The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-12-21


very end of such commemoration. The
6ur7ot OF Christ has no symbolic or COM
memorative sign among Christian insti-
tutlons, because 1T is not an essential link
IN the chain of facts necessary to our sal
walton. If Christ had not been buried at
all, if after death, his body had remained
suspended on the cross for three days,
and if then by His almighty power he
had taken again to himself his life, and
had come down from the cross, his resur-
rection from the dead would have been
as complete as it was when he arose from
the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, and
the salvation of believers-soul and body
would have bsen as completely secured.
And moreover, it is impossible that the
burial of Christ can be the symbol or
memorial or representative of immersion,
because 1T bears NO analogy and no re-
semblance to it. Even if Christ had been
buried as the dead are buried now among
US, 1T would have been not like INNER
sion, because the earth would have been
applied to the body and not the body to
the earth. But In fact the burial of
Christ was no interment-no envelop-
ing OF his body in earth after the man
ner and mode Of immersion in water.
His body was laid in tomb hewn out of
rock-in sepulchre wide and high and
spacious. So that his burial bore no
more resemblance or analogy to INNER
sion, than if his body had been taken from
the cross into an upper room in the house
OF Joseph of Arimathea and there kept
for three days Therefore the essential
point of the illustration or symbol fails
entirely when we come to look at the
facts of the case. But, moreover, care
full examination of the passage from Ro-
mans (and that from Colossians does not
differ in meaning and spirit will satisfy
any candid and intelligent Christian that
Paul did not intend to teach or to sug-
gest any thing whatever concerning the
mode of baptism. His teaching is entire
ly concerning its spiritual nature and de-
sign. He is teaching the great doctrine
OF justification and salvation through
Christ-of the power Of his death in
working in us and for us death unto sin
and life unto righteousness. His style in
this passage abounds in these powerful
and suggestive figures for which he is so
renowned. He introduces into this pas
sage five distinct elements of our saliva
ton, viz: our death to sin, our burial by
baptism into death, our resurrection to-
newness of life, our being planted to-
gether in the likeness of his death, and
our cruclfxion with Christ that the body
OF sin within us might be destroyed
Now, four OF these elements must be held
to be fgurative because they are not lit
eral; viz: eur death to sin, our resurrec-
ton to newness of life, our being planted
in the likeness of his death, and our cru
cifxion with Christ. These are all fig
urative and spiritual truths. Why then
shall not the fifth element, viz: our bur-
ial by baptism into death, be also held to
be fgurative and spiritual? 1t must be
both. For, it is declared to be baptism
into death, that is, that by the power of
the death of Christ, and the renewing of
the Holy Spirit working faith in our
hearts, we die in Christ unto sin and thus
become entitled to baptism, which is the
outward sign signifying these inward and
spiritual conditions. In this light alone
can this passage be understood. 1t has
no reference whatever to the mode of
baptism, but teaches In the strongest
manner its spiritual nature and symbol
ism for which we earnestly contend.
And this leads me naturally and pro-
perly to the last argument of this dis
course. 1t is that baptism is the out
ward sign and symbol of the renewing
and sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit,
and that all through the Holy Scriptures,
both of the Old and New Testaments, the
operation and action of the Holy Spirit
is described as an efusion, a pouring,
washing, cleansing, and not as an i'm
mersion. This lie an argument which ex-
elusive immersionists have never ar
swered and cannot answer, for it comes
from God. His words are: "Then will
| sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye
shall be clean; from all your filthiness
and from all your idols will cleanse you.
And new heart also will I give you,
and new spirit will put within you,
and | will take away the stony heart out
of your flesh and will give you an heart
of flesh. And l will put my spirit within
you and cause you to walk in my statutes
and ye shall keep my judgments and do
them" OH that all the members of
this congregation may have that inward
baptism-that baptism into the life and
death of Christ-that efusioD and out
pouring of the Holy Spirit of which the
baptism which the hands of man can
give, is but the feeble, outward type and