4. The commiffions with which the twelve and the feventy difciples were furnished during our Lord's miniftry, afford additional evidence, that John's baptifm belonged to the legal difpenfation. The commiffions which the twelve and the feventy disciples received from Chrift are recorded, Matthew, x. 5—14, Luke, ix. 1—5, Mark, iii. 14, 15, and Luke, x. 1-11. Here are all the inftances of Christ's fending out his difciples to preach. In

their commiffion, we find feveral particular directions given the disciples, for the rule of their conduct. Their whole duty was pointed out. They were authorized to do all that Chrift wanted them to do. But they were not authorized to baptize. The administration of baptifm was not included among the articles of their inftruction. The omiffion of baptism cannot be imputed to forgetfulness, but to defign. Had John's baptifm, or the baptism used by the disciples under Chrift's direction, been christian baptifm, or had the chriftian difpen fation begun its operation, we fhould have found a command for baptizing in the inftructions given to the twelve and the feventy. For New Teftament baptifm is an ordinance of the gospel, and as foon as the New Teftament difpenfation commenced, Christ commanded his disciples to teach and to baptize. Matthew,xxviii. 19, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." Whoever will carefully examine the particular directions, which our Lord gave to the twelve and the seventy disciples, will find, that he did not defign that his disciples, at that time, fhould adminifter baptifm. The omiffion of baptifm, in our Lord's inftructions to his difciples, on this occafion,

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evidently supports the conclufion, that John's baptifm was not chriftian baptifm. Chriftian baptifm could not begin, till there was a command for it. There was no command for it, in the forementioned instructions to the difciples; confequently neither John's baptifm, nor the baptifm ufed by the difciples under our Lord's directions, was chriftian baptifm.

5. It is evident, that John's baptifm belonged to the legal difpenfation, because there was no inftance of water baptifm, from about the time of John's imprisonment to the refurrection of Chrift. From the death of John, till the refurrection of Christ, there was an interval, or space of confiderable length, in which no mention is made of the prac tice of an instance of water baptifin. In this feafon, there were doubtless proper fubjects for baptifm. The want of inftances of baptifm, it is probable, is not to be afcribed to the want of proper fubjects.

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Neither muft the omiffion of baptifm be imputed to the neglect of the difciples. For had it been the fault of the difciples, Chrift would undoubtedly have reproved them for their negligence. But no reproof of this nature is found in the Evangelifts. When the feventy returned to Chrift, and gave him fome account of their miffion, our Lord did not suggest to them any failure in their duty, or the omiffion of any performance, which pertained to their office. We are therefore juftified, in fuppofing, that the disciples did not baptize, in this space of time, because Chrift did not command them to baptize; fince therefore we find no inftance of John's baptifm, or that of the difciples, or any other water baptifm, from the death of John to the refur

rection of Chrift, we have fatisfactory evidence, that no water baptifm, before the refurrection of Christ, was christian baptifm.

6. John's baptism was not chriftian baptism, because it was not performed in the name of the Holy Trinity. This needs no proof. Chrift was not declared to be the Meffiah when John began his miniftry. But the fubject is placed beyond doubt in the account given us, Acts, xix. 1—7, “ And Paul finding certain difciples, faid unto them, have ye received the Holy Ghoft, fince ye believed? and they faid unto him, we have not fo much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And be faid unto them, unto what then were ye baptized? and they said unto John's baptifm. Then faid Paul, John verily baptized with the baptifm of repentance, faying unto the people, that they fhould believe on him which fhould coine after him, that is on Christ Jefus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jefus "It may be obferved, that the twelve difciples, mentioned in the words now quoted, appeared to be ignorant of the use of the Holy Trinity in baptifin. They faid, we have not fo much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghoft. They had been baptized unto John's baptism, but appeared not to have heard the Trinity named in their baptifm. From this confideration, we may conclude that the Holy Ghost was not named in John's baptifm. Confequently John's baptifm was a different kind of baptifm, from New Teftament baptifin. Indeed, the queftion which Paul afked them, fuppofed there were different kinds of baptifm. If not, what propriety was there in his question?

Moreover, the twelve difciples before mentioned were rebaptized. This is plain. For when Paul had explained to them the nature of John's baptifm, and told them, that it was merely preparatory to their receiving Chrift, then they were again baptized by Paul. What further proof is wanting to convince us, that John's baptifm was not chrif tian baptifm. For had it been the fame kind of baptifm, which is used under the gospel dispensation, it would have been needlefs and unwarrantable to repeat it.

In this place, give me leave to recite to you the words of Dr. Benfon upon the subject. "When Paul had finished his journey through the upper part of Afia Minor, he returned to Ephefus, and there found twelve perfons that were the difciples of John the Baptist. And being willing to impart unto them some spiritual gifts, if they had not received any already, he afked them whether they had received the Holy Ghost. They replied, that they had not so much as heard, that the Holy Ghost had been poured out, or that any perfon had been baptized therewith, as John the Baptift had predicted. No, faith the apostle; not without wonder and furprize; what not fo much as heard of the effusion of the Holy Ghoft? Pray, unto what then were ye baptized? They answered, we have been baptized only unto John's baptifm. The apostle said, John did indeed prepare the way for the coming of the Meffiah, by baptizing with the baptifm of repentance for the remiffion of fins. When they heard this, they were baptized again, and that in the name of the Lord Jefus Chrift.'

A late author, * to evade the force of the argu

Dr. Baldwin,

ment drawn from this paffage of fcripture, makes the account given in thefe verfes, Paul's account of John's doctrine and baptifm.

This certainly For it is faying,

makes nonfenfe of the account. that those on whom Paul laid his hands were the people whom John taught, and that all the men whom John taught were about twelve.

It is undeniable, that thefe twelve perfons whom Paul found, were baptized again. It is alfo probable, that fome of the three thoufand, who were baptized on the day of pentecoft, had been baptized before by John. For they were Jews and Jewish profelytes, fome of whom had lived in Judea, and had been concerned in the murder of Christ. As John's baptism had been administered to the greater part of the Jewish nation, doubtlefs many of thefe converts had received John's baptifm. If then it be admitted, that fome, who had been baptized by John, were baptized again after the refurrection of Chrift, it follows, that the apoftles did not confider John's baptifm to be chriftian baptifm. There is abundant evidence to fupport the belief, that John's baptifm belonged to the Jewifh, and not to the chriftian difpenfation.

1. From what has been faid upon this fubject, we learn that neither John's baptizing the Jews, nor his baptizing our Lord, are examples for our imitation. Baptifts are fond of taking a stand near the waters of Enon and Jordan. They fay much about following Chrift down the banks of Jordan. A late author has traced the origin of the baptists to Enon and Jordan. This man is uncommonly fanguine in his affertions, and for one who had, according to his own declaration, but just emerged

* Mr. Merril's Seven Sermons.

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