19. Lecture XVIII; Baptisms at Corinth, Ephesus, and Rome.

LECTURE XVIII.

BAPTISMS AT CORINTH, UNTO MOSES, AT EPHESUS, AND AT ROME.

"And he departed thence, and entered into a certain man’s house, named Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue. And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing, believed, and were baptized." — Acts 18:7-8.

"For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius; lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name. And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other. For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Gospel."— 1Co 1:11-17.

"Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea. And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea."— 1Co 10:1-2.

"Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?"— 1Co 15:29.

“I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the first fruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,) that ye submit yourselves unto such." — 1Co 16:15. The record here harmonises with the commission and the preceding examples. It both illustrates and confirms the doctrine of the design of baptism. The historian tells us “that Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord, with all his house; and that many of the Corinthians hearing, believed, and were baptized." The baptism of the Corinthians signified that they believed what they had heard; and although the baptism of the household of Crispus be not mentioned, yet there is no doubt that they also were special examples of the design of baptism, as a symbol of the application of the truth to the individuals baptized. The same doctrine is illustrated and confirmed in the account of the divisions or schisms at Corinth. “Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you but Crispus and Gaius: lest any should say, that I had baptized in mine own name." The words, “in the name," are the same here as in the commission. Their import is plainly this, that had the Corinthians been baptized into the name of A polios or Cephas, their being so baptized would have signified that they were to take their instructions from Apollos or Cephas. Had the Corinthians been baptized into the name of Paul, their being so baptized would have signified that they acknowledged Paul for their ruler, and that they purposed to take their instructions from him. On the same principle, their being baptized into the name of Christ, signified that they acknowledged Christ as their teacher, and purposed to take all their instructions from him.

We have another striking illustration of the design of baptism in the account of the Israelites passing through the Red Sea: “Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea. And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea." The preposition is the same as in the passage last quoted, and in the commission. This baptism in, into, or unto Moses, plainly implies, that they followed Moses under the cloud and through the Red Sea, in the faith that he was a leader sent them from God, and that they intended to be guided by his authority. The words in the Old Testament history are these: Exo 14:30, “Thus the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea-shore. And Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians; and the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord, and his servant Moses." This they did before; but their faith was confirmed by this event. Their passing through the sea, under the cloud, was the symbol of their faith. It was their baptism unto Moses:" they acknowledged him to be the servant appointed by the Lord to instruct and lead them. Our baptism into Christ is of the same import. It is the symbol that we receive him as our Prophet, Priest, and King.

2ndly, The qualifications of the baptized, according to the narrative of the baptisms at Corinth, are knowledge and faith. In obedience to his commission, Paul commenced his labors by preaching at Corinth. “After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth. And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and Greeks, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.’’ His labors were blessed, and many believed. “And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord, with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing, believed, and were baptized."

3dly, The privileges of the baptized, also, are illustrated by the example. 1Co 15:17-18, “If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain, ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If Christ be not raised, what shall they do who are baptized for the dead, (for Christ), if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead — which Christ must be, if there be no resurrection? Their baptism into Christ represents their deliverance from sin and all its consequences. Their baptism, for one for ever dead, would have been vain. If they were baptized for the dead, they were yet in their sins. But if Christ were risen, their baptism represented that they were no longer in their sins; their hopes of salvation were not in vain. Such are the privileges of the baptized, according to this example, and these privileges are also illustrated by the Israelites’ baptism unto Moses. The deliverance of the literal Israel typified and prefigured the deliverance of such as are Israelites indeed. On the duties of the baptized this example contains nothing peculiar, except that the baptism of the Israelites unto Moses represented their obligations to obey him; as our baptism into Christ represents our obligations to follow and obey him.

4thly, This example confirms the doctrine of the necessity of being baptized, without unnecessary delay after we have believed. Between our faith and our baptism no unnecessary delay ought to intervene. Like the Corinthians, hearing, we should believe; and believing, we should be baptized. The passage quoted from the 10th of First Corinthians has been urged in support of infant sprinkling. The children passed through the sea, along with their parents, and neither the one nor the other were plunged in it; they were sprinkled by the cloud, but not immersed in the sea. Supposing that this assertion were true, it will not follow that, under the Gospel, infants ought to be sprinkled. Corporeal acts suited a carnal dispensation, and prefigured a dispensation that requires the worship of God in spirit and in truth. The fact, however, is misrepresented. The Scriptures, neither by Moses nor by Paul, speak of the Israelites being sprinkled. Paul says they were immerged in the sea and in the cloud. As to the children passing through the sea with their parents, it no more proves that children ought to he baptized, than the passage of the mixed multitude and the cattle with the Israelites, proves an absurdity too gross to be mentioned. As to the mode, Paul everywhere uses the word “baptize," which signifies to immerse. As to the subjects, the narrative is particular, it is even minute; but it makes no mention of infants or of their baptism. “And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house, and many of the Corinthians hearing, believed, and were baptized" — why not add — with their infants? Every thing repaired the addition, had infants been baptized. It is, however, not made. There can be but one reason. No infants were baptized at Corinth.

Before I conclude these remarks, allow me to add, that by the words, “baptized households," we must understand the believing part of the household. The household of Crispus was, I have no doubt, baptized; but the household of Crispus believed. “And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord, with all his house." The conversion of whole households was, even under the preaching of the apostles, no ordinary occurrence. When it did occur, it is recorded; sometimes, as here, under the head of faith; and sometimes under the head of baptism. The Spirit has thus taught us, by circumstantial description, how we are to understand his more summary and general expressions.

Acts 19:1 — 7, “And it came to pass, that, while A polios was at Corinth, Paul, having passed through the upper coasts, came to Ephesus; and finding certain disciples, he said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. And all the men were about twelve."

Eph 4:4, “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism." The design of baptism, both as to matter and expression, is here exhibited nearly as in the commission. They were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. These Ephesians were baptized into the faith, hope, and obedience of the Gospel. Their baptism was a symbol of the application of the truth to themselves. As John taught that men should believe in Christ when he should come; so the Apostles taught that men should believe in him as having actually come. The qualifications for baptism, according to this example, are the knowledge and belief of this truth. “Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus." They heard and believed what Paul told them; and in evidence that they believed, they were baptized. Respecting the privileges of the baptized, it is stated that the Ephesians received the Holy Ghost. This narrative increases the evidence, that men after believing ought to be baptized without unnecessary delay. As soon as these disciples heard Paul’s discourse, they believed, and were baptized. “When they heard this they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus." The mode of administering the ordinance is the same as before. These disciples were baptized, that is, according to the meaning of the word, they were immersed into the name of the Lord Jesus.

There are two peculiarities in this case, and before we leave it, their bearings on practice must be noticed. 1st, These twelve men were twice baptized, once into John’s baptism; and afterwards, into the name of the Lord Jesus. The difference between these baptisms has been marked; and though it was comparatively small, the one baptism did not supersede the necessity of the other. Let it be recollected that infant sprinkling is no baptism, and we have satisfactory evidence, that although sprinkled in infancy, we are bound, like these Ephesians, to be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. The unity of baptism forms the other peculiarity. The apostle says “There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism." According to this doctrine, either the baptism of believers, or of infants, must be rejected. The immersion of believers is scriptural baptism, and as there is but one baptism, that of infants must be rejected.

We have an account of twelve men baptized at Ephesus, but none of infant sprinkling.

Rom 6:1-4; Rom 6:11, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life — Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." This passage harmonizes with the commission as to the design of baptism. It is the symbol of the application of the truth to the individual baptized. To be baptized into the death of Christ is by our baptism, to signify that we receive the truth concerning His death for practical purposes. On this design of their baptism, accordingly, Paul founds Ins exhortations to the baptized Romans. Had not the application of the truth to the baptized been represented by their baptism, the exhortations would be misapplied. The qualifications for baptism, according to this passage, are understanding and faith. To be baptized into the death of Christ implies, that the truth respecting Christ, in general, and his death and resurrection, in particular, is understood and believed.

Both the privileges and duties connected with baptism are strongly marked. The privilege is implied in the words read, and expressed in the 14th verse, “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace." The duties are repeatedly expressed in the context. Ver. 4, “Therefore Ave are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." Ver. 12, “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof; neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto .God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God." On both the privileges and duties connected with baptism, the context is full and explicit.

Infant sprinkling receives no countenance from this passage. The apostle is guarding the Romans against abusing the doctrine of justification by free grace: “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?" He urges their baptism as a motive to the contrary: “Let not sin, therefore, reign in your mortal body." Infants are incapable of using or abusing the doctrines of grace, and equally incapable of being influenced by motives taken from baptism. The words read contain a clause which goes directly to exclude infants “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death?" Not a person, therefore, had been baptized at Rome, who was not capable of listening to the exhortations in this chapter. But this is not all. Paul classes himself with these Romans; he classes himself with all the baptized throughout the world: “Know ye not, that as many of us," (us baptized Christians.) There was not a baptized individual throughout the world who was not concerned in these things; no infant, of course, had, when this epistle was written, been admitted to baptism. In Rom 15:19, the apostle tells us how many had become disciples: “So that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the Gospel of Christ." Yet throughout all this extent of the world, and during the thirty years that had elapsed since Christ entered on his public ministry, not a single infant had been baptized: “Know ye not, that so many of us as have been baptized into Jesus Christ, have been baptized into his death." The language of this passage is so descriptive of immersion, that it has attracted general attention. To baptize, is to immerse. “Know ye not, that so many of us as were immersed into Jesus Christ were immersed into his death; therefore we are buried with him by immersion into death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life; for if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection." There are two objections, but neither of them of consequence. As to that drawn from the matter, it may be asked, why this language was used? the matter could have been expressed in different language. As to that drawn from the 5th verse, — “That a similar use of figures frequently occurs in the Scriptures;" the] figure in the 5th verse is obviously employed to strengthen the idea in the 4th verse, — our union with Christ, and conformity to him in his death, burial, and resurrection, represented by immersion in water, and rising out of it. It has been well said, that had not baptism been administered by immersion, we had never heard of these expressions, being buried with him by immersion into death, and rising with him to newness of life. The language is in harmony with all that has hitherto occurred on the mode of baptism. The symbol graphically describes the truths which it is employed to represent. The words and the facts of Scripture prove that baptism was, in the time of the apostles, administered by immersion, and such allusions as these in the passage before us, tend not a little to strengthen the proof.

I have only to add, that if our conduct is to be determined by the examples in Scripture, we must be baptized after believing. The Romans believed, and were baptized in testimony of their faith and its consequences.