Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1838-10-31

the baptiSmal scene.
Every intelligent person who looks up
on baptism properly administered, can
not fail to regard it as symbolical buri-
al, well fitted to describe the interesting
fact that the baptized processes to have
passed from death unto life. A literal or
spiritual burial no one can consider it,
but symbolical burial he certainly must
for nothing can be more obvious, either
with reference to the thing itself, or the
illusions which are made to it in the New
Testament. It is to this view Of the SUBJ
Iject the Apostle refers when he speaks of
being buried with Chris: in baptism; of
being baptized into his death, and rising
again in the likeness of his resurrection.
Hence baptism indicates the transition of
a converted sinner from sin to holiness,
from the world to God. Formerly dead
in trespasses and sins, he is now made
alive by the resurrection of Christ from
the dead; and baptism symbolizes this in
teresting fact. The old man is buried, the
new man energies into life and happiness !;
the baptized is buried to the world, but
lives to God Thus the Jews were bap-
tized, or in other words symbolically bu-
ried, in the cloud and in the sea. They
died to Egypt, but lived to Canaan. When
they went far down into the depths of the
sea, with the cloud above them, and the
liquid walls of the sea on either side, they
descended as it were into the grave. but
they passed through this symbolical tomb,
and emerged on the farther side, or, as it
were, rose to the light and Joy Of the world ;
and being delivered from impending death,
and saved from that, which, had it not
been for the power of God, would have
proved their grave, they joined in song
of lofty praise to the God of Israel. Bap-
tism tG,l describes the most important
and affecting fact in the history of a Chris
tan, namely, his conversion; in which
darkness is exchanged for light, hope for
despair, and Immortality for eternal death.
And o, can the Christian when he thinks
OF his baptism, forget "the rock whence
he was hewn, and the hole of the pit
, whence he was dug" can he forget the
darkness of his unconverted state, and the
radiant light of heaven which sprung up
in his soul, when Jehovah spake the for
giving word, and said unto him-LIvE!
When a believer is baptized, he bids
farewell to the world, and following Christ,
he sinks beneath the yielding wave, as il
ne were entirely lost to the world, buI
soon energies into new and glorious
f sphere of action and enjoyment. 1t is the
: sign of his entrance into the kingdom O
Jesus Christ, proof and pledge that hs
: hath become denizen of new and sen.
! arate state, in which old things are done
: away and all things have become new
We dre admitted into the invisible Church
| of Christ by believing, but are introduced
only into his visible kingdom by being
baptized. He that 6eIieoeh and is bap
f tized shall be saved" "As many of Us
= as have been baptized, have put on Christ.
: The baptism of believer thus commit.
| him before the world and the church as
, follower of Christ. II is the most inter
f esting and impressive manner of making
J, a public profession; and hence it consti
, tutes a powerful means of binding him t.
: the sway of Christ.
Thus then a baptized church ought t
q be pre-eminently distinguished for holi
v ness; if they are not, it arises, not iron
e the natural tendency of their principles
o but from their perversion and abuse. A
a baptized infidel, land what is a hvpocrit
a zeal christian, but baptized infdel.l il
Y monster to be dreaded by men and angels
v and oh what shall we think of a churcl
f. composed ofmembers like this2 Breth
Q rem, never forget that you have been bap
J. tized into the name of Christ, and that up
Z on you rests special and most affectin,
J. obligation to live holy and self-denyin;
lives.
AS baptism points to the commence
ment of our christian course, so also doe
it refer to its consummatio1 and triumph
when this mortal shall put on immortal
ty. 1t is symbol and pledge of GU
resurrection from the grave, and our In
PRODUCTION to the new and glorious condi
L ton of the spirits of just men made pei
10 feet. 6 If we have been planted in IN
E likeness of his death, we shall be also i
E. the likeness Of his resurrection" Is nc
le such a thought fitted to cheer the chris
q, tian in this the house of his pilgrimage
ID When he reflects that his baptism col
meets, as it were, the extreme points of hi
moral history, and supplies an assuranc
to him and to all who have witnessed
that his conversion from sin secures re-
direction to glory, and that as the one hs
taken place, so certainly will the other !
accomplished; when he reflects upon thi
will not his faith grow exceedingly, an
his hope become brighter and brighter
There is a sense in " hich he is bap,ize
unto death; there is another sense
p which he is baptized unto life; and Their
ne fore cannot reflect upon his baptism wit
= out thinking of his death to sin, his life
OF God. and the bright hope of eternal ha