For by one Spirit are we all baptized
This is to be understood not of water baptism; for the apostle
says not in one, and the same water, but "by", or "in" one
Spirit, are we all baptized; the baptism of water, and of the
Spirit, are two different things; see ( Matthew 3:11
) . Besides, all that are baptized in water, are not baptized in
or by the Spirit, as the case of Simon Magus, and that of others,
show; nor does water baptism incorporate persons into the church
of Christ; neither into the invisible church, which is the body
of Christ, and here meant; nor into a visible Gospel church
state; they being indeed true believers, and baptized, are proper
persons to be received into a church; but baptism itself does not
put them into it, or make them members of it: persons may be
baptized in water, and yet may never be joined to a church. There
is indeed an allusion made to water baptism, but it is the grace
of the Spirit in regeneration and sanctification which is here
intended; which grace, both in the Old and in the New Testament,
is frequently signified by water, and called a baptism, or a
being baptized, because of the plenty, abundance, and
superabundance of it, then bestowed; and is expressed by floods
and rivers, and a well of living water; and is what qualifies and
fits persons for the ordinance of water baptism. Now this is
wrought by the Spirit of God, and is owing to his divine power
and energy; not to water baptism, which has no regenerating
virtue in it; nor to carnal regeneration, or a being born of
blood, or of the best of men; nor to the will of any man; nor to
the will of the flesh, or the power of man's freewill; but to
God, to the Spirit, who is Lord and God, and the only sanctifier
of the sons of men; by which spiritual baptism, or by whose grace
in regeneration and conversion they are brought into one body:
the mystical body of Christ, the universal and invisible church;
that is, openly and manifestatively; for otherwise it is the
grace of God in election, and in the everlasting covenant,
choosing them in Christ, as members in their head, and
constituting them such, that puts them among that number; but
spiritual baptism, or the sanctifying grace of the Spirit, makes
them appear to belong to that body, and makes them meet for, and
gives them a right unto, a particular Gospel church, and the
privileges of it, which the Spirit of God directs and brings them
to. Whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free;
it matters not of what nation, or of what state and condition of
life persons be; if they are regenerated and sanctified, they
appear equally to belong to Christ, to be of his body, and have
an equal propriety in all immunities and blessings belonging to
his people; see ( Colossians
3:11 ) ( Galatians
3:28 )
and have been all made to drink into one
Spirit;
are all partakers of the same graces of the Spirit, as faith,
hope, love and daily receive under his guidance, direction, and
influence, out of the same fulness of grace in Christ, from
whence they draw and drink this water with joy; and all drink the
same spiritual drink, the blood of Christ, whose blood is drink
indeed: and there may be in this clause an allusion to the
ordinance of the supper, as in the former to the ordinance of
baptism. Moreover, all new born babes, as they desire the sincere
milk of the word, so they drink of it, and are refreshed with it,
and are nourished by the words of faith, and sound doctrine,
under the application, of the Spirit; and being trees of
righteousness, and the planting of the Lord, the Spirit, they are
watered by his grace, under the ministrations of the Gospel; and
as they become one body under Christ, the head, so they are made
to drink into one Spirit, or to become of one heart and soul with
one another, being knit together in love, the bond of
perfectness.