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THE BAPTISM OF THE HON. BAPTIST W. NOEL.

baptised person should not, at any point | previous to being baptised, there certainly

in his heavenward course, be baptised, when he comes to recognise his error. Our blessed Saviour has set us an example in this matter. At the age of thirty, when he was known, by all who knew him, to be devoted to God-when his whole life was a profession of devotedness, not in the least requiring baptism as an expression either of repentance or of faith-when John was baptising converts, because the kingdom of heaven was at hand-then it was that Jesus, not certainly needing to be baptised unto faith in himself, and needing no repentance, was yet at that age baptised. This he did, because he would honour the ordinance of God, not needing it himself, but with a view to the welfare of others and the honour of God. He was therefore baptised. Is there not much analogy between the baptism of Christ in the Jordan, and the baptism of any disciple, if his soul, after some years of faith, perceives that he has been ignorant in this matter, and has not understood the doctrine of Christian baptism? When we add to this the reason which Christ assigned why he was baptised, we see that his authority directly recommends, sanctions, and commands, that those who find out that they are unbaptised, because only sprinkled in infancy, should, like Jesus, be afterwards baptised. He said, when John remonstrated with him as his inferior, and therefore not needing to be baptised by him,' Suffer it to be so now, for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.' He did not mean that there was anything especially righteous, especially great, especially devoted in being baptised; but that it was comparatively a trivial thing, as it seems to me, that it was a light duty compared with many, as comcompared with faith and devotedness. It was but the external profession. Nevertheless, he says, 'It becometh us to fulfil the least command as well as the greatest!' When, therefore, our Lord assigned this as a reason, why he, not needing it, should yet be baptised, he said in effect to all his followers: You may think that having made a profession in other ways, you need it not, that you have confessed Christ at the table of the Lord, or in your intercourse with the world; nevertheless, it becomes us to fulfil all righteousness,' to keep all the commands of Christ, to honour every ordinance that God has given; and if you need it not for yourselves, at least in respect to his authority be baptised, that you may express your willingness to be obedient to him in all things.'

Mr. Noel having thus boldly put on a public profession of Christ by baptism-(a fact that cannot fail deeply to interest the churches of Christ at large-) a very important questiou now arises; and it is this: IS THERE ANY EVIDENCE THAT MR, NOEL HAS BEEN LED EXPERIMENTALLY INTO THE TRUTH?

In answer to this enquiry, we can only say, that in what may be called 'HIS CONFESSION OF FAITH,' which he read

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are many things which bespeak the life of God in his soul; but there are other things which manifestly declare that his future position in the professing church will be that of AN OPEN COMMUNION GENERAL BAPTIST, unless the blessed Spirit of our God shall lead him more deeply and more decidedly into Truth, than is yet the case. We have hinted that Mr, Noel (previous to baptism,) read a paper 'expressive of his feelings;— from this paper we here give all that is worth quoting. It was written in the form of a prayer; and commenced as follows:O, Lord God Almighty, I aceept with humble gratitude-as a sinner who has deserved eternal death, and who cannot cease to deserve it-the rich, free, and eternal salvation which thou in thy goodness hast provided for me. I look to thee, O God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to save me from the punishment of sin and its power; from the curse which thy law has justly pronounced upon me; from my own faults; from all temptations: and to bring me to a life of holy bliss in heaven, because thou hast promised all this to those who come to thee, as I now do, through Christ. In dependence on the merit of thy Son Jesus Christ, upon the aid of thy Spirit, and on thy truth, I look to thee for the eternal salvation of my body and of my soul; and I humbly accept thee as my chief guide to all eternity. O God, the Son, my Redeemer, who didst expiate my sins by thy death, thou wast made sin for me, that I might be made the righteousness of God in thee; thou hast redeemed me from the curse of the law, being made a curse for me, and having rescued me from eternal death by thy death, thou dost now live to bring me to eternal life. Believing in thy power and love, I trust to thy merit and intercession to secure for me the favour of God, to impart to me thy Holy Spirit, to enrich me with all the blessings of the new covenant, and to prepare me for heaven; and thus I accept thee as my only and allsufficient Saviour. Through Christ I like wise thankfully receive thee, O God the Spirit to be my sanctifier. For his sake thou dost dwell with those who believe in him; and believing on him, I look to thee to teach me all needful truth, to incline my heart to what is just and right, to set my affections on God and on spiritual things, to direct and control my will, to form my character, to sanctify me wholly, to preserve me through all temptations, and to bring me into the presence of my Redeemer in glory. Thus I heartily accept thee, O God, the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, as my shield and my exceeding great reward; and I humbly trust, according to thy promises, to be made happy by thee for both worlds. On the other hand, being so blessed and favoured, I, as a redeemed and pardoned transgressor, desire to make a public profession of faith in thee, and publicly to dedicate myself to thy service, according to Christ's appointment, by immersion. By my sins I have

PAST EXPERIENCE.

displeased and dishonoured thee; they have checked my efforts, they have hindered me from doing good, they have injured my peace and usefulness, they have been my disgrace, and but for thy mercy, they have been my ruin. I have been unreasonable, corrupt, and ungrateful in disobeying thee, and am brought by nature and by practice to such a condition, that nothing but the blood of Jesus Christ could blot out my guilt. As Christ died for my sins, and was buried in the grave, so shall I be buried in the water, in token that I die with him to the sins which caused his death, that I may never again serve sin, As Christ my Redeemer is in heaven, I will set my affections there; as he is holy, just, and good there, I will endeavour to be so here; as he glorifies thee there, I will seek to glorify thee here; as he loves believers, I will love them; and as he is head over all things to the Church, I will live to serve the church; and thus, by thy help, I will rise with Christ to a new life. Further, as I am about to be baptised unto the name of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit—that is, to profess, by immersion, that I am thy worshipper and servant, I now consecrate myself to thy service for ever. I give myself unreservedly to thee, O God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Relying on thy mercy to accept me through Christ, and on the aid of thy Spirit to enable me to adhere to my resolution, thy will, O God, shall be mine! I desire to please thee in all things: I count thy enemies my enemies, thy friends my friends. Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? Only make me to know thy will, and by thy help I will do it; thou art my owner, and to please and serve thee shall be my highest end. I give myself also unreservedly to thee,my gracious and loving Saviour, who art one in nature, design, and feeling with thy Father. As thou hast lived and died for me, I wish to live for thee; as thou wilt give me glory in heaven, I desire to give thee glory on earth. Before long I hope to see thee in thy kingdom: meanwhile, may I love, serve, trust, and delight in thee, as my ever present Redeemer. To obey thy commands, to copy thy example, to promote thy cause, to help thy servants, to honour thee, in the use of all my faculties, possessions, and time; all this is my fixed intention by the aid of thy Spirit. Thou hast bought me by thy blood. I am thine. Further, I give myself unto thee, O Holy Spirit of God, It is my desire and purpose to be led by thy teaching and to be conformed to thy will. May thy holy influence surround me wherever I may be! May I never grieve thee by neglect or sin, by hardness or unbelief, but may I be immersed in a flood of light and love, as the three disciples were immersed in the bright cloud on the Mount of Transfiguration. May I be baptised in thee! Pervade all my faculties; consecrate my whole being to thyself. Since I have thus been enabled to believe, O Lord God, and am about to profess my faith by immersion unto thy name,

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I look to thee to fulfil the promises which thou hast made to me in thy Word. Jesus, when on earth, said, he that believeth and is baptised, shall be saved;-receive me, therefore, now, and own me at the last day, as one of thy pardoned and accepted children. My righteousness must ever continue like filthy rags, and each day I must need thy forgiveness. Now, therefore, I desire, by being baptised in the name of Christ, to express my dependence on his merit and mediation, to assume by faith the robe of his righteousness, and to be one of those of whom the Apostle Paul has said,' As many of you as have been baptised into Christ, have put on Christ.' Look on me as one who depends on him alone; let his righteousness be imputed to me; let it hide from thee all my guilt. Finally, as I am about to be received into the communion of saints, as a member of a christian church, assist me to live answerably to this privilege. Make me to love my brethren, and to be loved by them in return. Never may I sow discord among those whom divine grace has united, but on the contrary, be a peace-maker among those whom human infirmity separates. Finally, may the memory of this solemn baptism refresh me during all my future course. If ever I am tempted to backslide, may these solemn vows occasion deep contrition, and recall me to fidelity. Now unto thee, who art able to keep me from falling, and so present me faultless before the presence of thy glory with exceeding joy; to thee, the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen."

After singing, and prayer over the pool, Mr, Noel, and thirteen others, six of them females, were baptised in the usual manner by the Rev. Mr. Shepherd.

Past Experience.

WHEN I my youthful days survey,
I think had I been call'd away,
Where should I now have been?
Where hope nor mercy cannot come,
With devils there would be my home,
There where no light is seen.
Madly I ran (well satisfied,)
The road to death, nor ever tried
Myself to extricate.

Well pleased, I sported with my sin,
Deceiving, and deceiv'd within,

Nor fear'd my future state.
Until God, with his spirit came,
Reveal'd to me that dreadful flame;
And said," it is thy due."
It seem'd as by a thread I hung,
Over the burning pit I swung ;
And knew not what to do.
Distress'd with fear, and fill'd with grief,
'Till Jesus came to my relief;

And spoke sweet words of peace.
Applied his blood, iny wounds to heal;
He made me peace and pardon feel;
And bid my troubles cease.

O matchless, undeserved grace!
That caused my soul to seek his face,
That gave me hopes of heav'n.
O wondrous love! O pow'r divine !
To change this carnal heart of mine,
To say,
"thou art forgiven."-CATHERINE.

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THE GRAND CORNER STONE OF THE GOSPEL.

The Grand Corner Stone of the Gospel.

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My dear brothER:-About three years ago at a public meeting, I was called upon to address an assembly of persons on the subject of Christian Responsibility." Some of my friends wished to see it in print. I have sent it for you either to take on board or to throw it over as you may judge fit.

rosity-the second an act of commercial responsibility. "What thou spendest more host viewed his ability and accepted the when I come again I will repay thee:" the

terms.

But some may say, as they have said, “ I can see no difference between responsibility and obligation, for if you owe me £20, I hold you as responsible, and you are under an obligation to pay me;" very well, I can see a difference if you cannot, for even as ON CHRISTIAN RESPONSIBILITY. a commercial man, a man of business, I In giving you my views on the subject hold that you are a very short-sighted man named, I shall for the sake of brevity, enter to talk as you do, you should have added, at once into a definition of the word Re- or have finished your threat thus, "I hold sponsibility in general, and of the term you responsible, and you are under an obliChristian Responsibility in particular, by gation to pay me, you or your surety, if which time, I think it will be tolerably you can find one that I will accept." Now clear to all that by Christian Responsi- you talk like a man that understands bility, whatever legal stuff men may attach business, you see here, that my bondsman to it, it legitimately means just this and has taken the responsibility upon his own nothing else. It means the suretyship shoulders, but he has laid me under an engagement of Christ, and necessarily obligation to himself for his kindness. includes the happiness of the saints now, There is another point the objector will and the confidence of Heaven for ever. In fly too here, it is this, he will say, you defining the term, I shall first tell you have shifted the place, but not the fact. what I mean by it, and then give you a The fact-the fact, no, no my hearers, the scripture illustration of that meaning, fact we would not shift for all the world. that we may feel our ground as we proceed. The fact in the great plan of redemption, The word responsibility is not a scripture is the sheet anchor of our souls, the hope word; we must therefore seek its meaning of our minds and the joy of our hearts, we in popular or general usage; then we must only want things in their proper places. see if we can find in the Bible any circum- Remember in the salvation of the Gospel, stance equal or parallel to this meaning; God has a place for every thing, and he if we can find this, then in all similar cases has every thing in its place, and to shift we are justified in the use of the word, and the place is to deny the legislative authowe cannot hold it with too tenacious a rity of Jesus-to throw the whole plan into grasp; if not, the sooner we drop the favour-disorder, to confuse the mind, and to trouite term the better; but I am quite sensible the hearts of the Lord's people. In the ble we shall have no occasion to drop the Bible, we have a four-fold view of this term Christian Responsibility; for, the more it is contemplated, the more it shines, and the more tenacious we shall be to keep it in its proper place; but to remove it from the place where God has put it, is in effect to deny it, to reverse the order of God is to endanger the whole Christian system-to place the church in jeopardy, and to rob JEHOVAH JESUS of his glory. The meaning of the word Responsibility, according to general usage, (if I understand the use of it aright,) is just this-It is invariably used in reference to the ability of the individual who is viewed and held as responsible; on the other hand, obligation (which is often confounded with responsibility) has a more especial reference to the generosity of a friend. Thus a gift lays its recipient under obligation, a creditor holds his debtor under responsibility. In common life, men feel this difference, and they know what responsibility means. They will not make a man responsible for £20 who they know is not worth a farthing; no, no," the children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light." On the other hand, a friend lays me under an obligation by helping me when I cannot help myself. We have an illustration of this view of the case in the parable of the good Samaritan, Luke x. 30-37. Now observe, the first act of this Samaritan was an act of pure gene

subject. First, creature-responsibility,
(Gen. ix. 6.) Second, civil-responsibility,
(Gen. xliii. 9.) Third, commercial re-
sponsibility, (Philemon 18 and 19th verses.)
Fourth, Christian responsibility. (Heb.
vii. 22.) In all these different positions,
responsibilities is used in one sense.
has invariably an eye on the ability of
him who is held responsible.

It

Thus, I think by this time we can see what responsibility is, and where it rests in the Christian scheme. The blessed Redeemer entered the covenant, and from church was laid under an obligation to that glorious and eventful period, the the God man-to Jehovah Jesus-to the Christ of God, which obligation she will be always paying, but through the endless ages of eternity she will never, no never, look at ability to discharge; she fixes her be able to discharge. Obligation does not eye on the generosity of her friend; and she exclaims with emotions of soul better to be experienced than spoken-better felt than told :

All hail the power of Jesu's name,
Let angels prostrate fall!
Bring forth the royal diadem,
And crown him Lord of all.-
Crown him! crown him Lord of all. Mar-
tyrs, saints and angels, crown him Lord
of all!

AN EPISTLE TO THE LIVING FAMILY OF JEHOVAH.

If I am right in my views on Christian responsibility-free will-duty faith and conditional comforts must go to the dogs, they are dog's meat, not children's food; for grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ. Jesus has the care of the election of grace, and he is well able to take care of them, to keep them from falling, and to present them faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, Jude xxiv. With him rests the fulfilment of the promises of mercy, for they are all yea and amen, (not in the creature for his doings-his deeds or his desires, no, no, my hearers) they are all yea and amen in Christ for the certain comfort of the saints, the glory of God and the lifting of Jesus on high.

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LASTING Father,' Isa. ix. 6. The God of the christian's salvation is an unchanging God, therefore is he not consumed,' Mal. iii. 6. True, the poor soul is, at times, scarcely out of one trial ere he is into another; scarcely has he come out of this

And why all this crowning? He is the Eliakim of Isaiah xxii. 20-24. He is the branch of Zechariah vi. 12, 13. Thus responsibility and glory fitly meet together in Jesus! hang the responsibility of the Christian; the poor, the tried, the tempted, the bankrupt, the insolvent and the help-furnace, ere another appears heated with a less soul hang the responsibility of every sevenfold heat; yet his poor soul has not individual christian on Isaiah's nail, or on Zechariah's branch, this, this shall be all been burnt up nor destroyed therein, although our boast, our joy, our crown and our glory, his fears have run high, and his hopes have here we'll hang the glory of redemption's sunk low; his enemies have prophesied his mighty plan for ever and for ever. downfall, and his faith has been so weak and his unbelief so strong, that he hath, even himself, come to the conclusion, that 'all these things are against me,' yet he holds on, is supported under, and at length brought blessedly through, to the glory of God, the praise of his grace, and the honour of his great name; and all because the child of God has to do with an unchanging God of faithfulness and truth, of grace and of mercy. Let us, therefore, beloved, turn aside with one of old, and see this great sight why the bush is not burnt, Exodus iii. 3. It is, my brother or sister, because, "The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms,' Deut. xxxiii. 27. This is an immutable basis for our hopes, and a strong foundation for our confidence. has been what he is now, and ever will be what now he is. If we believe not he abideth faithful who has promised, he cannot deny himself,' Heb. xi. 11. God is faithful, loving, compassionate;-full of pity, power, grace, mercy, truth, love and righteousness. Well, then, he is and was. God is no more a God of love, pity, grace and mercy now than he was then, or then more than he is now. God was holy then, just then, righteous then; in a word, the same God then as now, and now as then, or else he could not be eternal: yet we read, From everlasting to everlasting thou art God,' Psa. xc. 2. And here we take our stand in reference unto God's decrees, ancient settlements, and covenant purposes. 'Known unto God are his works from the beginning,' Acts xv. 18. God's foreknowledge of things is based upon his eternity. All things are naked and open to him with whom we have to do. There is not a circumstance which is now transacted a on the stage of time but was known by God in all eternity. All things with God is one

We have said it is the confidence of heaven, for the Lamb in the midst of the throne shall feed them, he shall lead them to fountains of living waters and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. He shall do it-he is well able to do it-he is held responsible for its accomplishment, the church triumphant has confidence in him that he will do it, let this responsibility be placed any where else, oh! I shudder to think how men play with words-let it be placed any where else but on the Lamb in the midst of the throne, confidence would be destroyed-happiness would be ended, the saints would be lost, and the enemy of souls would triumph-this must be the end of free will, duty faith and conditional comforts. But let all responsibility rest on the Lamb in the midst of the throne, and the confidence of Heaven is maintained and its happiness perpetuated for ever and ever.

J. CRAMPIN, Stretham.

AN EPISTLE

To the Living Family of Jehovah, Who from time to time read the Vessel, and are seeking therein for some evidence of the purchase, Jer xxxii. 14; some of the old store, Lev. xxvi. 10; and a little of that water which has not been fouled by the feet of legal strivings, Ez. xxxiv. 18. Grace unto you and peace.

BELOVED in and of the Lord, it is a mercy for us in the midst of all our tribulation pathway, that Jehovah is of one mind;without variableness, or the shadow of a turning,' James i. 17; 'JESUS the same YESTERDAY, TO-DAY, and FOR EVER,' Heb. xiii. 8; an ETERNAL God;' and, an EVER

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Eccles. iii. 15. The characters who should All is as though it had been, live; the station they should occupy; all events which should transpire; the fate of devils, men, and angels was all fixed, and God hath bounded it all by his eternal and irrevocable purpose, Job vii. 1; Psa. cxxxv. 6. There can be no fresh light, or knowledge, or emotions springing up in the Lord. He is of one mind; eternal in his perfections and attributes. A trinity in unity, 1 John v. 7. Jehovah, Father, Word, and Holy Ghost, seeing and foreordaining all things after the

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AN EPISTLE TO THE LIVING FAMILY OF JEHOVAH.

council of his own will, Eph. i. 11; those he now loves he ever loved, those he now hates never had any share in his favour, Rom. ix. 11 to the end. And 'shall not the Judge of all the earth do right, who doeth according to his will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth?' Dan iv. 35. Nebuchadnezzar was taught this solemn lesson of the eternal God, by terrible things in righteousness. And both in providence and grace God is only doing all things according to a pre-determined plan and purpose and every revelation made by the revolving wheel of time, is only so much a breaking in and opening up to our view, of the vast, profound, and secret settlements of eternity, Rom. i. 20. All who were to be in glory with Christ, were chosen in him and their standing secured by him ere they fell in Adam the first: and all grace blessings which were provided in, and the providential dealings of God to them ward, and all the grand solemn, and important things which would result from it, was all ordained, ordered and made sure to them in an everlasting covenant between the Father and the Son, as witnesseth the Holy and ever blessed Spirit of truth, under whose inspirations holy men of God spake and wrote, 2 Sam. xxiii. 5; Ps. lxxxix. 3.

'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit saith the Lord of Hosts.' Zech. iv. 5. Blessed be the eternal God, beloved, he lives to fulfil every promise; every covenant engagement; (and to make good in the experience of the soul all his word. And however at sixes and sevens things may be at times in thine own feelings, he knows the way thou takest; and when he has tried thee, purged thee, and purified thee, he will bring thee forth as gold to reflect his praise. Thou wilt prove there is no random working-no uncertainty in Jehovah. Infinite wisdom and boundless love sat in and presided over the councils of peace when that covenant was made 'ordered in all things and sure' for all thy salvation, and not a jot or tittle of it will ever possibly fail. They are sure mercies, though oftentimes they are cross-hand blessings. Neither will the flight of time sink the force of the promises: For the Lord is not slack concerning his promise.' True, they seem to us to be so long delayed, and our pathway is so rough and rugged; and withal, our poor minds at times are so bewildered, confused and dark; and the dispensations of providence and grace are so confounding to sense, and so mysterious and perplexing to our reason and judgment that we cannot understand it nor make it out, either by going God's eternal purpose and grace is the backwards or forwards, towards the right hand ground of our salvation by Jesus Christ, and or the left. He maketh the clouds his chariot, our calling by the Holy Ghost, 2 Tim. i. 9. yet remaineth for ever the same: for "havThe first is made manifest by the appearing ing loved his own which were in the world, of the Lord Jesus Christ who hath abolished he loveth them unto the end ;" and, when we death, and hath brought life and immortality connect that with, "In the world ye shall to light through the gospel:' the second is have tribulation,' you see poor soul however manifest, when, 'not by works of righteous-greatly tried thou mayest be, he loves thee ness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.' Titus iii. 5.

'I AM,' saith he, 'THAT I AM,' Ex. iii. 14. This was his great name by which he made himself known unto the Israelites in their deepest straits and in an iron furnace and it still holds good. He is selfexistent. He asks no one's leave to be. He gives life to all, yet needs help from none. In the great matter of salvation he laid help upon one that was mighty, Ps. lxxxix. 19; and thus exalted the man of his right hand whom he had made strong for himself. He lives to execute his own purpose, and to bring to pass his own designs. He inhabits eternity, fills immensity, and is the eternal God who giveth power to the faint: wisdom to the fool; knowledge unto the babe; and understanding unto the simple; and thus confounds the wise, overturns the prudent, baffles their skill, and stamps confusion on their works and ways; while the lame takes the prey, the spoil is divided among the poor, and the whole is crowned with, "It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God which sheweth mercy.' Rom. ix. 16;

through all, will enable thee to bear up under all, and will bring thee forth at length more more than a conqueror over all, through him who hath loved thee.

Dear child of God, thy standing is good at court. He casts out none who come to him for mercy, and saves to the uttermost ! for he ever lives to make intercession. Yea, Christ is the ever-living High Priest; the ever-loving Friend; and the ever-abiding Advocate and Day's-man with the Father. Cheer up then poor soul; he is the same now as when it was declared of him 'A bruised reed will he not break, and the smoking flax will he not quench, until he bring forth judgment unto victory. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but God's word will never fall to the ground: all must and shall be fulfilled. Say ye to the righteous it shall be well with him, say ye to the wicked it shall be ill with him. That arm which gathers and supports the saints in this their wilderness pathway, will dash the sinner in pieces as a potter's vessel. Beloved, the Lord seal home truth upon your souls for his name's sake. Amen.

June 19th, 1849.

JOSEPH F. RUDMAN.

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