TRUTHS MAINTAINED. (No. VI.) BAPTISM. BY JAMES BIDEN, MONCKTON HOUSE, ANGLESEY, HANTS, AUTHOR OF "THE TRUE CHURCH." LONDON: AYLOTT AND CO., 8, PATERNOSTER ROW. 1854. WATER BAPTISM, ADMITS TO THE OUTER OR NOMINAL KINGDOM; SPIRIT BAPTISM, TO THE OTHER. THE INNER OR TRUE KINGDOM,-THE INDEPENDENT AND IRRESPECTIVE OF THE word "baptise," in Scripture, like the word "Church," has manifold meanings; one, as applied to the rite of baptism; another, to the influence of the Spirit; another, to suffering. It is used in the first sense by our Lord, when He said, "Go, baptise all nations." It is used in the second sense by St. Paul, when he writes, "They are all baptised by one Spirit unto one body." It is used in the third sense by our Lord, when He asked, "Can ye be baptised with the baptism that I am baptised withal ?" Divines recognise these several meanings, but they have failed to separate them. They attribute to "one baptism" all these meanings. They apply every expression in connection with the word "baptise as pertaining to "one baptism." They assume this "one baptism" to be water baptism. It is our purpose to show that water baptism, Spirit baptism, and a baptism of suffering, have no necessary connection. Arising out of the fact that every expression in connection with one or other of the three baptisms have been held to refer to "one baptism," the rite has been supposed to cleanse from sin, to give a new birth in Christ, and that faith is essential as a prerequisite to the due reception of water baptism. We intend to show that the popular belief is erroneous. To elucidate the subject, we propose to consider it under the following heads. 1. We wish to show that baptism has not hitherto been understood. 2. That water baptism does not cleanse from sin. 3. That it does not give new life in Christ; that is, that it does not baptise into Christ. 4. That faith is not essential as a prerequisite to a due reception of the rite. 5. To shew the intention of water baptism. 6. To explain the meaning of our Lord's words, "Ye must be born again of water and of the Spirit." 7. In conclusion, to shew from the bearings of the whole, that water baptism admits to the outer, Spirit baptism to the inner or true kingdom of Christ, and that the two baptisms have no necessary connection. BAPTISM, NOT HITHERTO UNDERSTOOD. After a lapse of 1800 years, during which the minds of men have been more or less interested and enquiring upon the subject of baptism, for an obscure person to rise up and boldly to declare, and to attempt to prove, that it has not been understood, is a daring manifestation of hardihood. What! after the greatest minds in each succeeding age from the Apostolic have exerted their powers, is the declaration to be tolerated, that all their labours have led to little result? Yes: tolerated it must be; for so it is, that, notwithstanding the greatest intellects have been devoted to enquiry on this subject, they have not been permitted to comprehend it. But this was not only foreseen, but allowed ignorance has been in fact a part of God's dealings. He has taken away from the past "the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water" (Is. iii); that is, in spiritual things |