come," said Christ, " to send fire upon the earth, and what will I if it be already kindled." The spiritual baptism of Christ imparts to the souls of his people, light, and life, and grace, and power. It comes as the fire of God's Spirit to sinful men. It illumines their minds, converts their hearts, and sanctifies their souls. This sanctification is manifested by "putting off the old man which is corrupt, according to the deceitful lusts, and by putting on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." It operates as it were a refiner's fire, which consumes all their dross, and kindles in them the flame of love and zeal. Our Lord himself reminded his disciples of this essential difference as to the baptism of John and himself, after he was risen from the dead. Being assembled together with them, he commanded them "that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which," saith he, "ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence." Not many days after, they were indeed thus baptized of the Spirit, baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire; "For 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 Ghost." On the same day, that is the day of Pentecost, the promise of this spiritual baptism was given to all them who, being taught of God, should enter into the new covenant of grace, with humble and penitent hearts, and with a true and lively faith. Being risen from the dead, and having ascended up on high, Jesus was now glorified, and the Spirit was given through him. The baptism of the Holy Ghost and of fire, was the effect of Christ's ascension to glory, when "he received gifts for men, yea, even for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them." This was the very inference which Peter drew on the day of Pentecost in his appeal to the Jews. Therefore he said, " being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the gift of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this which ye now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens, but he saith himself, the Lord said unto

my Lord, sit thou upon my right hand until I make thy foes thy footstool. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they had heard these things, they were pricked in their hearts, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, for the promise is unto you and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call."

The washing of water, then, is the visible sign in the baptism unto repentance, for the remission of sins. The baptism of the Holy Ghost is the inward and spiritual grace, "for he that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved;"" he that believeth on the Son of God, hath the witness in himself." Christian baptism cannot be perfect and complete, without both the outward sign and the inward grace. The washing of water would be of no avail, without the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost, and

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even the baptism of the Spirit would not be sufficient, without the outward seal of righteousness. The gospel requires both. And therefore Jesus answered and said unto Nicodemus, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." By the appointment of God, the baptism of water was designed as a sign of the righteousness by faith, to convey grace to the soul; but this grace may, by the power of God, be imparted without it. Yet the outward seal of righteousness by the baptism of water, is still required in the new covenant. We have full proof of this in respect to Cornelius, his kinsmen, and near friends, on whom, by the preaching of Peter, the Holy Ghost fell, "and they of the circumcision which believed, were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost, for they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God." Then answered Peter, and said, "Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized which have received the Holy Ghost, as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord."

Even in point of outward form, Christian baptism, after our Lord's ascension, ministered in the name of the Lord, and in the name of Jesus Christ, differed in one essential point from the baptism of John, for "John baptized with water unto repentance for the remission of sins, but in no name." Christian baptism, after our Lord ascended up on high, was solemnized, according to the command of Christ, " in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost."

The spirit of grace is promised to all those who thus enter into covenant with God, by the new and living way through faith in Jesus Christ, of whatever sex, or age, or condition, and fulfil their parts in it. "It shall come to pass in the last days," saith God, "that I will pour out of my spirit upon all flesh, and whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved." It was in this faith, that Lydia, "whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended to the things spoken of Paul, was baptized, and her household;" it was in this faith that the Jailor at Philippi was baptized, he and all his. But we have the most striking proof of the difference between the baptism of Christ and John's baptism, as to the gifts of grace and the Holy Spirit