^" PRINCETON, N. J. 
 
 
 Presented by Mr. Samuel Agnew of Philadelphia, Pa. 
 
 Agnew Coll. on Baptism, No. / 0<^t?>./ 
 
 — 
 
WATER BAPTISM 
 
 NOT 
 
 A GOSPEL ORDINANCE, 
 
 PROVED BY 
 
 OBSERVATIONS AND REMARKS 
 
 LETTER OF ELISHA BATES, 
 
 ADDRESSED TO THE 
 
 SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. 
 
 BY GEORGE^PILKINGTON, 
 
 WHO IS NOT A MEMBER OF THAT SOCIETY. 
 
 " If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where 
 Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above 
 not on things on the earth." — Col. iii. 1, 2. 
 
 SECOND EDITION REVISED AND ENLARGED. 
 
 LONDON: 
 PUBLISHED BY E. FRY AND SON, 
 
 BISHOPSGATE STREET. 
 1838. 
 
LONDON: 
 Johnstox & Barrett, Printers, 13, Mark Lane. 
 

 PREFACE. 
 
 % 
 
 
 I love Elisha Bates; and, I believe myself sincere, 
 when I declare that I would rather suffer pain 
 myself, than afflict him in any way. I have too 
 high an opinion of him to imagine, for a moment, 
 that he does not desire an honest, faithful, and 
 uncompromising opinion of a question which 
 he considers to be of so much importance to 
 the Church of Christ; I, therefore, fear not 
 his misconstruction of any part of the following 
 treatise, but that of those who are ever ready to 
 rejoice in differences of opinion, as omnious of an 
 impending contest. I, indeed, owe much to that 
 estimable individual ; for, I have received by his 
 agency, through Him who worketh all in all, a 
 spiritual gift of great price, which, I trust, I 
 shall have with interest, when the Author of our 
 salvation shall come. 
 
 I am by no means desirous of causing dis- 
 quietude in the breasts of those who have been 
 baptized with water, in compliance with any of 
 a 2 
 
IV PREFACE. 
 
 the traditionary forms and commandments of 
 men, believing, that if they have submitted to 
 either or all of them, as unto the Lord, to their 
 own master they stand or fall : " Let every man 
 be fully persuaded in his own mind." And, so 
 decided am I, at present, that all who comply 
 with this non-essential ceremony, under a feeling 
 of duty to their God, are as absolutely perfect 
 in his sight through the merit of Jesus, as those, 
 who from a like principle cannot conscientiously 
 conform to the example of others, that I would 
 not hold a controversy with any disciple on the 
 subject, feeling that .1 have enough to do in 
 proposing acts of love and self-denial to occupy 
 (humanly speaking) the remainder of my life.* 
 Nevertheless, I think it right to undertake 
 the task of publishing this treatise, since the 
 advocacy of the question is likely to produce 
 
 * To disown a Disciple for being baptized in water, or tp reject 
 him for not Laving been so baptized, may be a sectarian, but can- 
 not be a Christian act ; for we should " bear each other's burdens 
 and so fulfil the perfect law of Christ :" always keeping in view the 
 blessed Redeemer's words, " whosoever shall offend one of these 
 little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a mill-stone 
 were hanged about his neck and he were cast into the sea." 
 " Him," says the apostle, " that is weak in the faith receive ye, 
 but not to doubtful disputation." 
 
PREFACE. V 
 
 division in a body of Christians* who bear some 
 invaluable testimonies which sooner or later will 
 be generally received. 
 
 Nor do I regard these as the only section of the 
 Church which is likely to suffer by the discussion ; 
 for even the submitting to Water Baptism cannot 
 obtain that unity for the individual, which he 
 ought to find amongst other advocates for the 
 practice, since many are so intolerant, either 
 about its regenerative power, or about the manner 
 of performing the ceremony, that each professor 
 will readily tell the other, if he be not baptized 
 according to his particular form, he hath not 
 obeyed the Lord's command. 
 
 But my desire to suppress the discussion for 
 the sake of the unity of the Church, is of far 
 less importance than the evil likely to arise from 
 
 • The author cannot withhold his concern for those who, with 
 unguarded zeal, say, that •' the Society of Friends is not a Christian 
 body, because the individuals composing 1 it are members by birth- 
 right." Surely, it should be remembered that the greatest number 
 of Christian denominations are liable to the same charge, since 
 they receive their members by Water Baptism, but a few hours 
 after they are born in the flesh. But when I read 1 Cor. xiii., I 
 shudder at the severity and partiality of the denunciation referred 
 to : — " First cast out the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt 
 thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye." 
 
VI PREFACE, 
 
 the alarming position taken by the advocates for 
 the outward rite, viz. — That the baptism of the 
 Holy Ghost is not, in these days, to be administered 
 by the agency of Christ's members, and, therefore, 
 that his last words " Go ye and teach all nations, 
 baptizing them in the name of * * * can only 
 mean that we should baptize with water, although 
 water is not mentioned. 
 
 I consider that this endeavour to establish the 
 Minor, by the forfeiture of the Major doctrine, 
 is a matter of such grave importance, that, 
 although I fear not the effect of the established 
 usage of Water Baptism, so much as the deaden- 
 ing influence, which might result from the general 
 reception of the supposition, that there are none 
 in these days, who, as agents, are empowered 
 to baptize with the baptism of our Lord, par- 
 ticularly, as the Church is already but too slow 
 in acknowledging the practical effects produced 
 in us, and through us, by the personality and 
 presence of the Holy Ghost.* I, therefore, hope 
 that my labour will tend to soften the asperity 
 of the disputants, as it may shew some new, and, 
 perhaps, unanswerable reasons to prove that they 
 
 * See Chapter II, Paragraph No. 10. 
 
PREFACE. Vll 
 
 are but contending for a shadow, and beating 
 the air. 
 
 I do not undertake to blow the trumpet, and 
 warn the people, lest any be taken away in his 
 iniquity, and his blood be required at my hands ; 
 such a procedure, too frequently tends to induce 
 pious and timid minds, to follow the writer's 
 arguments from the influence of fear, rathei 
 than the conviction of reason. But, I would 
 endeavour to grapple with the question without 
 loss of words, and directly appeal to the written 
 rule of faith and practice, which no spiritual 
 mind can gainsay or contradict. Hence, I am 
 induced to hope that, if the " Anxious Inquirer" 
 will carefully read the following " reasons for 
 laying aside" the ceremony of Water Baptism, 
 he will, at least, see that he should be careful 
 in condemning those who do so, since weighty 
 scriptural reasons can be pleaded in their justifi- 
 cation, in which, if they be well persuaded in 
 their own minds, " Who is he that condemneth? 
 It is Christ that died, yea rather that is risen 
 again, who is even at the right hand of God, 
 who also maketh intercession for us." — "And 
 having an High Priest over the house of God, 
 let us dr aw near with a true heart in full assurance 
 
VIU PREFACE. 
 
 of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an 
 evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure 
 water,* and let us consider one another, to pro- 
 voke unto love and to good works. "t 
 
 As I understand that an anonymous pamphlet, 
 also written on this subject, has been attributed 
 to me, I consider it proper, that I should not 
 suffer the labours of another to be placed to my 
 account ; and, although the contents of the 
 treatise alluded to, are unknown to me, I never- 
 theless see the propriety of affixing my name to 
 this Edition. 
 
 George Pilkington. 
 
 N.B. — The sentences in small type are extracts 
 from the letter of Elisha Bates, in which some 
 lines are printed in Italics, for the end of marking 
 the expressions which require comment. His 
 own Italics are printed in small capitals. 
 
 * For illustration of this exhortation, see Appendix No. 1. 
 t Heb. x. 21, 24. 
 
%%%% 
 
 • 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 ^ 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 The ceremony of a genuine ordinance compared with 
 man's institutions of Water Baptism. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 The Baptism of John, a type of the old dispensation 
 and peculiar to the Jews Paragraph 35 
 
 The Baptism of Jesus was with the Holy Ghost and 
 
 with Fire 4, 5 
 
 Our Lord did not institute a Water Baptism as an 
 initiatory ceremony on entering his church 2, 3, 4 ; 8 ; 24 
 
 The twelve Ephesians said to have undergone two 
 Water Baptisms, one as unto John, another as 
 unto Jesus, the answer to H 
 
 The word Baptism does not always mean a water 
 ceremony, although the context may not prove it 
 to have a spiritual meaning 5 
 
 The Baptism with the Holy Ghost and with Fire, 
 was, and is, administered through the Lord's 
 Ministers 8—13 
 
X CONTENTS. 
 
 The instances wherein it is supposed that the apostles 
 did not baptize by the power of preaching, shewn 
 to be in keeping with the operations of their several 
 Gifts Paragraph 14 — 19 
 
 Water Baptism after the resurrection 20 — 25 
 
 The apostles permitted to indulge the Judaical 
 prejudices, by suffering Water Baptism after the 
 resurrection 28, 29 
 
 I thank God, that I baptized none of you, but Crispus 
 and Gaius, lest any should say, that I baptized in 
 my own name, explained 22 
 
 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, the new view of, 
 
 replied to 23—20 
 
 The second baptism of the twelve Ephesians in the 
 
 name of Jesus, explained 27 
 
 The apostles go on in strength, and perception of 
 their practical duty 30, 31 
 
 Paul saw his duty clearly from the very beginning of 
 
 his labours 32 
 
 All the apostles were governed by a holy respect 
 for the scruples of their brethren, worthy of our 
 imitation 33, 34 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 Text requiring explanation, as I am informed, by a 
 reader of the first edition. 
 
WATER BAPTISM 
 
 NOT 
 
 A GOSPEL ORDINANCE, &c. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Water Baptism is neither specially declared to bean Ordinance, nor are 
 its Ceremonies found in the New Testament — a genuine Ordinance, 
 compared with Man's Institution of Water Baptism — years of exami- 
 nation and prayer fail to discover this Ordinance — a child decides 
 the question — Elisha, after painful research, consults with man, and 
 selects a ceremony — the Redeemer's true Baptism — Appeal to the 
 Anxious Inquirer. 
 
 The pious and much esteemed Elisha Bates com- 
 mences his Letter to the Society of Friends, as 
 follows : 
 
 " Dear Friends, — The relation in which I stand to you, as a 
 member of the same Society, and the Christian friendship which 1 
 have long felt for many of you individually, demand that I should 
 at the earliest period that circumstances would admit, inform you of 
 a step which I have believed it my duty to take, and of the reasons 
 which have led me to it. 
 
 " The subject of the Ordinances having, for several years past, 
 engaged my attention, in the examination of the correctness or error 
 of our peculiar views, in regard to them, it becomes my duty to 
 inform you, with all readiness and candour, the result of my 
 inquiries. 
 
 " I was, as many of you know, a member of this Society by birth- 
 right ; and I grew up in a strong attachment to the distinguishing 
 doctrines and manners of our profession. And long did I maintain 
 and defend those sentiments which I had imbibed as truth * * 
 
12 A GENUINE ORDINANCE, COMPARED WITH 
 
 Our friend, here, conforms to a custom, which 
 imposes on this undescribed ceremony of Water 
 Baptism the name of Ordinance, which carries 
 with it such weight, as to induce some to bow 
 with undue reverence to the act that bears it; 
 for Water Baptism is no where declared in holy 
 writ to be a ceremonial " ordinance." In no 
 instance, is that term applied to it ; nor is it, in 
 any case denned in that plain, pointed, and con- 
 descendingly minute mannerwhichwas invariably 
 adopted by our heavenly Father, whenever he 
 commanded such observances, intending them to 
 be of perpetual obligation. Let us, for example, 
 examine the 
 
 ORDINANCE OF THE PASSOVER. 
 
 " This Day shall be to you for a memorial, and 
 ye shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout 
 your generations ; ye shall keep it a feast by an 
 ordinance for ever. 
 
 " Seven Days shall ye eat unleavened bread, 
 even the First Day shall ye put away leaven out 
 of your houses; for whosoever eateth leavened 
 bread, from the First Day, until the Seventh 
 Day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel. 
 
 " And the First Day there shall be an holy 
 convocation, and in the Seventh Day there shall 
 be an holy convocation, no manner of work 
 shall be done in them, save only that which 
 every man must eat, that only shall be done 
 in them." 
 
 This is appointed a standing Ordinance for ever, 
 by the use of the word, itself, and the regulations 
 
man's institution of water baptism. 13 
 
 to be observed in fulfilling it, are clearly defined. 
 There was also, — 
 
 A Time specially stated, — 1st month, from 14th 
 to 21st. 
 
 A Time of Preparation, — 1st month, from 10th 
 to 14th. 
 
 A time when to commence as an ordinance : — 
 viz., " When ye be come to the Land, which the 
 Lord shall give you according as he hath pro- 
 mised, that ye shall keep this service." Exodus 
 xii. 25. 
 
 By whom performed, — each family. 
 
 In what manner :— viz., "Take you a Lamb, 
 according to your family, and kill the Passover, 
 and ye shall take a bunch of hysop, and dip it 
 in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the 
 lintel, and two side posts with the blood 
 that is in the basin ; and none of you shall 
 go out of the door of his house until the 
 morrow." — Exodus xii. 21. 
 
 The whole of the foregoing rules, regulations, 
 and commands are written in a few verses of the 
 same book; and nothing is superfluous — no- 
 thing is deficient. Hence, we observe, that 
 
 WATER BAPTISM IS NOT A GOSPEL ORDINANCE : 
 
 for " with the Father of lights there is no vari- 
 ableness, neither shadow of turning." — " Jesus 
 Christ is the same yesterday, to-day, and for 
 ever." Therefore, it is equally to be expected, 
 in this dispensation, that he would be as minute, 
 distinct, and concise in the institution of a cere- 
 monial ordinance as he ever had been, by stating 
 
14 A GENUINE ORDINANCE, COMPARED WITH 
 
 nothing superfluous, and leaving nothing de- 
 ficient : viz. 
 
 By calling it an ordinance for ever. 
 
 By stating the time when to be administered 
 — whether in infancy or at maturity. 
 
 By describing the place where it should be 
 administered — whether house, altar, river, or sea. 
 
 By appointing the executive party — whether 
 head of house, or minister of the gospel. 
 
 By distinctly defining the ceremony — whether 
 by sprinkling or immersion, or pouring. 
 
 If by immersion, whether a man should im- 
 merse a woman, or whether a woman should not 
 do this delicate office to those of her own sex ? 
 
 If, in any case, it be merely an initiatory 
 ceremony, on becoming a member of Christ's 
 church. If, after Water Baptism, the party be 
 found to have " neither part nor lot in the 
 matter," as in the case of Simon, whether such 
 party should be baptized again, since by the 
 previous Water Baptism he was not actually 
 initiated ? 
 
 By giving all this information, so that His 
 responsible creatures should have no excuse. 
 
 Therefore, as there is no statute, establishing 
 the forms and ceremonies of Water Baptism ' on 
 record, in the New Testament, it cannot be 
 admitted, that there is the least authority for 
 the imposing name, "Ordinance;" particularly, 
 as that term has never been used in Scripture, 
 as applied to an outward ceremony, without its 
 accompanying ritual details. 
 
 On the contrary, ceremonial ordinances are, in 
 this dispensation, declared {without any saving 
 
MA N's INSTITUTION OF WATER BAPTISM. 15 
 
 clause whatever) to be of the first covenant,* as 
 imposed till the time of the reformation + — as 
 rudiments of the world, to which we should not 
 be subject — as things on earth not to be sought, 
 whilst we seek things that are above £ — as blotted 
 out, and taken out of the way, and nailed to the 
 cross § — as abolished, so making peace. || 
 
 It may be said, that, 
 
 " Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, bap- 
 tizing them in the name of the Father, and of 
 the Son, and of the Holy Ghost," is plain and 
 short enough. 
 
 But if this be taken as an express order for a 
 ceremonial Water Baptism, it is as difficult to 
 obey, as if it had been said in the old dispen- 
 sation, Go and keep the Passover, without append- 
 ing thereto its ceremonial observances already 
 mentioned. 
 
 It may also be said, that 
 
 John's Baptism was neither called an ordinance, 
 nor were any of its forms and ceremonies recorded, 
 as were the other statutes of heaven. This is 
 admitted ; but for that very reason, it was not of 
 perpetual duration, and only belonged to that 
 generation in which it was to be fulfilled : and 
 for want of such precision on record, various 
 leaders in the Christian church have imagined 
 and established a diversity of forms of Water 
 Baptism, which produce division and dissension, 
 to a lamentable extent; whilst the Jewish church, 
 to this day, has but one and the same form, in the 
 
 * Heb. viii. 13. and vi. 1 — 3. t Heb. ix. 10. 
 
 X Col. ii. 20, 23. and ii. 1, 2. j Col. ii. 14. 
 
 || Eph. ii. 15. 
 
16 YEARS OP EXAMINATION AND PRAYER 
 
 execution of any of their ceremonial ordinances, 
 and (as far as such are concerned) its members 
 are at unity and peace. 
 
 Since, then, it is most evident, that the " Or- 
 dinance," as meaning a ceremonial statute, is a 
 term palmed on the church by the usage of man, 
 it is most surprising, that those who zealously 
 desire to set the highest value on the letter of 
 Scripture, should affix this name to that, which, 
 as having no substance, is a shadow, in every 
 sense of the word- Elisha Bates proceeds, 
 
 " But while engaged in the maintenance of those blessed doc- 
 trines of the Gospel, for which I had been made a sufferer, my 
 attention was called to subjects which had been passed over, as 
 requiring no examination. An anxious inquirer, asked me, what 
 good reasons, or what were the best reasons which we had for laying 
 aside the Ordinances! I gave an answer which, though it did not 
 satisfy the inquirer, put an end to the conversation on the subject. 
 
 " My mind, however, was directed to the Holy Scriptures, to find 
 some reasons, in addition to those we had already advanced in sup- 
 port of our peculiar views. The subject of Baptism first engaged 
 my attention. But my disappointment can scarcely be conceived, 
 when, instead of finding additional arguments in favour of the dis- 
 use of the Ordinances, I perceived that the very passages on which we 
 had relied, did not support the conclusions we have drawn from 
 them ; but, on the contrary, presented evidence of a directly opposite 
 character. Disappointment increased the earnestness of my research. 
 I still hoped to find something which would fully sustain us. And 
 when, again and again, every argument which I could frame to 
 myself, was laid prostrate before the simple testimony of Holy 
 Scripture, I determined to suspend my decision ; sought for 
 assistance and right direction in prayer, and returned again to the 
 examination of the subject." 
 
 Although our friend had, in 1825, written a 
 treatise, in which, after carefully searching the 
 Scriptures, he proved to the satisfaction of many, 
 that Water Baptism was not a Gospel Ordinance; 
 and, notwithstanding, that the subject of the Ordi- 
 
FAIL TO DISCOVER THIS ORDINANCE. 17 
 
 nances had, since that period (to use his own 
 words) '■'■for several years past engaged his atten- 
 tion, in the examination of the correctness or error 
 of Friends' peculiar views in regard to them" yet 
 he was unable to " satisfy an anxious inquirer" 
 by his answer to the simple question — " What 
 good reasons, or what were the best reasons which 
 
 Friends had for laying aside the Ordinances?" 
 
 Surely, the Lord saith : "an highway shall be 
 there, and a way, and it shall be called the way 
 of holiness :•*'** the wayfaring 1 men though 
 fools shall not err therein." — Isa. xxxv. 8. 
 
 But, if the weak minded believer should test 
 this promise by the foregoing experience of a 
 man, whose piety is undoubted, and whose talent 
 is of no ordinary character ; what is he to think, 
 when reading — that, after this subject had for 
 several years engaged our esteemed friend's 
 attention, he was unable to give a satisfactory 
 account of it, to an anxious inquirer — that his 
 mind was now more particularly directed to the 
 subject of Baptism, in order to find, by the 
 Holy Scriptures, if his views, published in 182.5, 
 were correct — that " disappointment increased the 
 earnestness of his research" and, that seeking " for 
 assistance and right direction in prayer, he returned 
 again to the examination of the subject," and what 
 must be such weak minded believer's amaze- 
 ment, — confusion , — dismay, — perhaps, doubt- 
 ings, when, in continuation, he observes : 
 
 " More than twelve months elapsed before I gave up the hope of find- 
 ing sufficient evidence in Scripture, for believing that we liad been right 
 n laying those practices aside." 
 
 Let it, however, be remembered to the glory 
 
 B 
 
18 A CHILD DECIDES THE QUESTION. 
 
 of His holy name, whose high and immutable 
 decrees from heaven, contain nothing superfluous <, 
 and leave nothing deficient, that there is no cere- 
 monial ordinance of perpetual obligation on 
 record, which cannot be readily comprehended 
 in less than twelve minutes, — " For, saith the 
 Lord, as the rain cometh down, and the snow from 
 heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth 
 the earth, and maketh it to bring forth and bud, 
 that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to 
 the eater : so shall my word be, that goeth forth 
 out of my mouth : it shall not return unto me 
 void ; but it shall accomplish that which I please, 
 and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent 
 it."— Isa.lv. 10, 11. 
 
 If any conscientious individual had carefully 
 searched a house for a valuable, conspicuous, 
 and substantial commodity which was believed, 
 by many, to have been placed in some one of its 
 rooms, by the lord of that house ; and which, it 
 was imagined, he had commanded his tenantry 
 to make use of on their initiation as lodgers. — 
 If, after such careful search, that conscientious 
 man published, as his religious belief, that such 
 commodity was not to be found there ; and, not- 
 withstanding, that he had occasionally l6oked 
 into the house for it, during several years after- 
 wards, because he doubted the evidence of his 
 senses ; yet was unable to satisfy an anxious 
 inquirer, who asked, if he were quite sure that 
 it was not there? — If, in consequence of this 
 query, he again undertook an earnest research 
 tor twelve months, and returned with an answer, 
 that he was deliberately convinced it actually 
 was there ; and, nevertheless, could neither tell 
 
A CHILD DECIDES THE QUESTION. 19 
 
 whether it was round, square, oblong, or triangle 
 — whether it was a tub, slipper-bath, shower- 
 bath, or watering pot; a simple minded child 
 would unhesitatingly declare, that his first report 
 was correct. Surely, if the anxious inquirer 
 should afterwards examine the house for his own 
 satisfaction, and behold great dissension amongst 
 the tenants, because each of them having, from 
 patterns of the particles of the original com- 
 modity, discovered in several chambers, as well 
 as of pieces found in others, manufactured a per- 
 fect article of furniture, by supplying that which 
 appeared to be deficient, on discovering that the 
 scattered particles and pieces, when cemented 
 together, could not make a whole, he could not 
 fail to perceive, that this conscientious friend, 
 had on his second research, been deceived by the 
 plausibility of another. But, nevertheless, he 
 would conclude, that although the lord of the 
 house had formerly placed some valuable, con- 
 spicuous, and substantial commodity in the house, 
 for the purpose specified, it must have been in- 
 tended merely for the use of those tenants who, 
 then, saw it in perfection, and also understood 
 the manner of using it, whilst it lasted ; nor 
 could he, even if a child, fail to believe that the 
 lord of the house had no further interest 
 in the commodity, since that particular period, 
 because he did not take the precaution of pre- 
 serving it whole, or of recording its description,* 
 so that all parties concerned should distinctly 
 know their duty. 
 
 * The ark of the old covenant is lost ; but, nevertheless, it is now 
 possible for any artist to delineate it, on reading the scriptural record. 
 B 2 
 
20 AFTER PAINFUL RESEARCH CONSULTS 
 
 " But when, at last, the conviction was forced upon me, that our 
 predecessors were not warranted in the disuse of Baptism and the 
 Supper, the difficulties in which they had placed us, by so doing, 
 came fully into view. How to recover what they had thus aban- 
 doned, was, and is, attended with difficulties, which can be fully realized, 
 only after the mind is convinced upon the primary question. 
 
 " I need not notice those difficulties in detail, on the present 
 occasion. But it is proper to remark, that my mind was turned to 
 the Lord, in frequent arid fervent prayer, for right direction. Few, if 
 any, of my most intimate friends, knew the process through which my 
 mind was led. For as I was not, and could not be, prepared, pub- 
 licly to promulgate the doctrine, until I was enabled to meet it in a 
 practical way, I found it to be my place, rather to seek knowledge 
 for myself on these subjects, than to undertake to communicate it 
 to otbers. Sometimes, however, the question arose in conversation, 
 in a way that did not allow me to turn aside from the expression of 
 my own judgment, so far as it had been formed." 
 
 Thus, after the painful "process through which 
 his mind was led" for several years, to discover 
 the "correctness or error" of his former views, and 
 after frequent and fervent prayer for assistance 
 and right direction in searching and re-searching 
 the Holy Scriptures for "more than twelve months," 
 our truly respected and devoted friend could, 
 notwithstanding, only express " his own judgment 
 as far as it was get formed ! /" 
 
 " But being fully convinced, in regard to the abstract question, 
 1 was hound to seek for the wisdom which is from above, to direct me, in 
 regard to the practical difficulties, which arise from our peculiar position. 
 These difficulties were at length removed ; but not till the, time of 
 my last visit to London. My conclusions were not the result of 
 personal influence, from any quarter whatever, but of the full con- 
 victions of my own miud. 
 
 " After several interviews with Br. J. Pye Smith, I was baptized 
 by him, at his own house, at Homerton, on the 15th instant. A 
 few Christian friends were present. But though I preferred to 
 pursue a very simple course, in accordance with some of those deeply 
 interesting examples, which are recorded of primitive Believers, I never 
 wished the transaction itself to be regarded, in any degree, in the 
 character of a secret. I am not ashamed of the profession I have 
 made, of Faith in our Lord and Saviour, nor of the manner in which 
 that profession was made. I rest on the authority of the command- 
 
WITH MAN, AND SELECTS A CEREMONY. 21 
 
 ment of our risen and adorable Redeemer, and the example of the 
 Believers in the purestage of the Church. And while I most tenderly 
 sympathize with my beloved friends who may have been alarmed 
 or pained at hearing of the step which I have taken, I do sincerely 
 rejoice, in that sense of the love, and of the Providence of God, 
 which has been given me." 
 
 Whilst it is most freely admitted that our friend, 
 Elisha Bates, is, indeed, not ashamed of the pro- 
 fession of faith, he has made in our Lord and 
 Saviour ; the instructive lesson which his ex- 
 perience gives the inquirer, is, that although 
 he was fully convinced in regard to the abstract 
 question, yet he seemed to require several inter- 
 views with Dr. J. Pye Smith, before he underwent 
 a ceremony of baptism : for, if the obedience to 
 a supposed ordinance or statute law of heaven, 
 cannot be understood in its breadth and length, 
 depth and heighth, after so much earnest and 
 prayerful searching of the Holy Scriptures, but 
 still requires, that any individual whatsoever 
 should have several interviews with a man, it 
 is abundantly evident, that such an ordinance 
 cannot be now on that heavenly record which is 
 addressed to the understanding of " a wayfaring 
 man though a fool;" and that, when the worldly 
 man hears of "the process" through which the 
 mind of such a pious and talented individual 
 "was led," in searching the Holy Scriptures for 
 years, to ascertain the " correctness or error of 
 his views," on a point of so much importance in 
 the eyes of some, such a man might be induced 
 to undervalue those sacred oracles, and to listen 
 still more than ever to the Arch-teacher of infi- 
 delity. But, on the other hand, that principle 
 does much more honour to the Bible, which 
 
22 the redeemer's baptism. 
 
 makes it the outward shield between the spiritual 
 mind, and the understanding of man; and dares 
 not to adopt or acknowledge an ordinance which 
 is not inscribed on its field. 
 
 Our friend, at length, made a selection of one 
 of the various ceremonies of Water Baptism 
 which are imagined and contrived by man ; and, 
 having been baptised accordingly, he considered 
 himself thus initiated into the Christian church. 
 He does not favour his readers with any detail 
 of the procedure, that, on reference to Scripture, 
 he might be justified in every step he took, even 
 to the very smallest iota of the operation ; but 
 merely gives them to understand, that " he 'pre- 
 ferred to pursue a very simple course, in accordance 
 with some of those deeply interesting examples, 
 which are recorded of primitive believers." 
 
 The Jews, when partaking of the ordinance of 
 the Passover, were not left to the preference of 
 " pursuing a very simple course, in accordance with 
 the deeply interesting examples, which were recorded 
 of the primitive believers" (Joshua and his fol- 
 lowers,) in the purest age of their church ; but 
 were directed by the distinct, perfect, and unalter- 
 able record given by our heavenly Father himself: 
 is it then possible, that we are left to follow the 
 example, even of such men, in our day, because 
 we cannot gather sufficient information on the subject 
 from the Holy Scriptures, so that we are subject to 
 dissension, and actually appear like gladiators in a 
 house of peace? — No — this is neither consistent 
 with his usual dealings, nor with his attributes. 
 
 Hence, with thankfulness, we learn from holy 
 writ, that the temporary ceremony of Water 
 
APPEAL TO THE ANXIOUS INQUIRER 23 
 
 Baptism, like all the other ordinances of that 
 dispensation, were to be submitted to, partaken 
 of, and fulfilled by Him, as also by his disciples, 
 until he nailed them to the cross, on which he 
 offered up the one, the only, the all-sufficient 
 sacrifice for sinful man, that he might sanctify 
 and cleanse us, with the washing of water by the 
 word.* This, indeed, is the washing- of which 
 he said, " Except a man be born of water [that 
 is, born of the word, see Ephes. v. 26.] and the 
 Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of 
 God :"f and this is the saving' baptism alluded 
 to by his last words previously to his ascension — 
 " Go ye and teach all nations, baptizing them in 
 the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of 
 the Holy Ghost." % " He that believeth and is 
 baptized shall be saved. § For John truly bap- 
 tized with water, but ye shall be baptized with 
 the Holy Ghost :"|| this last expression Peter 
 was instructed practically to interpret ; but ye 
 shall baptize with the Holy Ghost."^ 
 
 APP3AL TO THE ANXIOUS INQUIRER.. 
 
 Our friend, under the power of prayer, declared 
 and published, in 1825, (by a treatise which 
 should be stereotyped in gold,) that Water Bap- 
 tism was a shadow. In 1836, after years of atten- 
 tion to the subject, he devoted himself more 
 particularly to it for upwards of twelve months, 
 
 * Eph. v. 26. t John iii 6. $ Mut, xxviii. 19. 
 
 § Mark xvi. 16. || Luke in Acts i. .5. 
 
 II Acts xi. 16. — see also chap ii. where the authority for baptizing 1 
 with the Holy Ghost is treated at Jar^e in paragraphs, No. 7, 8, 9, 
 10, 11. 
 
24 APPEAL TO THE ANXIOUS INQUIRER. 
 
 under inconceivable disappointment, as regarded 
 his former views ; and, as the result of painful 
 exercises of mind, frequent and fervent prayers, 
 he now declares and publishes, as his deliberate 
 conviction, that this shadow is actually a sub- 
 stance which, although he has not even attempted 
 to describe, it is understood, he believes it to be 
 a creature sprinkled. There are, however, indi- 
 viduals in the Baptist denominations, of no less 
 piety and devotion, than this inquirer, some of 
 whom, after frequent and fervent prayers, have 
 seen this shadow as a creature dipped ; whilst 
 others, in earnest prayer, have seen it as a crea- 
 ture, on which water had been poured. Some 
 have surmised, that it was so treated when an 
 infant ; others, that it was not prepared for such 
 a proceeding before the age of knowledge and 
 understanding.* Some believe, that by this pro- 
 cess, it is made a new creature ; others, that 
 it is merely initiated into the Christian church. 
 Some believe, that it should have sponsors ; 
 others, that it can do without any. Some imagine, 
 that it is not always of human shape, but may be 
 a church yard, a cathedral, a military standard, 
 or steeple bells. f 
 
 * Thorne, by an octavo volume on the subject, undertakes to 
 prove that those who are immersed are not baptized, whilst others, 
 with equal labour and zeal, declare that those who are sprinkled 
 have not complied with this supposed Ordinance. 
 
 t Baptism of St. Roch's Bells — Paris, August 18th, 1838. — 
 Magnificent preparations were made at St. Roch for the christening 
 of four bells, each dressed in a white robe, was suspended under 
 a velvet canopy at the entrance of the choir. In the choir itself, 
 on the right, there was another canopy for the archbishop. An 
 immense crowd was assembled. The ceremony was performed 
 with an accompaniment of music which was perfectly heathen. 
 The four bells, which are tuned ut mi sol ut, received the names of 
 
APPEAL TO THE ANXIOUS INQUIRER. 25 
 
 As we are constrained to believe in the piety 
 of every one of such individuals, (for many of each 
 denomination willingly suffered the loss of pro- 
 perty and life, in consequence of these their various 
 convictions,) it may, with earnest solicitude for 
 the welfare of the church, be asked, can it be 
 possible, that He, who is the giver of prayers, 
 should, in answer, have placed before his people's 
 eyes a camelion ? If ye ask for an egg, will He 
 give you a scorpion, to sting you with division, 
 and dissension, and disaffection ? No, no ! He, 
 the great author of prayer, uttered, and caused 
 to be eternally recorded, these hallowed words, 
 " Neither pray I for these alone, but for them 
 also, which shall believe on me through their 
 word, that they all may be one ; as thou Father 
 art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be 
 one in us ; that the world may believe that thou 
 hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest 
 me, I have given them, that they may be one, 
 even as we 'are one : I in them, and thou in me, 
 that they may be made perfect in one, and that 
 the world may know that thou hast sent me, and 
 hast loved them, as thou hast loved me." — John 
 xvii. 12. 
 
 This prayer, when uttered, was to every dis- 
 ciple the bond of Jehovah, as was his oath in 
 former days; and it declares, that we should be 
 
 Felicite, Louise, Hyacinthe (doubtless in honour of the Arch- 
 bishop,) and Nicole. M. Jacques Louis Stuart Ventermille, and 
 Fitz-James Duke of Berwick and Albe, stood godfathers; and 
 Madame Felicite Caroline Honorine d'Alberg, Countess of Lobau, 
 godmother. A numerous detachment of the second legion of the 
 National Guard was present at the ceremony. — Le Commerce, 
 Aug. 18th, 1838. 
 
26 APPEAL TO THE ANXIOUS INQUIRER. 
 
 -perfect in one, in order that the world might believe, 
 that He loved us even as he loved his Son, on 
 observing our perfect unity. Shortly afterwards, 
 he who used it was crucified, and " abolished in 
 his flesh the enmity, even the law of command- 
 ments contained in ordinances, for to make of 
 twain one new man, so making peace."* He, 
 surely, did not, at the very same moment, intro- 
 duce another ordinance so indefinitely described, 
 that it has divided the one new man into many, 
 and so made war in the very body of the church ! ! 
 It is possible, that some might say, the fore- 
 going arguments apply also to doctrines. Whilst 
 this is not altogether denied, yet, it should be 
 remembered, that this chapter refers entirely to 
 ordinances, or statute laws of heaven, which never 
 were, nor ever can be misunderstood, because the 
 Omniscient always caused their details to be so 
 clearly written, that they contained nothing 
 superfluous, and left nothing deficient. 
 
 * Ephes. ii. 15. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 The only preparatory Water Baptism was of John — that authorized by 
 Jesus was John's Baptism — that of Jesus was with the Holy Ghost 
 and with Fire — the apostles were gifted with power to baptize with the 
 Holy Ghost — they actually did so baptize — the process of this baptism 
 explained — it requires faith in preachers and hearers — Water Baptism 
 after the resurrection — Paul baptized by Ananias ; yet he protested 
 against Water Baptism — Water Baptism of twelve Ephesians was 
 not recognized as a Christian duty — Paul's whole counsel to the 
 Ephesians — in any name disapproved — why did the apostles tolerate 
 it? — Elisha Bates' opinion in 1837 and 1825 — Peter and others 
 confessed that they misapprehended the command — Paul apprehended 
 every part of it — yet Paul and apostles yield to the prejudices of the 
 Jews — Johns Baptism not a Christian duty. 
 
 1. Havixg, I trust, satisfactorily shewn that the 
 various invented forms of Water Baptism, each 
 of which is administered as the image of one and 
 the same ceremony, said to be contained in a 
 statute of heaven, cannot, by any possibility, have 
 proceeded from that source in which there is 
 " neither variableness nor shadow of turning," — 
 and having proved that not one of such cere- 
 monies is either recorded or named in Scripture, 
 as an ordinance belonging to the present dispen- 
 sation ; but are as old garments made up with 
 new patches, according to the contrivance of man. 
 It would be unnecessary to enter further into the 
 subject, were there not certain points of Scripture 
 referred to in the argumentative part of our 
 friend's Letter, which it appears necessary to 
 notice, in order to shew the consistency of our 
 view of the question with the language of holy 
 writ. 
 
28 THE ONLY WATER BAPTISM WAS OF JOHN. 
 
 " That our Lord, during his personal ministry, did authorize a 
 baptism, by which his disciples were recognized, and by which they 
 made profession of discipleship to him, is clearly proved, by the 
 3rd and 4th chapters of John. That this baptism, whatever might have 
 been the form of it, or the manner in which it was administered, could 
 not have been identical with that of John, is proved by the fact, that 
 here was a distinction plainly expressed between them, and also, 
 between the disciples of John, and those of Jesus." — Page 6. 
 
 In the chapters of John here referred to, it is 
 written, " that Jesus made and baptized more 
 disciples than John, (but Jesus himself baptized 
 not, but his disciples,") and also that " they came 
 unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that 
 was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou 
 bearest witness, behold the same baptizeth and 
 all men come unto him." 
 
 2. This, then, is considered a distinction plainly 
 expressed between two Water Baptisms ; and there- 
 fore, it is contended that Jesus had introduced a 
 new Water Baptism. If, however, this really 
 were the case, it should be admitted — nay, in- 
 sisted, that the disciples of Jesus must have been, 
 in the first instance, baptized by John, in order 
 that they might not only follow the example, but 
 comply with the precept of our Lord, who, in 
 submitting to John's baptism, said, " Suffer it to 
 be so now, for thus it becometh us to fulfil all 
 righteousness." This example and precept of 
 our Lord, induced the people to attach so much 
 importance to this temporary ceremony, that it is 
 said of those under the Jewish dispensation, who 
 did not receive it, "they rejected the counsel of 
 God against themselves," whilst those who sub- 
 mitted to it, " Justified God."* But as it is said 
 
 * Luke vii. 29. 
 
THE ONLY WATER BAPTISM WAS OF JOHN. '29 
 
 that he baptized more than John, it would appear 
 that He, at least, received the surplus (if not 
 all) as disciples, who had not fulfilled all 
 righteousness, by submitting to John's Bap- 
 tism, — who had disregarded his own precept, — 
 who had rejected the counsel of God against 
 themselves ! ! ! This conclusion, is utterly im- 
 possible. Therefore, although the act was per- 
 formed by the disciples of Jesus as well as by 
 John himself, (and so far a distinction is plainly 
 expressed,) nevertheless, the act itself was one 
 and the same ministration : — that is, the Baptism 
 suffered by Jesus before his crucifixion, 
 was identical with that of John. 
 
 Again — 
 
 3. As our Lord's disciples were Jews or prose- 
 lytes to Judaism, and as these were sent to Jews 
 only,* it is clear, that every such Jew who became 
 a follower of Jesus, must have complied with and 
 fulfilled every Jewish ceremony ; hence, as John's 
 baptism was exclusively administered to Jews f 
 and proselytes to Judaism, if that of Jesus were 
 a distinct Water Baptism for the initiation of the 
 disciples into his church, then would it have 
 been on the record that our Lord baptized less 
 instead of more than John ; for the number of 
 his disciples were' so few, that, at the feast of 
 Pentecost, when the "devout men out of every 
 nation under heaven" J were assembled, it is not 
 clear that they exceeded 120 in number. What 
 other Water Baptism, could the balance of mul- 
 titudes who came to his disciples, have been 
 
 * Mat. x. 5, 6. t Acts xiii. 24.— Luke iii. 3. $ Acts ii. 5. 
 
30 THE WATER BAPTISM AUTHORIZED BY JESUS 
 
 baptized with, since these multitudes were not 
 initiated as members of his church ? — Surely, it 
 must have been with John's baptism : and if 
 the few, say 120, were baptized by a separate 
 initiatory baptism, would not this be recorded as 
 a second process then undergone in compliance 
 with a new Ordinance? and would not our Lord 
 have stated it clearly in his last words, "John 
 truly baptized with water, and I authorized you 
 to be baptized with an initiatory Water Baptism, 
 but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost, 
 not many days hence?" On the contrary, the 
 woi'ds He used implied the annulling of John's 
 baptism, "John truly baptized with water, but 
 ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many 
 days hence." — Simon was baptized with water, 
 and nevertheless was not initiated into the church. 
 
 Again — 
 
 4. The only true distinction is plainly expressed, 
 thus : "I, indeed, baptize with water, * * * 
 but He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, 
 and with fire." John does not say : — but He 
 shall baptize you with water, and with the Holy 
 Ghost, and with fire. This clear and pointed 
 description of the two baptisms, was neither altered 
 nor repealed, during the remainder of that' dis- 
 pensation : on the contrary, Jesus himself refers 
 to this very declaration, but a few moments be- 
 fore his ascension, confirming it, and marking 
 the period (" not many days hence,") when his 
 new baptism was to commence : for He told 
 them " not to depart from Jerusalem, but wait 
 for the promise of the Father, which ye have 
 heard from me : for, John truly baptized with 
 water ; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy 
 
WAS IDENTICAL WITH THAT OF JOHN. 31 
 
 IrJtost not many days hence."* Here he men- 
 tions nothing whatever of a distinct Water Bap- 
 tism, but attributes all to John's preparatory 
 ministration, which decreased from the period of 
 the crucifixion, (See No. 35,) and, scripturally, 
 ceased at the destruction of the temple. f (No. 28.) 
 
 " I wish it to be understood, that Baptism, simply taken, and 
 without something in the context to change its obvious sense, does 
 mean an outward and visible act. The application both to sufferings 
 and to the effusion of the Holy Ghost is figurative." — Page 7. 
 
 5. In the foregoing paragraph [4], both context 
 and remote text are in proof, that it was not a 
 Water Baptism, which our adorable Redeemer in- 
 tended, when he gave the last command previous 
 to his ascension : for John's declaration — " I, 
 indeed, baptize with water, * * * but He shall 
 baptize with the Holy Ghost, and with fire," was 
 the unaltered and unrepealed rule of interpreta- 
 tion of the baptism of John, and the baptism of 
 Jesus; the one inward and spiritual, it was said, 
 should increase, whilst the other, outward and 
 elementai-y, was to decrease ; accordingly we 
 find, in due time, our Lord empowered his dis- 
 ciples to administer his own baptism without 
 any reference to Water, in these words* "Go 
 ye and teach all nations, baptizing in the name 
 of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy 
 Ghost." Therefore, according to John's rule, 
 our Lord could not have meant, that they should 
 have done so by a Water Baptism; for, such 
 was not of His, but of John's ministration. This 
 our Lord pointed at by these additional and 
 simultaneous words, "John truly baptized with 
 water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy 
 
 * Acts i. 4, 5. t Heb. ix. 8. 
 
32 THE BAPTISM WITH THE HOLY GHOST AND WITH 
 
 Ghost, or ye shall have power to baptize with 
 the Holy Ghost,* not many days hence, in which, 
 there is not a single word about a new Water 
 Baptism as being his own, but on the contrary, 
 confirms the previously unrepealed rule in both 
 its distinet points. Thus, in our Lord's reference 
 to baptism, he consistently makes a special re- 
 ference to water, when he spoke not of his own 
 ministration but of John's. 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 If, " Go ye and teach all nations, baptizing 
 them in the name of" * * * be understood 
 to mean a new initiatory Water Baptism ; 
 
 It was necessary, that the apostles should 
 fulfil it, as they had fulfilled John's Water 
 Baptism : (See No. 2.) 
 
 But as the only baptism which they them- 
 selves had actually fulfilled, was that of John ; 
 (See No. 2.) 
 
 It is clear, that the apostles and disciples 
 would have been required to teach and admi- 
 nister that which they had not themselves com- 
 plied with : 
 
 Therefore, that Water Baptism was in any way 
 intended, is perfectly unscriptural. 
 
 ON THE CONTRARY 
 
 6. If, " Go ye and teach all nations, baptizing 
 in the name of," # * * be understood to 
 mean the Baptism "with the holy Ghost, and 
 with fire ;" 
 
 It was necessary, that the apostles should fulfil 
 it, as they had fulfilled John's Water Baptism : 
 
 * Acts xi. 16. — see also paragraphs 9, 10,11, 12. 
 
FIRE, WAS THE ONLY BAPTISM OF JESUS. 33 
 
 But, as they actually were thus baptized by 
 the Redeemer not many days after ; 
 
 It is clear, that they were prepared to ad- 
 minister that which they had received. 
 
 Therefore, the conclusion is perfectly scriptural, 
 that baptism with the Holy Ghost and with fire 
 really was intended. 
 
 CONCLUSION Or ELISHA BATES IN 1825. 
 
 7. " He that believeth, and is baptized, shall 
 be saved," Markxvi. 16. This is a very positive, 
 unequivocal declaration. Here, the case is not 
 doubtful, but to believe and be baptized is saving. 
 And, yet we must admit, that the very worst of 
 men, may, like "the devils believe," and none 
 can deny, that they may be baptized with water : 
 for we read "that the devils believe and trem- 
 ble," 'James ii. 19 : and Simon Magus was bap- 
 tized with water, Acts viii. 13. Therefore, the 
 baptism here meant could not be that of water, 
 or a " putting away tjie filth of the flesh, but 
 the answer of a good conscience toward God, 
 by the resurrection of Jesus Christ," 1 Pet. 
 iii. 21. (Page 254.) 
 
 8. That the above conclusions are correct, is 
 further seen by a reference to the whole of the 
 expressions used relative to this subject, on that 
 memorable occasion, from which it must appear 
 to the impartial mind, that an initiatory ceremony 
 was not intended, but a saving baptism. " Go 
 ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing 
 them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, 
 and of the Holy Ghost.* He that believeth, 
 and is baptized shall be sAVED.f Tarry ye in 
 
 * Mat. xxviii. 19. \ Mark xvi. 16. 
 
 C 
 
34 THE APOSTLES WERE GIFTED WITH TBE 
 
 the city of Jerusalem until ye be endued with 
 power from on high :* for John truly baptized 
 with water, but ye shall be baptized with the 
 Holy Ghost not many days hence. "+ But, in 
 order to assure them that they should have 
 power to do so, he further said, " Lo, I am with 
 you alway, even to the end of the world. "^ 
 
 9. In opposition to this argument, our friend, 
 in his letter, 1836, says : 
 
 " I shall endeavour to shew, that they did not assume to themselves 
 the power of baptizing with the Holy Ghost : 
 
 " In connexion with the position here laid down, it should be 
 remembered, that to baptize with the Holy Ghost, is spoken of 
 Jesus Christ, and of Him only ; and is one of the undeniable proofs 
 of his Deity. It is placed on this very ground by Jobn. 'I, 
 indeed, baptize you with water unto repentance ; but HE that 
 cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not wohthy 
 to bfar : HE shall Baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.' 
 Matt. iii. 2. See Mark i. 7, 8. Luke iii. 16. And again, ' And 
 John bear record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven, 
 like a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not; but he 
 that sent me to Baptize with water the same said unto me, upon 
 whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, 
 the same is He which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, 
 and bare record, that this is the Son of God.' — John i. 32, 33, 34. 
 
 " Now, it is clear, that baptizing with the Holy Ghost, is pre- 
 dicated of the Son of God, and of Him only." — Page 9. 
 
 10. Ministers of the gospel, when rejoicing in 
 being permitted to see the fruit of their faith, 
 are frequently heard to use the expression, " I 
 am not without seals to my ministry ;" by which 
 we understand, that sinners or infidels have been 
 converted to Christ Jesus by their labours. If, 
 therefore, an infidel is, by the power of preaching, 
 made to confess Jesus to be the Lord, it follows, 
 that the Holy Ghost must have been, in some 
 
 * Luke xxiv. 49. t Acts i. 5. t Mat. xxviii. 20. 
 
POWER OF BAPTIZING WITH THE HOLY GHOST. 35 
 
 measure, conferred on that individual through the 
 divine agency of the preacher ; for flesh and 
 blood could not reveal it, but our Father which 
 is in heaven, communing with that preacher, 
 through the Holy Ghost, who speaketh whatso- 
 ever he heareth of the Father. If, however, it 
 be said, that the Holy Ghost was in him that 
 believed not, when he came into the congregation, 
 where he "was convinced of all," and, therefore 
 it was, that he confessed Jesus to be the Lord, 
 it would follow, that an infidel was a temple 
 of the Holy Ghost before he was washed, and" 
 sanctified, and justified by the blood of Jesus, 
 which is impossible. 
 
 It cannot, therefore, be denied, that such con- 
 version and the gift of the Holy Ghost must have 
 been simultaneous, and effected by the preacher 
 as a fellow-helper to the truth, a labourer with 
 God, a spiritual Levite officiating at the heavenly 
 altar of our High Priest and Saviour Jesus Christ. 
 
 When the Ephesian disciples said, they had 
 not so much as heard whether there be a Holy 
 Ghost, it was no more than many believers to 
 this day experience. For, I doubt not, but that 
 many (like as the writer himself) did not for 
 years after conversion understand that they had 
 any measure of that gracious gift. If it be said, 
 that the Ephesians after this confession to Paul 
 received the Holy Ghost by the laying on of his 
 hands, it is answered ; this was that increased 
 measure and operation of it, which enabled them 
 to prophesy and speak with tongues. 
 
 No evangelical reader of the Scriptures could 
 suppose for a moment, that the apostles or any 
 c2 
 
36 THE APOSTLES WERE GIFTED WITH THE 
 
 other disciples of Christ, assumed to themselves the 
 power of baptizing with the Holy Ghost." "For," 
 Jesus said, "without me, ye can do nothing;" 
 nevertheless, he also said : "the works that I 
 do, shall ye do also, and greater works than 
 these shall ye do, because I go to my Father." 
 Hence, the apostle considers our Lord's disciples, 
 as " labourers together with God :"* and it cannot 
 be un scriptural or incorrect to conclude, that our 
 Lord told them to baptize with the Holy Ghost, 
 when he so pointedly added : " lo, I am with you 
 alway, even to the end of the world." This pro- 
 mise is in such perfect harmony with the words 
 of this prayer " I in them and thou in me,"f 
 that we can readily comprehend the words, " He 
 that belie veth, out of his belly shall flow rivers 
 of living water" % nor can we be at a loss to con- 
 ceive that such a flood must baptize the by-stand- 
 ing hearers through the preaching and teaching of 
 his disciples. Thus, does he graciously confer on 
 all true believers the exalted station of "fellow- 
 helpers to the truth ;"§ nevertheless, giving us 
 to understand, that " our sufficiency is of God.|| 
 In accordance with this scriptural position, the 
 apostles used such expressions as the following : — 
 
 " I long to see you, that I may impart to you 
 some spiritual gift." Rom. i. 11. 
 
 "With this grace which is administered by 
 us, to the glory of the same Lord." 2 Cor. 
 viii. 19. 
 
 " Ye all are partakers of my grace." Phil. i. 7. 
 
 " I have planted and Apollos watered, but 
 
 * 1 Cor. iii. 9. t John xvii. 23. $ John vii. 38. 
 
 § 3 John 8. || 2 Cor. iii. 5. 
 
POWER OF BAPTIZING WITH THE HOLY GHOST. 37 
 
 God gave the increase. * * * Now, he that 
 planteth, and he that watereth, are one ; and 
 every man shall receive his own reward, accord- 
 ing to his own labour. For we are labourers 
 
 TOGETHER WITH GOD." 1 Cor. Hi. 6, 9. 
 
 " And he shall give them LIFE for them 
 that sin not unto death." 1 John v. 16. 
 
 "The unbelieving husband is sanctified by 
 the wife; and the unbelieving wife is sanctified 
 by the husband. For, what knowest thou, O 
 wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband ; 
 or, how knowest thou, O man, whether thou 
 shalt save thy wife?" 1 Cor. vii. 16. 
 
 " Unto me who am less than the least of all 
 saints, is this grace given, that I should preach 
 among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of 
 Christ ; and to make all men see, what is the 
 fellowship of the mystery, which, from the be- 
 ginning of the world, hath been hid in God 
 who created all things by Jesus Christ." Ephes. 
 iii. 8, 9. 
 
 " He that believeth, out of his belly shall flow 
 rivers of living water." 
 
 11. "All the above works are predicated of the 
 So?i of God, and of Him only," as well as that 
 of baptizing with the Holy Ghost ; nevertheless, 
 they are spoken of, as if actually done by the 
 believers themselves ; for, God is faithful wherein 
 we are called unto the fellowship of his Son 
 Jesus Christ* who, being with us always even 
 to the end of the world, works within us both 
 
 * 1 Cor. i. 9. 
 
38 THE PROCESS OF THE BAPTISM 
 
 to will and to do whatsoever he inclines ; yet, 
 not limiting himself to our agency. 
 
 " All things are possible to him 
 That can in Jesu's name believe ; 
 Lord, I no more thy truth blaspheme, 
 Thy truth I lovingly receive ; 
 I can, I do believe in thee, 
 All things are possible to me." — Wesley. 
 
 12. He who impartially reads the foregoing 
 texts and remarks, cannot fail to understand 
 by the following, that Peter baptized with the 
 Holy Ghost, by the power of preaching ; namely, 
 "While Peter yet spake the Holy Ghost fell 
 on all them that heard the word."* This 
 occurrence Peter himself describes thus : "And, 
 as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on 
 them, as on us at the beginning. Then remem- 
 bered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, 
 John, indeed, baptized with water, but ye shall 
 be baptized with the Holy Ghost. "f Hence, it 
 appears, that the words, ye {meaning each member 
 of His Church'] shall be baptized with the Holy 
 Ghost, and, ye shall baptize with the Holy Ghost, 
 and ye shall be so baptized, are synonymous. 
 This conclusion, is consistent with the prayer of 
 our Lord; " neither pray I for these alone, but 
 for them also which shall believe through their 
 word, that they all may be one, and the GLORY 
 which thou gavest me, I have given them, that 
 they may be one even as we are one."^ 
 
 13. Thus, it is evident, that by the power of 
 preaching, the Holy Ghost was conferred on 
 those that heard the word. It also appears, § 
 
 * Acts x. 44. t Acts xi. 16. t John xvii. 20, 22. 
 
 § Acts xix. 6. 
 
OP THE HOLY GHOST EXPLAINED. 39 
 
 that it was conferred by the touch of the apostles' 
 hands, after they had prayed ; and, so surely was 
 Simon persuaded of this, that it is written, 
 "When Simon saw that through laying on of 
 the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, 
 he offered them money, saying ; give me also 
 this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands he 
 may receive the Holy Ghost."* 
 
 14. In the blessed Redeemer's baptism, it should 
 be remembered, that there is a two-fold action, 
 namely, " with the Holy Ghost, and with fire ;" 
 but, that of fire precedes the gift of the Holy 
 Ghost." "I will turn my hand upon thee, and 
 purely purge away thy dross, and take away 
 all thy tin : * * * afterward thou shalt 
 be called, The city of Righteousness, the faith- 
 ful city. "t — "But who may abide the day of 
 his coming? and who shall stand when he ap- 
 peareth ? for he is like a refiner's fire, and 
 like fuller's soap : and he shall sit as a refiner 
 and purifier of silver : and he shall purify the 
 sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, 
 that they may offer unto the Lord an offering 
 in righteousness. # # * * p or \ am 
 the Lord, I change not." J Thus, we learn, 
 that He who changes not, first acts by fire on 
 his people, and those that patiently endure 
 it unto the end " are sealed with the Holy 
 Spirit of promise ;"^ but those who revolt are 
 as " reprobate silver," which " the Lord hath 
 rejected. "|| 
 
 * Actsviii.18,19. + Isa. i. 25, 26. i Mai. iii. S,3 .6. 
 §Eph. i. 13. H Jer. vi. 30. 
 
40 THE PROCESS OF THE BAPTISM 
 
 15. This process is acknowledged by the expe- 
 rience of every true believer ; and such can 
 readily apprehend, that the action of the fire 
 must be more or less painful, according to the 
 portion of dross and tin to be taken away ;* after 
 which, the purified seem to enjoy a heavenly, 
 burning sympathy with Him, who, in his own 
 appointed time, he seals with his Holy Spirit. 
 And those who thus know the Lord, can feel the 
 full force of the expression of the two disciples, 
 to whom our Lord appeared when on their journey 
 to the village of Emmaus : — " Did not our hearts 
 burn within us, while he talked with us by the 
 way, and while he opened to us the scriptures ?"f 
 This was a state of mind from which the dross 
 had been removed, and was nearly prepared for 
 the seal of the Holy Ghost, which was after- 
 wards bestowed on them at Pentecost. 
 
 16. With this view of the process of the Re- 
 deemer's baptism before us, we are to remember, 
 that "there are diversities of operations \jof gifts], 
 but it is the same Lord, who worketh all in 
 all. "J Therefore, although the apostles had the 
 power of baptizing with the Holy Ghost, and 
 with fire; nevertheless, that power acted through 
 diversities of operations, and produced divers 
 developments of the same Spirit. It is thus 
 easy to understand the following instances ad- 
 duced, which are supposed to exhibit preaching 
 unaccompanied by baptizing results, namely : — 
 
 At Pentecost, Peter, after having preached, 
 
 * See Luke xii. 49. to xiii. 5. also Mat. x. 34 — 42. 
 t Luke xxiv. 32. ; 1 Cor. xii. 6. 
 
OF THE HOLY GHOST EXPLAINED. 41 
 
 told his hearers to repent and be baptized,* and 
 they should receive the Holy Ghost. Acts ii. 
 
 The Samaritans believed Philip and were 
 baptized, and, sometime afterwards, received the 
 Holy Ghost through Peter and John, who, after 
 having prayed for this gift, laid their hands on 
 them, and they received it accordingly. Acts 
 viii. 12—17. 
 
 17. In these instances, it is sufficient to observe, 
 that "when they heard this [from Peter], they 
 were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter 
 and the rest of the apostles, men and brethren, 
 what shall we do V'-f This pricking in the heart 
 was the effect of the action of fire by the bap- 
 tizing ministry of Peter. — (See No. 16.) 
 
 18. In the second instance, there is nothing ex- 
 pressed by which we can observe the action of 
 this consuming fire ; but as they are said to have 
 "believed Philip preaching the things concern- 
 ing the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus 
 Christ," and as no man can call Jesus the Lord, 
 except by the Holy Ghost, they must have re- 
 ceived a measure of the Spirit, however small, but, 
 probably, had not patiently endured its purifying 
 process, and required the prayers of Peter and 
 John, who received the increase for them,:]; and 
 administered it by the laying on of hands. In- 
 deed, it may be remembered, that Peter was in 
 this state of mind, when the Lord said to him, 
 " blessed art thou, Simon Barjona, for flesh and 
 
 * The Water Baptism here probably mentioned, as well as that 
 in other texts, will be discussed hereafter. — (No. 20.) 
 t Acts ii. 37. 
 X 1 John v, 16, proves this to be a scriptural assertion. 
 
42 REQUIRES FAITH IN PREACHERS AND HEARERS. 
 
 blood hath not revealed this unto thee, but my 
 Father which is in heaven," nevertheless, Peter 
 suffered much after this, ere he received the 
 power of the Holy Ghost. — (See No. 15.) 
 
 19. As we know that the searching purifica- 
 tion by fire is a part of the process by which the 
 baptism of the Holy Ghost is conferred, so that it 
 is one and the same baptism of the Redeemer ; # 
 the multitudes who, even to this day, have 
 felt that powerful preaching kindles a holy fire, 
 are bound to acknowledge, that they have ex- 
 perienced this baptism from hearing the word. 
 Therefore, if any baptize with fire, the command 
 is in a degree fulfilled ; and, if that baptism be 
 not now followed by the out-pouring of the 
 Holy Ghost in greater measure, it is because 
 the preachers or the hearers have not used their 
 several gifts "according to the grace that is 
 given them, and according to the proportion of 
 faith;" [read notes-f-] but nevertheless, it is a fainter 
 action of the same baptism of the Holy Ghost, ad- 
 ministered and received by the fearful and faint- 
 hearted. It is, therefore, hoped, that none will 
 deny the fact, that the apostles actually did con- 
 fer the Holy Ghost by the power which was 
 given them from on high ; and, although our 
 friend argues, that they did not "assume to thern- 
 
 * This is acknowledged by the words ; " quench not the Spirit," 
 (1 Thess. v. 19) which implies, extinguish not the fire of the 
 Holy Spirit, an illustration of which is found in the "Duty of Man," 
 thus, " Beseech God that he will inflame thy heart with his heavenly 
 fire of devotion ; and when thou hast obtained it ; beware that 
 thou neither quench it by any wilful sin, nor let it go out, for want 
 of stirring it up and employing it." 
 
 t Rom. xii. 2, 6 ; also Heb. iv. t ; also Mat. xiii. 14 and 58. 
 
WATER BAPTISM AFTER THE RESURRECTION. 43 
 
 selves this power," nevertheless, the language of 
 Scripture is so strong, as to forbid even such a 
 position to be taken in this argument ; as for 
 instance, " Wherefore, I put thee in remem- 
 brance, that thou stir up the gift of God, which 
 is in thee, by the putting on of my hands."* — 
 (See No. 10.) 
 
 20. It now remains to examine the Acts of the 
 Apostles, as regards Water Baptism, after the 
 resurrection. The case of Paul's conversion is 
 appealed to by our friend, as follows : — 
 
 " We must perceive, on partial reflection — that the baptism of 
 the 3000 on the day of Pentecost, of Cornelius and his household, 
 and of the apostle Paul, was under the direction of chosen instru- 
 ments, specially qualified, with the Holy Ghost sent down from 
 heaven — and not in compliance with any prejudices on the part of 
 the baptized. What prejudices, for example, could there have 
 been in the mind of the persecuting Saul, in favour of a baptism, 
 which peculiarly marked the disciples of the Lord Jesus, when he 
 was making havock of the Church, and when he was pursuing 
 to the utmost extremities, both men and women, to pour down 
 his vengeance upon them, and even compel them to blaspheme ? 
 We can readily suppose, that the baptism, which recognized a 
 faith he so thoroughly despised — could have had in it nothing 
 pleasing to his mind — but, on the contrary, that he would have con- 
 sidered no other act or evidence necessary, to render an individual 
 an object of his most vindictive hatred, than simply to have received 
 that baptism. No : he was first brought to hs a believer in the 
 Lord Jesus, and in such a manner, as to lay his prepossessions, as 
 well as his person, prostrate in the dust. Feeling himself in the 
 awful presence of the glorified Saviour, trembling and astonished, 
 he inquired, ' Lord, what wilt thou have me to do V He was told 
 to ' arise, and go into Damascus, and there it shall be told thee of 
 all things which were appointed for thee to do.' There, in the 
 depth of humiliation, for three days, in which he ate nothing — 
 struck with blindness, and the chastening hand of God upon him — 
 the promise of the Lord Jesus was, at length, fulfilled to him. 
 Ananias, an humble disciple, was specially sent, with immediate 
 and extraordinary instructions from the Lord, to tell him what was 
 
 * 2 Tim. i. 6, and see also v. 14. 
 
44 PAUL BAPTIZED BY ANANIAS. 
 
 appointed for him to do. And, by this messenger, the contrite, 
 broken hearted Saul, was directed to be baptized ; and actually xcat 
 baptized. — Pages 7 and 8. 
 
 Our Lord thus directed Paul; "arise, and go 
 to Damascus, and there it shall be told thee of 
 all things which were appointed for thee to do." # 
 Accordingly, at Damascus, he met the special 
 messenger, Ananias, who told him : " The Lord 
 Jesus hath sent me, that thou shouldst receive thy 
 sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. And 
 immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been 
 scales, and he received his sight forthwith. "f 
 Then, on being further told, " Arise, and be 
 baptized, and wash away thy sins ;"J — " he 
 arose and was baptized."^— (See Nos. 21 and 34.) 
 
 This was Paul's authority to administer a saving 
 baptism, in conformity with the command given 
 to all the other apostles: — "Go ye, and teach 
 all nations, baptizing them," * * * "he 
 that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved." 
 And, thus, it appears, that to baptize was one 
 of the all things, which were appointed for 
 him to do. But it is utterly impossible for us 
 to interpret this as an authority, either for Paul 
 or others to baptize with water, for he himself 
 declares, that " Christ sent him not to baptize 
 [with water], but to preach the gospel."|| There- 
 fore, the messenger spoke of saving baptism, 
 and if Paul, laying aside his prepossessions, 
 even were baptized with water, it must have 
 been in submission to the weakness of Ananias. 
 (See No- 30.) But in this case, it must be asked ; 
 
 * Acts xxii. 10. + Acts ix. 17, 18. t Acts xxii. 16. 
 § Acts ix. 18. || 1 Cor. i. 17. 
 
YET HE PROTESTED AGAINST WATER BAPTISM. 45 
 
 How, then, was Paul filled with the Holy Ghost, 
 which, as well as the reception of his sight, was 
 to be the result of their interview ? 
 
 21. It is, indeed, labour in vain, to adduce, 
 that " Ananias, an humble disciple, was 
 
 SPECIALLY SENT WITH IMMEDIATE AND EXTRA- 
 ORDINARY INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE LORD ;" and, 
 
 therefore, was, in the executive part of those very 
 instructions, infallible ; for Scripture, from the 
 beginning to the end, testifies otherwise : viz. 
 John the Baptist was the greatest prophet until 
 his day, and was, indeed, a most special mes- 
 senger, bearing most extraordinary instructions ; 
 yet, on being formally asked : " Art thou Elias ?"* 
 he answered, " I am not." Nevertheless, our 
 Lord said of him " this is the Elias which was for 
 to come."t (See No. 30.) Why, therefore, should 
 we consider Ananias more perfect than others, 
 who, notwithstanding, he was a disciple of Jesus, 
 is specially stated by Paul, to be a devout man 
 according to the law. The high priests them- 
 selves were afraid to speak against John's Baptism 
 before such men.| Therefore, although Paul was 
 not prejudiced in favour of baptism, Ananias un- 
 questionably was. — (See No. 33, also 34.) 
 
 Again — 
 
 22. The commission of Paul, who was '■''not a 
 whit behind the very chief est of the apostles "§ was 
 to " go and teach all nations, baptizing them in 
 the name [or in power] of the * * * But, 
 if baptism with water had been his apprehension 
 of this commission, then bis thanking God that 
 he had baptized only such and such, lest any 
 
 * John i. 21. t Mat. 11. 14. | Mat. xxi. 26, 32. § 2 Cor.li. 5- 
 
46 WATER BAPTISM OF THE TWELVE EPHESIAXS 
 
 should say he baptized in his own name," was no 
 more justifiable, than if he had said of the other 
 portion of his instructions, I thank God, that I 
 preached to none of you, lest any should say, that 
 I preached in mine own name. But, who that was 
 commissioned and commanded by the Most Hig;h 
 both to preach and baptize, could thank God on 
 any account whatsoever, that he had left either 
 part of such a positive requirement undone, lest 
 the result should be unfavourable ? Certainly, 
 Paul could not be guilty of this irreverence ; and 
 he clears himself of such a charge, by adding the 
 express declaration : " for Christ sent me not to 
 baptize, [with Water, as in context,] but to preach 
 the gospel " In keeping with which, he also told 
 the Ephesians, there was but " One Lord, one faith, 
 one baptism ;" thus, further showing that there 
 can be no other baptism than that of the Holy 
 Ghost.— (See No. 5.) 
 
 23. It is objected, that the text, "One Lord, one 
 faith, one baptism," referred to the distinction 
 between the Water Baptism of John, and that 
 of Jesus : in proof of which, the case of the twelve 
 Ephesians is brought forward : viz. 
 
 " And he said unto them, unto what then were 
 ye baptized? and they said unto John's baptism." 
 
 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the 
 baptism of repentance, that they should believe 
 on Him, which should come after him, that is, 
 on Christ Jesus. 
 
 When they heard this saying, they were bap- 
 tized in the name of Jesus. 
 
 " The case of the twelve Ephesians shews, that no other than the 
 one Christian baptism, which Christ had commanded, and which 
 
NOT AN INITIATORY CEREMONY. 47 
 
 was constantly recognized as being administered in liis name, or by 
 his authority, would do for the initiation of disciples into the visible 
 church. 
 
 " The reader will please to take notice, that this case of administer- 
 ing Christian baptism, in the name of the Lord Jesus, to persons 
 who had received another baptism, occurred at Ephesus : and about 
 the year 57. The apostle Paul remained in that vicinity about 
 three years, and then, after a short visit to some neighbouring 
 places, he sent for the Elders of this very church, where this example 
 had been set of the apostle's care in regard to the one initiatory 
 baptism. To these Elders he appealed, as knowing how he had 
 been.among them ' from the first day' he had been in Asia, includ- 
 ing the time of this remarkable transaction, that he had kept back 
 nothing that was profitable unto them — that he had not shunned to 
 declare unto them the whole counsel of God — and then impressively 
 admonished them to remember, that by the space of three years, he 
 ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. 
 
 " Not the least intimation is given of any change of view which 
 the apostle had come to during this period, but directly to the con- 
 trary, he recognizes the whole course of Christian instruction which he 
 bad given, from the first day he came among them till then." — Pa. 1*. 
 
 24. The very fact referred to, proves that Water 
 Baptism was not an initiatory ceremony : for, as 
 the twelve Ephesians were baptized by the Holy 
 Ghost, they were already initiated into His spiri- 
 tual church. Nor do we find in Scripture that the 
 submission to such a ceremony is exacted from 
 the disciple, since we read " that so many of us 
 [meaning- not all] as were baptized into Christ, 
 were baptized into his death." If it be admitted, 
 that in this text the apostle refers to the baptism 
 of the Holy Ghost, it is clear that only some 
 of them were initiated, whilst others were not 
 initiated. But if all were baptized with water, 
 then such baptism was not an initiatory cere- 
 mony. If, on the other hand, it be insisted that 
 the text refers to Water Baptism, then it is 
 evident, that all the disciples were not so baptized. 
 
 25. With respect to Paul's not having intimated 
 
48 PAULS WHOLE COUNSEL TO THE EPHESIANS. 
 
 to the Ephesians any change of view during the 
 above period of three years, and thereby recog- 
 nizing the whole course of Christian instruction 
 which he had given them, and, of course, the 
 Water Baptism of the twelve ; it is answered, 
 that this is impossible ; for it was 
 In A. D. 57, that Paul was, perhaps, present at 
 the Water Baptism of the twelve 
 Ephesians, and, if so, tolerated it. 
 In A. D. 59, that he declared to the Corinthians : 
 " Christ sent me not to baptize, but 
 to preach the gospel." 
 In A. D. 60, that he told the Ephesian elders, 
 " I have not shunned to declare 
 unto you all the counsel of God."* 
 
 It must appear, by the above statement, that 
 Paul did not recognize, in A. D. 60, the Water 
 Baptism of the twelve, which he condescended 
 to tolerate in A. D. 57, as a Christian instruc- 
 tion ; for, in 59, he saw, that this practice 
 produced dissension in the Corinthian church, 
 and protested against it. 
 
 26. If, however, he omitted to refer to this 
 important change (not of doctrinal views, but of 
 the policy of tolerating Water Baptism), when 
 he so hastily visited the Ephesian elders at 
 Miletus, on his way to Jerusalem, he made ample 
 amends for it in his letter from Rome, addressed 
 to their church, in A. D. 61, wherein he dis- 
 tinctly told them, there was but " one Lord, 
 one faith, one baptism ."-f And also, that Christ 
 " loved the church, and gave himself for it, that 
 
 * Acts xx. 27. t Ephes. iv. 5. 
 
WATER BAPTISM IN ANY NAME DISAPPROVED. 49 
 
 he might sanctify it by the washing of water by 
 the word."* For, no doubt, he dreaded lest the 
 dissension, which Water Baptism had produced 
 in A. D. 59, amongst the Corinthian disciples, 
 should also obtain amongst the Ephesians, who 
 were not divided, when he wrote the letter, but 
 " builded together for an habitation of God ' 
 through the Spirit. "f 
 
 27. It now remains to account for the possibility, 
 that the twelve Ephesians underwent two Water 
 Baptisms ; one, as unto Johns baptism, and the 
 other, in the name of the Lord Jesus ; by which, 
 it is concluded, that the latter was approved by 
 Paul, if not executed by himself. To this, it is 
 answered, that Paul, in two years after, saw 
 that Water Baptism produced great dissension 
 amongst the Corinthians, to whom he addressed 
 the following remarkable remonstrance \% — 
 
 12. Now, this I say, that every one of you 
 saith, I am of Paul; and I, of Apollos ; and I, 
 of Cephas; and I, of Christ; 
 
 13. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for 
 you ? or, were you baptized in the name of Paul ( 
 
 14. I thank God, that I baptized none of you, 
 but Crispus and Gaius ; 
 
 15. Lest any should say, that I had baptized 
 in mine own name. 
 
 16. And I baptized also the household of 
 Stephanas : besides, I know not whether I bap- 
 tized any other. 
 
 17. For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to 
 preach the gospel : # * * 
 
 * Ephes. v. 26, 32. f Ephes. ii. 22. % 1 Cor. i. 12—17. 
 D 
 
50 WATER BAPTISM AFTER THE RESURRECTION. 
 
 The 14th and 15th verses shew, perhaps, more 
 clearly than the others, that the 12th verse is to 
 be understood, as if thus written : I am baptized 
 in the name of Paul ; and I, in the name of 
 Apollos ; and I, in the name of Cephas ; and I, 
 in the name of Jesus. And, if he did not mean 
 to reprove them, who said they were baptized 
 with water in the name of Jesus, he would not 
 have included them in the same censure. For, if 
 they had been saying, they were of Christ in any 
 other sense, he could not have rebuked them ; 
 but, on the contrary, he would have held them 
 up as an ensample of the truth. 
 
 Hence, we perceive, that Water Baptism, in any 
 name, was not in the commission of the apostles. 
 
 28. It may now be asked, why, under such cir- 
 cumstances, did the apostles baptize with water 
 after the resurrection? — To this, it is answered, 
 that our condescending Father permitted the 
 Judaical prejudices to remain, whilst the temple, 
 in which His ceremonial ordinances had been so 
 long authorized, was yet standing. This appears 
 by the text "The Holy Ghost, this signifying, that 
 the way into the holiest of all, was not yet made 
 manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet 
 standing" * * * * which stood only in meats 
 and drinks, and divers washings,* imposed on 
 them until the time of the reformation."f The 
 obvious meaning of these texts accords with the 
 testimony of John the Baptist, which says, " He 
 must increase, but I must decrease ;"J for the 
 
 * Tbe word " washings," should be rendered baptisms, the Greek 
 word is Baptismois. 
 
 t Heb. ix.8, 10. } John iii. 30. 
 
OPINION OF ELISHA BATES IN 1837. 51 
 
 pronoun I, could neither refer to himself, nor to 
 his principle of repentance ; hence, his baptism 
 was to decrease, although for a time in con- 
 descension permitted, "while as the first taber- 
 nacle was yet standing," and, therefore, was it 
 countenanced by some of the apostles. — (See 
 No. 27, 28, 29.) 
 
 " The idea, that the apostles themselves were under Judaical 
 prejudices, in commanding and practising these things, has had a 
 very mischievous effect. 
 
 " To assume such a position, in reference to their government of 
 the churches, endued for that office, as they were, by the Holy Ghost 
 sent down from heaven, is highly objectionable ; and, if carried out, 
 must totally lay waste the authority of the Holy Scriptures. For, if 
 they were mistaken while preaching, why not as liable to be mistaken 
 while writing ? And if so, are we not brought to the result, of 
 taking just so much of (heir doctrines as we please? Now, that 
 this objection does go to their writings, as well as to their oral dis- 
 courses, is evident; because we know nothing of their oral teaching, 
 but by what is written, so that the uncertainty would fall directly 
 and at once upon Scripture. 
 
 " The notion, that we or our predecessors, have had clearer views 
 than the apostles, is highly presumptuous and always fraught with 
 incalculable danger. And of that danger, we have had among 
 ourselves the most humiliating evidence. — Pages 14, 15. 
 
 29. No better reply can be given to the above 
 opinion, than that which is taken from page 243 of 
 
 EX.ISHA BATES ON DOCTRINE OF BAPTISM, 
 IN 1825. 
 
 It is evident, that even the apostles themselves 
 were more or less under the influence of their 
 education, and the attachments which they had 
 formed to institutions while they were in force. 
 
 So POWERFUL WAS THIS PREJUDICE, THAT PeTER 
 NEEDED A VISION TO INDUCE HIM TO GO TO CoR- 
 
 nelius. It was at that very time, that he queried, 
 
 " Can any forbid water, that these should not be 
 
 baptized." Acts x. 47. He spoke hesitatingly, and 
 
 d2 
 
52 OPINION OF ELISHA BATES IN 1825. 
 
 not as he did when preaching the doctrines of 
 the gospel. He was long after this entangled 
 with the ceremonies of the law, so that Paul 
 withstood him to the face. But this mis- 
 understanding did not relate to the great funda- 
 mental doctrines of the gospel ; and it only 
 depended on the force with which the mind 
 retained its hold on things originally of divine 
 appointment, but which, in the change of dis- 
 pensations, had become unessential, and even 
 an encumbrance and hindrance. 
 
 The apostles, however, gradually rose above 
 these things. First, they saw beyond the con- 
 tracted views of their education, and embraced 
 the Gentiles, as well as the Jews, in the effusions 
 of gospel love. The question of circumcision 
 soon claimed their attention, and that rite was 
 adjudged to have ceased in point of obligation. 
 Nor was baptism entirely passed over unnoticed. 
 The apostle Paul, finding the attachments to 
 this ceremony not giving way so fast as they 
 should have done, let them know, it was no part 
 of his mission, and thanked God, that he had 
 baptized only a few individuals, — which appears 
 to have been done a considerable time before 
 the period at which he wrote. The apostle 
 Peter also found it necessary to enforce on the 
 minds of those to whom he wrote, that saving 
 baptism was " not the putting away of the filth 
 of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience 
 toward God, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ." 
 1 Pet. iii. 21. 
 
 30. In addition to the above, it must be ob- 
 served, that our Lord's last command contained 
 
THE ACTUAL COMMAND GIVEN IN A. D. 33. 53 
 
 another remarkable instruction, besides that of 
 baptism, in which the apostles and disciples 
 [Paul only excepted] were by line upon line, 
 directed to " teach all nations" nevertheless 
 they misapprehended this also. The two com- 
 mands referred to, may be collected from the 
 first and second parts of the 
 
 TESTS DEIIVEH.E3 AT THE SAME TIMS, 
 PREVIOUS TO THE ASCENSION, A. 3D. 33. 
 
 1st parts. — " Go ye, therefore, and teach all 
 nations ;* — " Go ye into all the world, and 
 preach the gospel to every CREATURE."f " That 
 repentance and remission of sins should be 
 preached in his name, amongst all nations, 
 beginning at Jerusalem."^ 
 
 2nd parts. — Baptizing them in the name of the 
 Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."* 
 — " He that believeth, and is baptized, shall be 
 saved ; he that believeth not shall be damned. "-f- 
 — " For John truly baptized with water, but ye 
 shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost-"§ 
 
 It seems surprising, how it was in any way 
 possible, for the apostles and disciples to have 
 mistaken the above clear and definite command, 
 which was three times repeated at the same 
 moment, as shown in the 1st part, and by 
 which their energies were so pointedly directed 
 both to the Jew, and also to the Gentile. Never- 
 theless, it was so ; for Peter confessed as much 
 in A. D. 41, to Cornelius and other Gentiles, 
 when he said to them, " God hath showed me 
 [two days before] that I should not call any man 
 
 * -Mat. zzviii. 19. t Mark xvi. 16. % Luke xxiv. 47. ^ Acts i. it. 
 
54 SOME MISAPPREHENDED THE COMMAND, 
 
 common or unclean. Therefore, came I unto you 
 without gainsaying, as soon as I was sent for." # 
 And no sooner did he learn what a wonderful 
 degree of grace had been bestowed upon Cor- 
 nelius, than " he opened his mouth and said : of 
 a truth, I perceive that God is no respecter of 
 persons, but in every nation, he that feareth 
 him, and worketh righteousness is accepted with 
 him."t Nor was this pre-ordained shortsighted- 
 ness (see No. 32) of our Lord's commands confined 
 to Peter only ; for, on his arrival in Jerusalem, 
 A. D.42, "they that were of the circumcision con- 
 tended with him," until they heard his account 
 of the manner in which the Lord was pleased to 
 direct him to the house of Cornelius, and the 
 effect of his preaching, which he thus described : 
 — "And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell 
 on them, as on US at the beginning. THEN re- 
 membered I THE WORD OF THE LORD, llOW that 
 he said; John, indeed, baptized with water; but 
 ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. When 
 they heard these things, they held their peace, 
 and glorified God, saying; then hath God also 
 to the Gentiles, granted repentance unto 
 life. "J But whosoever reads the 1st parts of 
 the texts, might reasonably be surprised,' that 
 Peter and those individuals had, in A. D. 41, 
 only learnt what was so distinctly declared in 
 A. D. 33; — viz, " that repentance and remission 
 of sins should be preached in His name amongst 
 all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 
 
 31. Thus did Peter and they that were with 
 
 * Acts x. 29. t Acts x. 34, 35. f Acts xi. 15, 16, 18. 
 
BUT PAUL UNDERSTOOD EVERY PART OF IT. 55 
 
 him at the resurrection, learn, about seven years 
 afterwards, the true meaning of the command, 
 " Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, bap- 
 tizing them * * *. It cannot, therefore, be a 
 matter of surprise, that, whilst under the power 
 of the Holy Ghost, they consistently said : " Re- 
 pent and be baptized ; " yet, that in all proba- 
 bility, they might have had recourse to the water 
 ceremony, since they confessed long afterwards, 
 that they had misapprehended, not only the 
 universality of their commission to preach, but the 
 essential principle of the gift of baptism to be 
 conferred by their preaching, whilst under its 
 power themselves.* Nor is it difficult to under- 
 stand, that when Peter "Answered; (of course, to 
 some question put to him about Water Baptism;) 
 can any man forbid water, that these should not 
 be baptized?" He evidently was pressed to per- 
 form the ceremony by the converts, whose title 
 must have been disputed by those of the circum- 
 cision, who, being believers, were present : thus 
 was Peter, although at this moment he "remem- 
 bered that the word of the Lord" had instructed 
 him to baptize with the Holy Ghost, (see No. 12,) 
 obliged to yield to the one party, whilst he re- 
 monstrated with the other; for he feared them 
 which were of the circumcision. — (See No. 31.)+ 
 32. On the other hand, Paul apprehended our 
 Lord's commands in every minutiae. He straight- 
 way commenced his mission by preaching in the 
 synagogues of Damascus, at Jerusalem, Salamis, 
 Antioch, &c. At length, being much opposed 
 by the Jews in contradicting and blaspheming, 
 * Acts xi. 15. t Gal. ii. 12. 
 
56 YET PAUL AND THE APOSTLES YIELDED 
 
 he boldly said to them ; "it was necessary, that 
 the word of God should first have been spoken 
 to you, but seeing you put it from you * * * 
 lo, we turn to the Gentiles."* This he unhesi- 
 tatingly did, and not only proved, that he 
 understood the universality of the Lord's com- 
 mission, but also the manner in which he should 
 commence his preaching, by "beginning at Jeru- 
 salem :" thus did he completely fulfil the first 
 part of our Lord's command in practice ; and, 
 with regard to the second part, when he said, 
 " Christ sent me not to baptize, [with water,] but 
 to preach the gospel," he was also a substantial 
 witness, that it referred to a saving baptism. 
 Thus, he seems to have been raised up in A. D. 36, 
 as a model by which the conduct of the other 
 apostles should be adjusted. Because, from the 
 death of Christ, A. I). 33, to the conversion of 
 Cornelius, A. D. 40, they remained under pre- 
 ordained impression, that they should " confirm 
 the covenant with many, for a week,"f or seven 
 years, which accounts for the apparent misappre- 
 hension, during that space of time, of the com- 
 mand to preach, in all nations, to every creature; 
 and also, because they were permitted to ad m inister 
 the former ordinances after they were nailed to 
 the cross, as they were suffered to continue till the 
 destruction of the temple. — (See Nos. 28 and 31.) 
 33. For the foregoing reasons, Paul, as well as 
 
 THE il.POSTI.SS, A.NJ> EIDERS ITXEI^ED TO 
 THE PREJUDICES OF THEIR BRETHREN. 
 
 In A. D. 52. Paul told the Galatians, that Peter 
 
 * Acts xiii. 46 ; also xviii. 6. 
 
 t Dan. ix. 27 ; also Keith, p;ige 23 ; S. Clarke, vol. ii. p. 721. 
 
TO THE PREJUDICES OF THEIR BRETHREN. 57 
 
 was to be blamed, for he withdrew 
 and separated himself [from eating 
 with the Gentiles,] fearing them 
 which were of the circumcision. And 
 the other Jews dissembled likewise 
 with him, insomuch that Barnabas 
 also was carried away with their dis- 
 simulation. But when I saw that 
 
 THEY WALKED NOT UPRIGHTLY, AC- 
 CORDING TO THE TRUTH OF THE GOS- 
 PEL, I said unto Peter before them 
 all, if thou being a Jew, livest after 
 the manner of Gentiles, and not as 
 do the Jews, why compellest thou 
 the Gentiles to live as do the Jews."* 
 In A. D. 52. Paul said, " I testify to every man 
 that is circumcised, that he is a 
 debtor to do the whole law. Christ 
 is become of no effect unto you, who- 
 soever are justified by the law are 
 fallen from grace. "f 
 In A. D. 53. Paul, nevertheless, circumcised 
 Timotheous "because of the Jews 
 that were in those quarters. "J 
 In A. D. 63. He still maintained the contrary 
 opinion in his letter to the Hebrews ; 
 " We have an altar, whereof they 
 have no right to eat, who serve the 
 tabernacle. "§ 
 In A. D. 55. Paulsaid,"Imustbyall meanskeep 
 the feast that cometh in Jerusalem. "|| 
 
 * Gal. ii. 11 — 14. Tbis was not done by ignorance, but through 
 fear ; for, if with icrnoranee, there could be no dissimulation. 
 t Gal v. 3. $ Acts xvi. 3. § Heb. xiii. 10. |l Acts xviii. 21. 
 
58 PAUL AND THE APOSTLES YIELDED TO 
 
 In A. D. 60. Paul, at the earnest desire of James 
 and all the elders at Jerusalem, 
 purified himself, and with four other 
 disciples, who had shaved their 
 heads, entered into the temple, to 
 signify the accomplishment of the 
 days of purification. This — because 
 many thousands of the Jews who 
 believed, were zealous of the law, 
 and had been informed, that Paul 
 taught the Jews to forsake Moses. — 
 Whilst they thus suffered the Jews to 
 continue in the practice of the law, by 
 which they knew that "Christ was 
 
 BECOME OF NO EFFECT UNTO THEM, 
 AND THAT WHOSOEVER ARE JUSTI- 
 FIED BY THE LAW ARE FALLEN FROM 
 
 grace," they, at the very same time, 
 reminded Paul, that '* as touching 
 the Gentiles which believe, they have 
 written and concluded that they 
 observed no such thing*," to which 
 letter Paul himself was a party .•+" 
 In A. D. 32. Paul is supposed by some to have 
 been baptized with water, at the 
 desire of " Ananias, a devout man 
 
 ACCORDING TO THE LAW."J 
 
 In A. D. 57. Paul baptized twelve Ephesians 
 with water. 
 
 In A. D. 59. Paul, nevertheless, said: "Christ 
 sent me not to baptize [with water,] 
 but to preach the gospel." 
 
 In A. D. 61. Paul d eclared, that there was but 
 
 * Acts xxi. "20—27. \ Acts xr. 12, 23. t Acts xxii. 12. 
 
THE PREJUDICES OF THEIR BRETHREN. 59 
 
 one baptism, so that as the baptism 
 of the Holy Ghost is our privilege, 
 there cannot be another by water, 
 so making two baptisms. 
 34. Thus, it is to be observed, that these Water 
 Baptisms were tolerated (No. 28) at a period 
 when many thousands of the believers were 
 zealous of the ceremonies of the law, amongst 
 which, the baptism of John (also peculiar to the 
 Jews*) was not the least esteemed ; for the chief 
 priests and scribes were afraid to say, that his 
 baptism was not from heaven, because they 
 feared the people," as all men, both good and 
 bad,f counted John a prophet indeed. This 
 attachment to ceremonies, which were but re- 
 cently nailed to the cross, on which they were to 
 die gradually, or to decrease, " while as the first 
 tabernacle was yet standing," was in condescen- 
 sion indulged, whilst they fearlessly preached 
 the essential doctrine of the gospel. For which 
 very. reason, Paul frankly and consistently (No. 
 28J) confessed, that unto the Jew he became as 
 a Jew — to them that were under the law, as if he 
 were under the law — to them that were without 
 the law, as if he were without the law — to the 
 weak, as if he were weak — he was all things to 
 all men, that he might by all means save some ; 
 
 * Acts xiii. 24, and Luke iii. 3. 
 
 t Mark vi. 20 ; xi. 30, 32 ; Mat. xiv. 5. 
 
 X Would that we (in these days) were equally tolerant. Paul 
 and the apostles knew no sect, but " whilst as the first tabernacle was 
 yet standing," they were to those " under the law, as under the 
 law." We cannot submit to such ceremonies now, because the 
 temple no longer exists, yet we can imitate them in bearing each 
 other's burdens, and be no longer makers of sects. 
 
60 John's baptism not a christian duty. 
 
 and so far did lie desire to prosecute this purpose 
 of being crafty to catch them with guile,* that 
 he said, " I could wish that myself were accursed 
 from Christ for my brethren. "f 
 
 35. That John's baptism was a ceremony 
 peculiar to the Jews, and of the old dispensation, 
 all Scripture testifies : but it may suffice to select 
 the following proofs, viz : when Moses and Elias 
 appeared in conversation with Jesus, after he 
 was transfigured on the mount, Peter said to our 
 Lord, " if thou wilt, let us make here three taber- 
 nacles ; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one 
 for Elias ; and, behold, a voice out of the cloud, 
 which said : This is my beloved Son in whom I 
 am well pleased, hear him. And, when the dis- 
 ciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were 
 sore afraid ; and when they had lifted up their 
 eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. "J — Thus 
 it is with many pious minds since that day, they 
 wish to tabernacle with Jesus, but they want also 
 the company of Moses and John the Baptist [who 
 was the Elias, which was for to come.§] Here 
 Moses and Elias appear together talking with 
 Jesus, which was verified in the continuance of 
 the law, and the introduction of John's ministra- 
 tion ; and BOTH in their full force at the 
 
 SAME TIME, AFTER OUR LORD MADE HI9 AP- 
 PEARANCE. And, as Moses (or the law) disap- 
 peared, so did John (or Water Baptism) — and 
 Jesus and his spiritual dispensation remain." — 
 Elisha Bates on Baptism, in 1825. 
 
 This is also to be understood by the words of 
 
 * 2 Cor. xii. 16. t Romans ix. 3. 
 
 % Acts xiii. 24. j Mat. xi. 14. 
 
John's baptism not a christian duty. 61 
 
 our Lord, when John hesitated to baptize him. 
 " Suffer it to be so now, for thus it becometh 
 US to fulfil all righteousness." Thus, requiring 
 by the use of the pronoun, us, that his disciples 
 should also fulfil IT as well as ALL the law ; but, 
 by the adverb of time, now, limiting such fulfil- 
 ment to that period, when the way into the holiest 
 of all was not yet made manifest, while as the 
 
 FIRST TABERNACLE WAS YET STANDING, which Was 
 
 a figure of the time then present, on which 
 were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could 
 not make him that did the services perfect, as 
 pertaining to the conscience, which stood only 
 in meats, and drinks, and divers washings [or 
 baptisms,] and carnal ordinances imposed on 
 them, till the time of the reformation,* or of 
 the new testament, which commenced at the 
 crucifixion : "for a testament is of force after 
 men are dead, otherwise it is of no strength at 
 all whilst the testator liveth."*!" 
 
 From the foregoing reasons, it is admitted, 
 that John's baptism was one of the divers wash- 
 ings imposed within the limit of the old dispen- 
 sation, for the especial temporary purpose of 
 preparing the way of the Lord. Therefore, it 
 was necessary, that, in like manner as Jesus 
 fulfilled other ceremonies of the law, he should 
 also fulfil it ; and afterwards nail it to the cross. 
 From which period, he baptized all true believers 
 with the one and only remaining baptism of the 
 Holy Ghost, and anoints them " kings and priests 
 unto God." — (See Nos. 5 and 12.) 
 
 * Heb. ix. 8—10. t Heb. ix. 17. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 No. 1. — Reply to the anxious inquirer who, on reading the 
 first Edition, appealed to the following text ; 
 
 " Let us draw near with a true heart in the full assurance of faith, 
 having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies 
 washed with pure water." — Heh. x. 22. 
 
 It needeth not that we be reminded of the 
 highly figurative style of the Hebrew language, 
 and that the Epistle to the Hebrews was an ex- 
 planation of the types and shadows of their 
 eeremonies, to incline us to admit that water, 
 in this instance, means the Gospel, as it does in 
 many others, such as ' Idols are broken cisterns, 
 which can hold no water.' — Jer. ii. 13. 
 
 In the above text, " pure water" refers to " the 
 water of separation, which is a purification for 
 sin," Numb. xix. 9. This water was to be taken 
 from a running stream and purified by the ashes 
 of the burnt heifer, (verse 17). The unclean 
 were to be sprinkled and cleansed with this 
 water. — Washing the Body refers to the cere- 
 mony ordained both for Priests and Levites, 
 prior to their entering into the tabernacle, this 
 they did by washing the whole body, probably, 
 with clear water and without the ashes. — Numb, 
 viii. 7. — Levit. xvi. 4. After having read Heb. 
 ix. 13, 14, we may readily perceive, that the 
 apostle, in referring to the above ceremonies of 
 sprinkling and washing, evidently spiritualizes 
 them; and, in pursuance of this reasoning, we 
 read in the verses immediately preceding our 
 
APPENDIX. 63 
 
 text : " Now where remission of sin is, there is 
 no more offering 1 for sin. Having, therefore, 
 brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the 
 blood of Jesus. By a new and living way, 
 which he hath consecrated for us through the 
 veil, that is to say, his flesh. And having an 
 High Priest over the house of God. Let us 
 draw near," &c. (as in above text.) 
 
 Here the Hebrews were instructed that having 
 boldness to discontinue the old ceremonies, 
 they should enter into the holiest by a new and 
 living way, sprinkling their hearts by the blood 
 of Jesus, and washing their bodies with his word 
 — the Gospel. With this pure water, the Saviour 
 cleansed his disciples, and still cleanses them that 
 receive him. 
 
 For example — 
 
 Jesus said, when he was washing Peter's feet, 
 " he that is washed needeth not save to wash his 
 feet, but is clean every whit : but ye are clean, 
 but not all." John xiii. 10. 
 
 Here we observe that this washing of the feet 
 did not clean them, for they were clean already ; 
 since he said, " he that is washed, needeth not 
 save to wash his feet, &c. ; and we are still more 
 assured of this, because he washed Judas in the 
 same way, yet he said that this disciple was not 
 clean. It must be evident that the cleansing 
 of the whole body alluded to here, as done by 
 washing, was performed by other means ; and 
 this our Lord explains by the words, " now ye 
 are clean through the word which I have spoken 
 unto you" — John xv. 3, and Paul also explains 
 by the words, " He sanctifieth and cleanseth 
 
64 APPENDIX. 
 
 it (the church) by the washing of water by the 
 word. — Ephes. v. 26. 
 
 Hence, we learn, that the scriptural meaning of 
 the text referred to, is "having our bodies washed 
 with pure water by the word ; for with this Jesus 
 washed his desciples when on earth, and with this 
 we are commanded to wash each other, under 
 the power of the Holy One by whom we are 
 helped to baptize, for " he that believeth, out 
 of his belly shall flow rivers of living water ;" 
 since according to his mercy he saved us, by 
 the washing of regeneration, and the renew- 
 ing of the Holy Ghost." — Titus iii. 5. 
 
 No. 2. 
 
 " Buried with him in baptism, wherein also 
 ye are risen with him through the faith of the 
 operation of God who hath raised him from the 
 dead." 
 
 If Water Baptism were the operation referred 
 to, it would be written, wherefrom also ye are 
 risen with him ; for we could not be raised in 
 the water, but from the water. Therefore, as 
 we can only be raised in a spiritual baptism, a 
 ceremony by water cannot be intended.* 
 
 * The Grammatical Transposition of the three first verses, 6th chapter 
 of Hebrews. — (1.) " Therefore, leaving the principles of the doctrine 
 of Christ, (2.) of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of 
 hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment, 
 ( 1 .) let us go on unto perfection ; not laying again the foundation of 
 repentance from dead works, and of faith towards God, (3.^ and 
 this we will do if God permit." — Amen and Amen. 
 
 Johnston & Barrett, Printers, 13, Mark Lane.