to his godly wisdom: "Paul may plant and Apollos water," but it is "God only who giveth the increase." The same Spirit sanctifies the waters of every place, and when consecrated to baptism by fervent and earnest prayer, in true faith, will equally avail as the means of conveying grace to the soul. Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administration, but the same Lord, and there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all."

The gifts of grace are manifold, they vary more or less in all the children of God. Some are more distinguished by one gift, and some by another, but whatever may be the spiritual gift, they all proceed from the same fountain of life. "All these worketh that one and the self-same spirit dividing severally as he will. For as the body is one and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body-so also is Christ. For by one spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.”

There is another point in respect to baptism

which, though not essential to it as a Christian sacrament, yet is of very high moment as to its solemnity, that it be ministered in public. The church of Christ has observed it from the beginning as a public act. The baptism of John, although it was solemnized in the wilderness, yet it was always observed as a public act. "There

went out unto him all the land of Judea and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the River Jordan." It is evident that it was a public ministry performed in the desert, and he at once addressed all the multitude that came forth to be baptized. He spoke to the people at large as well as to the publicans and soldiers, and all the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John whether he were the Christ or not. It is evident that the baptism of Christ was solemnized in public. It was when the multitude was present, and many of the Pharisees and Sadducees came to John's baptism, that Jesus came from Galilee to Jordan unto John to be baptized of him; and it was to the Priests and Levites, and to others who were present, that John publicly pointed him out as the "Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world." As John's baptism was ministered in public, so

too was that of Christ and his Apostles. There are several passages of Scripture in which it is said that Christ and his disciples admitted converts into his church by baptism. It was some time after his own baptism in the river Jordan and after he had declared to Nicodemus, "that except a man be born of water and the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God," that he was so engaged. "After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judea, and there he tarried with them and baptized.” "Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying. And they came unto him, and said, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou bearest witness, behold the same baptizeth, and all men come to him." It evidently shews it to have been a public act, and it was to avoid the publicity which his baptism had made, that he thought it needful at the time to retire from the scene-" When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples, he left Judea, and departed again into Galilee."

It seems evident from the baptism of John,

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and that of Christ, that this holy ordinance of consecration, a solemn admission into the church was intended to be public. And so as far as circumstances would allow, it seems to have been publicly solemnized in the primitive church, as on the day of Pentecost, when they that gladly received the word of Peter were baptized, "and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.” And again “ when the people of Samaria believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women." It was a public act also when Cornelius with "his kinsmen and near friends," and "all who heard the word," were "baptized in the name of the Lord," when Lydia and her household was baptized," and when the jailor was "baptized he and all his," when many of the Corinthians "believed and were baptized," and when" certain disciples" at Ephesus "were baptized, in the name of the Lord Jesus;" "and all the men were about twelve." Baptism continued to be observed as a public act in the early church. Justyn Martyr in his apology for the Christians thus declares, that after prayer and fasting, the persons who are to be baptized are

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brought to a place where there is water, and are there regenerated in the same manner as other Christians have been regenerated; for they make a lavation (i. e. a washing) in the water, in the name of the Father of all and Lord God, and of our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit. For Christ himself said, Except ye be born again, ye cannot enter into the kingdom of of heaven."

Tertullian speaks of it also as a public solemn act-' when about to enter into the water, we again as before in the church under the hand of the priest, make a joint attestation to renounce the devil and all his works.' The novels of Justitian and the ancient councils speak of baptism as a public act, and we know that in early-churches it was the custom to solemnize it at the greater festivals, especially Easter and Whitsunday. The rubric of the Church of England accordingly requires that it should be public, declaring that it is most convenient that baptism should not be administered but upon Sundays and other holy days, when the most number of people come together, as well for the congregation there present may testify the receiving of them that be newly baptized, into the number of Christ's Church; as also because in the baptism of infants,