John baptized his disciples with water.[91] Christ called to his disciples, "Follow Me."[92] Christ did not baptize with water.[93] He is calling to-day, "Follow Me."[94] The apostle John says: Jesus tarried with his disciples in Judea and baptized; tho' Jesus baptized not but his disciples.[95] Jesus here sanctioned water baptism by his presence for a short time and then departed,[96] but he never baptized with water himself, nor directed others to do so, nor gave any instructions about it. He likewise sanctioned circumcision, and the law of Moses generally.[97] It was observed all around him and he did not object. He sent the cleansed leper to the Jewish priest to offer for his cleansing as Moses commanded.[98] This offering which Moses commanded was two birds and cedar wood and three lambs without blemish, &c.[99] Shall all cleansed lepers of our day do as this one was commanded? Shall we keep the law of Moses, circumcise our children and baptize with water, because Jesus sanctioned it in Judea? Jesus, his disciples and the Judeans were all Jews and this was under the law before Christian baptism had superceded water baptism at Pentecost. Of course they baptized with water, circumcised the flesh and kept the law of Moses; but this is no precedent for us whether Jews or Gentiles in these gospel days; since the Holy Spirit is poured out upon all flesh in all the fulness we are able to bear. Jesus was baptized in the Jordan, saying "_Suffer it to be so now_," [100] thus indicating that it should not be so always.[101] He was also circumcised, and in after life confirmed his early circumcision by fulfilling and not destroying the law and the prophets,[102] and by sending the cleansed leper to offer as Moses commanded, and by sending his apostles before Pentecost to preach to Israel (the circumcised) but not to Gentiles (the uncircumcised) until the son of man be come.[103] He here recognized the covenant of circumcision[104] which God gave to Abraham and that it was not yet fulfilled.[105] He virtually said of circumcision the same that he had previously said of water baptism, "Suffer it to be so now." But we find no manifestation of his will that we should continue to observe the covenants and customs of that dispensation of which water baptism was one; and he never made any distinction whatever in favor of it but with his last words introduced his own baptism of the Holy Spirit as its immediate successor.[106] Jesus exclaimed upon the cross: "It is finished," and the law and the prophets were fulfilled.[107]