of God, from what happened when Paul came to Ephesus, and said unto them "Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?" And they said unto him, "We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost;" and he said unto them, "unto what then were ye baptised?" and they said, "unto John's baptism." Then said Paul," John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus; and when Paul had laid his hands on them, they received the Holy Ghost."

The converts at Samaria when they "believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women." After they had been thus baptized with water, the apostles, Peter and John were sent unto them, "who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost, for as yet he was fallen upon none of them, only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost." The gift of the Holy Ghost was

thus imparted to those who had been before actually baptized with water, by the laying on of the apostle's hands. The end of Christian baptism was thus perfectly consummated by the baptism of water and of the Holy Ghost.

The gift of grace must be conveyed to the soul, to fulfil the design of baptism. Every member of the Church of Christ, to be a child of God, must partake of this Spirit of promise, as well as of the washing of water, for as our Lord said to Nicodemus," Except a man be born of water, and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God; that which is born of the flesh, is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit; marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again." The apostle refers to the same washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, when he says in regard to all who are made partakers of a divine nature-" If any man be in Christ he is a new creature, old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new." Beholding as in a glass, the glory of the Lord," we are all "changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the new creature,❞—

66

66

"for by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body."

Christian baptism then, when it is perfect and complete, consists of two parts, the outward baptism of the washing of water, and the inward baptism of the Spirit; and the water in which the person is baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, was manifestly designed to be an emblem of the washing of the soul by the grace and Holy Spirit of God. The Saviour himself, the Holy One of God, was without sin, he had in himself a fulness of grace, and possessed the Spirit without measure; yet to give a divine sanction to this sacred ordinance, to fulfil all righteousness, he was baptized with water. The baptism of water, and the baptism of the Holy Ghost, were manifested in quick succession and that visibly to all present. "It came to pass that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the Holy Ghost, descended in a bodily shape, like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven which said, thou art my beloved Son, in thee I am well pleased." It follows then that the outward washing is the laver of regeneration by water, and the inward washing is the regeneration by the renewing of the Holy Ghost. Both

E

66

66

are required. If the washing of water or the washing of the Spirit be wanting, it cannot answer the full end and purpose of Christian baptism. The Gentile converts at Cæsarea who had already received the Holy Ghost were afterwards baptized with water. Then," answered Peter, 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 baptised in the name of the Lord. Simon Magus, who had already been baptized with water, offered money that he might have this power, that on whom soever he should lay hands, he might receive the Holy Ghost. "But Peter said unto him, thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter, for thy heart is not right in the sight of God."

The rite of circumcision forms a striking analogy to that of baptism; circumcision under the old covenant as a token between God and his people, was in many points the same as baptism in the new covenant of grace. Both were signs of righteousness by faith, both implied a corresponding change of heart. As the washing of

water and the washing of the Spirit are both required under the new covenant, so likewise under the old it was needful that there should be not only an outward circumcision of the flesh, but an inward circumcision of the heart. By the command of God every male child was to be circumcised on the eighth day. This was the outward and visible sign. God said unto Abraham, "Thou shalt keep my covenant, therefore, thou and thy seed in their generations. This is my covenant, which ye shall keep between me and you, and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your fore-skin, and it shall be a token of the covenant between me and you. He that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man-child in your generations; he that is born in the house or bought with money of any stranger which is not of thy seed. He that is born in thy house and he that is bought with thy money must needs be circumcised, and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. And the uncircumcised man-child whose flesh of his fore-skin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people. He hath broken my covenant." Gen. xvii. 9.