WE take it as Wesley did, that “by one Spirit,” is by the direction of one Spirit, we are all immersed into one body. It is clear that the baptism alluded to is the initiatory rite, for there is no other baptism into one body. The immersion in the Spirit is not into one body, or into anything. At the house of Cornelius they were immersed into Christ after they had been immersed in the Holy Spirit. The immersion in the Spirit was to convince Peter and his Jewish brethren that God intended to receive the Gentiles as well as the Jews. Hence, when Peter, in his rehearsal of the matter to his Jewish brethren, when he came to this, exclaims, “What was I that I should withstand God?”
The “one baptism” of Paul is the initiatory rite—the baptism of the Commission, connected with the faith and repentance for the remission of sins, and will remain as long as there is one to believe, repent or seek remission of sins. The faith, repentance, confession, immersion and remission of sins stand connected in the gospel of the grace of God, and we see not how any man can be so perverted as to try to evade any one of these items.
[DISTURBING ELEMENT.]
THE Bible is not the disturbing element, or property that prevents fusion, for all the sects have the Bible, speak well of it and commend it. They all bold the Bible in common. It is well received among all denominations. The Bible is not, then, the divisive element, or the repellent property among them that renders fusion impossible.
The Lord is not the repellent element, or property that prevents fusion, for they all speak well of him. Indeed, they all claim to have him with them and to love him.
The Holy Spirit is not the disturbing element, or property, for they all speak well of him, and claim to love him and to have him dwelling in them.