or Regeneration, or Salvation, at their Baptism.

The proof of this statement we shall deduce from the Apostolical Epistles. These letters are, with three trifling exceptions, addressed to certain Christian communities, or to their clergy.

All the members of these Churches are assumed to be in a state of grace, and that state of grace one and the same in all cases, though it is described sometimes in one way, sometimes in another.

The Members of these Churches are all assumed to be ȧyío, or saints, i.e. holy; but saints, or holy, not by any means in the sense of being all spiritual, or good, or pure, which they are never all assumed to be, but in the sense

of "dedicated to God," and "set apart," or consecrated to His service. (Rom. i. 7; 1 Cor. i. 2; 2 Cor. i. 1; Eph. i. 1; &c.)

They had all (Rom. vi. 1-4; buried, they were

They are all addressed as "in Christ." (Gal. iii. 27, 28; Eph. i. 1, ii. 21, 22; Phil. i. 1; Col. i. 2.) They had all "put on Christ." (Gal. iii. 27.) been "buried with Christ in baptism." Col. ii. 12.) As having been all thus all to reckon themselves "dead to sin." (Rom. vi. 11; Col. iii. 3.) They had "all by one Spirit been baptized into one body." (1 Cor. xii. 13.) They are all "tho body of Christ, and members in particular." (Rom. xii. 4, 5; 1 Cor. xii. 12, 13, 27; Eph. v. 30.) The bodies of all of them are "the members of Christ" (1 Cor. vi. 15); the "temples of the Spirit" (1 Cor. vi. 19). Collectively, also, they are "the temple of God." (1 Cor. iii. 16.) They are espoused to one husband." (2 Cor. xi. 2.) They partake in common of one holy and heavenly calling. (Heb. iii. 1; 1 Pet. i. 15, ii. 21, iii. 9.) They all have a birthright, and so are all heirs. (1 Pet. iii. 7; Heb. xii. 16.) They have all "come to the Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem" (Heb. xii. 22); the heavenly Jerusalem is their mother (Gal. iv. 26). They are "of the household of God," and are "builded together for an habitation of God." (Eph. ii. 19, 21, 22.) They are all in some sense of God." (1 Pet. ii. 10.) They are "within," whilst the Gentiles amongst whom they live are "without." (1 Cor. v. 11-13; 1 Thess. iv. 12.) They are the elect or chosen of God. (1 Pet. i. 2, ii. 9; 2 Pet. i. 10.) are ail sons of God by adoption. (Gal. iv. 5, 6.) They are all the "flock of God." (Acts They are all begotten by God's will. i. 23.) Finally, they are all "brethren." "The brethren

"the people

They

xx. 28; 1 Pet. v 2.) (Jas. i. 18; 1 Pet.

is the common designation of Christians in the Acts and Epistles.

All these terms, each presupposing some grace received from God, are applied to all the members of the Apostolic Churches indiscriminately, and without the slightest reservation expressed or understood.

There is not one word throughout the Epistles which would lead us to suppose that God recognises two Churches, a visible Church of mere professing Christians, and an invisible one of true believers; there is not one word about two callings, an effectual calling, and an ineffectual one; there is not one word about two elections, an inner election to glory amidst an outer election to mere ecclesiastical privilege; there is not one word respecting two brotherhoods, but all are brethren-all are assumed to be in one family, one household.

The reader can form no idea of the extent to which this inclusive mode of address pervades the Apostolical writings, unless he examines them himself with a view to this matter, and marks cach place that bears upon it.1

The great Church principle, that God has one Church, the mystical body of His Son-that this Church is, by its very nature, a visible organised body, and yet that all the members of this Church are assumed to be in God's favour or grace, or to have once been in it-this great Church principle pervades the Apostolical Epistles, to the total exclusion of any counter principle.

Some of the more important Epistles open with its enunciation, in that they begin with salutations to tho whole body of Christians in cach locality. The Epistle to the Romans, for instance, is addressed to "all that are in

1 The reader will find a review of the Apostolical Epistles with reference to the use of these terms in my "Second Adam and New Birth," chapters ix., x., xi.

Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints." The Epistle to the Corinthians, "To the Church of God which is at Corinth, with all that in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." The Second to the Corinthians is directed to the "Church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia;" the Epistle to the Galatians, to "the Churches of Galatia."

But, besides this, it must be remarked that these great things said of the Church are all said with the view of influencing the practice of the individual members of that body.

Does the Apostle, for instance, hold the Roman Christians to have been all buried with Christ in Baptism? It is that they may all "walk in newness of life,” and not suffer sin to "reign in their mortal bodies." (Rom. vi. 4, 12.)

Does the Apostle speak of them all as being "one body in Christ" (Rom. xii. 2-6)? It is that every man among them may think of himself soberly.

Are the Corinthian Christians reminded (1 Cor. iii. 17) that they are the "temple of God"? They are reminded of it in order that they may fear exceedingly lest they defile or destroy that temple. Are they reminded that their "bodies are the "members of Christ," and "temples of the Spirit"? It is that they may keep those bodies in temperance, soberness, and chastity. (1 Cor. vi. 15-20.)

Are they all addressed as "by one Spirit baptized into one body"? It is that they may regard all their fellowChristians as fellow-members of Christ's body, and so sympathise with, and care for, one another. (1 Cor. xii. 13-27.)

Are all the Galatian Christians assumed to have "put on Christ" in Baptism? It is that they may stand fast in