raiment? Behold, they which are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in king's

courts. But what went ye out for to see? a prophet? yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet:" for "among them that are born of women, there hath not arisen a greater than John the Baptist." The promised Saviour at once appealed to the proof which had been declared by Isaiah the prophet, when he says, "your God will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped, then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing." "The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of prison to those that are bound." "To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness."

The baptism of John, as proceeding from God, was an introduction to that of Christ, and it was like it, or rather the same in many points. It was the same in regard to the outward washing

of water, as a sign of admission into the church of Christ; it was the same as a seal of righteousness, which is by faith. The baptism of John was the same, as requiring repentance for the remission of sins; it was the same as directing sinners to look alone unto Jesus, and behold him

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as the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world." But there was one point in which it was not the same,-as to its inward and spiritual effects; it was not the same as to the baptism of the Holy Ghost; it was only a sign of grace, and did not convey the grace of God to the soul. This can only be effected by Christ himself, that " quickening spirit" which came down from heaven. "For as the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself." "The hour cometh," says he, "and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live." Thus we read, "that when Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan went out to John, and were baptized of him confessing their sins," he said, "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear, he shall baptize

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you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire." The baptism of the Spirit, which is effected on all the children of God through faith in Jesus Christ, by the conversion, renewal, and sanctification of the soul, is the great end and object of Christian baptism. But the baptism of water, as an emblem of the righteousness which is by faith, which prefigures it, and which as a means of grace is intended to lead to it, is absolutely required from all those who would enter into covenant with him. 66 For, except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." In the outward baptism of Christ, it is required of all those who enter into covenant by this seal of righteousness, not only to make a confession of Christ as the Son of God, but to make a public and solemn renunciation of the world, the flesh, and the devil.

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It is indeed required of all who name the name of Christ, to "repent and believe the gospel," to repent and be converted," to "repent and turn to God, and to do works meet for repentance." But it was especially required when new converts were admitted into the Church of Christ by baptism; as therefore we read that John did baptize in the wilderness, and "preach the bap

tism of repentance unto the remission of sins; and there went out unto him all the land of Judea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river Jordan confessing their sins." It is evident, however, that there was an essential difference between the baptism of John and the baptism of Christ, as to the gift of grace and the Holy Spirit of God. "John verily baptized with water unto repentance, saying unto the people that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Jesus Christ." John was a divine messenger intended to prepare the way of Christ; and his baptism unto repentance for the remission of sins, was designed in the wisdom of God as a preliminary step to lead to the more perfect baptism, the baptism not only of water, but of the Spirit by

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the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost." It is declared accordingly that as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts whether he were the Christ or not; John answered, saying unto them all, "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes, I am not worthy to unloose; he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire.”

Much has been said as to what was intended by the baptism of fire, and many fanciful interpretations have been given of it. Some have inferred from it the doctrine of purgatory, and tried to confirm it by what the Apostle says when he speaks of a person being "saved, yet so as by fire." But he speaks of spiritual baptism,—the fire of grace, as the context shows: "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you." The plain and obvious meaning of the words, " being baptized by the Holy Ghost and with fire," refers to the purification of the sinner's heart by the grace and power of Christ, for he is, as the prophet says, "as a refiner's fire and as fuller's soap," and “the Lord shall wash away the filth of the dwellers of Zion, and shall purge the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof, by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning." It is the prerogative of Christ to baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire. As fire enlightens, so does the Spirit of Christ with the light of divine truth; as fire kindles into a flame, so does the Spirit of Christ with the flame of divine love. As the fire purifies and refines, so does the Spirit of Christ refine and purify the sinner's heart. "I am