favor it; and their having translated the passages in the context to favor immersion, is the only reason why so many, in reading the New Testament, have come to the conclusion that the baptisms there mentioned were administered by that mode; and it is very evident, that if the context in these passages had been rendered favorable to sprinkling, that the most of the present advocates of immersion would never have conceived the idea of baptism by immersion.

The reason that the preposition apo, was translated out of instead of from, (and thus to favor the doctrine of immersion,) was because the majority of the translators were of the church of England, and of course held to immersion, as is evident from the fact that the articles of that church required that even infants should be immersed if they were healthy.

And the Rev. John Wesley's difficulties in this country, arose from the fact, that he denied a lady at the south the privilege of communion, for refusing to conform to the articles of the church, and have her child immersed; she insisting upon having it sprinkled. (It will be observed that part of their articles have been altered, at least in this country.)

CHAPTER II.

Our Baptist brethren contend, that the Greek word (BaTTigw) baptizo, means immerse, and that it has only that meaning when used in the New Testament.* In reply, it will be ob

served, that it is allowed by all good Greek critics, that if a controverted Greek word can be found to have been used in a different sense in writings that were in existence at the time

* Some of the advocates for immersion tell us, that the last definitions of a word in our lexicons are of little importance compared with the first, and if a number of definitions are given, the last are of no consequence, but that we are to take the first definitions given. We answer, that almost every word has a number of meanings, and as it is generally the case that the first definitions are not so frequently used as those that follow. It is no matter then, what are the original meanings; for if we were certain that the word baptizo originally meant immersion, it does not follow that it has that meaning when used in the New Testament, for by their rule the word man would mean red earth when used in the Bible; because that it is the original definition, and the word soul would mean breath, because it originally meant breath.

that the word was used: that it is a sufficient proof that it has that deffinition also. And it is presumed that all will allow that the Greek Testament was written at no great time after the Greek word baptizo was used by the Evangelists; therefore if it can be found to have been used in the New Testament in another sense than immerse, it will be positive proof that it has another sense.

Passing over Mark vii. 4, where it is translated WASH, and where it cannot mean immerse, being applied to the cleansing of tables, (the Greek is couches or beds, which were cleansed by a clean person's sprinkling clean water upon them,) if it is found to have another meaning when applied to the ordinance of baptism, it will be very strong circumstantial evidence at least that it did not mean immerse in any instance when applied to that ordinance, for the New Testament says expressly, that there is "one Lord, one Faith, and one Baptism," evidently alluding to the mode, for it expressly speaks of the baptism with water and with the Holy Ghost.

John the Baptist says, in Luke iii. 16, "I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose; he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with Fire." Jesus, in Luke, chap. xxiv. verses 49 and 53, referring to the promise in the Old Testament, (which John has here repeated,) says, that he would send the promise of the Father upon them, and commands them to tarry at Jerusalem until they were endued with power from on high. And Luke adds, that they returned unto Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. And in Acts ch. i. 4, 5 and 8, Jesus again referring to this very promise, said that it should be fulfilled not many days hence. It reads thus: "And being assembled together with them, commanded that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father," (which, says he, ye have heard of me,) and then he refers them to the baptism and promise of John, and says, "for John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not

many days hence," and that they should receive power after that the Holy Ghost had come upon them.

It will be observed that John did not say in the promise referred to, that Jesus should baptize them with the Holy Ghost and fire, as though the baptism was to be perform with a mixture of spirit and fire, but he said that he should baptize them "with the Holy Ghost, and with fire," thus making two distinct baptisms, that were promised. The expression that they "should be baptized WITH the Holy Ghost, and with fire," implies two distinct baptisms, as much as the expression that they "should be baptized with water, and with the Holy Ghost," implies two distinct baptisms, instead of one baptism by a mixture of the Holy Spirit and water.

In the second chapter of the Acts, from the first to the fourth verse, it will be found how those two baptisms were performed. It reads thus: " And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place, and suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting, and there appeared unto them cloven tongues, like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy host," &c. In the four verses just quoted, all that looks like immersion is that the sound "filled all the house where they were sitting"; but as they were not baptized with the sound, but with the fire, and with the Holy Ghost.

We will now examine to see in what manner they were baptized; whether it was by immersion, or by some other mode. In the examination we find, that: First, the fire appeared unto them in the form of cloven tongues, and probably about the size of two lamp-flames, and in quantity about equal to what is generally used of water in performing baptism by sprinkling. And as they were baptized by this small quantity, not by being immersed into it, but by its simply setting upon them, it appears therefore conclusive from this fact, that our Baptist brethren are mistaken when they say that the Greek word baptizo always means immerse, when used in the New Testament.

Farther evidence will be found in examining the mode of

baptism by the Spirit, that the Greek word baptizo does not mean immerse," when applied in the New Testament to the ordinance of baptism.

In the fourth verse of the second chapter of Acts, it reads, that after the fire sat upon them "they were all filled with the Holy Ghost.

The manner will now be examined, to see whether it was by immersion or by sprinkling.

It will be remembered that in the first chapter of Acts, and eighth verse, Christ said that it should " come upon them"; and in the eighth chapter sixteenth verse, speaking of the Spirit, it says, "for as yet he was fallen upon none of them." And in the tenth chapter forty-fourth verse, it says that "while Peter spake these words the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word"; and the last part of the forty-fifth verse says, "that on the Gentiles was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost." In the eleventh chapter, fifteenth and sixteen verses, it reads, "and as I began to speak the Holy Ghost fell on them as on us at the beginning. Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost." And in the second chapter of Acts, thirty-third verse, speaking of Jesus, it says: "Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this which ye now see and hear." The meaning of the last quoted Scripture is, that Christ had received the Holy Ghost which the Father hath promised to give, and had shed it forth, &c. The Father had promised in the prophets, and in Ezekiel xxxvi. 26, to put his Spirit in believers in the later days; (and THIS promise, the promise to put his Spirit in all that believe,) is called in Hebrews, eighth chapter and eighth and tenth and in the tenth chapter sixteenth verse, the new covenant. In the promise referred to in Ezekiel, that he "would

verses,

It reads, "And a new covenant will I make with the house of Israel. And this is the covenant that I will make with them after those days: I will put my law in their hearts and will write it in their minds," &e. And St. Paul says in Romans, that this is the law (or power) of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus,

put his Spirit within them," it says, that previous to putting his Spirit within them, that he would "sprinkle clean water upon them." And as the promise that "he would give the Spirit" was literally fulfilled, it is reasonable to conclude that the promise that he would "sprinkle clean water upon them," was literally fulfilled also.

In the second chapter of Acts, seventeenth and eighteenth verses, quoting from the prophesy of Joel, it says, "And it shall come to pass in the last days, (saith God) I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy," &c. "And on my servants and on my handmaids I will pour out in those days of my Spirit."

In the foregoing examination it has been shown, that the Spirit "fell upon them," was "shed upon them," and that it was poured upon them; but there is nothing said about their being immersed into it.

The manner of the Spirit being "shed," or "poured upon them," will now be examined, (and in the examination it will be necessary "to go to the law and the testimony, for if any man speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in him.") In Amos ix. 6, the evaporation of water from the sea, and its descent upon the earth in the form of rain, is called "pouring it upon the earth." And in Job xvi. 20, the dropping of tears from the eyes of Job, is called pouring out tears. And in chap. xxxvi. 27, the descent of rain in small drops is called pouring down rain. It reads thus: "For he " (God) "maketh small the drops of water, and they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof, which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly." In Hosea vi. 3, it says, that the "Lord SHALL come unto us as the rain, As the latter and the former rain unto the earth." And in Deut. xxxii. 2, 3, it says, 66 "my doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the

which makes us free from the law of sin and death, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit. And he also says, that if any man have not the [this] Spirit of Christ he is none of his.