Mark, xii., 29, 30,] it was needful that the Israelites should have their hearts circumcised, [Deut. XXX., 6.] It was by cleansing them from their filthiness, and taking away their stony hearts and giving them hearts of flesh, and putting his spirit within them, that God caused them to walk in his statutes and to keep his judgments. [Eze. xxxvi., 25-27.] The true philosophy is, "make the tree good and the fruit will be good. Luke vi., 43-45.] Fruit is only another name for obedience. Good works follow that salvation which is of grace by faith; and unto them we are created in Christ Jesus; [Eph. ii., 8–10,] for men do not gather grapes of thorns, nor figs of thistles.

[Matt. xii., 33;

Now let a man be baptized while yet carnally minded and in his sins, and would God bless him in the deed? Nay: He would say, "Who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts?" [[Isa. i., 12.] "This people draw near to me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me." [Isa. xxix., 13; compare Matt. xv., 8.] No sight, it appears to me, could be more abhorrent to the Triune God than that of seeing an unsubdued, an unchanged, an unpardoned sinner receiving the sacred rite in his name!! As God can approve of no such procedure no more should his people.

And now, just as this investigation would lead us to expect, so do we actually find from the be

ginning of the New Testament to its close, neither precept nor example in favor of the baptism of any but believers. John the Baptist baptized such as brought forth "fruits meet for repentance," and came confessing their sins. [Matt. iii., 6-8.] Our blessed Master first made disciples and then baptized them. [John iv., 1, 2.] And as his harbinger and he practiced, so he afterwards commanded his apostles and all succeeding ministers to do.

"All power," said he, "is given unto me in heaven and earth, go therefore and disciple (Greek Mathteusate) all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." [Matt. xxviii., 19.] To disciple one according to this commission is to do precisely what the great apostle of the Gentiles was appointed to do, namely, to turn men from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God. [Acts xxvi., 18.] We cannot regard a man as discipled until he comes up to the full measure of the law of discipleship as laid down by the Master himself. [Luke xiv., 26, 27.] And until this much. is done we must proceed no farther; but as soon as evidence of faith is given, fruit meet for repentance is brought forth, and this love to the Saviour is evinced, then we are to baptise. This is the law; and to this the practice of the apostles attests. Let us proceed to examples::

The first example of baptism under this law is found in Acts ii., 41. The persons here baptized had previously been, by the preaching of Peter, "pricked in the heart,"-convicted of sin-had inquired what they should do, and had "gladly received the word." Now note the force of that word "gladly." It is the translation of the Greek word asmenos which signifies "with joy" or "in a joyful manner." [See Acts xxi., 17.] Such a glad reception of the truth indicates that final change of feeling which is produced by believing in Jesus Christ. The first sensation following conviction is that of conscious guilt and condemnation. The second is that of peace and joy following faith. "Whom having not seen ye love; and in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. [I Pe. i. 9.] Being justified by faith we have peace with God. Rom. v., 1.]

This example is a clear and full comment on the meaning of the law. Let us go to the second example :

Acts viii., 12. "But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women."

Observe that here only "men and women" were baptized. But not even these until they "believed Philip preaching the things concerning the

kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ." Does not this example remind you of the commission as recorded by Mark. "Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." [Mark xvi., 15, 16.] But a believer according to Mark is a disciple according to Matthew.

The third example is that of Simon. [v. 13.] Poor Simon! While we justify Philip in baptizing him on the ground of his profession of faith, his baptism, on account of his hypocrisy, brought upon him a curse instead of a blessing. While Philip observed the law so far as it concerned him as an administrator of the rite, Simon disregarded it so far as it concerned him as a subject. Therefore his baptism was nugatory. And I have no doubt that had Simon been afterwards converted he would have been re-baptized. But as he was, so he continued, "in the gall of bitterness and bonds of iniquity."

The fourth example is that of the Eunuch. [Acts viii., 37-39.] Well, the law was strictly observed in his case. (1.) Philip preached to him Jesus. (2.) The eunuch demanded baptism. (3.) Philip answered, "If thou believest with all thy heart thou mayest." (4.) He satisfied Philip on this point. (5.) Philip baptized him.*

*NOTE. It is a little remarkable that this is the only instance on record where such a requisition, as "if thou believ

The fifth example is that of Saul. [Acts ix., 17-19.] This case is every way extraordinary. Saul was not converted by the ordinary means. In his case Jesus himself was the preacher. [Compare Acts ix., 4-6; xxii., 6-8; and xxvi., 12-18.] Still he was made dependent upon an obscure disciple, Ananias, for physical relief and moral comfort; and for further instruction. This was well. It tested his humility. What a spectacle to see this gifted Pharisee, this proud, haughty persecutor, with a commission then in his pocket to bind and deliver into prison the disciples of Jesus, sitting at the feet of one of them, a helpless dependent pupil!! Ananias approached bim and said, "Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus who appeared to thee in the way as thou camest, hast sent me, that thou mayest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost." Indeed! Then what a mistake is made by the proclaimers of the "Current Reformation" when they tell us that Ananias was sent to Saul that he might receive "the remission of sins" !!!

Upon the imposition of the hands of Ananias Saul received his sight, and was filled with the Holy Ghost, and without hesitation arose and was baptized as a believer of course.

est with all thy heart thou mayest," was ever demanded of an applicant for baptism. Did not this result from the fact that Philip had so recently been imposed upon y Simon? Imposition begets caution!