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on, the day of Pentecost, (or which baptism was generally ministered) is called Whitsunday; and it was intended to denote that they had put off "the old man with his deeds, and put on the new man" "after the image of him that created him." The fathers of the church often speak of new converts when baptized, as "buried with Christ by baptism into death," that when they dipped their bodies into the water, the old man was buried, and when they arose again, the new man arose with them.' That he who descends into the water and is baptized and outwardly washed as a nesphyte, being received by faith into the church, he is baptized inwardly by the Spirit of God; '—that water applies to the body externally, but the Spirit of grace applies to the soul. They speak of the immersion in water as a descent into the grave, and the rising again out of the water as a resurrection from the dead.' They refer to the words of the Apostle, who says, "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death? therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness

of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin," "being buried with him in baptism, wherein ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead." The sacrament of baptism was not only ministered by immersion in the early church, but that immersion was commonly repeated three times, and therefore it was called trine immersion. Tertullian often refers to baptism as so solemnized in his day. We dip the person,' says he, not once, but three times in naming each person in the trinity.' Declarations are made to the same effect by St. Basil and Jerome. But no one is more particular on this point than St. Ambrose, who says, Thou wast asked, Dost thou believe in God the Father Almighty? and thou saidst, I believe, and wast dipped; that is, wast buried. Again thou wast asked, Dost thou believe in our Lord Jesus Christ? and thou saidst, I believe, and wast dipped; and therefore wast buried again with Christ, for he that is buried with Christ rises again with Christ.

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Thirdly, thou wast asked, dost thou believe in the Holy Ghost? thou saidst, I believe, and wast dipped a third time.' Dipping, or immersion, was thus repeated three times, and there was what he calls, a triple confession made in the name of each person of the Holy Trinity. St. Basil and St. Jerome speak of this practice of trine immersion, as derived from the apostles, and others ascribe it to the institution of Christ himself. Thus St. Chrysostom says, 'he delivered to his disciples one baptism in three immersions of the body, when he said to them, "Go teach all nations, haptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."

There is no time, or place, or age, specially fixed by Christ and his apostles, or that has been required by the church for the solemnization of baptism. It is true that some churches in the early times fixed on the festivals of the Epiphany, or Easter, or Pentecost, to administer this sacred ordinance as having a peculiar reference to Christ's manifestation, to his rising from the dead, and to the outpouring of the Holy Ghost; and there cannot be a doubt that baptism so administered, would have an impressive effect, as referring to the solemn events commemorated at

such times.

But as the command of Christ is general, there is no reason to confine its ministration to any particular time;-it is left to the option and convenience of the disciples of Christ, as their own judgment and discretion may advise, and we may say with the apostle on another occasion," he that regardeth the day, regardeth it to the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord, he doth not regard it." Tertullian, writing on the very subject of baptism, says, that every day was the Lord's day, that every hour and every time was fit for baptism; if there be a difference as to the solemnity, there is no difference as to the grace itself. It is precisely the same as to the place. There are some in different ages of the church, who preferred the waters of Jordan because Christ was baptized there, and have come from far distant places to celebrate it in that river. But the place was not confined by Christ, when he said, "Go into all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." When sanctified by the word of God and prayer, the water of one river or spring, of one country or place, is as sacred as another for this purpose. It is only required that the water consecrated to

this use should be pure water. All other circumstances in relation to the water are of no

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importance. There is no difference,' says Tertullian, whether a person be baptized in a sea or a pond, a river or a fountain, a lake or a pool, there is no difference, between those whom John baptized in Jordan, and whom Peter baptized in the Tiber.' This is the rule of the apostle; "as every one has received the gift, minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God!" As there is no difference as to the water, so there is no difference as to the minister in respect to the grace of God, if he be duly appointed. The weakness or unworthiness of the minister, will not invalidate the sacrament of baptism. • The truth of Christianity,' says Hooker, 'with constancy, teaches that evil ministers of good things are as torches, a light to others, a waste to none but themselves only, and that the foulness of their hands, can neither any whit impair the virtue, nor stain the glory of the mysteries of Christ.' On the other hand, neither the talents nor the piety of the minister can ensure, of himself, the spiritual gifts of God. The Father of lights bestows them as seemeth best

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