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PRECIOUS TRUTH.

"He that hath an Ear to Hear, let Him Hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches." (Rev. ii.) Published for the Proprietor by J. B. BATEMAN, 22, Paternoster Row, entrance in Ivy Lane.

London:

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OUR JESUS-THE JEHOVAH OF ANGELS.

THE following Scriptures present our Lord-our Lord Jesus Christ-as the JEHOVAH of Angels, the LORD of Hosts (to Him be glory for ever and ever!) "In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, 'Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.' And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. Then said I, 'Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.'" (Isaiah vi.)

In this passage it will be noted that the word "Lord" is printed in our Bibles in two ways-first, in ordinary type; and secondly, in SMALL CAPITALS. In the first instance-"I saw also the 'Lord' sitting upon a throne"-the original word is Adonai,' which simply means 'Ruler,' while the word 'LORD' in the second and third instances in the above passage is in the original 'JEHOVAH,' 'The I Am.'

Now it is noticeable that both these words, in the above passage, are applied to the same person-and that Person is the Messiah then to come, afterwards revealed as the Eternal Word, who " was with God, and was God," "without whom nothing was made that was made." He is first spoken of as 'Adonai' -then by both angel and prophet as 'Jehovah'.

Sometimes a distinction of Person is made, as in the passage,—

"The LORD [Jehovah, The I Am] said unto my 'Lord' [Adonai, Ruler], Sit Thou at my right hand." (Ps. cx. 1.)

But in the above passage in the prophet Isaiah, both words are used in reference to Him-the 'Lord' -whom Israel was looking for, and whom Malachi said would suddenly come to His Temple.

Here, then, in Isaiah vi. He "who thought it not robbery to be equal with God" is presented as the worshipped of Angels. It is our Lord Jesus whose "train filled the temple "-the Thrice Holy Onethe Jehovah of Hosts, to Him be glory for ever and ever!

This is He who "made Himself of no reputation, took upon Himself the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men," that he might, "with Himself, purge our sins." Oh, grace amazing, unspeakable, stupendous, inscrutable!

As a little babe, He was still the adored of Angels:

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"And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." (Luke ii.) And so, too, when (as the first-begotten from the dead) He" was raised by the glory of the Father": "And again, when he bringeth in [or, when He bringeth again] the first begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him." (Heb. i.)

At the present time He re-possesses that glory which He had with the Father before the world was, "Angels, and authorities, and powers being made subject unto him." (1 Peter iii.)

And so, too, in the future, the Church being with Him, will behold His glory as the Jehovah of Angels, the Lord of Hosts

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Lord of my Life! Thy constant love
Attends me, night and day:

At home-abroad-where'er I move,
Thy care surrounds my way.
Thy thoughts have tender been towards me
E'er since I drew this breath :

Nor will they fail, if (hush'd by Thee)
I breathe my last in death.
Unbought and undeservèd love!

Yea, unrequited, too!

Which pardon gave, blest peace to prove,
And mercies not a few.

O Lord, I long to sing thy love,
With thousands saved like me,
Encircling Thee in bands above,
With deepest extasy!

Be Careful for Nothing! Want Nothing! We are thus exhorted in the Philippians, "Be careful for nothing." In order and then patiently wait and see what God the Lord will do. to become so, we are to make our requests known unto God, While in this patience we keep our souls, we really want nothing, that is, do not crave for it. "Let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." Having asked of our Father, in the name the precious name-of Jesus, and for His glory, let us be assured that the blessing is laid up in store for us, to be brought forth in due time.

"IS CHRIST DIVIDED?" (1 Cor. i. 13. )

David.-James, I hope you have now made up your mind to join our Church.

James.-Indeed, David, I have thought a great deal on the subject; but the more I think of it, the more I am convinced that I should be committing a great sin by doing as you desire.

D.-A great sin! what do you mean? I always thought it was a believer's duty to unite himself with some particular denomination of christians.

J. And I now clearly see it to be a believer's duty not so to connect himself; and that it would, therefore, be a sin in him to do so.

D.-Well, this is quite new to me will you explain yourself?

J.-I regard it, then, as a sin for christians to be of different denominations at all. A very little attention to the New Testament will, I think, convince you that nothing is there more pressed upon saints than union and oneness of mind, and nothing more condemned than division. For instance: -we find the Holy Ghost, speaking through Paul, rebuking the Corinthians because every one of them said, "I am of Paul, and I of Apollos," &c., (1 Cor. i, 12; iii, 4.) Each was for setting up his own favourite teacher, calling himself by his name, and following him. Now, had not this spirit been checked at the commencement, it would, sooner or later, have issued in their dividing themselves into different sects even as it is at this day. And in John xvii, we find Jesus praying repeatedly to His Father that His disciples might all be one, even as He and His Father were one; that the world might believe that the Father had sent him. Now, I firmly believe, that were I to join any particular sect on earth, I should be doing that which is decidedly forbidden in Scripture-that which hinders union, and keeps up division.

D. But has not God blessed all sects, and does not this show that He approves of them?

J.-You may just as well tell me that the Lord approved of Joseph's brethren selling him because He brought such blessings out of it; or that the murderers of Jesus did right because it brought such blessings to the world! You see, David, this sort of reasoning will not do. We see our gracious God continually bringing good out of evil; but surely this is no sanction of the evil. Such a principle will go to excuse, and even render meritorious, all sin. The fact of God's having blessed many of His devoted servants among different sects, whether of the Roman Catholic, or any other, proves the riches of His grace and long-suffering, but certainly does not prove such individuals in a right position; and a natural question is-Would not such have been greatly MORE blessed had they stood in no such connection? But is it not the constant complaint of God's most devoted servants that they see so little fruit of their labours, and might it not be well for them to enquire whether it may not be something in their position which hinders the blessing?

D.-But I have heard our minister say that sects did good by the emulation which they produce, thus exciting each other to greater zeal.

J.-It might be a sufficient answer to this, just to say that emulation is a work of the flesh (Gal. v, 20); and that we must not do the least evil even to bring about the greatest good: but I must at once deny that the rivalry of parties (that is, each party using all its energies to promote its own peculiar and exclusive interests) can be other than detrimental to the cause of Jesus. Such rivalry is a most evil thing in itself, and cannot be too much condemned, whatever good the God of all grace may bring out of it.

D.-But what would you have believers to do? would you have them separate from all other christians?

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J-By no means: you quite mistake my meaning. Instead of separating from all Christians, I would have you more fully unite with them; and this, I conceive, you can only accomplish by leaving your sect and taking the simple position of a disciple of Jesus.

D. But if I leave my church, I separate from my brethren.

J.-Not at all. Can you not perceive the difference between separating from a sect and separating from christians? I belong to no sect; and therefore feel myself at liberty to love all true disciples everywhere. Wherever I find a believer in Jesus, there I find a brother; I can meet him as a brother, I can pray with him, I can take sweet counsel with him, I can break bread with him in the Lord's name, resting on the promise, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them" (Matt. xviii, 20). I, as it were, say to myself, I am a disciple of Jesus; Jesus is my Master (Matt. xxiii, 8-10); He has given me His Spirit-this Spirit unites me to all the other disciples of Jesus. We are one body in Him-I would, then, call myself by no name but His. I would be united with Him and His members by no bond but the Spirit. We have "one Lord, one faith, one baptism," (Eph. iv. 5). Why should I take any name but that blessed

one

"of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named"? (Eph. iii, 15.) Why should I unite with a party-seeing I am united to the whole familyand thus place something between me and other members of this family?

D.-But there are so many differences of views among believers, that I cannot see how it is possible for those so differing to meet together as one church.

J.-Not possible! Then what does the apostle mean when he exhorts christians to be all of one mind— when he rebukes them for their divisions? what does Jesus mean when He prays that all may be one, that the world might believe that God had sent Him? Again, would I ask, is there one word in the New Testament to sanction believers being of different sects? and is there not very much to condemn everything like division in the Church? I would say, then, let believers meet together for communion simply as disciples: let them not merely speak against sectarianism, but let them break off all con

nection with every sect; let them look to the Spirit to open the word to them; let them bow their souls down in obedience to it, and then there will be some hope of their becoming of one mind; for then will those who are wrong be brought into such fellowship with those who are right, as may, with God's blessing, be the means of bringing them out of error. If christians, instead of making sects out of their differences, would stand together simply as saints around their common Lord, who has said, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them," and there wait upon Him to be taught by the Spirit; and together in all faithfulness would diligently and prayerfully search His mind in His word, and would, with one heart and one soul, earnestly seek to be brought into the mind of Jesus, they would be taking the most likely way to be made of one mind. I believe nothing is a greater instrument in Satan's hand of keeping up division, and preventing oneness of mind, than sects.

D.-But, supposing some of the saints were to separate from the different sects, and come together on such principles, would not this be just forming another sect?

J.-Where there are any human rules which would exclude from full communion any acknowledged disciple of Jesus, even the weakest, the body of Jesus is rent, and a sect is produced. And this, I believe, is what all the denominations do; and, therefore, they are all more or less sectarian in character. But where there are no such rules-where all manifested disciples are received simply in the name of disciples; and where, in all church-meetings, no hindrance is placed to the Lord nourishing, cherishing, and sanctifying, by the Spirit, through the Written Word, in His own gracious way (Eph. v.),-I see nothing to exclude one disciple of Jesus-nothing to rend His body; and, therefore, nothing sectarian. Into this blessed attitude may all believers be brought, to the glory of Jesus the Head of the One Body. Amen.

[The above Paper, along with two others on the same subject, may be obtained, in the form of a little book, of our Brother Bateman, price 2d.]

"THE ANGELS of the SEVEN CHURCHES." (Further considered.)

Glasgow, Dec. 12, '67. "MY DEAR BROTHER,-I have read with much interest the article on the "Seven Stars." Where there is among dear brethren so much diversity of opinion, I judge we are individually responsible to seek to be led by the Holy Spirit, our only Teacher, into all truth. Truly, the Spirit is our only Light through the Word.

"What I wish to draw your thoughts to is this-With regard to the Angels of the Seven churches, what was the thought (immediately) in the prophet's mind? There were real assemblies at Ephesus, &c. to whom the epistles were addressed. And there had been real messengers to carry this word from the Apostle, who acted therefore, in the character of apostolic delegation, such as none can lay claim to now. My conviction, therefore, is that these " messengers were those that carried the letters to the several churches, who had an especial responsibility in that apostolic day."

[To the reception of this hypothesis, dear brother, we have various difficulties

[1. Apostolic delegates, like Timothy and Titus, were not (according to the Word) set permanently over any one church. Their authority was temporary, representative, and diffusive (rather than local). What they did was really done for the apostles, and when their special missions were ended they returned to head-quarters (as it were) for further orders. Thus Titus was left by Paul in the island of Crete "to ordain elders in every city, and set in order the things that" were wanting. But Paul, writing to him, does not style him "messenger of the churches in Crete," nor does he regard him as permanently settled there. On the contrary, he receives directions to return to Macedonia: "When I shall send Artemas unto thee, or Tychicus, be diligent to come unto me to Nicopolis." Still later, Titus leaves Paul, and goes to Dalmatia. So with Timothy. They were ambassadors of the apostle, not located permanent authorities. Paul may write to them, for their personal guidance and exhortation, but he never addresses churches through them as their "angels."

[2. Again, your hypothesis requires seven manuscripts and seven apostolic delegates. But what do we read? "What thou seest, write in A book, and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia-unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna," &c. From this we see that the epistles to these churches were to go to them, one after the other, in one great manuscript, that all might read what was sent to the rest. Whether one, two, or more, apostolic delegates or messengers carried it, does not appear. "Seven would have been a large number. But we cannot speculate.

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[3. If these delegates were merely John's messengers, does it not strike you as highly improbable (to say the least) that the Lord should address these seven epistles to the persons chosen by John to carry them? Do we, in common life, address our letters to those who carry them (!) ?

[4. If your thought is that they were paramount ministers, located over the various churches-then we say, there is nothing in the Word to justify it. But this is not your

thought. You know, as well as we do, that elders were appointed in every church-not a single elder over any one church. A Diotrephes-loving to have the pre-eminence -might assume the predominance, but only at the expense of the condemnation of God. But you further say-] "You have not, dear brother, taken up two special difficulties. 1. It is the Spirit speaking to the churches-does the Spirit speak to the Spirit?"

[Now, we have no difficulty here. John was in the Spirit and the Spirit in him-that gracious One who is ever-present. But the Seven epistles were not, primarily, from the Spirit They were not simply inspired, like other prophecies, in writing which "holy men of old spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." They were given direct from the Lord to John, as much so as His words from the cross-" Behold thy mother!"

[John's having the Spirit does not make it the Spirit writing to the Spirit. No: it is the Lord who sends-sends by His servant John-but associates the messages with Him who had graciously taken the office of leading the saints by the Written Word into all truth-the Perfect Messenger possessed by each and every church. Your next difficulty is-] "The angel seems to be responsible for the failure as well as "&c. the success: I know thy works,'

[Now it is true that the first person singular is used, but that does not show that it is the Angel who is addressed. It is the church which is addressed through the Spirit. And the church is addressed in the singular number because, in the Word, believers in any one place are regarded as one-One church, body, candlestick. If the Lord were to write to the church of God in your city of Glasgow, surely He might say "Thou," or Thy," seeing it is one in His sight. That the church is contemplated and addressed (through the angel) in each epistle, is evident from the plural form of speech breaking out, now and then, when needful, as, for instance" I will give to every one of you," &c.

"May the Lord advance His own precious truth, and may Your we sit as children at His own once-wounded feet. brother in Him, K. L." [To this we say, Amen.]

"SAVED" and "SALVATION."

THESE words in the Scriptures not only apply to deliverance from wrath to come, but to deliverance from the dominion of sin and Satan now. If we practically take up that which has been done for us -it is salvation. And what has been done for us who believe in Jesus? We have been translated "from the kingdom of Satan into the kingdom of God's dear Son." "We are not of the world," even as He is not of the world. While I walk in the power of this fact-realizing it, availing myself of all the blessings of it-it is present salvation; sin has no dominion over me, I am not in bondage to the world and its ways, I am delivered from the fear of death and from the power (for the time) of him who had the power of death, that is, the Devil.

In this present sense, the word frequently occurs"Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them; for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee." (1 Tim. iv.)

As having received eternal life, through faith in Christ Jesus, our brother Timothy was already saved, in the sense of deliverance from the wrath to come. But Paul here speaks of his saving himself and those who heard him. Save from what? Save from sinning, from mistakes, from falling and failing in many ways, and from going on in error.

This saving efficacy of the Word of God is again set forth in the second epistle to Timothy.

"But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." (2 Tim. iii.)

So, beloved, we have the Scriptures in order that we may be "wise unto salvation "-not as fools, but as "wise, knowing what the will of the Lord is," seeking to go on with nothing but what is according to His mind and Word.

"Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls." (James i.)

Most certainly we must know the will of God (from the Word of God) before we can do it.

This state of salvation-that which we have been saved from and saved to-is enlarged upon in the epistle to Titus

"Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to oboy magistrates, to be ready to every good work, to speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing meekness unto all men. For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another (!). But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the

washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by his grace, we should be

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The "bath" of regeneration is one thing-even a new and eternal life, the gift of God through faith in Jesus. But besides that, there is the "renewing of the Holy Ghost." Is not this the daily working of the Spirit to conform us more and more to the image of Christ?

"Though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day." (2 Cor. iv.)

"This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ; if so be that ye have heard Him, and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." (Eph. iv.)

"Lie not one to another, seeing ye have put off the old man with his deeds; and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." (Col. iii.)

Thus, there is a "salvation" which, by the grace of Christ Jesus the Head, we can-have to-and are called to-" work out," a "salvation" which we can "receive," hold, and (by the same all-sufficient grace, enabling us to keep the body under) enjoy now.

"Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." (Phil. ii.)

He it is who (being our life) works in us to save us from our sins, and to keep us in sanctification-body, soul, and spirit.

The One Body (the Church) while down here, (associated with the old body of sin and death,) needs a Saviour to energise or 66 work, in each and all, to "will and to do His good pleasure.' Thus

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"He is the Saviour of the body." (Eph. v.) "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he

might destroy the works of the devil," (1 John. iii.)— -the works of the Devil in us-the tempers, principles, habits, "of the old man, which is corrupt."

Thus is fulfilled the word-"He shall save His people from their sins,"-as well as future punishment, for their sins.

"Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now yo see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls." (1 Peter, i.)

"Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." (2 Cor. vi.)

by the Word, to this end-our practical present salvaThus we see the Lord and the Spirit work in us tion or sanctification. Then, beloved

"How shall we [Paul, and the Hebrew converts, and you,

and I] escape, if we NEGLECT so great SALVATION ?" Solemn question for us, beloved.

But, by the grace of Christ

"Let us go on unto perfection." (Heb. vi. 1.)
"Perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord." (2 Cor. vii.)

II.

As further showing that these words "Saved" and "Salvation" have a present bearing, let us look at Scriptures which speak of other things, as having a saving usefulness.

1.-HOPE.

Hope, truly, is exceedingly useful, as an anchor, in saving us from being driven hither and thither by fears and doubts, persecutions, and strange doctrines. "For we are saved by hope......if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it." (Rom. viii.)

The hope that takes hold of the coming of the Lord saves or protects :

"And for an helmet, the hope [or expectancy] of salvation." This living hope also saves continually from sin"Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure." (1 John, iii.)

2. GODLY SORROW.

Godly sorrow, too, as well as hope, has a practically saving effect

"Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death." (2 Cor. vii.)

"And the Lord added unto the church daily such as should be saved."

-That is-from living in sin.

Again, after we become believers, the saving tendency of confession is very great. In every new sphere, when brought into contact with every new acquaintance, the wisest-safest course is to take an early opportunity of confessing Christ. Satan will hinder it, if he can. He will insinuate"Don't be too fast; you may do or say something "afterwards which will bring discredit on that name; "so be silent."

The answer to this is-"If I am known to be a "Christian, I shall feel bound to be more watchful, "and therefore less likely to fall. I take sides with "Him who is able to keep me from falling, and who, "for His own glory, will do so.'

Thus "confession is made unto salvation," or it furthers our "walk in newness of life."

Peter's thrice-dreadful fall in the high priest's house, is for ever a warning not to shrink from "confession."

Baptism, as a species of "confession," also operates in this way. An unbaptized christian is one who has not confessed Christ in Christ's own appointed way!!

4.-BAPTISM.

"Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." (Mark xvi.)

In the next place, let us consider that, while the

This is said to, and of, believers who had been led Holy Ghost has thus associated "confession" with into wrongdoing.

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"If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the

salvation-the Lord Jesus Christ has associated BAPTISM with salvation. We would therefore say, most earnestly,-Dear one, believing in Jesus, have of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost"? If the dear you been baptized "in the name of the Father, and

Lord has said—

"He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved," dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth-depend upon it that it is of very great practical unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made importance-not in saving you from wrath to come, unto salvation." (Romans x.)

"Justification" is through faith, and faith only. "Being justified by faith we have peace with God." "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law." (Rom.)

That is the state in which God sees the sinner who is brought to trust in Jesus.

But suppose such an one, through various causes, does not come forward and confess Christ with the mouth. In this case, though "baptized by the One Spirit into the One Body," he is not visibly added to the Body. Consequently, he loses the benefits of fellowship; saints cannot pray for him in the name of Jesus, or visit him; he is sure soon to fall into doubts and difficulties, with no kindly hands to "loose him and let him go." Ask him, and you will find he is not saved-(neither in his consciousness, nor saved from his old thoughts, principles, sins.)

This end and object of church-fellowship seems to be intimated in that clause in Acts ii. which has caused so much discussion

for "the blood of Jesus Christ God's Son cleanseth us from all sin "—but in saving you now.

Saving you from wilfulness.-Oh, if wilfulness-selfwill-our having our own way-begin upon a matter so simple, where may it not end? How many who are wilful on this subject are wilful on others also! Alas! yes; who has not known such?

BAPTISM, as associated with Belief, -("He that believeth-and-is-baptized")-is a representative word. Representative of what? Of OBEDIENCE in toto. As though the Lord said-He that believeth and obeyeth.

He that Believeth shall be saved from the wrath to come.

He that Obeyeth shall be saved on the roadsaved from all the dangers which arise from SELFWILL-Saved from preferring Self to Christ!

It is true a believer after baptism may yield to Self. But, in Baptism, he professed (more or less publicly), to be dead to Self, and so desired that Self should be buried and got rid of.

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