baptize, Peter, by a quotation, calls pouring. Here the word baptize is substituted for the word pour, as it is in Kings for the word wash, leaving its meaning pour, according to a law of language, that substituted words assume the native meanings of the terms which they represent.

Acts ii, 33: "He hath shed forth this, which you now see and hear." This same baptism of the Spirit is now represented by the word shed. Shed, in the mind of Peter, as a word, was sufficient to describe the practical result of what John's figure in baptism looked to. Is not such testimony quite satisfactory?

But again, Acts viii, 16: "That they might receive the Holy Ghost; for as yet he was fallen upon none of them." Fallen upon none of them. Fallen. These words need no comment at this point. They are, of themselves, a comment. Fallen upon.

Acts x, 45: "They of the circumcision were astonished, because on the Gentiles was poured out the Holy Ghost." Titus iii, 6: "The Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly." These last two quotations reveal to every order of mind their own signification, and so we might have said of all that precede them; for, how could any enlightened mind, free from bias, misunderstand the mode of the act presented by such terms as upon, pour, shed, fallen upon, poured out?

Baptism, as used by John, had a figure of mode in it; and right here we see what the mode waspouring out of the Spirit, in the form of affusion, on the disciples and others. How potent our position becomes!

We proved, at the outset of this chapter, that baptism was not understood in the days of John and the disciples, as a figure of Christ's burial and resurrection, which left us to prove what it was a figure of in mode. This we attended to, and the

quotations adduced evidently show that it was a figure of the descent of the Spirit, or baptism of the Spirit, which revealed the doctrine of affusion, and only the doctrine of affusion.

This John understood, in some sense, when he spoke of it; and so we may speak of the disciples; for there was a most accurate knowledge evinced on the first approach of the Spirit, and ever afterward, as it regards mode. Upon, shed, pour, as continually used by the apostles, prove all this, and compel us to say, if they had been trying to employ words to exclude immersion, they could not have selected better terms.

Our conclusion here is, that the mode of baptism practiced by John and the disciples of the Savior, must be regarded as a figure, the design of which, so far as the manner of the act was concerned, was to illustrate the mode of baptism by the Holy Ghost; and that the mode of baptism by the Holy Ghost, of course, illustrates the baptism of John and the disciples, in mode. This cannot be gainsayed but by a perverse mind.

The reader has plain facts now before him, from which he can judge whether John's baptism was a figure of the burial and resurrection of Christ, or a figure of the baptism of the Holy Ghost.

The design of baptism as a figure of purification. It is well known to every Bible reader that the Jewish ablutions had purification for their object. Every thing was purified by sprinkling or washing. Baptism, in its spiritual bearing, must be regarded in this light. Neither a small quantity of water, nor a great quantity, can wash away the defilements of sin still it can, and does, bring up before our minds the thought, that as it washes away spots and stains from the body, so the spiritual washing, which baptism looks to as an ultimate end, purifies the conscience, by washing away sin. Purification

in the soul is what water-baptism teaches; and he that falls short of this, has the shadow, but not the substance, the sign, but not the thing signified.

In view of these considerations, it must appear to all reflecting minds, that baptism may fitly be regarded as a figure of purification-yea, that this is its leading design.

Baptism is a visible badge of distinction. Christianity requires at the hands of a God-honoring people to enter within her sanctuary, and respect her ordinances. Circumcision reminded the Jew that he was in covenant with God. Baptism teaches us the same lesson. If a Jew failed to comply, on his part, with the requirements of the covenant, the fault was his own. If baptized children, or baptized adults, fail, on their parts, to act out the demands of the covenant of grace, the fault is their own-their baptism ought not to be assailed. If a baptized child should refuse to comply with the obligations under which baptism placed the soul, the hour the distinctive badge was put on, the case finds a similar one in the acts of the man who places himself in covenant with his God, in baptism, and then backslides, and lives a life of sin.

Baptism, regarding the previous thoughts, may safely be set down as a badge of distinction, that places the person or persons baptized in covenant relations with God.

The relation of parents to their children in the design of baptism. It is a matter of great mortification, that parents but too often forget their relation to their baptized children. In all other matters they evince great solicitude for their happiness, their education, and welfare in life. The relation in which baptism places them to their children, stands out a lone case of exception, when we consult their anxieties for their offspring. Baptism is not a stipulation that involves the acquisition of worldly

honor, fame, wealth-but things of greater valu things of more enduring lustre-things that mu exist while God endures, and his throne stands amid the cherubim. The baptized child ought to be informed that it was put into a covenant relation with the God who gave it being, when given to him in holy baptism; and also, that the water which was poured on it in baptism, not only taught the descent of the Spirit, but its cleansing and purifying influence. These lessons ought to be continually kept before the eye of every baptized child yea, the mother ought to wet these lessons with her tears, while praying that the thing signified, when her child was made a disciple in baptism, might be realized. Were matters thus attended to, the exhortation of the apostle, on behalf of children at Ephesus, would be much better understood than it now is; that is to say: 66 Bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."

To illustrate what we say in reference to children we shall remark, if a piece of clean paper is taken, and a few words written on it with a pen dipped in sweet milk, and then laid by for a time, and again taken up, and placed before heat, every letter will appear, as if written with ink. In like manner will holy baptism, and the above teachings appear, when such children are brought under the influence of the grace of God in revival scenes. Every lesson will then show; and the design of discipleship in baptism will then develop itself in happy, saving results.

This chapter discloses to us these facts, that baptism, as a figure, did not, in the days. of John, nor in the days of the disciples, represent the burial and resurrection of Christ, but the descent and purifying influence of the Spirit; and that it is a badge of distinction that places the person in covenant relation with God, and imposes relative duties on

parents toward their baptized children, which involve eternal consequences.

Need we repeat that we make it plainly evident in this chapter that baptism was regarded by John and the apostles as a figure of the descent and purifying influence of the Holy Spirit?

May the solemn truths herein set forth claim the deepest regard and reflection of the reader, so that he may be saved from error in thought and act.

CHAPTER IV.

MODE OF BAPTISM

As immersionists have recourse to bapto, baptizo, the prepositions en, eis, apo, and ek, when laboring to propagate the exclusive doctrine of dipping in baptism, we shall, in the process of a strict examination, throughout a series of chapters, bearing directly on these terms, show that they do most conclusively coincide with our conviction, that affusion is the only plain mode of baptism presented by inspiration. The lexicons, the Scriptures, and the classics, will be appealed to, and various examples taken therefrom, directly illustrating our position. In view of this, we shall begin with bapto, the father of two families of Greek words, that are interspersed through the Scriptures to express baptisms. The lexicographers will constitute our first authority on the meaning of this term. Scapula defines bapto thus: to immerse, to plunge, to stain, to dye, color, wash. Coulon gives to it this signification: to immerse, to dye, to cleanse. Schrivellius gives this as its import: to dip, to dye, to wash, to draw water. Ursinus gives it this sense; to dip, to dye, to wash, to sprinkle. Don