Chapter First. Manner of the Rile. practice of the first administrators of the rite, as proved by the circumstances attending their administrations, and by the plain and unequivocal descriptions of the rite given in the epistles, as well as the metaphorical allusions to it? Does the practice of the primitive administrators of the rite lead us to conclude that it consists in washing, sprinkling, or pouring? Not at all. There is not a shadow of evidence that they practiced either of these; but there is incontrovertible evidence that they Says you ye you Timo practiced immersion. Nor is there any room to suppose that the mode practiced by the apostles was one among several lawful modes of administering the rite. It was clearly the only mode; for they expressly enjoined upon the churches to follow their ways which were in Christ, without exception, and of course to follow their way with respect to baptism. Paul, 1 Cor. 4: 16, 17, "Wherefore I beseech be followers of me. For this cause I have sent unto theus, my beloved son and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church." Paul does not tell them here, that they must follow him in general, but may deviate from his ways in regard to baptism, in that there are several ways as good and as lawful as his; but enjoins upon them to imitate all his ways regarding the institutions of Christianity. Paul says again in the same epistle, ch. 11: 1, 2,❝ Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember (or follow) me in all things, and keep the ordinances as I delivered them to you." Here again we are expressly commanded to follow the apostles, forasmuch as they followed Christ; and the Corinthian church Section Second. Practice of John and the Apostles. is commended for adhering to the example of the apostle, excepting that they are censured in the latter part of the chapter, for disorderly conduct in celebrating the Lord's Supper. Thus the apostles, in the most express terms, hold themselves forth as a pattern, as far as regards the institutions of Christianity, and give us no license to depart from their cxample in a single particular. Seeing, then, that the apostles practiced immersion exclusively, and require us unqualifiedly to adhere to their example, we are led inevitably to the conclusion that Christian baptism consists in immersion, and immersion only; inasmuch as a pattern from which we are not allowed to deviate, must of course be a perfect exemplification of the rite. It should likewise not be forgotten, that the design of baptism, cr the end to be answered in the administration of the rite, limits us absolutely to immersion. We are repeatedly told in the New Testament, that baptism is always and in every case, designed to set forth the believer's death to sin, and his resurrection to a new and holy life. This utterly and forever excludes washing, pouring, and sprinkling. Immersion in water, and immediate emersion from it, will completely and impressively represent the idea; and nothing short of a literal burial and rising again can do it. Thus the evidence in the case is perfect, viewed apart from the meaning of the word which designates the rite. Here the unlettered reader of the New Testatment treads on firm ground. He needs only to open and see what is the example of the apostles, and what the design of the rite, and he finds an easy and perfect solution of the whole question, and has nothing to do but to obey Christ Chapter First. Manner of the Rite. and go on his way rejoicing. Instead, then, of being "left in doubt, after a philological investigation of the subject, and after a survey of the New Testament history of the rite," we find the evidence from both these sources to be perfectly conclusive, and indeed absolutely irresistible. But before concluding this topic, let us turn our attention, for a moment, to the history of the rite after the time of the apostles. The practice of the churches in times immediately subsequent to the apostles, should have some weight in the question of baptism, though in relation to many points it would be deserving of no regard. They might be inclined in very early times, as indeed they were, to add to the instituted forms of worship, but they were not so likely to exchange one form of worship for another. It is incredible that the form of baptism which was universal in the time of the apostles, should have been laid aside and another very different form universally substituted immediately after their decease. The rational conclusion is, that whatever form of baptism was universal in the churches immediately after the apostles, must have been the form that was to them by the apostles. delivered Prof. Stuart supposes that the philological evidence, and that derived from the New Testament history of the rite, leave us still in doubt, on the main point, and therefore looks for evidence in this direction. However, I do not pursue him here, because I suppose, with him, that the evidence hitherto is deficient. I consider, as I have said before, that the evidence which we have gathered is complete and absolutely irresistible; and I have no wish to accumulate proof in an argument which I consider already perfect. The language of the command, Section Third. Practice of the Church. and the infallible exposition of inspired apostles, afford us firm ground to tread upon-evidence which cannot deceive us; and here Baptists rest the argument. Though the practice of the early churches is in our favor, I do not advert to it, because I design to lay any stress upon it, but because it constitutes a prominent point in Prof. Stuart's treatise, and I would not leave out of view any material point of his argument. SECTION THIRD. PRACTICE OF THE CHURCH SUBSEQUENT TO THE Second Century. The historical account of baptism is brought down in the writings of the New Testament to the close of the first century. The Christian authors who follow in the second century may be presumed to describe the rite as it was delivered to them by the apostles. Of these Barnabas and Hermas Pastor are the first, who say any thing definite on the subject. Barnabas, speaking of baptism, says, "We go down into the water full of sins and pollutions, but come up again bringing forth fruits, having in our hearts the fear and hope which is in Jesus by the Spirit." Epist. § 11. Hermas Pastor, says, "That scal "That seal is the water of baptism, into which men go down bound unto death, but come up appointed unto life." Simil. ix. § 16. Also Comm. iv. 3, "I have even now heard from certain teachers that there is no other repen tance besides that of baptism, when we go down into the Chapter First. Manner of the Rite. water and receive the forgiveness of our sins." With the description of baptism here given by the Apostolical Fathers, it is impossible to mistake the manner of the rite, as it was performed in the beginning of the second century. According to this description the subjects went down into the water and came up again out of it; and the rite itself was an outward sign of an actual washing away of sins, a representation of death and resurrection. A little later in this century Justin Martyr, describing to the Roman Emperor the mode of inni tiation into the Christian Church, says, "Those who believe are led to some place where there is water, and then are bathed in the water." 1. Apol. 61. Again, he says, "We represent our Lord's sufferings and resurrection by baptism in a pool." Questio 13. 7. Vid. Irenaeus, Adv. Ilaeres I. c. 18. Justin mentions no other mode of innitiation, but gives this as a universal description of the rite. Among all the writers of this century no allusion has ever been found to the practice of sprinkling for baptism. "We Third Century. Tertullian, one of the earliest of the Latin fathers, who wrote in the beginning of this century, describes the rite of baptism without the least obscurity. He He says, are immersed (mergitamur) three times, fulfilling somewhat more than the Lord has decreed in the gospel." De Cor Milit. § 3. Again, he says, "It is a matter of indifference whether one is washed in a pool, river, fountain, lake or bath; nor is there any difference between those whom John dipped (tinxit) in the Jordan and those whom Peter dipped in the Tiber." De Bapt. § 4. Again, "So in us the anointing runneth over us bodily but profiteth spiritually; as likewise in |