admitted to baptism, have no part nor lot in the matter, "honouring God with their lips while their heart is far from him," who "observe the outward form as a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof;" who "have a name to live, but are dead." In such circumstances as these, while ignorance and error, superstition and formality, so much prevail, it is needful for those who would entertain just and correct views of this sacred institution, and who would rightly observe it as an ordinance of God, seriously to consider and to reflect on it, and to examine themselves whether they be in the faith, and to prove themselves; and it must behove every disciple of the Lord Jesus seriously to attend to the doctrine of baptisms, as revealed in the word of divine truth. With a view to assist those who may not duly have reflected on this important subject, I shall in the following sheets endeavour to point out the true nature and design of Christian baptism, shew the privileges and blessings which are promised to it when rightly ministered and duly observed, and suggest some improvements, which by the grace and blessing of God might be made to answer its real object and original design, especially as it applies to our own church.

The first person by whom baptism was ministered as a direct admission into the church of Christ, was by him who was foretold by the two prophets, Isaiah and Malachi, "as coming in the power and spirit of Elias," and as being sent "to prepare the way of the Lord, to make straight in the desert an highway for our God," whose name the angel said should be John, who "was filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb," and who, when he entered upon his holy office, was emphatically distinguished as the Baptist :-" In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." He preached repentance for the remission of sins, and he pointed out the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as the only way in which sinners could attain such remission, saying, in pointing to Jesus Christ as the Saviour, "Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world; this is he of whom I said, after me cometh a man which is preferred before me, for he was before me. And I knew him not; but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water." "Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea,

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and all the region round about Jordan, and were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins." He not only baptized them with water, but he pointed out Christ, by whom alone they could receive a spiritual baptism, and become the children of God:-" I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance; but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire." It was at this auspicious moment, while John was baptizing in the river Jordan, that Jesus came from Galilee to be baptized of him; but John forbad him, saying, "I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water, and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him; and, lo, a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." This was the very proof which had before been signified by John to identify the person of Christ to be the Son of God, and Saviour of the world;-" and I knew him not,"

says he, "but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining upon him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God."

If the question be asked in respect to John's baptism, whether it was an appointment of God or not? whether it was human or divine?—if it be asked, whence was it, from heaven or of men?

-we have no hesitation in giving an answer, that it was from heaven,-that it was divine,-that it was appointed of God. One of the prophets speaks of him," as the voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert an highway for your God." Another prophet represents him much under the same character, saying, "Behold! I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the 66 before me." way Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord." John the Baptist was indeed sent before to prepare the way of Christ; to "go before him in the spirit and power of Elias; to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobe

dient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." John had been fully convinced by a special and divine manifestation at his baptism, that Jesus was the Christ, by the Spirit descending and remaining upon him, "and he saw, and bare record that he was the Son of God." It was not then to satisfy himself when he was cast into prison, but to satisfy his disciples who entertained some doubt on this point, that John called unto him two of his disciples, and sent them to Jesus, saying, "Art thou he that should come, or look we for another? and in the same hour he cured many of their infirmities, and plagues, and evil spirits; and unto many that were blind, he gave sight. Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached; and blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? a reed shaken with the wind? But what went ye out for to see? a man clothed in soft