It is undeniably evident, that the difciples of Chrift, previously to his crucifixion, baptized a vast number of people. But, Sir, we do not find a fingle word faid, about Enon, or Jordan, or any other river, or brook, or pond of water. It is not even intimated, that they ever dipped a perfon, or that they ever went to a natural fream or fountain of water, for the purpose of baptizing. What can be the reason? Why do we hear fo much faid at the present day, concerning the baptifm of John, and fo little concerning the baptifm of Chrift? (John was a few months older than Chrift, and began his miniftry a little fooner; but they were contemporaries, and both employed in preaching, and in baptizing, at the fame time, and among the fame people.) We have already anticipated the reafon.. The difciples of Chrift were not field preachers. They were itinerant preachers. Chrift fent them forth, repeatedly, two and two.

He ordered them to go from houfe to houfe; and from city to city. They preached in private houfes and fynagogues; and where they preached, there they undoubtedly baptized. Accordingly, if John had been an itinerant or travelling preacher, we fhould never have heard of his baptizing people at Jordan, or Enon. This incident, on which the baptifts lay fo much stress, feems to have been wholly owing to the peculiarities of his education in the wilderness, and of his circumftances as a field preacher.

There appears to have been a perfect confiftency throughout the whole of John's character and conduct. He refided in the wildernefs, and there he commenced his miniftrations-in Bethabara, beyond Jordan. But when his audience became vaftly numerous, and a more convenient ftation was neceffary, he fixed his ftand on the banks of Jordan, and among the finaller ftreams of Enon. Wherever he lived, there he preached; and where he preached, there he baptized. It would have been as unnatural for him, to have left the encampment, and have gone to a fynagogue or dwelling-houfe, in order to baptize perfons, as it would be for us, to leave the meeting-house, and go to the field, for that purpose.

The difciples of Chrift conducted with the fame confiftency and propriety. We have no account of their going to a river, in order to adminifter the ordinance of baptifm. Where they preached, there they baptized. And if minifters of the gofpel, at the prefent day, would be equally confiftent, they muft either baptize in the meeting-houfes, where: they preach, or elfe they muft become fieldpreachers, and encamp and preach in the field, where they baptize. I am, Sir, &c..

SIR,

LETTER XX.

As was propofed, we have examined the places where John adminiftered baptism. We can find no circumftance, from which it appears, that he did baptize, by dipping perfons under the water. It is not faid that he dipped them. It is not intimated that any preparations were made for the change of drefs, or that suitable accommodations were provided for the different fexes. The number baptized, was prodigiously great. We are told, that Jerufalem, the metropolis of the nation, and that all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan, went out to him, and were baptized by him, in or at Jordan. Now it feems fcarcely fuppofable, that one man should have had fufficient ftrength-that he should have been able to ftand in the water day after day, and long enough at a time, to dip fuch an amazing multitude of people, without deftroying his own health and life. I do not say that the thing was abfolutely impracticable; but it certainly feems almoft incredible, upon natural principles; and we have no reason to think, that John was favoured with fupernatural affiftance; for it is exprefsly faid, concerning him, " that he did no miracle."

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On the other fide, John has told us," that "he was fent to baptize with water." "indeed baptize you with water, but he shall

"baptize you with the Holy Ghoft and with "fire." This manner of expreffion, as we have already obferved, indicates that the water was used as the inftrumental element; and applied by the hand of John to the perfons baptized. Baptifm with water, is here mentioned, as an emblem of baptifm with the Holy Ghoft: The fanctifying influences of God's Spirit, are reprefented in the language of fcripture, as being fhed forth and poured out upon mankind, like rain. This common reprefentation is ftrictly and ftrikingly applicable to the practice of baptizing with water, according to the ufual mode of affufion or Sprinkling.

Although John adminiftered baptifm, in or at the river Jordan, and at Enon, neverthelefs he baptized them with water-with the water of Jordan and Enon-or with the river Jordan, as that paffage might have been tranflated; and then the different paffages would have correfponded. For, according to our tranflation, it is faid, no lefs than four times, that "John baptized with (en) water." We have obferved, that the original prepofition en, which is often rendered in and at, is also frequently tranflated into the English words by and with. The words by and with, are commonly used in the fame fenfe, and denote the inftrumentality of the fucceeding word. In order to evince the truth of this obfervation, on a former occafion, I quoted a certain paffage of fcripture, about the fenfe of

which there is no difpute. You and I, and every body else, are entirely agreed as to its meaning. Now as one fuch paffage is of more importance in the prefent controverfy, than a thousand doubtful or difputable paffages, I will again recite it. The Jews faid, that our Saviour caft out devils by (en)

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"Beelzebub." "Chrift replied, if I by (en) "Beelzebub caft out devils, by (en) whoin do your children caft them out? But if I 66 with (en) the finger of God caft out devils," &c. This fentence is unquestionably tranflated right; for it will admit of no other translation. In this fhort fentence, we find the word, immediately following the prepofition en, ufed inftrumentally, four times. As the finger of God was the inftrument with which Chrift caft out devils; fo water was probably the inftrument, in the hand of John, with which he adminiftered baptifm.

Although John baptized fo many perfons, Jefus Christ is the only individual, whofe name is particularly mentioned; as in Matthew iii, 16, and Mark i, 9, 10. It is faid that our Saviour was baptized of John in Jordan. The Greek prepofitions, originally used, are eis and en, and very frequently fignify at and to, as well as in; and are often tranflated into each of thefe different words. However, if it fhould be fuppofed that Chrift actually ftepped within the verge of the river, this will not prove that he was dipped; for he might, notwithstanding, have been sprinkled.