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We represent our Lord's sufferings and ascension by baptism in a pool.'

Justin Martyr, Questio 13. 7.

"By three immersions we represent the death of Christ.'

Basil the Greet, De Spiritu Sancto 15.

'Acts ii, 38: And be baptized; that is, let every one of you, struck with a sorrow for your sins, be plunged in the water; because that sacred immersion has been established by Christ.'

C. M Du Veil's Latin Works, Claude's translation.

The English Church practiced immersion down to the beginning of the 17th century, when a change to the method of sprinkling gradually took place, and in confirmation of this, see the first Liturgy published in 1547, which enjoins trine immersion.'

I. Floyer's Essay on baptism, p. 50.

'Feb. Saturday 21st, 1736, Mary Welch aged eleven days, was baptized according to the custom of the first church and the rule of the church of England, by immersion. Wednesday May 5th, 1736, I was asked to baptize a child of Mr. Parker, second balif of Savannah. But Mrs. Parker said, neither me nor Mr. Parker will consent to its being dipped. I answerd, if you will certify that the child is weak it will suffice, (the Rubric says,) to pour water on it. She replied, nay, the child is not weak; but I am resolved that it shall not be dipped. So I went home, and the child was baptized by another person.'

J. Wessley's Journal in his Works, Vol. 1, pp. 25–30.

'Immersion was practiced by the church for 1000 years, except in cases of dangerous illness."

Bishop Smith's Sermon, Lexington, Kentucky, in 1833 'We no where read in Scripture of any ones being baptized but by immersion; and from acts of councils and ancient Rituals, several authors have proved that this manner of immersion continued as much as possible to be used for 1300 years after Christ.'

Stackhouse' hist. of Bible, Book & Chapt. 1.

'We follow the example of the Apostles, who im

mersed the candidate under water.'

Critopulus Confession of Faith, shapt. 7.

'In the Greek Church, baptism is performed by immersion, and it is repeated three times.- -The Greeks so firmly believe that sprinkling of water on the head among us is not sufficient for baptism, that they rebaptize the Latins who embrace their communion.'

Tourneforts Voyages, Vol. 1, p. 132.

'Baptism is administered among the Armenians by immersion.' Tournefort's Voyage au Levant, Vol. 3, p. 247.

'Baptism relates to the death of Christ; the water answers to the grave, the immersion represents our dying with him, the emersion our rising with him.' Apostolic constitutions, Lib. 3, Chapt. 17. 'Baptism is an entire action, to wit, a dipping; and the pronouncing of these words, I baptize thee in the name of the Father &c.'

Saxon Conf. of Faith, by Melanc in 1551.

'All the Christians in Asia, all in Africa, and about one third part of Europe immerse.'

Dr. Wall's hist. of Bapt. Part 2, Chapt. 9, p. 477. 'I have heard a disputant of this stamp, in defiance of etymology and use, maintain that the word rendered baptize means more properly to sprinkle than to plunge. One who argues in this manner never fails, with persons of knowledge, to betray the cause they would defend; and though with respect to the vulgar, bold assertions succeed as well as arguments, yet candid minds will disdain to take the help of a falsehood even in support of truth.'

Dr. Campbell's Lecture on Pulpit Eloquence, p. 480.

'Baptizing in ancient times was by immersion; this is so plain and clear, from an infinite number of passages, that one can not but pity the weak endeavors of such pedobaptists as would maintain the negative of it.'

Dr. Wall's History of Baptism, vol. 2, p. 351. 'No honest man who understands the Greek language can deny the word (fantigo) to signify to dip.'

Dr. Owen's Posthumous Works, p. 581

"The disciples of cur Lord could understand his command in no other manner than as enjoining immersion, for the baptis:n of John, to which Jesus him

self submitted, and also the earlier baptism of the dis ciples of Jesus, were performed by dipping the subjeet into cold water, as is evident from Matt. iii. 6: εßαπCorto ev to loodavn, were baptized in Jordan. Matt. iii. 10: Ιεςοῦς ανέβη ευθυς απο του ύδατος, Jesus ascended out of the water.' Storrs' Bib. Theol.

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THAT baptism is explained as a burial and planting by God himself, is fatal to the sprinkling scheme; for how can a man be buried by putting a little water on his face. The Saviour foreseeing that some men would fall into this error, determined to leave them without excuse, therefore Paul was inspired to make two faithful comments on fartigo and its derivatives. That Rom. vi. 3-5, and Col. ii. 12, are such inspired explanations, is conceded by all intelligent pedobaptists, of which the following are specimens:-'Zvvoɑлt, to be buried as another has been buried, Rom. vi. 4, Zuver αυτω δια του βαπτιςματος εις τον θανατον αυτου. Col. ii. 12, Συνεταφέντες αυτώ εν τω βαπτισματι. He here compares the baptism of Christians, in which they were probably immersed in water, to the burial of Jesus, and as Jesus rose from the grave to a new and more exalted state of existence than he exhibited on earth, so their rising from the water,' &c. E. Robinson's Lex. Evv0αлT.

'Anciently those who were baptized, were immersed and buried in water to represent their death to sin, and then did rise up out of the water, to signify their entrance upon a new life, and to these customs the tle alludes, Rom. vi. 2—6.'

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Archbishop Tillotson's Works, vol. 1, p. 179.

"The plunging into water signifieth that we die and are buried with Christ as concerning the old life of sin.' Wm. Tyndall's Obedience of a Christian Man, p. 143.

'It seems the part of candor to confess that here is an allusion to the mauner of baptizing by immersion! Dr. Doddridge's Exposition, Romans vi. 3-4.

'Immersion was religiously observed by all Christians for thirteen centuries, and was changed into sprinkling without any authority from the author of this institution. It were to be wished that this custom were again in general use. Dr. Whitby's Comment. on Romans, vi. 4.

'Rom. vi. 4. There is here plainly a reference to the ancient mode of baptism by immersion, and I agree with Koppe and Rosenmuller that there is reason to regret it should have been abandoned by most christian churches.' Bloomfield's Critical Digest.

'In baptism, by a kind of analogy or resemblance, while our bodies are under the water we may be said to be buried with him.'

Bishop Nicholson's Exposition of Church Catechism, p. 174

'That baptism was performed not by sprinkling but by immersion is evident not only from the nature of the word, but from Rom. vi. 4.'

Prof. Fritsche's Comment. on Matthew iii. 6.

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The Savior's Baptism an Example for Believers.

'IF the baptism of Jesus Christ was intended as an example for Christians you ought to follow it.'

Wm. T. Hamilton's Anabaptism Disproved, p. 10.

'Baptism was instituted and consecrated by God, and the first that baptized was John who dipped Christ in the water in Jordan.'

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Helvetia Conf. Faith, written by Bucer, A. D. 1536: repub. Zurich, A. D. 1566. Jesus submitted to be baptized, that is buried under the water, by John, and to be raised out of it again, as an emblem of his future death and resurrection.'

Macknight's Apostolic Epistles, note on Rom. vi. 4

'Our Lord would be baptized that he might conciliate authority to the baptism of John, that by his example he might commend and sanctify our baptism.'

Witsius.

'Matt. iii, 15, Thus it becometh us, &c. We never find that Jesus spake of himself in the plural number, and we must therefore allow he meant John also, and all God's servants. It became Christ, our surety and example, perfectly to fulfil all righteousness: and it becometh us to walk in God's commandments without exception.' Dr. Scott's Comment.

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Some persons think they must wait a while after they are converted, to see if they can live like a Christian, before they are baptized. But this is evidently wrong; for how can we live like a Christian in disobedience. In the Savior's commands there is no duty enjoined between believing and being baptized: Matt. xxviii. 19, Teach all nations, baptizing them.' Mark xvi. 16, 'He that believeth and is baptized.' Accordingly in the practice of the apostles there are examples of persons being baptized the same hour of the night in which they believed; and there is no example of any waiting as long as three days, excepting Paul, Acts ix. 3-19: verse 9, And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink;' yet Ananias se verely rebuked him for delaying his baptism so long: Acts xxii. 16, 'Now why tarriest thou, arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins.' Acts ix. 18-19, 'And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales, and he received sight forthwith, and arose and was baptized, and when he had received meat he was strengthened.' Paul's being blind and so ill as not to take any food, would appear like an apology for his delaying baptism; yet the Holy Spirit moved Ananias to make no allowance, but to rebuke his delay: Now why tarriest thou.' In all other instances where the ordinance is mentioned we find that the convert

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