to immerse.' It is always construed suitably to this meaning. Thus it is ἐν ὕδατι, ἐν τῷ Ἰορδάνῃ. But I should not lay much stress on the preposition ¿v, which, answering to the Hebrew, may denote with as well as in, did not the whole phraseology in regard to this ceremony concur in evincing the same thing. Accordingly, the baptized are said avaßaíve, 'to arise, emerge, ascend,' arò rou daros, and ix To daros, from out of the water.' Let it be observed, further, that the verbs paiva and pavízw, used in Scripture for sprinkling, are never construed in this manner. 'I will sprinkle clean water upon you' (Ezek. xxxvi. 25), is in the Septuagint, pava ἐφ' ὑμᾶς καθαρὸν ὕδωρ, and not as βαπτίζω is always construed, ῥανῶ ὑμᾶς ἐν καθαρῷ ὕδατι, see Ex. xxix. 21; Lev. vi. 27; xvi. 14. Had Barrila been here employed in the sense of paívw, 'I sprinkle,' (which as far as I know it never is, in any use, sacred or classical,) the expression would doubtless have been, βαπτίζω ἐφ ̓ ὑμᾶς ὕδωρ, οι ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕδατος. When, therefore, the Greek word Barri¿w is adopted rather than translated, the mode of construction ought to be preserved so far as may conduce to suggest its original import. It is to be regretted that we have so much evidence that even good and learned men allow their judgments to be warped by the sentiments and customs of the sect which they prefer. The true partizan, of whatever denomination, always inclines to correct the diction of the Spirit by that of the party."

SECTION VIII.

PRACTICE OF THE EARLY CHURCHES.

"The

THE last point to be adduced in evidence that baptism is immersion is the general practice of the churches subsequent to the apostolic age. For centuries from the time of the apostles no other mode of baptism was thought of, except, indeed, when persons desirous of baptism were dangerously ill, and immersion might have proved fatal. ancients thought that immersion, or burying under water, did more lively represent the death, and burial, and resurrection of Christ, as well as our own death unto sin and rising again unto righteousness. For which reason they observed the way of baptizing all persons by a total immersion under water, except in some cases of great exigency wherein they allowed of sprinkling."-Bingham, Book xi. chap. xi. "Persons were usually baptized by immersion. As this was the original apostolical practice, so it continued to be the universal practice of the Church for many ages upon the same symbolical reasons as it was first used by the apostles." St. Chrysostom says, "When we dip our heads in water as in a grave,

our old man is buried; and when we rise up again, the new man rises therewith." Cyril of Jerusalem says, "As he that goes down into the water and is baptized and surrounded on all sides by the water, so the apostles were baptized all over by the Spirit. The water surrounds the body externally, but the Spirit incomprehensibly baptizes the interior soul." The fourth Council of Toledo says, "The immersion in water is, as it were, descending into the grave, and the rising out of the water, a resurrection." And so St. Ambrose explains it: "Thou wast asked, Dost thou believe in God the Father Almighty? and thou didst answer, I believe and then thou wast immersed in water, that is, buried." It appears, also, from Epiphanius and others, that almost all heretics who retained any baptism retained immersion also. The Ebionites received baptism as it was practised by the Church. The Marcionites baptized by a total immersion. I must observe, further, that they not only administered baptism by immersion under water, but also repeated this three times. Tertullian speaks of it as a ceremony generally used in his time: "We dip not once, but three times at the naming every person of the Trinity." "We cover ourselves in the water," says Gregory Nyssen,

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as Christ did in the earth, and this we do three times." St. Jerome says, "Though we are thrice put under water to represent the mystery of the Trinity, yet is it reputed but one baptism." St. Chrysostom says, "Christ delivered to his disciples one baptism in three immersions of the body, iv rgioi

καταδύσεσι τοῦ σώματος. Pope Pelagius says, " The evangelic precept from our God and Saviour Jesus Christ admonishes us to administer holy baptism to each one by three immersions in the name of the Trinity, since the Lord said: Go, baptize all nations in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit."-Bingham, Book xi. chap. xi. pp. 269-281. "It being so expressly declared (Rom. vi. 4; Col. ii. 12) that we are buried with Christ in baptism by being buried under water, and the argument to oblige us to a conformity to his death by dying to sin being taken hence, and this immersion being religiously observed by all Christians for thirteen centuries, and the change of it into sprinkling, even without any allowance from the author of this institution, it were to be wished that this custom might be again of general use."-Whitby on Rom. vi. 4.

Great corruptions have sprung up in the churches of Christ, and have become nearly universal; but this universal practice of immersion in the churches of the first centuries cannot be so accounted for.

Corruptions spring up in the churches in times of defection from the truth which promote the selfindulgence of professed Christians; but this is a practice requiring so much self-denial, that some writers have declared that they cannot on that account believe it to be an appointment of Christ.

"Evangelicum præceptum, ipso Deo et Domino Salvatore nostro Jesu Christo tradente, nos admonet, in nomine Trinitatis, trinâ etiam mersione sanctum baptisma unicuique tribuere, dicente Domino," &c.-Pelagius, Ep. ad Gaudentium.

Decaying churches do not make their obedience more strict and self-denying. Corruptions which exalt the priesthood are likely to spring up in times of ignorance and decay; but immersion recalls the moral character of baptism, and attributes nothing to the officiating minister. Corruptions, too, are likely to thrive in a period of decay which substitute external forms of religion for the renewal of the heart, and services to the Church for consecration to the service of God; but baptismal immersion recalled the decaying and lukewarm churches to that entire renovation of character and that complete consecration to God which is most opposed to spiritual declension and lethargy. It is, therefore, unaccountable that immersion should be the general practice of the churches for several centuries after the apostles, except upon the supposition that the churches received that practice from the apostles themselves, and maintained it from a just regard to their writings in the New Testament.