and an emblem of their fitness, in case of a real cleansing, to receive the purer precepts of the Jewish religion, and to walk in newness of life.

Baptism therefore was a Jewish ordinance, used on religious occasions; and therefore John when he endeavored by means of his preaching to prepare the Jews for the coming of the Messiah, and their minds for the reception of his new religion, used it as a symbol of the purification of heart that was necessary for the dispensation, which was then at hand. He knew that his hearers would understand the meaning of the ceremony. He had reason also to believe, that on account of the nature of his mission they would expect it. Hence the Sanhedrim, to whom the cognizance of these legal cleansings belonged, when they were informed of the baptism of John, never expressed any surprise at it, as a new, or unusual, or improper custom. They only found fault with him for the administration of it, when he denied himself to be either Elias or the Christ.

It was partly upon one of the principles, that have been mentioned, that Jesus received the baptism of John. He received it, as it is recorded, because, "thus it became him to fulfil all righteousness." By the fulfilling of righteousness is meant the fulfilling of the ordinances of the law, or the customs required by the Mosaic dispensation in particular cases. He had already undergone circumcision as a Jewish ordinance. And he now submitted to baptism. For as Aaron and his sons were baptised previously to their taking upon them the office of

Jewish priesthood, so Jesus was baptised by John, previously to his entering upon his own ministry, or becoming the high priest of the Christian dispensation.

But though Jesus Christ received the baptism of John, that he might fulfil all righteousness, others received it as the baptism of repentance from sins, that they might be able to enter the kingdom that was at hand. This baptism, however, was not initiative into the Christian church. For the apostles re-baptised some, who had been baptised by John. Those, again, who received the baptism of John, did not profess faith in Christ. John, again, as well as his doctrines, belonged to the Old Testament.

He was ПIO

minister under the new dispensation, but the last prophet under the law. Hence Jesus said, that "though none of the prophets were greater than John the baptist, yet he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he." Neither did he ever hear the Gospel preached; for Jesus did not begin his ministry till John had been put into prison, where he was beheaded by the orders of Herod. John, in short, was with respect to Jesus, what Moses was with respect to Joshua. Moses, though he conducted to the promised land, and was permitted to see it from mount Nebo, yet never entered it, but gave place to Joshua, whose name, like that of Jesus, signifies a Saviour. In the same manner, John conducted towards Jesus Christ. He saw him once with his own eyes; but he was never permitted, while alive, to enter into his new kingdom.

SECTION III.

Second baptism, or that of Christ-this the baptism of the Gospel-this distinct from the former in point of time-and in nature or essence-As that of John was outward, so this was to be inward and spiritual-it was to cleanse the heart-and was to be capable of making even the Gentiles the seed of Abraham-This distinction of watery and spiritual baptism pointed out by Jesus Christ-by St. Peter-and by St. Paul.

THE second baptism recorded in the Scriptures is that of Christ. This may be called the baptism of the Gospel, in contradistinction to the former, which was that of the Law.

This baptism is totally distinct from the former. John himself said, "I indeed baptise 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 baptise you with the Holy Ghost and with fire."*

From these words it appears that this baptism is distinct in point of time from the former; for it was to follow the baptism of John and secondly, in nature and essence; for whereas that of John was by water, this was to be by the Spirit.

This latter distinction is insisted upon by John in other places. For when he was questioned by the Pharisees, "why he baptised if he was not that Christ, nor Elias, nor that prophet," the thought it a sufficient excuse to say, "I baptise with water." That is, I baptise with water only. I use only an ancient Jewish custom. I do not intrude upon the office of

Christ, who is coming after me, or pretend to his baptism of the spirit. We find also, that no less than three times in eight verses, when he speaks of his own baptism, he takes care to add to it the word "water," *to distinguish it from the baptism of Christ.

As the baptism of John cleansed the body from the filth of the flesh, so that of Christ was really to cleanse the soul from the filth of sin. Thus John, speaking of Jesus Christ in allusion to this baptism, says, "whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."† By this he insinuates, that in the same manner as the former with the fan in his hand winnows the corn, and separates the light and bad grains from the heavy and the good, and in the same manner as the fire afterwards destroys the chaff -so the baptism of Christ, for which he was preparing them, was of an inward and spiritual nature, and would effectually destroy the light and corrupt affections, and thoroughly cleanse the floor of the human heart.

This baptism too was to be so searching as to be able to penetrate the hardest heart, and to make even the Gentiles the real children of Abraham. For think not," says John, in allusion to the same baptism, "to say within yourselves, we have Abraham to our father; for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham." As if he

* John i. 25, 34.

+ Mat. iii. 12.

+ Mat.. iii. 9..

had said, I acknowledge that you Pharisees can, many of you, boast of relationship to Abraham, by a strict and scrupulous attention to shadowy and figurative ordinances; that many of you can boast of relationship to him by blood, and all of you by circumcision: but it does not follow therefore that you are the children of Abraham. Those only will be able to boast of being his seed, to whom the fan and the fire of Christ's baptism shall be applied. The baptism of him, who is to come after me, and whose kingdom is at hand, is of that spiritual and purifying nature, that it will produce effects very different from those of an observance of outward ordinances. It can so cleanse and purify the hearts of men, that if there are Gentiles in the most distant lands, ever so far removed from Abraham, and possessing hearts of the hardness of stones, it can make them the real children of Abraham in the sight of God.

This distinction between the watery baptism of John and the fiery and spiritual baptism of Christ was pointed out by Jesus himself; for he is reported to have appeared to his disciples after his resurrection, and to have commanded them, "that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which," says he, "ye have heard from me. For John truly baptised with water but ye shallbe baptised with the Holy Ghost not many days hence "*

St. Luke also records a transaction which took

* Acts i. 4