Billeder på siden
PDF
ePub

to those emblematical representations of its nature and design in the word of God. Moreover, 2dly, It is properly considered as a token of our sanctification by the Holy Spirit.

We need not cite particular passages, in which the Christian's sanctification is ascribed to the influences of the Holy Spirit; they are almost as numerous as the paragraphs in which that good work itself is mentioned in the word of God. And let it be remembered here that it is promised as a blessing of the new covenant, in connection with that which has been mentioned above. -"A new covenant will I make with the house of Israel," &c. "I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and "I will be unto them a God, and they shall be unto me a people."* It is generally acknowledged, that baptism is at least an external token of this renewing of the Holy Ghost. But some say that sprinkling is no proper emblem of that spiritual purification which is signified in Christian baptism. Whether proper or not, it was appointed by God as an emblem of the purification of his people in the Mosaic ritual.‡ "The priest shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy, and then shall pronounce him clean.” It would be impertinent to object that this was a mere jewish ceremony; it is not produced as a precedent or pattern for the Christian's imitation,

[blocks in formation]

but merely as an instance in which God enjoined sprinkling for purification.-And if God commanded his ministers, in this and other cases, to sprinkle the offender and unclean, in token of their restoration to privileges forfeited by former impurities, let none dare to censure sprinkling as an improper emblem of purity. Professing Christians especially should beware of such rashness, because the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ repeatedly makes use of the term, when promising those influences of the Spirit which are signified in the ordinance of Baptism. The language of these promises is not, I will plunge you in clean water, and ye shall be clean, &c. but "I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean." "My servant† (meaning the Messiah) shall sprinkle many nations.-I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, &c.-I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, &c." Luke, in his his tory of the acts of the apostles, describing the accomplishment of these promises, expresses himself thus: + "On the Gentiles (xxxvla) was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost."-And Paul makes use of the same word for the same blessing; he saves us by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he shed (ix poured out) on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Now, if baptism be (as is very evident) a token of these in

Ezek. xxxvi. 25. + Isa. lii. 15.

Acts x. 45,

fluences of the Spirit, no mode so proper and expressive as sprinkling or pouring of water.

§. 2. It has often been said, that none are truly baptized but those who are plunged in water, and that it is wrong to call sprinkling baptizing. But those who assert this surely forget, or do not know, that the word of God expressly calls sprink lings baptisms, and speaks of persons and things as baptized that were not dipped but sprinkled. The author of the epistle to the converted Hebrews, reminding those Christians of the dispensation which they were formerly under, among other things observes, that it consisted of diverse washings, as we render it, but in the original it is (diaPogos Banos) diverse baptisms; and that they might know what rites he referred to in that expression, he afterwards particularly enumerates them (ver. 13.)" the sprinkling the unclean with the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of an heifer, to sanctify them for the purifying of the flesh." Moreover, says hè, Moses took the blood of calves and of goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book and all the people."-And he adds, (ver. 21.) "he likewise sprinkled with blood, both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry."

These were what our apostle calls their diverse baptisms-But, on the principle abovementioned, he should not have used the word baptisms, unless the people, the book of the law, and the tabHeb. ix. 10.

[ocr errors]

ernacle itself, had been dipped in blood or in water. However, he has called them baptisms though they were only sprinkled, and therefore we not only may, but ought, to call sprinkling, or, in other words, we have here a certain proof that rantizing (as some learned in the Greek affect to call sprinkling) and baptizing are the same. For a remark on the word diverse, as here connected with baptisms, see chap. iii.

§. 3. The account given of the descent of the Holy Ghost in Acts ii. 3. affords another argument for baptizing by sprinkling.

Some are very fond of being baptized by immersion, because in that form only the whole body is washed with water.-How, say they, can it be said that a person is baptized with water, when only a little water has been sprinkled or poured upon his face? We may answer this question by proposing another, viz. How could the apostles be said to be baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire, when that celestial fire rested only upon their heads? We have an account of that event in Acts ii. 3. "There appeared unto them cloven tongues, like as of fire, and sat upon each of them."-John, the forerunner of Christ, foretelling that descent of the Spirit, says, "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but he that cometh after me, shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire." And if those were baptized with fire, upon whose

[blocks in formation]

heads only the fire rested, those are equally baptized with water, who have water sprinkled or poured upon their faces. Examine the words of John in both senses. If you suppose him alluding to immersion, you explain them thus: "I baptize you unto repentance by plunging you into the water, so he that cometh after me shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost by pouring it, in the likeness of cloven tongues of fire, upon your heads."-But consider him as alluding to the custom of baptizing, by pouring water upon the head or face, his language is, "As I pour water upon you in my baptism, so shall Jesus, ere long, baptize you with the Holy Ghost, pouring it down upon you as in streams of fire." We need not ask which is the most natural construction of the words? But there is reason to ask, Why should any require the plunging of the whole body in baptism? Were that mode essential to a due administration of the ordinance, either Christ or his apostles, would certainly have insisted upon it. They might have expressed it in terms so clear and strong, as that no honest enquirer could have doubted of their meaning. But this is very far from being the case. And as they have not required it, we cannot think any, since their day, have authority to decree rites and ceremonies in the Christian church. Would our brethren persuade us there is no way to heaven but that of going under the water? We must be

F

« ForrigeFortsæt »