SERMON XXI.
BAPTISM WITH THE HOLY GHOST.

WHITSUNDAY.

ACTS i. 5.

"John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence."

OUR Saviour here makes a promise, which sank deep into the heart of the holy Apostles, and was understood by them to be very full of mysterious and gracious meaning. He was just on the point of departing out of their sight, and sitting down at His Father's Right Hand: and He turns their thoughts more and more to the great Promise which had always been the end of His preaching: the promise of the Holy Ghost to come down from the Father, and set up the kingdom of heaven. He renews this promise to them for the last time in such a way, as to signify that it was connected, in some mysterious way, with the former baptism of S. John, though that was by water only, this with the assured Presence and Power of the Blessed Spirit also. "John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost." It was the great point of our Lord's farewell blessing. No wonder that the blessed Apostles treasured it up in their minds, and applied it more than once as a prime law and rule of the kingdom of heaven. Thus S. Peter, when he was blamed for admitting Cornelius and other Gentiles into the Church as well as the Jews, told them how he had seen with his eyes the Holy Spirit come down upon them, and how that heavenly sight recalled to his mind our Lord's own words. "As I began to speak," says the holy Apostle, "the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that He said, John indeed baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost." And so S. Paul long after, finding certain disciples at Ephesus who knew no baptism but that of John, spoke unto them as one who would have them think so seriously of the baptism of S. John, which had gone before, as to receive Christ, Who came after, the better and more truly for it. When they said, they had been baptized with John's baptism, S. Paul's answer was, "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." And in his last regular discourse to the Jews, which being rejected, he turned to the Gentiles: "God, according to His promise, hath raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus: when John had first preached, before His coming, the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel."

By all these places it is very evident, that there is some deep and heavenly connection between the beginning and the end of the Gospel: the baptism of S. John, and that of the Holy Ghost. Between these two, I say, there is such a connection, as all would do well to take notice of: our Lord Himself recommending it to the very serious thoughts of all His people. So too at the beginning of the Gospel, we find, on the other hand, no less distinct reference to this, the designed crown and end of it. The very form and object of S. John the Baptist's ministry was, as we all know, by baptizing with water, to prepare the way for One Who should baptize with the Holy Ghost. Twice indeed, to a few chosen disciples he said, "Behold the Lamb of God:" but to the whole multitude his saying was (before he knew for certain that Jesus of Nazareth was the Person), "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He that cometh after me is mightier than I, Whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire." And after he had come to know Jesus (by what occurred at His Baptism), still when he had to speak of Him to the multitude, it does not appear that he pointed out to them His very Person, or spoke of His being the Lamb of God, but he spoke generally, and described our Lord as before. "There standeth One among you, Whom ye know not, of Whom I said, He cometh after me but is preferred before me: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire." The Baptism with the Holy Ghost was that great thing, which they to whom Christ was preached were taught to look on to from the beginning: it was (if I may say so) the Sign of the Son of Man. So that when it actually took place, in that wonderful manner, as on this day, Christians and especially the Apostles, looked back to the sayings of S. John, and said to themselves, "Now we know their meaning, now we see how God has been gradually preparing us for this His greatest work of all, the setting up of His kingdom by the coming of His Spirit to dwell in the souls and bodies of His people."

In particular, they would then seem to know, better than ever they had known before, concerning the astonishing Baptism of our Lord Himself. They would perceive that there was a sort of mysterious connection and correspondence between S. John's baptizing our Lord with water, and the whole Church being baptized by Christ Himself with the Holy Ghost. The Church, we know, is the Body of Christ. His natural Body is in many respects a kind of Type of that spiritual Body, of which His Person is the Head, and which has all its life from Him, made manifest in the flesh. The water therefore poured upon His visible Body by S. John was a token and type of the baptismal water, by which sinners were in all time to be born again and made members of Him. And the Holy Ghost, which descended in a bodily shape like a Dove and lighted upon Him, was a type and token of the same Holy Spirit descending, as in cloven tongues, like as of fire, with a hovering, perhaps, and dove-like motion, and settling on His Mother and His disciples, the first members of His mystical Body. Who knows too but the sound as of a rushing mighty wind, which came suddenly from heaven, and filled all the house where they were sitting, might answer in some wonderful way to the voice from heaven, which said, "Thou art My beloved Son; in Thee I am well-pleased?" seeing that those who then received the Spirit were truly made sons of God, adopted by Him as true members of Christ Jesus, and thenceforth, their eyes being enlightened, they discerned in all the house where they were sitting, in all the Church and the world around them, nothing but voices and tokens of His mysterious Presence. As many as receive Him, to them He gives the privilege thus to become the sons of God, even to them who believe on His Name. He gives them power, not only to be accounted, but really to become, His children, by true Sacramental union with Christ His Son.

Thus it may appear that our Lord's Baptism by S. John was the pledge and in a manner the beginning of His Church's Baptism by Himself. He then, as our Head, received the Holy Ghost for us. He was anointed with It; so S. Peter speaks, "anointed with the Holy Ghost and with power." And as the precious oil upon the High Priest's head "ran down unto the beard and went down to the skirts of his clothing," so the Holy Spirit, poured upon the Head of the Church, did on this day begin to flow over her members, one and all, and shall do so until the end of the world, when she shall have attained her full stature, and the number of those chosen to be grafted into her shall be complete. Behold here, as in all things, the merciful condescension of our Redeemer: how when He wanted nothing, He condescended to receive all, that we might receive it through Him. That He might baptize us, He consented to be baptized Himself: that He might confirm us, to be confirmed: that He might ordain some among us, to be ordained. For so the Holy Scriptures and the Church represent the deep meanings of His Baptism by S. John. By His heavenly touch He sanctified the waters, not only of Jordan, but of all the earth, to the mystical washing away of sin: by receiving the Holy Ghost presently afterwards, He sealed to us not only the baptismal Gift, but also that further Gift of the Spirit, which the Church teaches us to call Confirmation. And since S. Paul affirms that the saying, "Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee," was the Father's commission to glorify Christ as our High Priest, we have reason to think that His Baptism, so far, was a pledge of that holy gift also, which He gave His Apostles, when He made them priests in His Church. And in a word: for whatever holy and divine purposes God intended to give the Spirit, in due time, to the Church and her members; for all of them together we believe that He gave the same Spirit to the Divine and most merciful Head of the Church. Christ received the Holy Ghost without measure, that unto every one of us He might give grace, according to the measure which He saw to be proper for each.

Since it was for us only, not at all for Himself, that He received that good Spirit, we need not fear to say and believe the very highest things regarding the privileges, with which He has endowed His Church and kingdom, for which He hath obtained that unspeakable Gift. We may truly say, that as He was anointed to be Prophet, Priest and King, so His Holy Spirit has anointed His whole Church, and what is more, each particular Christian, to be in some sort prophet, priest and king in His stead. The Church, Christ's Body on earth, is a prophet in our Lord's absence, because the Spirit which dwells in her is a Spirit of prophecy, enabling her to foretel things to come, guiding her into all truth, opening her understanding, that she may understand the Scriptures. As Christ's prophet, and our teacher under Him, the Church has provided us with Creeds, declaring to us the true meaning of the Holy Bible, and which of all the truths which it teaches are particularly necessary to salvation. And not only in Creeds, but in Liturgies and in catechisms and in many other ways, the holy Church throughout all the world does the office of a prophet to God's people, warning them of their duty, calling their attention to God's written Word, giving them sure tokens when He is especially near them, shewing them how He will be praised and worshipped, what prayers and Sacraments they should offer Him. Nay, and all the Lord's people too are prophets, now that He hath put His Spirit within them: they all know Him, from the least to the greatest, so far as that He has made them aware of their duty: they know what great things He has done in coming into the world and dying for them, and how infinite the consequence of their hearing or refusing to hear. They are prophets, because they can look on into eternity. They are prophets, because they have in them the Holy Spirit of the Father and the Son, teaching them, in answer to their diligent prayer, what to do and what to avoid.

Again, Christians are priests likewise, and kings: "a royal priesthood, a peculiar people." So speaks S. Peter: and S. John gives glory "unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own Blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father." And the whole Church is, so far, made partaker of Christ's priestly office, as that she is entrusted by Him to offer up spiritual sacrifices, to do that in remembrance of Him, which He did the night before His death, in order to our being all made partakers of His most blessed Body and Blood. The Apostles indeed and their ordained successors only have commission to do it with their hands; but in virtue and effect it is the offering of all Christians, for themselves and for one another. So indeed are all her solemn prayers and intercessions. If it is a great thing to have one righteous man praying earnestly and fervently for us, much more to have the whole Church: because the Church is the Body of Christ, anointed with His Spirit, the Spirit of grace and supplication, and encouraged to intercede for His members by very special promises. And in that she sacrifices and intercedes, she is so far a Priest. The grace of His mediatorial office runs over, as it were, and is communicated, in a lower and ministerial sense, to His Church.

Now as to our Lord's third office, that of King on His throne: the sayings of Scripture are quite express, that we shall reign with Him for ever: that such as overcome shall sit with Him on His throne: that we are even now raised with Christ to sit with Him on God's right hand in the heavenly places. And it is the same, where either Prophets or Apostles make mention of the whole Church as one. She is called the bride of the Lamb, Who is King of kings, and Lord of lords. She is the queen, "the king's daughter, all glorious within," standing on the right hand of Him Who is most mighty. To her is given that kingdom and dominion, which all people nations and languages are to own and obey for ever: before which the kingdoms of the world are to become as dust, carried away by the whirlwind. Thus is the holy Catholic Church invested with her Lord's kingly office also, anointed to it with the Holy Ghost in mystery and type at His Baptism, and really on the Day of Pentecost, when the kingdom of heaven began.

What could the Lord have done more for His vineyard, that He hath not done in it? What if after all, when He looks that we should bring forth grapes, He finds us bringing forth no better than wild grapes? The same Scriptures, which instruct us so largely in the Church's privileges and our own, teach also no less plainly, what fruit He expects both of the Church and of us her members. The Spirit which rested first upon our Lord in Baptism, then upon His whole Church at the Day of Pentecost, thirdly, on each of us individually, when we were baptized and made members of Christ: this Holy Spirit the Lord declares by His prophet to be the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, the Spirit of Counsel and Might, the Spirit of Knowledge and of the Fear of the Lord. Wisdom first, and Understanding: that is, as it may seem, right thoughts concerning those things both in heaven and in earth, which Christian people ought to pursue and seek after. These are the first tokens of God's Spirit: a true judgement of things eternal, as compared with things temporal, and of things in this world, as they may or may not be made helps towards eternal blessings. We have reason then to hope, that we have not forfeited or thrown away the Blessed Spirit of God given us at our Baptism, if we find and feel that eternal things take up the chief place in our will and mind, and that we use to measure other things by the hurt or good they do to our immortal souls.

Again, Christ's Spirit is a Spirit of Counsel and Might. He shews people the right way to obtain what they seek after, and gives them the heart, the courage, the good will, to set at once about that way, however disagreeable to flesh and blood. It is a good sign as to our having the Spirit, when we are ready at once to do those things which our conscience tells us ought to be done, without asking questions, without making excuses or difficulties. When we are bold to say at once to foolish irreligious friends and companions, "I will not go with you in sin, and there is an end of it:" when we make ourselves good rules, or what is still better, observe the good rules of the Church, and keep resolutely to them; when we mind the laughter of idle people less and less, and the secret whisperings of our conscience more and more: when, having considered beforehand and made up our minds what is right to be done, and strengthened ourselves with prayer and Holy Communion, we steadily deny ourselves in order to perform our good intentions, not listening to our own indolent scruples nor to the frivolous objections of men: all these are good marks of our still being possessed with the Spirit of Counsel and Might, Who was given us at our Baptism.

But most especially He is the Spirit of Knowledge and of the Fear of the Lord. Those who have not in any degree made void His gracious influences have a sort of inward light within them; an instinct, such as that by which children know their parents, which tells them at once what ought to be done, without long calculation and reasoning. And most especially He causes the Fear of the Lord to be present with us. He brings it home to our hearts, that God is looking on; that whatever we do, must not be done at random, seeing an account is surely taken of all; an account, the result of which will no less surely be made known to men and Angels, when Jesus Christ comes to judge us. When we have this thought entirely rooted in our minds, and the dreadful picture of the last Day filling our hearts and imaginations, so that we are really afraid to sin, and ashamed to be cold and lukewarm in serving God: then may we hope that the sacred Spirit, of Whom we were born again unto righteousness, has in no wise departed from us: then may we trust the Lord Almighty, that we have still the portion which He freely gave us in His Son: then may we, in all humility and thankfulness, endeavour to go on unto perfection, without such restless, devouring anxiety, as if we had still the first foundations to lay.

This is what Christ would have us be, whom He hath Himself baptized with the Holy Ghost: and what we might all be at this moment, had we duly kept, according to our power, the covenant we then made with God m Him. This is what we might be, and what He gave us power to be. What we are, is another question: a most painful one for very many of us to answer, yet one which must be laid to heart and sincerely answered, as in the Presence and hearing of Him Whom we cannot deceive: else we shall but go on from bad to worse; and any peace and calm of mind we may now seem to enjoy will prove no better than a deceitful soul-destroying dream, from which we shall awake before long to everlasting incurable shame and anguish. Let us not shrink from asking ourselves, again and again, every day of our lives, the serious question, "Am I living as one who has been baptized with the Holy Ghost, made one with Christ, endowed with grace to be in some true sense a king, a priest, a prophet under Him? Am I wise to love heaven, really, better than earth; strong to keep my good resolutions; full of humility and fear, as constantly remembering the last dreadful day?" Let every man's own heart make him the true answer to these most aweful questions: let him compare what he is with what he might be: and then although, blessed be God, there is no ground for despair in any, yet surely there will be found in most of us deep reason for humiliation and penitence through the whole time of our life: too happy, if even so we may be forgiven and saved at last!

Project Canterbury