Jesus Christ "baptized with the Holy Ghost;" though the laying on of the apostles' hands with prayer, was the general sign of the Lord's conferring the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit on those who had been baptized. I say general; because the Holy Spirit was thus poured out on Cornelius and his friends, before baptism, and without the laying on of the apostles' hands.* No doubt, in one sense Christ baptizes all his true disciples with the Holy Ghost: "By one Spirit we are all baptized into one body." It was of this baptism, that John said to our Lord, "I have need to be baptized "of thee." John did not need to be baptized "with water," by the apostles or ministers of Christ; nor even by the Saviour himself. He lived and died before baptism, “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, "and of the Holy Ghost," was instituted: but, as born in sin, he needed to be "washed and sanctified, and jus tified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit "of our God;" as our Lord said unto Peter, "If I "wash thee not, thou hast no part in me." The application, however, of John Baptist's words by our Lord, when about to ascend into heaven, to his apostles and disciples, is restricted by the words "not many days "hence," to the pouring out of the Holy Spirit upon them on the day of Pentecost: not merely by enduing them more abundantly than before, with miraculous powers, and conferring on them the gift of tongues; but by purifying their minds and hearts from all ambitious and secular thoughts and desires; and by elevating their desires and affections to every thing holy, sublime and divine; as by fire, which changes into its own nature whatever is capable of that change, and consumes whatever is not capable of it. vi. 11. Acts x. 44-48. † 1 Cor. xii. 13. + Matt. i. 14. § 1 Cor. P. xxx. l. 3. This communication, &c.'* Whence then come the holy desires, the good counsels, and 'the just works' of those who repent and believe before they are baptized? Admitting in this place, that baptism is regeneration, or, that regeneration uniformly accompanies baptism when rightly administered: yet, as according to his Lordship's subsequent statement, the grace of baptism may be lost by sin; such professed christians as have lost it, perhaps at an early period in life, do not possess the invaluable blessing of prevent'ing grace:' and if it be not restored in some other way, subsequent to baptism, they must for ever remain destitute of it. P. xxx. l. 11. It (the Holy Spirit) tells us what 'we ought to do, not with the erroneous judgment of 'man, but with the infalliable truth of God.' Either the holy scriptures tells us the same; and so according to this there is no distinction between the word of truth and the Spirit of truth: or some suggestion, whisper, or impression, distinguishable from the operations of our own minds, seems implied in the words; and indeed more strongly, than in most things found in the writings of Calvinists, who are, without distinction, condemned as Enthusiasts. The word of God sufficiently tells us 'what we ought to do:' and if the Holy Spirit do nothing more than this, we are no nearer salvation, than before; unless it be more difficult to tell men their duty, than to induce and enable them to perform it; but this is contrary to universal observation and experience. P. xxx. l. 13, Nay more, it affords us actual sup 'This communication being made at baptism, at the time of admission 'into the gospel covenant, every Christian must possess the invaluable bles. 'sing of preventing grace, which, without extinguishing the evil propensi'ties of our nature, inspires holy desires, suggests good counsels, and ex'cites to just works.' port in the discharge of our duty, by strengthening our 'feeble nature, and invigorating our virtuous resolutions.' This indeed is something more than ' telling ' us what we ought to do:' but the grand desideratum, a willing mind, is not provided for. Unless it be true, in fact, that all baptized persons are inspired with holy desires, inclinations and counsels, and an efficacious excitement to good works; the whole must come far short of what our case requires, as far as baptism is concerned. Note from Barrow, To all persons, &c.'* If this were indeed the case, surely we should witness more of the happy effects in children, and young persons, brought up under religious instructions. But what impartial observer does not know, that baptized children, from the first dawn of reason, are as self-willed, wayward, passionate, rebellious against authority, as envious, contentious, prone to deceit, and unteachable in respect of what is truly good, as other children are? P. xxx. l. 18. If we make, &c. 't Being by nature born in sin, and children of wrath, we are hereby 'made the children of grace.' According to this, either the outward and visible sign,' in baptism, or the inward and spiritual grace,' or both combined, • "To all persons by the Holy mystery of baptism duly initiated to "Christianity, or admitted into the communion of Christ's body, the grace of "God's Holy Spirit certainly is bestowed, enabling them to perform the con"ditions of piety and virtue then undertaken by them; enlightening their "minds, rectifying their wills, purifying their affections, directing and as. sisting them in their practice; the which holy gift (if not abused, ill. "treated, driven away, or quenched by their ill behaviour) will perpetually "be continued, improved, and increased to them." " If we make a right use of baptismal grace, it is encreased; and by re. 'peated additions, in consequence of right use, it carries forward the hu ⚫ man soul from one degree of religious proficiency to another, till it quali'fies us to be "heirs of God," 99 66 and joint heirs with Christ." + Catechism. makes the baptized person a child of grace: and if baptism is regeneration, or uniformly attended by it; then all who are rightly baptized, become at the time chil'dren of grace,' that is, children of God. Yet the pas sage under consideration, states men's being qualified to be, "heirs of God, and joint heirs of Christ," (for so all the children of God are,) as a distant thing, distinct both from the outward sign, and the inward grace of baptism, and the result of making a right use of bap'tisinal grace.' No doubt it is our bounden duty, to make a right use of every means of grace,' and of every inward good desire, counsel or suggestion: and except we do this, we are not authorized to expect the blessings of adoption, and the spirit of adoption; but if we depend on our own strength and resolutions, and trust in our own hearts;'* instead of "trusting in the Lord with all our hearts;" our confidence will surely be put to shame, as Peter's was. Baptismal grace will be more fully considered, in the remarks on the next chapter; but it may here be noted; that, whatever it be, it must either be made a proper use of from the first dawn of reason, or it will speedily be lost; and in how few instances, the former is the case, needs not to be repeated. "Even a child may be "known by his doing, whether his work be pure, and "whether it be right."+ P. xxxii. l. 7. It rests with ourselves, whether we 'will obey its suggestions,' that is, those of the Holy Spirit. No man obeys the suggestions of the Spirit, against his will; and certainly they may be withstood or quenched: but a question here comes in our way, How is it that all men do not finally and fatally resist the Holy Spirit; seeing all are by nature alike depraved? To this VOL. F. • Prov. xxviii. 96. Prov. xx 11. H question, the apostle suggests an answer, when he says, We were by nature the children of wrath even as "others; but God, who is rich in mercy, for his great "love wherewith he loved us; even when we were dead "in sin, hath quickened us together with Christ: by grace are ye saved:"* and with this the liturgy and articles of our church coincide. As by thy special grace preventing us, thou dost put into our hearts good desires: so by thy continual help we may bring the same to good effect.'† 'Wherefore they which 'be endued with so excellent a benefit of God, be called 'according to God's purpose, by his Spirit working in 'due season; they through grace obey the calling.'‡ The language however of the passage under consideration, implies that the influence of the Holy Spirit which is spoken of, is merely a suggestion to the mind, reminding, or informing us of something forgotten or unknown, without any direct efficacious operation on the will and affections: and a quotation from Dr. Jortin, which follows, confirms the same opinion: but this is widely different from "God's working in us to will and "to do:" and putting into our hearts good desires; as it will erc long be more fully shown. P. xxxii. l. 9. Even St. Paul allowed the possi'bility of his having received the grace of God in vain.' That there is a sense, in which men may "receive the 66 grace of God in vain" cannot be denied: but in the passage referred to,¶ it is evident, that the apostle is not .speaking concerning the grace of God given to him, being in vain, as to his own salvation; but as to the labours, and self denials, and success of his ministry: I laboured more abundantly than they all; yet not I, "but the grace of God which was with me." When Col. East. Sunday. + Art. xvii. § Phil. ii. 19 \ Eph. ii. 3-5. 1 Cor. xv. 10. |