They forget that baptism is not a washing for eleanliness; but a ceremonial washing or cleansing: And we have the authority of JEHOVAH himself, for asserting that the whole system is cleansed when the cleansing or purifying element has been applied to only a part of it." He that is washed, needeth not, save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit.” « The washing here mentioned, was not designed for personal cleanliness, for our Saviour would by no means discourage or discountenance such a thing; neither could personal cleanliness secure a part in him. It was therefore designed for a ceremonial cleansing, to signify a spiritual washing, and was applied to the disciples' feet, to intimate that their walk must be holy. When Peter understood that this washing was designed to signify his interest in Christ, he wished a more general application of the water, and exclaimed "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands, and my head ;" (not his whole body.) Our Saviour, however, corrected his mistake, and informed him, that as it was a ceremonial washing, it was sufficient when applied only to his feet. Here, then, we have the very best authority for asserting that the whole man is clean, when water has been applied only to a part of him. He is clean every whit, because he is thereby wholly set apart or sanctified unto the Lord, which is effectually and savingly done, only when "washed by

a John xiii, 10.

the spirit of our God," which is represented by this external washing.

"Again "Lo, this," namely the coal of fire, "hath touched thy lips, and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin is purged." Here again the whole system is said to be cleansed when the purifying element had been applied only to the lips. This baptism with fire was applied only to a part, and the whole was purified.

The sprinkling with the water of separation is also termed a purification. "It is a purification for sin; or, as it is in the septuagint, "It is the water of sprinkling unto purification." David also says "Purge" Pavias, sprinkle "me with hyssop and I shall be clean." The sprinkling here intended by David, is no doubt spiritual; accordingly it is said, "I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean." Hence we are still justified in asserting that the cleansing of the whole body is represented when a little water is applied to the forehead. We might as well ask how the whole system could be purified by fire, when a coal was applied only to the lips; or how a person could be clean every whit when water was applied only to the feet, as to ask how the cleansing of the whole system can be represented, when water is applied only to the forehead.

Isaiah vi, 7. 6 Num. xix, 9.

e Ps. li, 7-In the septuagint it is Ps. 1, 7. d Ezekiel xxxvi, 25.

Besides, the sprinkling of water upon the forehead, may be called a washing, with the same propriety, that a morsel of bread, and a swallow of wine are called a feast. For the word davov used. for the Lord's supper, by the apostle Paul, signifies a full meal. And the Baptists themselves call that a supper, wherein only a morsel of bread and a swallow of wine are taken. From this circumstance, together with the divine authority noticed above, we feel ourselves fully justified in our sentiments and practice in relation to baptism, by our Father, although we may be condemned by some of our brethren.

Having removed the above objection, I shall now endeavor to ascertain the sense in which the Holy Spirit has used the term baptism. And

1. In Mark vii, 4, "When they come from the market, except they wash (baptize,) they eat not, and many other things there be, which they have received to hold as the washing (baptisms) of cups and pots, brazen vessels and of tables." It must be remembered that these baptisms were not their washings for cleanliness. Because these Pharisees. were not condemned for cleanliness in their persons and furniture, our Saviour and his disciples, were no doubt as cleanly, as to these things, as the Pharisees. These baptisms, therefore, were their ceremonial purifications, to which they were supersti

« 1 Cor. xi, 20..

tiously attached. We have before seen that their baptisms were the same with their ceremonial purifications, for which they had water pots in their houses, containing water. But they could not immerse their tables, or beds (upon which they used to sit at their meals in a reclining posture) into those water pots.

Mr. Merrill lays great stress upon Lev. xi, 32, which, he seems to think, does most triumphantly prove that these baptisms were performed exclusively by immersion, and is very much enraged against those who dare to quote those passages where sprinkling is mentioned. He is very much. mistaken when he says that we would learn from that passage "how couches and beds-were cleansed." For Moses makes no mention of them. "Any vessel of wood," says he, "or raiment, or skin, or sack, whatsoever vessel it be wherein any work is done, it must be put into water." This is the only passage I have ever seen adduced, which could in any tolerable degree favor immersion in baptism.. And I am willing he shall have all the aid from it, that a solitary passage can afford him. It is enough for us that those beds or tables could not be immersed in those water pots, and that the Lord did command all the vessels and persons that were defiled, to be sprinkled. "And a clean person shall

a John iii, 25, 26. b John ii, &..

* Gos. Ch. Vin.. pp. 136-7..

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take Hyssop, and dip it in water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave." Observe vessels and persons were to be sprinkled, nor is this a solitary passage.

It is also worthy of note that in Lev. xi, 32, nothing is said about putting persons into the water. But in Numbers xix, 18, and elsewhere, they are expressly commanded to be sprinkled. Of these ceremonies the Pharisees were tenacious, "except they baptize they eat not." Fearing that they had touched something unclean in the throng at the market place, they were careful to perform these ceremonies, in order to wash away the pollution which they feared might be upon them.

That these vessels mentioned in the passage under consideration, were not put or immersed into the water, is evident from our Saviour's allusion, when he reproved the Pharisees for their hypocricy. "Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter, but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness. Now if these cups and platters had been immersed in the water, both sides would have been equally clean, and consequently there would have been no room for our Saviour's allusion to their making clean, that is

a Num. xix, 18.

¿ Lev. xiv, 7—Num. viii, 7—Heb. ix, 19, 21.

e Luke xi, 39.