redeemed by and in union with the Lord Jesus, a child of God, and the temple of the Holy Ghost, the believer is at once and for ever made meet to be a partaker of the inheritance of the saints in light-he is complete in Christ, and has received out of His fulness. Herein there can be no progress, it is a work accomplished; and he who is thus blessed of God is created in righteousness and true holiness. In this respect there can be no more advance in sanctification than in justification-ye are washed, ye are sanctified, ye are justified. But as the justified sinner has to make advances in practical righteousness, so also, though perfectly sanctified, he has to increase in holiness. Many are the exhortations in the word of God to this end; and the Spirit of God, as the Spirit of truth dwelling in the believer, convicts, leads, instructs, and strengthens the soul, by means of the word of God. He enlightens the conscience, discovering, by means of the Scriptures, the secret things that are hateful to God, and enabling him to eschew that which is evil and follow that which is good.

not

In the last wonderful pouring out of the heart to God, on behalf of His people, uttered by the blessed Lord, previous to His own baptism in death for them (John xvii.), He twice presents them to God as of the world, even as I am not of the world". They were as perfectly separated to God out of the world in holiness, as the Lord Jesus Himself was; for He regarded them, in the anticipation or faith, as standing before God in the full value of his own approaching sacrifice. At the same time He prays, "Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth." And again, "For their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth."

Perfectly and eternally holy, the Lord Jesus has yet sanctified Himself through death and resurrection, so as to be, even in position, separated to God, as far as the heaven of heavens is from the earth. The believer stands in this perfect holiness, complete in Christ, but he has, by faith in the truth, practically to separate himself from the world, its uncleanness, and its defilement, and to make progress in this sanctification till at length on the morning of the resurrection he wins Christ, he is found in Him, and altogether like Him. In the above quotation we see what stress is laid by the Lord upon the word of God. He prays that the Father would sanctify them through the truth. He, himself, as the great High Priest, has passed into the

glory, in order that by the truth they may be sanctified. Practical holiness, freedom from the bondage of the world and Satan (John viii. 32) are only to be attained through the Scriptures of truth, under the teaching of the Spirit; the cross and the glory have sanctifying power.

Have we sufficiently considered the Scriptures in this light? are they to us as the water by which God would wash and sanctify us? and have we not too much disconnected the Holy Spirit's action within us from the word?

In 2 Cor. vii. 1, the apostle grounds the exhortation, "Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God," upon the fact of our having the promises which he had previously mentioned: thus, the very power to attain to practical holiness is made in part to depend upon our knowledge of God's blessed promises. In Rom. vii. 1, 2, we have, in like manner, a powerful exhortation to holiness, deduced from the wonderful list of God's mercies enumerated in the preceding chapters of the epistle.

Separation from evil, both within and without, is, as regards ourselves, one important feature in practical holiness. Previous to the command given to Israel by God, "Ye shall be holy, for I am holy," (Lev. xi. 44), a catalogue of unclean beasts, birds, fishes, and creeping things, was given, that they might know how to distinguish the unclean from the clean. In some cases, the internal structure as well as the outward form of the animal must be ascertained. In other cases, the ordinary habits or appearance were at once to be sufficient indications of their unfitness for food. We must, in like manner, form our judgment as to what is holy or unholy, from the precepts laid down in the word of truth, and learn to separate the precious from the vile, if we would be holy in all manner of conversation. Things which to-day seem to us innocent or harmless, may some time hence appear, through the light of truth, to be positively evil. "Who can understand his errors, cleanse Thou me from secret faults."

From what has been already adduced, it is manifest that the sinner, immediately he is born again, born of the Spirit, ceases to be viewed any more by God as a corrupt mass of sin and uncleanness; and is a saint, a holy one, being created anew, after the image of Him that created him. A simple though most important truth is connected with this. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit

is spirit." The two natures remain distinct and unmingled. The flesh is not improved by its proximity to the spirit; that which is born of the Spirit is not deteriorated by its nearness to the flesh; so that the work of the Holy Ghost in the believer is not a process of renovation, or improvement of that which is oldnot a converting of flesh into spirit; but He acts in and with the new man, strengthening, refreshing, and leading on in knowledge and power, and enabling the child of God to keep under and mortify the flesh with its affections and lusts. The carnal mind is neither eradicated nor amended, it is like an evil beast which may be fettered but not tamed. If one of the chains be removed, its violence and unsubdued energy of evil will be found strong as ever.

There is deep instruction in the words (Rom. viii. 13), "If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live". The flesh can and does, to a certain extent, mortify itself, or rather some of its works. The drunkard may, from motives of expediency, abstain from indulging his lust; the covetous man may, for the sake of his reputation, become liberal; but in all these and such like mortifications there is no power of life. In monasticism and asceticism, which say, "Touch not, taste not, handle not," there is no holiness; the deeds of the body must be mortified through the Spirit; the members which are upon the earth must be put to death, through resurrection power-the affections being set on things above-and not through the antagonism of one earthly lust to another, nor for the sake of indulging one propensity at the expense of another. The wasted form of the ascetic, or the rough garment of the monk, may hide a heart as fat as grease; may conceal a soul swollen with pride and bloated with impurity. We must walk in the Spirit if we would not fulfil the lusts of the flesh.

There are, then, two distinct operations of the Spirit. First: He communicates life through faith in Christ to the soul; thereby separating the saved sinner as a holy person to God. Next: He takes up His abode in the believer, and, through the truth of God, advances him in practical godliness and holiness. The Father, also, by His discipline, works to the same end; it being His blessed will that we should be partakers experimentally of His holiness, and bring forth the peaceable fruits of righteousness.

As in natural things the parent does not disown the

infant because of its weakness, or cast it out because its life is feeble, but expects that by care and nourishment it will make increase, and that its powers will be gradually developed so the new-born babe in Christ is as truly a holy child of God as the most advanced saint; his life and powers will grow and make increase through the sincere milk of the word ministered by the Holy Ghost.

In conclusion, let it again be urged upon the people of God, that they more diligently read and meditate on the word of God. This is the weapon to be wielded against Satan and his temptations. This will keep us from the paths of the destroyer. This is the lamp for our feet, the truth that will cleanse us within; and we may be assured that when thus employed, the Holy Spirit is most distinctly aiding and strengthening us. Having, therefore, these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."

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H. W. S.

SONGS IN THE NIGHT. "Who giveth songs in the night."-JOB XXXV. 10.

WE thank Thee, Saviour, for the hand,

So tender yet so strong,

That guides the pillar'd fire and cloud
Our pilgrim path along.

We thank Thee for the failing steps
Thy strength alone can stay;

For the cloud that sheds the rainbow light
Of promise on the way.

We thank Thee for the chastening love
That marks us sons of God,

We learn obedience in the path

Thine own dear footsteps trod.
We thank Thee for the wound Thy hand
And Thine alone can heal,
For the precious sympathies of God
Our deepest needs reveal.

We thank Thee for the conflict sore,
With mighty foes around;

For the whole armour of Thy strength
Which else we had not found.
We thank Thee for the weakness felt
That drives our souls on Thee,
For the whisper in our darkest hour
Of more than victory.

W

BAPTISMAL TRUTH,

OR, THE TESTIMONY OF ALL BAPTISMS.

(Continued from March Number.)

E read in the second chapter of the Acts-"Those then who gladly received his (Peter's) word were baptized". Mark well that they received the word of Peter, that is, the gospel which he preached with the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven, and the immediate result of receiving this gospel was that they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, and no marvel, for there was no mixture in the gospel which Peter preached, but it rendered so distinct a testimony to the Great Baptized One, Jesus Christ, that sinners convinced and converted submitted immediately to the only baptism which represents the truth, namely, immersion under water of believers only. As yet Satanic lies and counterfeits of baptism were unknown.

Likewise in the case of an individual, the eunuch, who was reading the prophet Isaiah at that passage, "But who shall declare his generation for his life was taken from the earth," (Is. liii.; Acts viii. 32, 33), Philip opened his mouth and began at the same scripture and preached unto him, Jesus, His death and resurrection.

Now, according to the Apostle Paul, baptism is burial into the death of Jesus Christ followed by resurrection. (Rom. vi. 4, and Col. ii. 12.) We are buried with Christ, that is to say, Christ has been already buried or submerged under the waters of the wrath of God, and His body has been buried in a tomb; and thus at the moment of our reception of this truth, that is, at the moment of our conversion, we are by faith identified with Christ in this burial, and we are raised again with Him in the life of resurrection. One may add that Job in the 27th chapter and 15th verse applies this expression-buried in death-to the wicked. And Christ is said to have made His grave with the wicked. In many passages the word hell or grave is applied to Christ's sufferings and humiliation, as referring to the burial of soul and body under the waters of wrath, at the cross, in a figurative sense, and the actual burial of His body in the tomb.

This great truth of death and resurrection is shown forth by an ordinance which speaks visibly to our eyes, namely, our baptism or burial under water. Thus the two baptisms, that of identification by means of faith

with Christ dead and risen, and that of immersion under water from whence we come forth again, agree perfectly and throw light one upon the other.

Doubtless the eunuch undertood it, and without being required on the part of Philip, he stopped his chariot, went down into the water, was baptized and came up again out of the water, as the Holy Spirit had already said in relating the baptism of Jesus Christ (Matt. iii. 16), as if He had wished to identify with the Son of God, in thus particularly stating that the eunuch came up out of the water, the only recorded case, I repeat, to identify thus with the Son of God this poor Ethiopian, who belonged to a race accursed and despised.

But while more or less intelligence may accompany this act of baptism, I do not affirm that any disciple of the Lord Jesus ought to wait for a certain measure of light before submitting to it. On the contrary, when in the first days of the Church an inspired Servant of Christ declared that the baptism of believers was the commandment of the Lord, all true disciples would have submitted to it immediately, although with more or less intelligence. A servant of the Lord ought to obey without reasoning, and that immediately. It is in submission and obedience that we learn the doctrine of Christ, as Himself has said, "that if any one is willing to do the will of his Father, he shall know concerning the doctrine if it be of God". (John vii. 17). Here we have an absolute rule for the guidance of all the faithful.

But unhappily the devil has, even from the time of the Apostles, introduced into the Church the doctrines and traditions of men, so that even those redeemed by the blood of Jesus have received these lies, and have adopted the counterfeits of Satan! I do not ignore the fact that they may have fallen into this sad error in greater or less ignorance, some doubtless in entire ignorance of what they were doing. The Lord alone knows the secret thoughts of His people, and thus He alone can judge them. Nevertheless, God's word gives a principle by which all His own may judge their conduct. We find it in the 17th verse of the 5th chapter of Leviticus, where God says "If a soul sin and commit any of those things that are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the Lord, though he wist it not, yet is he guilty, he hath certainly trespassed against the Lord." Thus the breach of the plain commandment to all disciples to be baptized

involves guilt on the part of those who refuse, though they may be in ignorance.

Further, God has been pleased, as I do most fully believe, to throw upon this subject so little understood, even as you read these papers, a flood of precious light drawn from the Old Testament as well as the New. Also the doctrine therein developed bears a distinct testimony to Jesus only, and commends itself to the hearts and consciences of all who are willing to listen to God's Word.

From this moment, dear reader, are you not responsible before God for this light, and are you not guilty before Him if you do not submit to it?

As I have already said, the enemy, the devil has even from the earliest times introduced many erroneous doctrines which have seduced many of the servants of Christ (Rev. ii. 20), as well as bad practices which might have drawn away even the Apostle Peter, as it did Barnabas, and many others with him, had not the faithful Apostle Paul withstood him to the face. (Gal. ii. 11.) This same Apostle Paul, speaking to the overseers of the Church of Ephesus, ordained and anointed by the Holy Spirit Himself, says "that even from among themselves should men arise, speaking perverted things (see Greek) to draw away the disciples after themselves". (Acts xx. 30, 31.) If then these overseers could thus become instruments in the hand of the enemy, though the very companions of an Apostle, for drawing away the disciples after themselves, and if there was need that Paul should warn them during three years of this danger night and day with tears, how much more to-day have we need of this warning, lest, being drawn away by the error of thewicked, we fall from our steadfastness! (2 Peter iii. 17.) Peter speaks here of those who twist the scriptures to their own destruction. Oh, how many have there been of ministers of Satan, transformed as ministers of Christ, who have twisted this doctrine to their own destruction and that of their followers! You, the children of God, can never thus perish, but drawn away by these errors you may fall from your own steadfastness, and alas is it not true that the Church of God has already fallen! Has not the Lord said to this very Church of Ephesus-"Thou hast left thy first love, remember whence thou hast fallen and repent." (Rev. ii. 4.)

Oh that the voice of Him who alone can awaken His sleeping disciples, might make itself to be heard by

many of them, so that turning their eyes and their ears from all men, whether good or bad, they may fix them upon the Lord Jesus only and listen to the inspired words of His lips. We have to-day but one guide in whom we can repose our full confidence, namely, the written word, where every single-minded disciple may easily discover the will of His Lord, coming to that word sincerely to learn of Him.

In the first days of the Church, I repeat, inspired men commanded this baptism of believers, and all submitted to it. To-day the inspired scriptures command this same baptism of believers, and all the faithful ought at once to obey. Even though some have attempted to deduce infant baptism from the fact that households were baptised, none have ever or can ever find one commandment for such baptism of infants in the word of God.

Although God may have compassion on the ignorant, yet ignorance is never an excuse for neglecting His will. On the contrary, the servant who knew not the will of His Lord and did it not, shall be beaten though with few stripes. Dear reader, are you really ignorant of the will of your Lord concerning baptism, and, if you remain ignorant of it, are you not willingly ignorant? But remember what happened to the servant who knew His Lord's will and did it not. (Luke xii. 47). Alas, it is too easy to-day to be ashamed of the Great Baptized One, Jesus Christ, and with Him of the baptism which He has ordained, and to turn away from the Truth to follow a worldly Christ, another Christ, a worldly baptism, another baptism; but how then can you be a disciple indeed of Jesus Christ? You make too much of this baptism, may say some of my readers. No, but I insist upon obedience to this commandment as being the first act of the disciple of the Lord, and upon the danger of disobedience and the loss which may result therefrom. Reader, have you submitted to it, and

do you know something of its power (Mark xvi. 16), and can you now view indifferently the neglect or perversion of it? Or indeed have you never submitted to this ordinance? Then how can you judge of its importance! Permit me to tell you faithfully and affectionately, that as regards this truth at least, whoever you may be, you are blind.

As the perversion of this truth has been an immense source of evil in the Church of God and in the world, so the truth restored shall be a mighty source of, and power for, blessing. There are two Spirits that know

what is the power of baptism, the Spirit of Christ, that passed through the baptismal wrath of Calvary, and the Spirit of evil, that knows he will ere long be baptized in the lake of fire. This Spirit of evil, the Devil, never sleeps, he knows well the power of this truth, and he tries with all his might and subtlety to darken it and to make counterfeits. He has too well succeeded, so that some children of God who have most deeply studied the letter of Scripture, but of whom there is indeed too much reason to fear that they have far abandoned their first love, have grievously turned aside from this truth of believers' baptism and occupy themselves in the hands of the enemy with introducing anew in the meetings of Christians the old counterfeit, though a little modified, of the baptism of new-born children! But they have employed the very word of God and misinterpreted it in order to sustain this as well as other sad practices, and the light for them has become darkness !

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In passing, I might remark that these persons teach that a babe is brought into the Kingdom of God by baptism, and thus into a sort of outer sphere of the operations of the Holy Spirit," and that it is thus in a position to be brought afterwards into the "inner sphere of the Church of God" ! That is to say, brought nearer to God by an act of man, a principle essentially Romanist and tending utterly to subvert that faith by which alone we can ourselves approach unto God or bring to Him those dear to us. Further, the babe not having yet been united by faith to Him who died and rose again, its baptism is not baptism into Jesus Christ, but another baptism which is not baptism, for there be some that trouble us.

Cease ye from man here below; there ever remains to us the man Christ Jesus, neglected and almost abandoned by many who profess to be His, and who in their ignorance follow other leaders and seek in vain the True Bread which alone can satisfy their need. But although we are so unfaithful, the Lord remaineth faithful, and once again in the last of these last days, He sends forth clothed with new light this precious truth of believers' baptism. He shows Himself as the Great Baptized One, who has so much suffered for us in the baptism of the Cross, and to whom all the baptisms recorded in the Scriptures bear so invariable and striking a testimony, and He bids us all, His disciples, take up our cross in submitting to the baptism of water and to follow Him. M. T. B.

THE POSSESSION OF THE SPIRIT. NOTE No. III.

THE Epistle to the Romans is addressed, "to all

that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints". We know who these were-just those who simply believed in Jesus, as we do who trust in Him -ordinary Christians like ourselves. We find in this Epistle the truth concerning the Spirit more clearly developed. In the 8th chapter there is drawn the grand distinction between the spiritual and the natural ; "they that are after the flesh mind the things of the flesh, but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit". (Rom. viii. 5.) This principle is set forth (ver. 14,) "As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." The essential thing is that "the Spirit of God dwell in you" (ver. 9). Without that we are nothing. For "if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of His". Not that this is any difficulty that need be feared, or that need cause anxiety. Such a feeling is too prone to take possession of us-whether it be from old associations or old habits. Ah! no. The Spirit of God is "the Spirit of adoption" (ver. 15), the Spirit of Sonship, whereby we cry in our difficulties or in our fears "Abba, Father". It is not the spirit of bondage. It is not the spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

So far from abject terror, or doubt, or darkness, or hesitation being suitable to our case-when we trust in Christ, with simple faith-the simplicity of faith is its grandest quality-"the Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirits that we are the children of God" (ver. 16). Oh! what a glorious privilege; but there is added still more "and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if SO be that we suffer with Him that we may be also glorified together". Even greater than all this, however it ascends by degrees-are our privileges, with regard to the Holy Spirit of God, this Divine Comforter whom Jesus hath sent and who is with every child of God that reads this paper. Our very weakness is made a source of blessing and grace for it is farther written (ver. 26), "Likewise also the Spirit helpeth our infirmities; for we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered; and he that searcheth the hearts