(c) The Minister in baptism is not determined ; and lay baptism is in much the same position as infant baptism. It can be neither proved nor disproved from Scripture. The commission to baptize was given in the first instance to the Eleven (Mt 28""*), but we are not sure that no others were present. Moreover, it is in virtue of Christ's presence ('Lo, I am with you alwav') that they have the right to baptize ; and tliis presence cannot be confined to the apostles. We are not told who baptized the three thousand at
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Pnntecost ; and the apostles, if tliey baptized any, can hardly have baptized them all. Apparently, Ananias baptized St. Paul, but this is not clear (Ac 22"). He was 'a certain disciple' (9'"), and ' a devout man according' to the law ' (22"), and presumably a layman. I'eter commanded Cornelius and his company to be baptized (lU"); and we a,s.sume that it was done by the brethren from Joppa, who ar<; not said to be presbyters or deacons. Troiii the silence of Scripture respecting' the minister on these and other occasions, we may infer that an ordained minister is not essential.
(</) The liite is nowhere described in detail ; but the element was always water, and the mode of usin;; it wa-s commonly immersion. The sjT.ibolism of the ordinance required this. It was an act of purilication ; and hence the need of water. A death to sin was expressed bj' the plunge beneath the water, and a rising ajjain to a life of ri<,'bteous- ness by the return to li^'ht and air; and hence the appropriateness of immersion. Water is mentioned in \c 8-» lu", Eph 5-«, He 10'-; and there is no mention of any other element. Immersion is im- plied in Ro ti' and Col 2'-. l>at immersion was a desirable symbol rather than an e.s.sential. In the pri.son at I'hilippi it can hardly have been possible ; and it is not very probable in the house of Cornelius. Wherever larj;e nuiiibersof both sexes were baptized, the dilliculty of total immersion in each case must have been frreat. And if immersion better ex- presses the cleansin;; of the whole man, pouring; better expresses the outpourini; of the Spirit, whose operation Ls not (lej)en<lent upon the amount of water, nor upon the manner of its application. Comp. Cyprian, Ep. Ixi.x. 12.
As to the form of words used in baptizing, what has been said above may almost sutlice. If from the first there was only one form, that form was Trinitarian ; from the 2nd century it was certainly the only form. Justin's evidence (Apol. i. 61) has been quoted, and Tertullian describes the practice in his day : ncc semel, sed tcr, ad singula nomina in personas singulas tinguimur {Adv. Prax. xxW. ). Wherever St. Matthew's Gospel was received the Trinitarian formula would become oblii,'atorj' ; and that carries us back Ion;; before Justin Martyr. Hut it is po.s-sible that for a time the form of words varied.
The 'anointing' (2 Co P', 1 Jn 2^) probably refers to baptism ; but to anointing with the Spirit, not with oil. Yet unction at baptLsm is as old as Tertullian {De linpt. vii. ). The 'sealing' (2 Co 1^, Eph 1"4*') also may refer to baptism, but not to signing with tlie cross : t) a<ppayU oiV tA P5wp ^(rTii/ (Hennas, Sim. ix. 16. 4). \\ hether ' the good confe.s.Hion in the sight of many witnesses' (I Ti IJ") refers to a profession of faith at Timothy's baptism (Ewald, Hausratb, I'lleiderer), is uncertain; the many witnesses point rather to ordination (Iloltz- mann). That the diliicult passage 1 P H^' refers to the answers or pledges maile by the candidates at baptism, is very doubtful.
V. TlIK UOCTKINK OF ClIUISTIAN HaPTISM. — Scripture teaches that baptism, rightlj- adminis- tered to those who are quatilied by repentance and faith to receive it, has variims benelicial results. The.se are closelj' connected, either as cause and elfect, or as joint effects, or a.s dill'erent aspects of the same fact. Hut they are capable of analysis and of separate treatment. They are mainly (1) Itegeneration or New Birth, (2) Divine .^Hilialion, (.'?) Cleansing from Sin, (4) Admis.sion to the Churcli, (."i) Union with Christ, (6) Gift of the S] irit, (7) Salvation.
• In th« Ba^item Ohuivheii trine Immoniion s regarded as tho only vRltil fiimi of bnptlHiri ; and Iho CntechlHin expliilnii tliat ' this trine immersion iH n ttu'nr« of tlic tliri'e d;iys' l>'irlal of our Bavlour, and of UU resurrection ' (Mos< liake, p. 4'J).
(1) Christ Himself said, 'Except a man be born anew [titivr^drj &vw$(i'), he cannot see the kingdom of God ' ; and He explained this as meaning, ' Except a man be born of water and the Spirit ' (Jn 3^-'), which until Calvin's day had universally been interpreted as referring to baptism. The metaphor was not new. Jews spoke ol the admis- sion of proselytes to Israel as a ' new birth.' ' Art thou the teacher of Israel, and understandest not these things?' (Jn 3'"), perhaps refers to this com- mon use of the phrase. But in any case ' water and Spirit ' refer to the outward si-'n and inward gift at baptism as effecting a new birth. This is confirmed by St. Paul's 'laver o/ regeneration [Xovrpoi' vaXiyyiyealas) and renewing of the Holy Spirit' (Tit 3'), which also was universally understood as meaning baptism. And baptism is called ' washing of regeneration,' not merely becavise it symbolizes it, or pledges a man to it, but also, and chiefly, because it etlects it (Holtzmann, Huther, Ptleiderer, Weiss).