CHAP. IV. BAPTISM. THERE is one Lord, one faith, one baptism. I (John) indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he (Jesus) 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. Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbade him, saying, I have need to be haptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus, answering, said unto him, suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. And Jesus when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water. John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. And then went out to him all the land of Judea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins. All the people that heard him (Christ) and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. Jesus came, and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples. Paul said unto them, Unto what then were ve baptized? And they said, unto John's baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptisin of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Jesus Christ. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed, and were baptized. Peter answered, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. When they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. a Philip preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on their way, they came unto certain water and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, if thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip. Lydia attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. And she was baptized, and her household. The keeper of the prison fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he was baptized, he and all his, straightway. And he rejoiced, believing in God with all his house. By one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one spirit. As many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death; that, like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. CHAP. V. BENEFICENCE. Do good. He that doeth good is of God. As we have opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. Charge them that are rich in this world, that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. Whoso hath this world's good, and seeth bis brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. He which soweth sparingly, shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully, shall reap also bountifully. Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. Say not unto thy neighbour, go and come again, and to-morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee. He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise. He that giveth, let him do it with simplicity. Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them; otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore, when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do, in the synagogues, and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily, I say unto you they have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth; that thine alms may be in secret : and thy Father which seeth in secret, himself shall reward thee openly. God is not unrighteous to forget your work of labour and love, which ye have shewed towards his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give, not grudgingly, or of necessity for God loveth a cheerful giver. If there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath. Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in than all they which have cast into the treasury: for all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living. Whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones, a cup of cold water only, in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, He shall in no wise lose his reward. When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me: because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me my judgment was as a robe and a diadem. I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. I was a father to the poor and the cause which I knew not I searched out. And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth. The righteous hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor He is ever merciful and lendeth; and his seed is blessed. A good man sheweth favour and lendeth. Do good and lend, hoping for nothing again; and |