FOR CRITICAL TIMES. THE FOLLOWING ARE NOW PUBLISHED, No. I. REGENERATION ACCORDING TO SCRIPTURE AND THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND. No. II. OF REGENERATION, ERRONEOUS INTERPRETATIONS, ETC. BETHELL, LAWRENCE, HOPKINS, BUDD, &c. No. IV. Will be Published on the 1st of March, AND WILL CONTAIN THE SPIRITUAL IMPORT OF BAPTISM No. V. IMPORT OF BAPTISM, OF ADULTS AND INFANTS, ACCORDING TO THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND. PRINTED BY STEWART AND MURRAY, OLD BAILEY. PLAIN TRACTS FOR CRITICAL TIMES; ON THE IMPORTANT SUBJECTS OF BAPTISM AND REGENERATION, &c. WITH AN ESPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE OXFORD TRACTS, &c. &c. BAPTISM, ACCORDING TO SCRIPTURE. (PROFESSOR PUSEY—BISHOP BETHELL.) BY A UNION OF CLERGYMEN. LONDON: PUBLISHED BY SMITH, ELDER AND CO. CORNHILL. 1838. BAPTISM, &c. We It is asserted by Professor Pusey, that "baptism is an appointed means for conveying the Holy Spirit." wish to know where it is so stated. It is truly lamentable, to find such an assertion repeatedly made, in a work professing to adhere strictly to the word of God, without a single reference to any place in that fountain of truth, which even borders on the subject. We have, in a former number, made especial inquiry respecting the two following points:-1. As to the original document, and its language, in which baptism has been appointed for the purpose above expressed. And on enquiry, we find that there is not, in the New Testament, a single word said about any original document, whatever, that relates directly to the primary institution of baptism, or to its original adoption by our Saviour. The words of our Lord and Saviour," Go ye and teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost;" we willingly allow, are, to us, an authorized institution and command to continue baptism in his church. But this, as we have before shewn, is neither the origin of baptism, nor its original adoption: and no promised blessing, whatever, is "annexed" thereto, but in connexion with faith:-2. As to regeneration in baptism, grounded as it is pretended to be, on our Saviour's discourse with Nicodemus: we have seen that those remarkable words, "born of water and of the Spirit," assert no such thing: They only assure us, that a man cannot enter into the kingdom of God, which is the visible and real church of Christ, except he be born of water and of the Spirit. There is not one syllable said of "water' conveying the Holy Spirit, or of its having any thing to do in conveying it. But the whole context most clearly requires that the new birth, which is the work of the Spirit, should go before baptism. We are now, therefore, in a situation to make scriptural investigation into the nature, office, and effects, of baptism, without any dread of those anathemas which the modern council of Trent appear to suspend over us. We have already traced up the New Testament baptism to its probable origin in the Old; though there be no express institution of it, as such, found even there, unless it be allowed to have emanated from the divine appointment of the washings prescribed; especially, "the water of separation." As, however, our Lord has expressly appointed baptism as a sacrament, to be continued in his church, it clearly becomes of divine authority to us, as a sacrament. But still, as there is no information given of its original institution, or even of its adoption, we are compelled to borrow a right view of its character from the character of the Old Testament sacrament, which baptism has succeeded. Circumcision, therefore, is that to which we must first resort for information, as it bears the same relation to the old covenant, as baptism does to the New. I. The Sacrament of CIRCUMCISION. This sacrament is recorded in Gen. xvii. as instituted by God himself. The covenant was made with Abraham before, (see chap. xv.) but it was renewed here, under this distinct rite, to be henceforth continued to him and his seed, and all his servants. The rite is very expressly worded, and particularized. After having stated the nature and blessings of the Covenant, God then specified the way in which it was to be established, in these words: "And I will establish my Covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee, in their generations, for an everlasting Covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy |