The rites of purification prescribed by the Leviiical law were in no case commanded to be performed by immersion in the case of persons. Washing and bathing is prescribed, but there is no indication given by the words used, or otherwise, that these were performed by immersion, which was not the usual mode of bathing practiced in those countries. The hands and feet of the priests, whenever they appeared to minister before the Lord, were washed, Ex. xxx., 18-21, and their personal ablutions were performed at the brazen laver, 2 Chron. iv., 6, from which the water poured forth through spouts or cocks, 1 Kings vii., 27-39. On the other hand, purification was freely ordered to be effected by sprinkling of blood, ashes, or water, Lev. viii., 30 ; xiv., 7, and 51 ; Ex. xxiv., 5-8 ; Num. viii., 6, 7 ; Heb. ix., 12-22. Now, as Chris- tian baptism is a purification, and as it was instituted among the Jews, familiar with the Jewish forms of purification, it follows that a knowledge of those forms must throw much light upon the essential nature and proper mode of the Christian rite.
14. How may it be shown from 1 Cor. x., 1, 2, and from 1 Pet. iii., 20, 21, that to baptize does not mean to immerse ?
1 Cor. x., 1, 2. The Israelites are said to have been " bap- tized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea." Compare Ex. xiv., 19-31. The Israelites were baptized, yet went over dry-shod. The Egyptians were immersed, yet not baptized. Dr. Carson, p. 413, says, Moses " got a dry dip."
1 Pet. iii., 20, 21. Peter declares that baptism is the anti- type of the salvation of the eight souls in the ark. Yet their sal- vation consisted in their not being immersed.
15. Was the baptism of John Christian baptism ?
John was the last Old Testament prophet, Matt, xi., 13, 14. He came " in the spirit and power of Elias," Luke i., 17, in the garb, with the manners, and teaching the doctrine of the ancient prophets. He preached that the " kingdom of heaven was at hand/' and pointed to Jesus as the Lamb of God. His baptism
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was a purification, emblematic of repentance, which Christ had come to give, Acts v., 31.
It was not Christian baptism, because, 1st, it was not adminis- tered in the name of the Trinity. 2d. It was not a rite of initia- tion into any church, John himself belonging to the old economy. 3d. Those who had only received John's baptism were rebaptized by Paul, Acts xviii., 24-26 ; xix., 1-7.
16. What argument as to the proper mode of baptism is to be drawn from the record of the baptisms performed by John ?
1st. John's baptism was not the Christian sacrament, but a rite of purification administered by a Jew upon Jews, under Jewish law. From this we infer (1.) that it was not performed by immersion, since the Levitical purification of persons was not performed in that way ; yet (2.) that he needed for his purpose either a running stream as Jordan, or much water as at iEnon (or the springs), because under that law whatsoever an unclean person touched previous to his purification became unclean, Num. xix., 21, 22, with the exception of a "fountain or pit in which is plenty of water," Lev. xi., 36, which he could not find in the desert in which he preached. After the gospel dispensation was introduced we hear nothing of the apostles baptizing in rivers, or needing " much water" for that purpose.
2d. In no single instance is it stated in the record that John baptized by immersion. All the language employed applies just as naturally and as accurately to a baptism performed by affusion (the subject standing partly in the water, the baptizer pouring water upon the person with his hand.) The phrases " baptized in Jordan," " coming out of the water," would have been as accu- rately applied in the one case as in the other. That John's bap- tism was more probably performed by affusion appears (1.) from the fact that it was a purification performed by a Jewish prophet upon Jews, and that Jewish washings were performed by affusion. The custom was general then, and has continued to this day. (2.) This mode better accords with the vast multitudes bap- tized by one man, Matt, iii., 5, 6 ; Mark i., 5 ; Luke iii., 3-21. (3.) The very earliest works of Christian art extant represent the baptism of Christ by John as having been performed by affusion. — Dr. Armstrong's " Doctrine of Baptisms," Part II., Chap. III.
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17. What evidence is afforded by the instances of Christian baptism recorded in the New Testament ?