showers upon the grass, because I will publish the name of the Lord." In the verse previous to the two just quoted from Deuteronomy, the earth is called upon to "hear the word of his mouth."

The last quoted prophesy of Scripture will be found to correspond beautifully with its fulfilment in the New Testament, (and let it be remembered, the New Testament is the fulfilment of the Scriptures, not the making of new Scriptures, as will be hereafter shown.)

In Acts x. from the 43d to the 45th, it reads thus: "To him give all the prophets witness that through his name, whosoever believeth in him, shall receive remission of sins; while Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word, and they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost."

In chapter xi. 15th and 16th verses, it reads thus: "who shall tell the words whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved; and as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us, at the beginning; then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said John indeed baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost."

It will now be observed how beautifully the fulfilment in the tenth chapter of Acts, from the 43d to the 45th, and 14th to the 16th verses of the eleventh chapter corresponds with the prophesy in the 2d and 3d verses of the thirty-second chapter of Deuteronomy.

The prophesy said that "because he would publish the NAME of the LORD, his speech should distil as the dew, and drop as the small rain and as the showers upon the grass, (and the law and the testimony in Job say that this dropping is pouring.) In the fulfilment it says, that when Peter spake, (or published) these words, that whosoever (through his name) believed on him should be saved; that the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard, and the Jews were astonished because that on the Gentiles. was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.

In the examination of the "law and the testimony" we have seen that the word pour is applied to the descent of the showers and the small rain and the dew upon the tender herb, upon the grass, upon man, and upon the earth; and the shedding of tears. from the eyes. And as the Lord said that he would pour out his spirit upon, and that the manner of his coming unto them should be as the rain, it is therefore evident that pouring is performed by sprinkling, and the word pour means to sprinkle. I appeal to every person, who (by faith in the blood of Christ,) feels "the peace of God that passeth all understanding," if the Holy Ghost does not distil upon his soul, in its heavenly and benign influence, like the showers upon the grass, and the dew upon the tender herb.

Thus it is shown that the Holy Ghost was poured upon them like the rain and showers. And as showers are by sprinkling, and not by immersion, therefore that the word pour means to sprinkle, and that the baptism of the Holy Ghost was by sprinkling; therefore the Greek word (Barrigw) baptizo, means to sprinkle, when applied to the ordinance of baptism in the New Testament.

CHAPTER III.

The next text that will be examined in reference to baptism, is the 23d verse of the third chapter of St. John. It reads thus: "And John also was baptizing in Enon near to Salim, because there was much water there, and they came and were baptized." The words "because there was much water," are considered by many to be very strong circumstantial evidence that John baptized by immersion; for they conclude that if sprinkling had been the mode, that a little water would have answered as well as much, and that the circumstance of their having been much water, would never have been mentioned as a reason for John's having selected that region of country.

In reply, it will be observed, that in living as we do in a country like our own at the present time, where the mode of baptism, (whether by immersion or sprinkling) is controverted, we should be likely to conclude that it was to immerse the sub

jects of baptism, that induced John to select a region of country abounding with much water.

But if we were living in a country like the land of Canaan, where water was scarce, and the people were in the habit of travelling upon camels and other beasts, we should probably conclude that it was to have water convenient and sufficient for the multitudes and their beasts to drink; which consideration would certainly have had an influence upon any reasonable person in choosing the place for the meeting of such multitudes as went out to John to be baptized; and if we leave the Scriptures for the conjectures of man, this conjecture is as good as the other.*

But if we were in the habit of proving and doing every religious duty from the Scriptures, (or Old Testament,) as the Jews were, we should undoubtedly conclude that it was in compliance with some requirement of the Scriptures, that induced him to select a region of country abounding with much water. And that they were in the habit of doing all things in reference to the Scriptures of the Old Testament, is inferred from the fact, that our Lord, his apostles, St. Paul and other christians, who unlike our Baptist brethren, that are continually crying "the New Testament!" "the New Testament!" were continually crying the Old Testament! the Old Testament! or in other words were continually appealing to the Scriptures of the Old Testament for proof of all they taught or did: as the following passages from the New Testament will show.

Acts xvii. 2, 3, reads thus: "And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures, opening and alleging" "that Christ must needs have suffered and risen again from the dead, and that this Jesus whom I preach unto you is Christ:" 10, 11 and 12, "And

*If it be asked "if John baptized by sprinkling, after the manner of purifying by the Jews, why did he not, (instead of locating himself in a region where there was much water,) go around the country and baptize the Jews at their homes, instead of putting them to the trouble of meeting him at certain places?" The answer is, that it would have taken him many years, if not his entire life, to have baptized them at their homes, whereas it would take him but a few months to baptize them if they came to him.

the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea, who coming thither went into the Synagogues of the 'Jews. These were more noble than those of Thessalonica in that they received the word with all readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures" (the Old Testament,) "daily, whether these things were so; therefore many of them believed." In the eighteenth chapter, from the 24th to the 28th verse, it speaks of Apollos as mighty IN the Scriptures, who came to Ephesus; this man was instructed in "the way of the Lord, and being fervent in Spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing ONLY the baptism of John." As "the prophets prophesied until John," it is evident therefore, John was not one of them, but one that they prophesied of; and whatever he taught or did, was in obedience to some prophesy of the Scripture, and as he was not one of THE prophets* but a fulfiller of the prophesies, he taught no new doctrine, but was "the voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord," as prophesied by the prophet Isaiah ; and the one that “sprinkled clean water upon them" before that the Lord "put his Spirit within them," as was prophesied of by Ezekiel, and the "Elijah the prophet that was sent before the face of the Lord to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers, lest he should come and smite the earth

*Although John was not one of "THE prophets," yet both Christ and John were prophets; John because he prophesied of the Christ and the "kingdom of heaven at hand;" therefore "of those that were born of women there was not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but the least in the kingdom of heaven," (that was at hand) "was greater than him;" see Luke vii. 26-28: also Matt. xi. 9 to 13: it reads, "but what went ye out for to see? a prophet? yea I say unto you, and more than a prophet; for this is he of whom it was written, behold I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. Verily I say unto you, among them that are born of women, there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist; notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. And from the days of John, the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. For all THE prophets and the law prophesied UNTIL John."

Christ also was a prophet, for he was that prophet which the prophets said that "the Lord God should raise up unto Israel, and that whomsoever should not obey that prophet should be cut off from his people."

with a curse," as was prophesied by Malachi. [And as John said that he was the voice of one crying in the wilderness, "prepare ye the way of the Lord," it is probable that "the way of the Lord" that Apollos was instructed in, (for Apollos "knew only the baptism of John,") and that John cried to the people to prepare, was repentance and baptism, and if it was so, then they both taught the same thing, and as John was not one of the prophets, but the first fruits of the fulfilment of the prophesies, he must have taught both repentance and sprinkling of clean water, or water baptism from the prophets,] and Apollos began to speak boldly in the synagogues, whom when Aquila and Priscilla heard they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote exhorting the disciples to receive him, who when he was come helped them much which had believed through grace: for he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publicly, shewing by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.

From the above, it is evident that Apollos at first proved, and taught repentance and baptism from the Scriptures, and that after his having been taught "in the way of God more perfectly," he then proved from them that Jesus was the Christ.

And in the 2d of Peter, first chapter, from the 16th to the 19th verse, St. Peter teaches us that the prophets and Moses are more sure" than that which he had been an "eye witness of."

It reads thus: "for we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye witnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honor and glory; when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, saying this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard when we were with him in the holy mount; we have also a more sure word of prophesy whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place." Thus showing that they were to build their faith upon nothing, however well attested, unless it was