THE ΤΟ SPECTATORS OF A BAPTISM. "THEN Cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbade 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."Matt. iii. 13-17. We learn from the above, that the LORD JESUS CHRIST did not consider it beneath his dignity to attend to this ordinance; yea, rather, that he desired to "fulfil all righteousness" by submitting to it. Of those who are disposed to despise this sacred ordinance, in the name of God, and in the name of the blessed Redeemer, we inquire, 1st. What is it you despise? Is it a vestige of Judaism, or Paganism, or Popery? Is it an institution of modern date, and of human invention? Is not the baptism of believers clearly pointed out in the New Testament? Are you not there told that the Lord Jesus said, Teach all nations, before he said anything about baptizing them ?-Matt. xxviii. 19; and, He that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved ?—Mark xvi. 16. Are you not told that they that gladly received his word were baptized?—Acts ii. 41: that, when they believed, they were baptized, both men and women ?-Acts viii. 12, 13. Now these persons, you see, could not be infants, for infants cannot believe. The apostles of the Lord Jesus, as well as himself, required belief before baptism. When a man of much consequence once asked what hindered his being baptized, Philip answered him, "If thou believest with all thine heart thou mayest," as much as saying, "If thou dost not thus believe, thou mayest not."-Acts viii. 37. And you are not informed that those who thus believed were sprinkled: they were dipped. You are told they were baptized in Jordan, Matt iii. 6; that the persons went down into the water, Acts viii. 38; that they came up out of the water, Matt. iii. 16, Acts viii. 39; and that they were buried by and in baptism, Rom. vi. 3, 4, Coloss. ii. 12. Have you ever read the four evangelists, and the Acts of the Apostles, with serious attention; and can it be possible for you to revile what you must see Jesus and his apostles taught and practised, and what is thus repeatedly and strongly recommended and enforced in almost every part of the New Testament Scriptures? If you can neglect or despise an ordinance which was appointed of Go himself, sanctioned, and reappointed by our blessed SAVIOUR, witnessed and approved by the descent of the HOLY SPIRIT, at the baptism of our Lord in the river Jordan, (see Matt. iii. 16, and John i. 33) ask yourselves what sort of obedient christians you are. But 2nd. Whom do you despise? You may think that it is only a few ignorant and deluded enthusiasts. Stop, and inquire by what and whose authority do these people act? Did not God himself send John to baptize ?-John i. 33. Did not Jesus submit to this authority, and say, “Thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness ?-Matt. iii. 15. Did not Jesus, after his resurrection from the dead, say, "All power is given to me in heaven and in earth; Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost ?"-Matt. xxviii. 18— 20. Is not Jesus to be your Judge? Are you not to give an account to him of every action, word, and thought? How then will you be able to abide the day of his coming? To those who trust to having been sprinkled in their infancy. Solemnly ask yourselves, Is not religion a personal concern? Was the sprinkling you underwent in infancy any act of yours? Had those persons who imposed it upon you any authority from the word of God for so doing, and for the vows and promises they made in your name? how then can you rest satisfied, and venture your eternal salvation on such a sandy foundation? How can you believe such a flat contradiction to common sense, to plain scripture, and matter of fact, as that you were made "members of Christ, children of God, and inheritors of the kingdom of heaven," in what was falsely called your "baptism," and concerning which you knew nothing, and were incapable of knowing anything? Do not the scriptures say, "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus ?-Gal. iii. 26. And does not Jesus declare that, "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven," or see the kingdom of God ?-Matt. xviii. 3. John iii. 3. 66 To those who profess to be enlightened, and converted to God. You profess to know the gospel, and the way of salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. You profess to love the Lord Jesus in sincerity, and to desire that his kingdom may prosper; and yet some of you defend the sprinkling of infants. How can you venture to do this without the least warrant from the Word of God? O consider the absurdity, the ingratitude, and the sin in which you are involved, in maintaining and defending a practice which tends to diffuse the essence of Popery, which encourages the ignorance, superstition and wickedness of thousands; and has proved, and will prove, so far as it operates, the greatest bar to the conversion of sinners; and which thus involves them in final and eternal ruin! Moreover, how can you lightly esteem, neglect, and teach others to despise, the plainest institution of Jesus? an institution which is declared in scripture to be "the counsel of God," and which, if rejected, is "against yourselves," and will be at your peril.-Luke vii. 30. Some of you, however, disapprove of infant sprinkling, and admit the propriety of believers' baptism; but yet, through motives of fear, shame, or attachment to present connections, you neglect to obey the command of Jesus yourselves. But how can you rest satisfied in neglecting so easy a command,— a command given by so great, so holy, and so good a Saviour? Whom do you fear? Whom need you fear if you serve and please the Lord? Why do you not, most of all, fear his displeasure, who created, who supports, and who has redeemed you? If shame hinder you, think seriously of what you are ashamed! Of whom are you ashamed? Is it of JESUS, and of his word, ways, and ordinances? If so, where is your faith, your love, your christianity? Remember he says, "Whosoever, therefore, shall be ashamed of me, and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father, with the holy angels."-Mark viii. 38. Are you attached to those who reject this holy and significant ordinance, and feel it difficult to break or loosen these cords of attachment? Think, for once, to whom you should be most strongly attached! To those who strictly and couscientiously "follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth," or to those who speak lightly, and perhaps contemptuously, of a practice which has the highest sanction of any positive institution whatsoever? Let conscience be influenced by the Word of God, and act in conformity to its unbiased dictates. Do your duty, and leave the event with God. Be ready to leave, not only friends, but father and mother, wife and children, and all earthly possessions, and even to sacrifice life itself, for the sake of Christ and the gospel; and you have the promise that you "shall receive an hundred fold now, in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come, eternal life.”Mark x. 29, 30. JESUS! and shall it ever be, A mortal man ashamed of thee! Asham'd of thee, whom angels praise, Asham'd of Jesus! sooner far Asham'd of Jesus! just as soon Asham'd of Jesus! that dear friend Asham'd of Jesus! yes, I may, Till then-nor is my boasting vain, That Christ is not asham'd of me! LEICESTER: BAPTIST DEPOSITORY FOR TRACTS AND SABBATH SCHOOL PUBLICATIONS. PRINTED AND SOLD BY J. F. WINKS, HIGH STREET. No. 7.-ONE SHILLING PER 100. Catalogues Gratis, on Receipt of One Postage Stamp. It is pleasing to trace the various circumstances in the life and death of the Son of God, and from each of these, to learn those delightful lessons which they were intended to impart. The narrative of his private life, embracing the first thirty years of his sojourn on earth, is but briefly detailed in the sacred books, it being the chief design of the Holy Spirit to make us acquainted with the events of his public ministry, and his death. Hence we find that, after a short sketch of his youthful history, we are speedily introduced to his ministerial labours. Im It is an interesting inquiry-in what manner, and by what act, did Christ come out from his privacy, and enter upon the discharge of the great object of his mission? The answer is, by his immersion. This puts a high honour, and stamps a peculiar dignity, upon this christian institution, and excites a deep interest as to the particulars of this first act in the public life of the Messiah. mersion was his public appointment to office-his inauguration. In this act he was solemnly recognized and set apart by the Father, as his Son-the anointed Onethe Saviour promised to the fathers. But why was immersion chosen for his inauguration? Why not anointed with oil most precious? and crowned with a mitre or diadem of finest gold and richest jewels? and invested with robes of splendid magnificence? Why descend into Jordan, and be buried beneath its waters? The reason is obvious. He came not to establish an earthly sovereignty, "My kingdom," said he, "is not of this |