But though Jesus Christ received the baptism of John, that he might fulfil all righteousness, others received it as the baptism of repentance from sins, that they might be able to enter the kingdom that was at hand.  This baptism, however, was not initiative into the Christian church.  For the Apostles rebaptized some who had been baptized by John.  Those, again, who received the baptism of John, did not profess faith in Christ, John again, as well as his doctrines, belonged to the Old Testament.  He was no minister under the new dispensation, but the last prophet under the law.  Hence Jesus said, that though none of the prophets “were greater than John the baptist, yet he that is least in the kingdom of Heaven is greater than he.”  Neither did he ever hear the Gospel preached; for Jesus did not begin his ministry till John had been put into prison, where he was beheaded by the orders of Herod.  John, in short, was with respect to Jesus, what Moses was with respect to Joshua.  Moses, though he conducted to the promised land, and was permitted to see it from Mount Nebo, yet never entered it, but gave place to Joshua, whose name, like that of Jesus, signifies a Saviour.  In the same manner John conducted to Jesus Christ.  He saw him once with his own eyes, but he was never permitted, while alive, to enter into his spiritual kingdom.

SECT.  II.

Second baptism, or that of Christ—­This the baptism of the gospel—­This distinct from the former in point of time; and in nature and essence—­As that of John was outward, so this was to be inward and spiritual—­It was to cleanse the heart—­and was to be capable of making even the Gentiles the seed of Abraham—­This distinction of watery and spiritual baptism pointed out by Jesus Christ—­by St. Peter—­and by St. Paul.

The second baptism, recorded in the scriptures, is that of Christ.  This may be called the baptism of the Gospel, in contradistinction to the former, which was that of the law.

This baptism is totally distinct from the former.  John himself said,[144] “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance; but he that cometh after me, is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear.  He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.”

[Footnote 144:  Matth. 3.11.]

From these words it appears, that this baptism is distinct, in point of time, from the former; for it was to follow the baptism of John:  and secondly, in nature and essence; for whereas that of John was by water, this was to be by the spirit.

This latter distinction is insisted upon by John in other places.  For when he was questioned by the Pharisees [145] “why he baptized, if he was not that Christ, nor Ellas, nor that prophet,” he thought it a sufficient excuse to say, “I baptize with water;” that is, I baptize with water only; I use only an ancient Jewish custom; I do not intrude upon the office of Christ, who is coming after me, or pretend to his baptism of the spirit.  We find also, that no less than three times in eight verses, when he speaks of his own baptism, he takes care to add to it the word [146] “water,” to distinguish it from the baptism of Christ.