all these converts were spoken to concerning. Baptism in the very first preaching of the Gos

pel, as if it were a thing of deep importance to their spiritual state, as if it were an important part of the preaching of Christ. It was a part of the preaching of Jesus, (Acts viii.,) of the preaching the things concerning the Kingdom of God, (Acts viii.,) of preaching the word of the Lord, (Acts xvi.) Could the teachers have been so forward to speak of Baptism, or the converts to receive it, if it was but a form that was spoken of or was to be gone through?

Nay, we have proof enough that neither the teachers nor the taught were speaking of a form. You will find that Baptism was urged by the teachers, was received by those whom they taught, as an ordinance of Christ of spiritual benefit, containing great and peculiar spiritual gifts, full of spiritual power. On no other ground than this can we comprehend or explain all this anxiety to administer it on the one side, or to receive it on the other. While if it was indeed a means of grace, a channel of grace, an ordinance of Christ, profiting the spiritual state and furthering salvation, then this anxiety is accounted for and explained at once.

Let us see then what the Bible says of the

nature of Baptism. Let us see whether the Bible reckons it as a mere form. Turn to the second chapter of the Acts which I have before quoted. What does St. Peter say of Baptism? When the people to whom he was preaching concerning Jesus "were pricked in their heart, and asked "What shall we do?" then St. 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 Holy Ghost." Mark these words, "be baptized for the remission of sins." Here we see what St. Peter thought of the nature of Baptism. It contained remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Ghost; it was the means ordained by Christ Himself for the conveyance of pardon of past sins, for the conveyance of present grace.

Turn now to the twenty-second chapter of the Acts. When St. Paul went down to Ananias, and was bidden immediately to be baptized, what did Ananias say of Baptism? He spoke thus to St. Paul; "And now why tarriest thou ? ?Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins." Mark these words, which so closely agree with those of the Apostle Peter; be baptized, and wash away thy sins. The remission or washing away of sins is again connected with Holy Baptism.

Turn to the nineteenth chapter of the Acts. St. Paul, in visiting certain disciples at Ephesus, asked them whether they had received the Holy Ghost since they believed, shewing by his question it was possible to believe without having this gift of the Spirit; and "they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost." This astonished the Apostle; and he immediately asked, "Unto what then were ye baptized ?" As much as implying by that enquiry that they must have known and received the Holy Ghost had they been properly baptized; but they answered, "Unto John's Baptism." As there was no grace, no gift of the Spirit conveyed by that, he was at once satisfied by this answer. He did not expect that through John's Baptism they should receive any such gift. He then explained to them the nature of John's Baptism and John's doctrine; "and when they heard, they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Ghost came on them." Thus again we find the gift of the Holy Ghost connected with Baptism.

Let us now pass on to the Epistles, and see whether Baptism is there spoken of in connection with the forgiving of sins and with

the gift of the Holy Ghost. Listen to St. Paul; "By One Spirit," he says, "are we all baptized into one body." Hear him again. "Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water;" so that the outward washing of water is connected with the inward washing away of the stain of sin upon the heart and conscience. Again, speaking not of Christians individually, but of the great body of Christians, of the Church, which is the body of Christ, he says, Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself for it, that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word." Here again the cleansing, the washing away of sin, and sanctifying by the Holy Spirit, is connected with the washing of water, which washing is by the word, according to the word, or doctrine of Christ; for, as we have seen, when the Apostles preached the Word, they preached Baptism as part of Christ's will. To the Corinthians he says, but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified;" the washing away of sin, the sanctifying influences of the Spirit, being again evidently connected with Baptism; as the word "ye are washed" has evidently a double mean

ing, and is meant to express the notion that they were washed outwardly with water in Baptism, inwardly by His Spirit who Himself came by water and blood.

We have further proof of the spiritual nature of Baptism, when we come to another class of texts closely connected with the former, only expressing, if it were possible, in still stronger figures the power which our Saviour conveys therein. I am alluding to those texts which speak of Baptism not only as being a washing away of sin, but as a death unto sin, a killing, a crucifying, a drowning of sin; which speak of it not only as conveying certain gifts of the Holy Spirit, but such a gift as creates us anew, as makes us to be new-born, new creatures in Christ. Thus St. Paul says to the Colossians, Ye are "buried with Him," that is with Christ, "in Baptism." He makes Baptism to be a burial, a burial of the old man, the old Adam, the old evil nature; but not only is this destroyed, but a new nature given, a resurrection to newness of life; for he adds, "Wherein also ye are risen with Him," so that there are these two benefits, a dying to sin, a new life unto righteousness; answering to the washing away of sins, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, of which I have already