SECTION I.
Baptism.

"The Baptism of John, whence was it, from heaven or of men ?
MATT. xxi. 25.

Perhaps there never was an era in the history of the Christian Church, in which it was more important for this enquiry of our blessed Redeemer, to be rightly understood, and for a clear distinction to be made between the Baptism of John, and the Baptism of Christ, to which John's was obviously only introductory.

Our Lord's enquiry was addressed to "the chief priests and elders of the people," who came to question the authority of Jesus; to whom, instead of an absolute refusal to satisfy their cavilling enquiry, He propounded this question, to which He well knew they could not give a direct answer. Perhaps it will not be too much to say, that it seems to be His holy will in this day, to deal in like manner with those who make enquiries concerning Him, in a sceptical disposition; and not in that lowliness of heart and mind, which disposes the enquirer to cast all crowns at His footstool, and to sit humbly there, with sincère desires to be taught and rightly instructed by Him, whose ear is ever open to those who truly rely upon Him.

There is another class, to whom the importance of a right understanding of this enquiry does more emphatically apply : a class who can heartily acknowledge that the Baptism of John was from heaven. To such let it be observed, that this enquiry of Jesus, was addressed to those who were teachers or governors, under a Dispensation, which however perfect of its kind, because also proceeding from heaven, was inferior in character to that which our Lord came to introduce to the world.

Here we are come to the point. The Baptism of John, appears to have been an intermediate dispensation between the Law and the Gospel; calculated to lead through the Divine Appointment, by gradation, from Judaism or Polytheism, to the Spirituality and Light of the Gospel, or in other words, from dimness or darkness, to Christ as "the Life and Light of men.” Whilst, therefore, we may most unhesitatingly acknowledge, that our blessed Lord designed to establish the Divine authority of John's Baptism, is it not unquestionable also, that His aim was to assign to this Baptism its true and legitimate position in the heavenly Economy?

Hence it behoves all, in this day, to examine attentively what the sacred records testify concerning the Mission and Baptism of John. The first mention of it is in these words: "In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying: Repent ye! for the Kingdom of Heaven is AT HAND.' Here is evidently an elementary

process, preparatory to something of a higher nature, not yet revealed or made manifest. The same evangelist further says respecting John: "For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias saying:-The voice of one crying in the wilderness; PREPARE ye the way of the Lord; make His paths straight." or as the prophet himself thus expresses the passage, to which the evangelist Matthew refers:

"PREPARE ye the way of the Lord;

MAKE STRAIGHT in the DESERT A HIGHWAY for our God." Hence, we may perceive, that when the Divine authority of John's Baptism and Preaching is avouched, its preparatory, elementary, or initiatory tendency, is no less evidently set forth. In confirmation of this proposition, it may be further observed, in the words of Luke: "The Word of God came unto John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness; and he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins." Again, in the words of

Mark: "John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins."

We come next to the Testimony of John himself, as related by this latter evangelist: "And there went out unto him (John,) all the land of Judea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptised of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins." But at this very time, John " preached saying: There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. I indeed have baptised you with WATER, but HE shall baptize you with the HOLY GHOST." Can any words make a more clear and decided distinction between the baptism of John, which was elementary, both as to its being with water and being preparatory to the baptism of Christ; whose Baptism John himself thus clearly defines to be the Baptism of the HOLY GHOST, which was to follow John's Baptism.

This is not, however, the only testimony which John bears to the distinction between his baptism and that of Christ; for as recorded by the beloved disciple; the Baptist said on another occasion: "Ye yourselves bear me witness that I said-I am not the Christ; but that I am sent before Him. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly, because of the bridegroom's voice. This my joy therefore is fulfilled. HE MUST INcrease, but I MUST DEcrease."

Here it is observable that John does not say "His baptism must increase, but MY BAPTISM must decrease." No! for such a form of words, at this time, would have led to confusion; because Jesus was then condescending to use John's Baptism, and the words just quoted from the mouth of the Baptist, were spoken on occasion of his being told-" He that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou bearest witness, behold! the same baptizeth, and all men come unto Him.

Hence, the form of speech made use of by John is peculiarly expressive, and adapted to show that John clearly alluded to the elementary and preparatory nature of his own Commission; and the permanent and abiding DISPENSATION of the Son of God. Hence also, the words "He must Increase, but I must Decrease," accord precisely with his former distinction, -"I indeed have baptized you with WATER; but HE shall baptize you with the HOLY GHOST."

What then are we to understand by the words used on this very occasion by the evangelist John: "Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John."? The reply is simple and plain, in the words of the same evangelist: "The Holy Ghost was not yet given, because that Jesus was not yet glorified." Hence the blessed and condescending Saviour of the world, in fulfilling all righteousness, was pleased to establish the preparatory Dispensation of John, the acceptance or which was a token of repentance; a rite which we may safely conclude would never have been so divinely commissioned, had not the all-seeing Eye of Omniscience beheld its adaptation, in that day, to the then present state of mankind. Is it any marvel therefore, that He who submitted to all the rites of the law, in order to fulfil and abrogate it; and who also was baptized of John in Jordan, to "fulfil all righteousness," should allow the baptizing with water to confirm the mission of John, which introduced a preparatory Dispensation, between the Law and the full and clear revelation of the Gospel, in the fulness of its spirituality and saving efficacy. And may we not apply to the use which the Disciples of Jesus made of water baptism, the words which our blessed Lord used to induce John to baptize the Redeemer Himself, who assuredly could need no such process: "Suffer it to be so Now;" for with this agrees the dclaration of John the Evangelist, "Jesus himself baptized NOT; but his Disciples."

No doubt the beloved disciple had some view in recording this circumstance, which had been omitted by the other three evangelists, who had written before him. When we consider the general scope and spiritual import of John's gospel history; how expressly he states that "the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified ;" and how pointedly he afterwards dwells on the revelation of Christ by the Comforter, the Holy Ghost;-is it not a very fair inference that by these words: "Jesus Himself baptized not; but his disciples," John intended to distinguish between this baptism of water, which was John's baptism, and that which truly and alone belongs to Christ—that of the "Holy Ghost,” as foretold by the Baptist and promised by Christ Himself, after his resurrection, in these distinguishing terms: "John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the HOLY GHOST, not many days hence.”

That this baptism was not to be confined to the disciples, nor limited to that occasion, is plain from the words of the Baptist; which were addressed to the PEOPLE AT LARGE: "I indeed have baptized you with WATER; but He shall baptize you with the HOLY GHOST."

Though what Jesus did by his disciples is correctly described by saying: "Jesus baptized;" yet it is very obvious from the attendant circumstance so distinctly mentioned.

"Jesus Himself baptized not," that our Lord left the administration of this rite which was to decrease to his disciples, reserving to Himself the administration of his own

Baptism of the Holy Ghost," which not only" must increase" but must ever remain to be the effect of his own holy and Divine power; without the influence whereof the disciples could no more preach, baptizing with the Holy Spirit, than they could work other miracles.

It may, however, here be suitably observed that on occasion of sending forth the twelve apostles and the seventy disciples,