Theological Notes and Queries. OPEN COUNCIL. [The utmost freedom of honest thought is permitted in this department. The reader must therefore use his own discriminating faculties, and the Editor must be allowed to claim freedom from responsibility.] BAPTISM, Querist.-Apart from the customs of all sects and the dogmas of all theological schools, what is the Gospel idea of Baptism? INQUIRER. Replicant.-In answer to "Inquirer," we give the following extract: "The passages in the New Testament, which mention the Christian rite of Baptism with water, are very few; and they show clearly that its nature and its use are similar to the natura and use of the Initiatory rites of the Jewish system. This would be antecedently probable; and is made certain by the entire absence of the indications of difference, which would be given if difference really existed. "John iv. 1. The Pharisees heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John: though Jesus did not himself baptize, but his disciples. Acts ii. 38. Repent, and be baptized each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. -41. Then they, accepting what was said by him, were baptized. "Acts viii. 12. They were baptized, both men and women. -16. For not yet had it [the Holy Spirit] descended upon any one of them; but they had only been baptized for the name of the Lord Jesus. "Acts viii. 36. See, there is water; what hinders my being baptized? And he ordered the carriage to stop; and they both went down to the water, Philip and the chamberlain, and he baptized him. Acts ix. 18. And rising up, he was baptized; and, taking food, his strength was restored. "Acts xxii. 16. Rise up, receive baptism; and wash away thy sins, calling on his name. "Acts x. 47. Can any withhold water, that these should not be baptized, who received the Holy Spirit, even as we also? "Acts xvi. 15. When she was baptized and her family, she entreated us, saying. "Acts xvi. 33. And he was baptized himself, and all belonging to him, immediately. "Acts xviii. 8. And many of the Corinthians hearing, believed and were baptized. "Acts xix. 5. On hearing this, they were baptized for the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul put his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke other languages, and prophesied. "1 Cor. i. 14. I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius, that no one should say, that you were baptized for my name.-17. For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the Gospel. "Heb. vi. 1. Instructions on baptisms, and imposition of hands. These are the only passages in which it appears from the connection that the baptism men tioned is the baptism of the body with water. Our Lord spoke of another baptism, of which He was Himself the subject, and which his disciples would also share; but this was not the baptism with water; nor does it appear to be connected with it, except as everything in the Christian course follows the com mencement. He said, I have a baptism wherewith to be baptized.* Luke xii. 50. With the baptism that I am baptized with, you shall be baptized.' Mark x. 39. It is of this baptism that St. Paul speaks when he says, that they who are baptized for Christ are baptized for a death like his death: and, being crucified with Christ, are also buried with Him, and raised to a new life. Rom. vi. 3. So he says that Christians are circumcised with Christ,→ they are consecrated and cleansed by their union to Christ,-being buried with Him in baptism, and raised with Him, through their faith in God. Col. ii. 11. As the circumcision and crucifixion are spiritual, so the burial and resurrection are spiritual: and the Baptism here referred to must be spiritual also; and exclusively so, if there be consistency in the use of the terms, and correctness in the statements. All who have this baptism do seek to be like Christ. Gal. iii. 27. For them there is one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism. Eph. iv. 5. This is the Baptism which St. Peter declares does save, that which is, not a cleansing of the body, nor a correspondence to the destructive flood: but the pursuit of a good conscience, the antitype to the example of Christ, who once suffered for sins, the just on behalf of the unjust, that He might bring us to God,-whose pattern of self-denial and suffering all are called to imitate. 1 Pet. iii. 18, 21; iv. 1. It is simply an assumption, without the least support either from the New Testament or from the Old, that, in these figurative expressions of the Apostles, any reference is made to immersions in water, such as were subsequently introduced. For these there is the authority of the Fathers of the third century, but not that of the Apostles of Christ. The purifications required by the Jewish law, in connection with the Temple service, are called Baptisms. Heb. ix. 10. But no immersion of the body in water is commanded or mentioned in that law. Every purification with water, of one person by another, was by sprinkling. And there were no other public purifications with water, but the washing of the hands and feet. Nothing more than these simple services was enjoined by law. Nothing more appears to have been practised by the Jews during the times of the Old Testament. All the evidence brought forward respecting the practice of immersion by Jews or by Christians, is of a date comparatively recent, when superstitious customs were multiplied, and the traditions of men were regarded more than the commandments of God. The prevalent opinions respecting the rite of baptism, and some other subjects, would experience a considerable change, if the motto, so' much extolled but so often for gotten, were consistently maintained, The Bible, and the Bible only, is the religion of Protestants." GODWIN. Query to be answered. DOES 2 Cor. vi. 14, "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers," &c., stand opposed to a business partnership between a godly and an ungodly man? or does it stand opposed to a marriage contract between a godly and an ungodly person? If the latter, what of those ministers who issue a license, and solemnize the service? Do they not thereby become "partakers of other men's sins?" Australia. SINCERITAS. Literary Notices. [We hold it to be the duty of an Editor either to give an early notice of the books sent to him for remark, or to return them at once to the Publisher. It is anjust to praise worthless books; it is robbery to retain unnoticed ones.] THE REVIEWER'S CANON, In every work regard the author's end, Since none can compass more than they intend. THE NONSUCH PROFESSOR IN HIS MERIDIAN SPLENDOUR; or, the Singular Actions of Sanctified Christians. By WILLIAM SECKER, To which is added, The Wedding Ring, a Sermon, by the same Author. London: R. D. Dickinson, Farringdon Street. THE author of this work lived in the last century, and was minister of "Allhallows Church," London. He was evidently a man of peculiar genius, original thought, and strong religious feelings. His imagination was fertile with striking and sometimes grotesque illustrations. His style pithy, antithetic, quaint, and pungent. His dedicatory epistle to Sir Edward Barkham and his lady may be taken as a fair specimen of his style of thought and expression. It is as follows: "Honoured Worthies,-You have tied me in so many silken cords of kindness, that I must live and die in these pleasant bonds. The only return I can make you is by pen and ink, to acknowledge myself your debtor; persuaded that your noble minds are like that of Artaxerxes, as condescending to receive small things from others, as to grant great things himself. I am sensible what prejudices are conceived against recommendatory epistles. I presume I shall not kindle strange fire upon your altar, by informing you that I believe you take more pleasure in godliness than in greatness. You have learned that piety is the best parentage, and that to be new born is better than to be high born. It is reported that 'in some great personages' houses, there are more oaths heard in one day than prayers in one year.' But in your house, there are more prayers heard in one day than oaths in one year. God has ornamented your terrestrial crowns with many choice jewels. He has given you of the fatness of the earth as well as of the dew of heaven. Esau's venison, as well as Jacob's blessing; the nether springs of common bounty, as well as the upper springs of special mercy. There are four showers which have watered your garden-a fruitful posterity, an inward tranquillity, a faithful society, and a grateful memory. Ah, how liberal has God's hand been toward you; and how lively should your hearts be towards Him! You have a large room in many godly bosoms; but, alas! the best man's confidence on earth is insufficient to carry you to heaven. A crack in the greatest pebble is not equal to a flaw in the smallest diamond. These present you with a piece, which is more practical than notional; more fit for a Christian to live upon than for a critic to look upon. I hope the dregs do not lie so thick in it as to prevent your drawing clear wine from it. I have attempted from this scripture to draw a believer's picture, and hope you will view it with an attentive eye. May you remember that by how much you are made greater than others, by so much better you should be than others! On earth it is your chief business to seek God, and in heaven it will be your chief blessedness to see God. While some look with envy on the rich man's estate, may you look with trembling on the rich man's accounts! You know you should not only be the pictures of piety, but also patterns of piety; then, while you are descending the hill of nature, you will also be ascending the hill of grace, you will prove yourselves such jewels of mercy as shall be locked up in the cabinet of glory. Now, that your happiness may exceed your hope, that your little family below may compose a part of the family above, that it may live holily with you on earth, and eternally with God in heaven, is the earnest prayer of, most worthy patrons, "Your humble servant, "WILLIAM SECKER." This extract will stimulate our readers, we are sure, to procure this extraordinary little volume. A SUGGESTIVE COMMENTARY ON THE NEW TESTAMENT ON AN ORIGINAL PLAN. St. Luke. Vol. II. By Rev. W. H. VAN DOREN. London: R. D. Dickinson, 92, Farringdon Street. WERE a young divine, possessing the necessary qualifications, namely, great philosophic penetration, high poetic feeling, profound reverence for truth, a through acquaintance with the original language, an accurate and extensive knowledge of oriental manners, scenes, and customs, to ask us what literary work he should give himself as the greatest and most urgent? our reply would be that of abstracting the great universal and eternal principles of the Bible. We would tell him to go through every chapter of that grand old book, commencing at the beginning, stripping it of all orientalisms, localisms, symbolisms, and ascertaining the moral and redemptive substance of the whole. That redemptive and moral substance which could be put into a space small as compared with the great bulk of the book, would be the very spirit of the Bible:-that which man wants to regenerate, quicken, and perfect him. We would not accept, however, this tract, which it would be, containing the spirit of the Bible, in lieu of the Bible as it now is, for we like the wonderful, variegated, and often gorgeous wrappages with which the old book enfolds eternal principles, but we would accept the tract as infinitely more valuable than all the bulky commentaries extant on the Holy Scriptures. This "suggestive commentary" does in some degree what we desiderate. Only it does a great deal more, and therefore swells the bulk of the book. It imports many ideas that are not found in the text, and often, homiletically, gives the reader the substance of a sermon. What we have said of the first volume holds true of this. Sunday-school teachers and preachers will find the work a great boon. PREPARING FOR HOME. A Series of Expository Discourses on the Fifth Chapter of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians. By JONATHAN WATSON. London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row. THE preface to this volume, in which the author speaks of the work entitled "Heaven our Home," as a "valuable treatise," we confess did not at first prepossess us with a favourable judgment of him as a teacher of that religion which inculcates self-obliviousness, which tells us we must lose our life, and not seek our own. The selfishness and sensuousness which are imported into modern evangelicalism, are the devil in the garb of religion. In modern evangelicalism heaven and hell are preached as the great arguments for a religious life. Salvation is represented as a rescue from some outward hell, rather than as a rescue from selfishness, ignorance, carnality, and ungodliness. The religion of Christ is urged as a means to an end, rather than exhibited as the grandest end of being. In our view, religion is urgent, not because there is a heaven or hell, but because there is a God of infinite perfection to be adored, worshipped, and obeyed. Though the work before us is a little tainted with this corrupt evangelicalism, it scarcely belongs to the class. There is a good deal of high spiritual teaching in it, a good deal in keeping with the doctrine that Christ came "to redeem men from all iniquity," &c. On the whole we heartily commend it. An Offering to Home Mis- SERMONS: Experimental and Practical. sionaries. By JOEL Hawes, D.D. 92, Farringdon Street. "THE sermons in this volume," says the venerable author, are of a miscellaneous character, not designed for the discussion of points of Christian doctrine, or any peculiarities of religious sentiment; but plain, practical, experimental, setting forth in direct, simple style the great evangelical truths and duties which the author thoroughly |