First Edition, Feb. 1906; Reprinted, May 1906 Reprinted, May 1907 RICHARD CLAY & SONS, LIMITED, BUNGAY, SUffolk. REGENERATION (JUNE 6, 1852) CHRIST THE SON (CHRISTMAS DAY, 1851) THE SINLESSNESS OF CHRIST (NOVEMBER 18, 1849) CHRIST'S WAY OF DEALING WITH SIN (NOVEMBER 221 233 244 REALIZING THE SECOND ADVENT (DECEMBER 2, 1849) WAITING FOR THE SECOND ADVENT (DEC. 12, 1852) FIRST ADVENT LECTURE: THE GREEK (DEC. 6, 1849) The following is a list of the works of F. W. Robertson :— SERMONS ON CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE BAPTISM GALATIANS iii. 26-29.—" For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." WHEREVER Opposite views are held with warmth by religious-minded men, we may take for granted that there is some higher truth which embraces both. All high truth is the union of two contradictories. Thus predestination and freewill are opposites and the truth does not lie between these two, but in a higher reconciling truth which leaves both true. So with the opposing views of baptism. Men of equal spirituality are ready to sacrifice all to assert, or to deny, the doctrine of baptismal regeneration. And the truth, I believe, will be found, not in some middle, moderate, timid doctrine, which skilfully avoids extremes, but in a truth larger than either of these opposite views, which is the basis of both, and which really is that for which each party tenaciously clings to its own view, as to a matter of life and death. The present occasion1 only requires us to examine three views. 1 The decision of the Privy Council on the Gorham case. I. That of Rome. II. That of modern Calvinism. III. That of (as I believe) Scripture and the Church of England. I. The doctrine of Rome respecting baptism. We will take her own authorities. is I. "If any one say that the sin of Adam taken away, either by the powers of human nature or by any other remedy than the merit of the One Mediator, our Lord Jesus Christ. or denies that the merit of Jesus Christ, duly conferred by the sacrament of baptism in the church form, is applied to adults as well as to children -let him be accursed." Sess. v. 4. "If any one deny that the imputation of original sin is remitted by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is conferred in baptism, or even asserts that the whole of that which has the true and proper character of sin, is not taken away, but only not imputed—let him be accursed." Sess. v. 5. "If any one say that grace is not given by sacraments of this kind always and to all, so far as God's part is concerned, but only at times, and to some, although they be duly received—let him be accursed.” "If any one say that by the sacraments of the New Covenant themselves, grace is not conferred by the efficacy of the rite (opus operatum), but that faith alone is sufficient for obtaining grace-let him be accursed.' "If any one say that in three sacraments, i. e. baptism, confirmation, and orders, a character is not impressed upon the soul, i. e. a certain spiritual and indelible mark (for which reason they cannot be repeated)—let him be accursed." Sess. vii. cap. 7-9. "By baptism, putting on Christ, we are made a new creation in Him, obtaining plenary and entire remission of all sins." It is scarcely possible to misrepresent the doctrine so plainly propounded. Christ's merits are instrumentally |