towards God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ;” or the baptism of the spirit.  Secondly, the nature of the baptism here mentioned is explained by the verse that follows it.  Thus, “he that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved.  And these signs shall follow them that believe:  they shall speak with new tongues.”  This therefore is the same baptism as that which St. Paul conferred upon some of his disciples by the laying on of his hands. [172] “And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came upon them, and they spake with tongues and prophesied.”  Thus, again, it is demonstrated to be the baptism of the spirit.

[Footnote 171:  Mark 16.15.]

[Footnote 172:  Acts 19.6.]

The commission also, which has been handed down to us by St. Matthew, will be found, as it has been now explained, to coincide in its object with that which was given to Paul, as we find by his confession to Agrippa.  For he declared[173] he was sent as a minister to the Gentiles “to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they might receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith in Christ.”  But what was this, the Quakers say, but to baptize them into the life and spirit of a new and divine nature, or with the baptism of Christ?

[Footnote 173:  Acts 26.17. 18.]

And as we have thus obtained a knowledge from St. Paul of what his own commission contained, so we have, from the same authority, a knowledge of what it did not contain; for he positively declares, in his first Epistle to the Corinthians, that “Christ sent him not to baptize (evidently alluding to the baptism by water) but to preach the Gospel.”  It is clear therefore that St. Paul did not understand his commission to refer to water.  And who was better qualified to understand it than himself?

It is also stated by the Quakers, as another argument to the same point, that if the baptism in the commission had been that of water only, the Apostles could easily have administered it of themselves, or without any supernatural assistance; but, in order that they might be enabled to execute that baptism which the commission pointed to, they were desired to wait for divine help.  Jesus Christ said,[174] “I send the promise of my father upon you; but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem until ye be endued with the power from on high; for John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.”  Now, the Quakers ask, if baptism by water had been the baptism contained in the great commission, why could not the Apostles have performed it of themselves?  What should have hindered them more than John from going with people into the rivers, and immersing them?  Why were they first to receive themselves the baptism of the spirit?  But if it be allowed, on the other hand, that when they executed the great commission,