points out bathing all over in that fluctuating, unstable element? The apostle in this passage expressly declares, they eat the same spiritual meat, and that they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ.

Hence it appears, they ate and drank the very substance which the saints in all ages live by. This indeed they must have eaten, or else have had no divine life in them. Eating the outward emblems of it never gave life divine to the soul, any more than outward baptism. Their eating outward manna, and drinking outward water from the rock, could never make their souls alive to God, and was but typical of that "spiritual meat" which they also and as truly ate, as they did the outward; and of" that spiritual rock whereof they drank; for that rock was Christ." And why may not plain sense look a little further than to an "allusion to the custom of immersion" for the substance of their baptism, as well as for the substance of their eating and drinking? For seeing they did truly feed in greater or less degree on Christ in spirit, as well as on outward manna, &c., and so enjoyed something of the very life and substance of the Lord's supper; why may we not believe they were in degree substantially baptized into the fellowship of his sufferings, and conformity to his death, as well as into those deep outward trials and afflictions, so pressingly experienced by them, whilst conducted by the pillar of fire, and whilst pursued by their enemies at and into the midst of the Red sea? And thus the word baptizo may answer as well to plunging into fiery trials, as into

water.

Our saviour says, "I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how am I straitened till it be accomplished." Luke xii. 50. And can it be doubted that those who really fed on Christ in spirit, in that day, were in degree truly baptized with him into sufferings, and in some degree at least buried with him into death? In this way I think we may see something further in their baptism than outward immersion, and thus rescue the pillar of fire from either dropping down water, or importing immersion into it. And indeed there seems little or no sense in this passage understood as speaking of either; for suppose we understand with the Plain Account "an allusion to the custom of immersion," it

then amounts to this: immersion in water is a figure of purification; and Israel's passage through the sea is a figure of that figure; or that the apostle, in his assertion here, that they were baptized, only had an allusion to that figure. Now if it was nothing but a figure of a figure, I see not how he could positively in truth say, they were baptized. Either they were, or were not: if they were properly baptized, it was inward or outward; if it was outward, and a proper water baptism, then either dipping, sprinkling, or any thing that has a little resemblance, and will bear an "allusion to the custom of immersion," may, for aught I can perceive, be called baptism. Why then contend so long and loud about the precise mode of it? If Paul meant as he said, that they were baptized, I think he must mean spiritually but if any will have it mean outward water baptism, do they not at once introduce a third kind, or a third mode of it, different from either immersion or sprinkling? At any rate, and turn it every way, will not the result be either that Paul did not mean as he said, that they really were baptized, but only that their passage resembled baptism, and may bear an allusion to it, or that he meant an outward baptism, without either dipping or sprinkling, or that he meant an inward and spiritual baptism? The two first meanings, I should suppose, most, if not all, would, on due consideration, reject; the last I am confirmed is, as before evinced, the genuine meaning of the apostle. He is here pressing it upon the once livingly baptized among the Corinthians, to hold out to the end. A few verses before, (see the preceding chapter, 1 Cor. ix. 24,) he says, “So run that ye may obtain. 25th, Every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. 26th, I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air; 27th, but I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection, lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a cast-away." Here he urges his own subjection, and the temperance of others, as examples; and then to enforce the caution, impress the danger of their falling short, and if possible prevent their becoming cast-aways, he pertinently reminds them how it fared with some of the an

cient fathers who came out of Egypt with Moses; and who, though they had partaken of the true spiritual baptism, meat and drink of the saints, yet afterwards, (such is the weakness and danger of man,) they lusted after evil things, murmured, tempted God, committed idolatry and fornication, and so were overthrown in the wilderness. And in full confirmation that his aim in all this was to warn the Corinthians, he declares, these things" were our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted," nor tempt Christ, nor murmur, &c. as they did, and strikingly adds, "wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall." v. 12. Perhaps all will agree, that those thus warned by Paul had received christian baptism, whether it be agreed or not what that was; and if Christians were all in that great danger of falling, after the example of unbelief and apostacy here exhibited by him, and if this example was pertinent to their state and danger, does not that pertinency consist much in the Israelites having known a good degree of that which is saving, and turning from it? Nehemiah testifies, that the Lord saw their affliction in Egypt, and heard their cry by the Red sea, and gave also his good spirit to instruct them. Neh. ix. 9, 20. God was so near and attentive to them, that he not only led them by, he even went himself before them in the pillar of cloud and of fire.

Let none therefore marvel that Paul says they were baptized in the cloud, seeing that holy presence was actually there, into which all the spiritual Israel are baptized. Moses tells them, Deut. v. 4, "The Lord talked with you face to face;" and Isaiah calls them the ransomed, testifying, li. 10, that the Lord "made the depth of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over." But in regard to their passage through the sea, it is evident the cloud was not over them, but behind them. It had gone before them; but just before their going through, we read, “the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them," Exod. xiv. 19. So that unless immersion all over, into, and under water, or at least an allusion to it, can be gathered from their going through the sea as on dry ground, with a cloudy and fiery pillar behind them, I

cannot see any thing more in it for immersion, than for sprinkling; and in fact it appears to have nothing to do with either.

This author says, (p. 41,) " The disciples of Christ, during his ministry on earth, as well as the disciples of John, were very well acquainted with the institution of baptism;" and agrees with Whitby, that "they only baptized, as John had done, into the faith of the Messiah which was to come, and with that baptism of repentance, which prepared the Jews for the reception of his kingdom." By this it is conceded, that during Christ's ministry on earth, that baptism which his disciples used was the same as John's. No wonder then Christ never used it himself; and as he never once used it either before or after his resurrection, as we do not find his twelve apostles were ever baptized in water, but only into John's baptism, as before noticed, it seems clear to me, that Christ's commission does not contain water baptism. His injunction to teach the people all things that he had commanded them, includes no such observation; for he had not commanded it; nor does it appear that the disciples ever used it, after Christ gave them this commission, in any wise as a different ordinance from what it had been before. If it was John's, and used by them as his before, it was afterwards but a continuation of the same ordinance. It no where in all the Bible appears to be an ordinance of Christ; but having been in great veneration, was indulgently continued through weakness, even after the resurrection..

Nothing can be gospel baptism, that is not saving; it is the soul that needs purgation; the baptism which effects this, cannot be that which is merely with elementary water, but must be that which burns up the filth, and removes the defilement; that is, the baptism into the name, the life, the cleansing virtue of the divine nature. Christ's baptism is ever described as saving, and none were ever saved without it. We all know that bap tism into water may be received by such as are not in any degree saved; and I think, if we exercise but the common reason of mankind, we must see that if water baptism were saving, it were a miracle, and that as oft repeated as it proved saving, even as truly a miracle as the turning water into wine; for there is nothing in a bare washing in outward water, that has

any more effect towards an inward cleansing, than there is in anointing with oil, or shaving off the hair. If therefore it were the baptism of Christ, it must either be a standing miraculous purification of souls by outward application, or a thing not saving; but the baptism of Christ is that which now saves us, and is, in its own nature and operation, as truly and constantly saving to the soul, as washing in water is cleansing to the body. In proportion to the degree in which the body is washed in water, it is cleansed by the outward putting away the filth of the flesh; and in proportion to the degree in which any soul experienceth the baptism of Christ, it infallibly produceth inward sanctification, by putting away the filth of the spirit. That name into which all the saints are baptized is such, that their baptism into it must purify. Purification is the very thing itself, and that is the one plain reason why it not only is, but must be, a baptism into the holy name: "for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved." Acts iv. 12. It is truly by the name, that we are saved; for this divine and living "name is as ointment poured forth." Cant. i. 3. This is the "unction from the Holy One." 1 John ii. 20. “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runneth into it, and is safe." Prov. xviii. 10. Well may they be safe in this name, seeing the baptism into it is ever saving.

Deeply sensible that there was no other salvation, the Psalmist prays, (liv. 1,) "save me, O God, by thy name ;" and Jeremiah says, (x. 6,)" thy name is great in might." Indeed his name is the strength and salvation of his people; none can run into his name, or be gathered into it, or baptized into it, but they must at the same time be gathered and baptized into him. Hence the scripture phrase, "baptized into Christ;" and hence also the absolute certainty that where two or three are gathered into his name, there he is in the midst of them. See Mat. xviii. 20. He doth not simply promise that he will be; he declares," there am I in the midst of them;" for he knew none could gather into his name, where he himself was not. The Greek word, truly translated, is into; the same word used in Christ's baptismal commission, and with great propriety; for none can be gathered into him who are not baptized