administer the baptism of the Spirit.' Barclay's Apology, page 435.* دو See Consonant to this, are the expressions of the apostle Peter: "As I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said; John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost." How evidently clear it is, that Peter considered the Holy Ghost's falling on them at that time, through the medium of his ministry, to be Christ's baptism with the Holy Ghost; by his referring so immediately to it on this occasion. To this may be added other expressions of the same apostle : 66 unto us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you, by them that have preached the gospel unto you, with the Holy Ghost, sent down from heaven.' And I believe that down to the present day, a portion or measure of the baptismal influence of the Spirit of Christ, or Holy Ghost, is necessa 990 It is necessary to remark that the quotations aré taken from the old edition of Barclay's Apology. To make the pages of the old and new editions correspond, 11 pages must be added to the old. Acts xi. 15. 1 Peter i. 12. ry to constitute true gospel ministry, and does accompany it. 35, I will adduce one more passage of our accuser on this subject, where he says, page "To say that any man is endued "with power to baptize with the Holy "Ghost, is a bold presumption, because "Christ no where commands it; and it is "a bold blasphemy, because it is arrogating 66 a power that makes the man or minister "equal with Christ." I answer, he has asserted what he has not proved; in saying, Christ no where commanded it; for, Christ has commanded his disciples to teach and baptize: and, unless it is clearly proved from Scrpture, which I don't find has been, or can be done, that it was John's, or water baptism, that he commanded, the charge of blasphemy is presumption in this author. And I own, we as a society believe, that it was the baptism of the Holy Ghost, that Christ alluded to in the command, "Go, teach all nations, baptizing them," &c. and who will deny that Christ has power to enable his ministers to do whatever he commands? seeing he expressly told them: "all power is given unto me in Heaven and in earth--and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." And can it be justly styled presumption, to believe it possible to fulfil the commands of Christ? or that it makes a a man or minister equal with him, any more than speaking as they are moved of the Holy Ghost ;" or preaching with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven, as the apostle testified? I apprehend it is universally allowed by Christians, that the declaration of Christ, "ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost," was verified on the day of Penticost; when it is said, "they were all filled with the Holy Ghost." Peter was one of this company who were thus filled, and afterwards says, "as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning." Now, if on the day of Penticost, Christ's baptism was by himself immediately administered, so, also, it was, in this instance, instrumentally, through the apostle's ministry. Peter himself considered it so ; for, in consequence of this effect of his ministry on the hearers, he immediately recured to the promise; " ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost." Now, if we are guilty of blasphemy in ? Mat. xxviii. 20: 1 2 Pet. i. 21. believing that Christ's baptism with the Holy Ghost may, and doth accompany true gospel ministry, does it not implicate Peter also in the same charge? After our Saviour had blessed and broken the loaves, they were communicated to the multitude through the medium of the disciples; but the blessing and increase thereof were only his; in like manner, the baptizing power of the Holy Ghost, accompanying gospel ministry, is only from Him, who commanded his disciples to "teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost?"" Hibbard says, page 35, "Is it not a pity "that Quakers did not see a difference be"tween baptizing in the name of, and bap"tizing with the Holy Ghost." The name is a term, often used in Scripture, to signify the power and virtue; thus, baptizing in the name, we understand to be in the power and virtue of the spirit, which the apostles received, when the Holy Ghost was conferred upon them, not in water; it not being named, or implied, in the text. But as the apostles' hearts became replen Mat. xxviii. 19 'ished with this divine power and virtue, by which they were enabled to minister the word to others, it wrought on the hearts of the hearers, whereby these also became baptized into a feeling of the same divine life, power, and virtue, which accompanied the apostles, whose ministry was thus rendered effectual to the baptizing in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. It was by virtue of this name, that the apostles wrought miracles, not by any power or holiness which they as men possessed; as Peter declared, when the impotent man was healed; but "his name, through faith in his name" (i. e. the power of Christ) "hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know ;" and, by it, the sick were healed, and the dead raised. Were not these signs and wonders which were done by the apostles, as great an evidence of the divine power, as their ministry's being accompanied with the baptizing influence of his holy spirit, whereby it thus wrought on the minds of the hearers? Not that we believe any man or minister hath this power at all at his command, or can confer the same on whomsoever be chooses (as Hib |