certain disciples, he said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether the Holy Ghost yet be," or be given." (This is evidently the proper translation, and not as it stands in the English version; see John vii. 39; Matt. iii. 11; Mark i. 8; Luke iii. 16; John i. 33.) And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said,Unto John's baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people that they should believe on Him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus; and when Paul had laid (his) hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them, and they spake with tongues and prophesied."

This manifestation of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit leads us to notice some other effects of the presence and operations of the Spirit. It is by the indwelling of the Holy Ghost that believers hold communion with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ (John xiv. 16-23); that they are enabled to do the works of Jesus (ver. 12). It is the Spirit that changeth us into the very image and likeness of Christ, from glory to glory (2 Cor. iii. 18); that "sheweth us things to come;" that " guides us into all truth" (John xvi. 13): "Ye have an unction," says St. John, "from the Holy One, and ye know all things." It is by the indwelling Spirit of God that we overcome the world and the spirit of Antichrist (1 John iv. 3, 4). It is by the same Spirit that the flesh is mortified, and that the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us (Rom. viii. 1-5); that sheds abroad the love of God in our hearts (v. 5); that carrieth us into the presence of the Father (Eph. ii. 18); that gives us a sense of our adoption, enabling us to cry "Abba, Father" (Rom. viii. 15); that sealeth us with the "earnest of our inheritance (Eph. i. 13, 14), and maketh us to long for the day of complete redemption (Rom. viii. 23): by whom, also, we know that we dwell in God, and God in us (1 John iv. 13). The forms of the manifestation of the Spirit are indeed various; yet is the Spirit one; and given by one Lord, even Jesus; and to every man for his "profit." Now," says the Apostle," there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord; and there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given, by the Spirit, the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge, by the same Spirit; to another, faith, by the same Spirit; to another, the gifts of healing, by the same Spirit; to another, the working of miracles; to another, prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another, divers kinds of tongues; to another, the interpretation of tongues: but all these worketh

that one and the self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will" (1 Cor. xii. 4-13). And are these the effects of Christian baptism? Are these the fruits of the Holy Spirit? And were they to continue till that which is perfect is come? Then we are not straitened in God, but we are straitened in our own bowels. For of what can we speak beyond "the baptism of John?" Did not that convey to the believer all that Christians now know or experience, nay, all that most desire to know? For "John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus." John's baptism contained repentance, or a change of heart, even the quickening of the soul by the regeneration of the Holy Spirit. It taught the remission of sins, or the non-imputation of guilt, through the Lamb of God that should take away the sin of the world. It cleansed the conscience from dead works to serve the living and true God, through faith in the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus. It shewed the end of the divers washings and purifications of the law, and their antitypical fulfilment in the person of Jesus. It also pointed to the body and blood of Christ as the true manna on which we are to feed, and by which the regenerated man is nourished up unto life eternal. In one word, it seems to have contained all that Christian baptism contains, except the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Hence all that we find conferred on "certain disciples," which Paul found at Ephesus, knowing only the baptism of John, in addition to what they already possessed, was, that, being baptized in the name of Jesus, "they received the Holy Ghost" (Acts xix. 1-6). From this passage it certainly appears that the great distinguishing feature between the baptism of John and Christian baptism, is "the gift of the Holy Ghost." Let any one read it attentively, and say, whether this does not appear on the very face of it. Does it not appear then, that we are fallen back (as to the general experience of Christians) into the standing of the church anterior to the day of Pentecost? For what do we know of" the baptism of the Holy Ghost " as the grand distinguishing mark of Christian baptism? What do we know of an indwelling God?

Let us, then, ever bear in mind, that the church, the body of Christ, though made up of many members, is truly and strictly one; that there is one Spirit, which dwelleth in, and sustaineth and actuateth, the whole body; and that this Holy Spirit is given by Jesus, our exalted and glorified Head, whose office and prerogative it is to baptize with the Holy Ghost.

Mark, next, the oneness of the Christian calling: "Even as ye are called in one hope of your calling." We are prone to think, because we did not live in the days of the first disciples of Christ, that we are not called to partake of the same blessed

ness; but this is a mistaken notion, no where countenanced in the word of God. The body, and the Spirit, and the calling, are one. We are all called to partake of the same blessedness. We dare not divide the calling, any more than the body or the Spirit. "There is one body, and one Spirit, even," saith the Holy Ghost, "as ye are called in one hope of your calling."

This is set before us in a very lively and impressive manner in the sacrament of our Lord's Supper, which is provided for the whole world, and of which all are invited to partake, without limitation or reserve. "The bread which I will give," says Christ, "is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world (John vi. 51). In this sacrament we are shewn how the life of the Christian is sustained, even by receiving out of Christ's fulness for whilst we receive the sacred elements of his body and blood, which were given for us, the eye of faith is naturally directed to our risen and glorified Head and Saviour: and if we do not thus look to Christ in this sacrament, and verily and indeed feed upon Him, we receive it merely as a commemorative ordinance, and not as a means of refreshing and strengthening of our souls. Oh! when we receive the emblems of our Lord's body, let us remember the words of Jesus: "I am the bread of life:" ""I am the living bread, which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever and the bread that I shall give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed."

The

flesh," be it remembered, is "the mystery of the Word," or doctrine of Christ; "the Word was made flesh;"-and the "blood" is the life-giving Spirit, or living principle; "for the blood is the life thereof" (Gen. ix. 4). Thus, whilst the believer recognises that "great mystery of godliness," "God manifest in the flesh," he looks to Christ glorified, and drinks in the very life of Christ. "He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father, so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me" (vi. 51, 54—57). Let us, then, feed by faith on the most precious body and blood of Christ; let us not only receive the outward emblems of bread and wine, which are used in the holy sacrament of our Lord's supper, in remembrance of his death; but "the inward and spiritual grace," even that life-giving and sustaining Spirit, which Jesus, our glorified Head, conveys to the faithful in that holy sacrament. This is the blessedness to which we are all invited, ❝even as ye are called in one hope of your calling." "I speak as unto wise men; judge ye what I say. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ?

The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we, being many, are one body, for we are all partakers of that one bread." For want of thus feeding on Christ's body "many are weak and sickly, and many sleep!" Or, to use the language of the Communion Service of the Church of England, "we kindle God's wrath against us, and provoke him to plague us with divers diseases and sundry kinds of death."

The oneness of the Christian calling is also shewn in the ordinance of Baptism. The words of the statute are unchangeably the same-namely, to " baptize all nations in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost;" with the promise," Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the age." We repeat, that the Christian baptism altereth not: "One baptism."

The promises also contained in Scripture confirm the truth for which we are contending-namely, the oneness of our calling they being unlimited, and being applied to every member of Christ, until the whole body is perfected and seated with Him on his throne (Eph. iv. 7-13). If we turn to the Prophet Joel we shall find it thus written: "And it shall come to pass afterwards, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out of my Spirit." The Apostle, in quoting this prophecy, does not limit its fulfilment to the day of Pentecost, but says, "The promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." The words of Jesus are, "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Heavenly Father give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him?" (Luke xi. 11-13). 66 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father: and whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. If ye love me, keep my commandments; and I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever" (John xiv. 12-16). The wording of this passage is sufficient to shew that the promise is not limited to the first disciples of Christ; but this is placed beyond all contradiction from the following words, in the xviith chapter, which (be it remembered), though broken up in our Bible into separate chapters, is a continuation of the same subject: "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word:

that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me and the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them as thou hast loved me " (vers. 20-23). Oh, let us humble our guilty souls before God, that we know so little of this blessedness. And let us "cry day and night unto God," with fasting, and prayer, and supplication, that he may pour down his Spirit upon his body, the church; that each member of the same may be filled with the Spirit, and live and walk in the Spirit; so that the very life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal bodies, that it may be evident that we are indeed very members incorporate in his mystical body; weeping with them that weep, and rejoicing with them that rejoice; living in unity and godly love; and that we may "come behind in no gift, waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." "There

The Lordship of Christ is also one: "One Lord." are different administrations, but the same Lord." Jesus is "Head over all things to the church." "By Him kings reign and princes decree justice." He is "the Prince of the kings of the earth;" and those that will not acknowledge Him supreme, must be dashed in pieces by his iron sceptre, when he cometh in his glory (Psa. ii. 9-12; Rev. ii. 27). But the Lordship of Christ extendeth over all matter, animate and inanimate, in heaven, earth, and hell. Thus the Psalmist speaks: "I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods. Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and in all deep places. He causeth the vapour to ascend from the ends of the earth: he maketh lightnings for the rain: he bringeth the wind out of his treasures." Even in the body of his humiliation nothing could withstand his word. Sickness, disease, and death, yielded when he spake the devils gave up their victims, and fled at his com mand: the winds were hushed at his bidding, and the boisterous deep ceased to roar: and even when it was the "hour" of his enemies, "and the power of darkness," the simple revelation, "I am He," smote them, that "they went backwards and fell to the ground." Thus Jesus manifested forth his glory when on earth, and his disciples believed on him; how much more, now he is seated on the right hand of the Father. "Greater things than these shall ye do, because I go unto the Father." And were not the wonderful events of the day of Pentecost proofs of this?" Therefore," says the Apostle, "let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ."