all his preaching and in the mission he gave his disciples, were all confined to the circle of the law, or to the Jewish Church. But when we notice the preaching of John, of Christ and of his apostles, together with the transfiguration of Christ, all speak of the kingdom of God as then, yet to come. The length and duration of the law, the order of the tabernacle, &c. all show that not one type was fulfilled short of the cross. And now, dear reader, I think that all the preaching of John and the apostles, with the supernatural power of God, in the rending of the temple vail, with the descent of the Holy Ghost, all tend to show that the kingdom of God, or the true christian dispensation should commence with the gift of the Holy Ghost. In the pouring out of the Spirit, upon the days of pentecost, says J. EDWARDS, "began the first great dispensation which is called Christ's coming in his kingdom*" and to put the matter beyond a doubt, I leave the divine prediction of Daniel to establish it. This is the time to commence the true christian dispensation, and the most eventful time to distinguish the christian religion, from all other times, or religion. The prophecy of John is now fulfilled, which spake, saying, "HE shall baptize you with the HOLY GHOST and with FIRE,"

* See Redemption, p. 256.

CHAP. IIL

The commission given to the disciples did not include water-baptism, but the baptism of the Spirit, which was to attend the word preached.-The apostles did not baptize with water by virtue of the commission, but they simply baptized as John did, they baptized in the faith of the Messiah, and that without respect to the Spirit.-Five reasons why the commission should not be understood to mean water-baptism.

WE shall next turn our attention, to the commission which was given to the disciples, to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. It is from this commission that many feel themselves warranted, in the use of water baptism: but I shall endeavor to show my candid and unprejudiced reader, that this commission had no reference to the baptism of water, but to that baptism of the Spirit; the very baptism which belongs to Christ's own dispensation.

As I have proposed a careful investigation of the scriptures of truth; I shall take the liberty to collect what is said relative to this commission from the evangelists Mark, Luke and John; whereas, others have noticed but that small part mentioned. Mat. xxviii. 19.

That we may understand this commission it is necessary to take particular notice of all that was said by Christ to his disciples previous to his sufferings, as well as that which he said to them, after his resurrection.

Our Saviour before he and his disciples had left the chamber wherein they had eaten the passover, informed his disciples of his death: all felt sorrowful for that which was about to take place. The doctrine and instruction of the CONSOLATORY LORD stands recorded in 15th and 16th chapter of John. The 17th chapter is a note of that feeling petition put forth by Christ to his Father, for the protection, comfort and oneness of his disciples with himself and with his Father.

Though Christ had frequently taught his disciples that before his kingdom could come he must die and be rejected of men,yet they did not understand that it was expedient for him to suffer. And though he had told them frequently, "Nevertheless," (he says to them again,) "I tell you the truth; it is expedient that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you."-John, xvi. 7. Having declared the absolute necessity of his death, he also promised them, that he would rise from the dead, and that he would go before them into Galilee and meet them there. After Christ was crucified, the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain as Jesus had appointed them.— Matth, xxviii. 16.

This meeting was absolutely necessary, as the things which transpired thereat could not take place previous to the death and resurrection of Christ, as appears from Luke, xxiv. 44." And he said unto them these are the

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words which I spoke unto you while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses, andin the prophets, and the psalms concerning me." It was necessary that all should be fulfilled and that they should witness his death and resurrection, that they might witness the same to all nations. All this being necessary, it was with the greatest propriety that this meeting be appointed, and the giving of the.. commission be deferred as the law and the prophets could not be fulfilled, nor the Holy Ghost given, but by his death and sufferings. And as the Holy Ghost was not given it was impossible that the apostles should be furnished with that baptizing power which was to attend, and qualify them, to preach under the new dispensation. But as all things are now fulfilled, the temple's vail is rent-the way is found into the Holiest of all-and as the priests of the law entered their ministry by blood, so has Christ-were they anointed? so God has anointed Jesus with the Holy Ghost. Wherefore he begins the commission, as follows:

Thus it is written, and thus it behoveth me to suffer and to rise from the dead, the third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name TO ALL NATIONS, BEGINNING AT JERUSALEM, and ye are witnesses of these things, and behold I send the promise of my Father upon you.-Luke, xxiv. 49, &c. All power is given into my hands in Heaven

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and in Earth, Matth. xxviii. 18, as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you *** whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them, and whosesoever sins ye retain they are retained.-John, xx. 23, &c. John truly baptized with water: but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence : **** shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you.-(Acts, i. 5, 8.) Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. (Math. xxviii. 19.) Preach the gospel to every creature, he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe. In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them. They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. (Mark, xvi. 15, 16. &c.)

The above reading, I think is the true reading of that commission which was given to the disciples. And no part of this reading can be reasonably dispensed with. For though it does not stand together we are not to take the testimony of any one of the evangelists and not notice the other. But as this conversation all passed after the resurrection of Christ, and as it refers particularly to the commission, we can but in justice believe one of the evangelists, as well as the other, and it is not possible that we can do the commission justice in any other way.