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Observe here, 1. The wonderful success of St. Peter's sermon: About three thousand were converted to the profession of the Christian religion in one day, by hearing a single sermon.
How many thousands of sermons have been since preached, without the conversion of a single person! Oh! what an high holiday was this memorable day in heaven!
This All Saints Day was a festival of great solemnity there, where there is joy over one sinner that repenteth. But here did concur several advantages, to render St. Peter's sermon more effectual.
1. The sufferings of our Saviour were so near in place, and so late in time, that his wounds were still fresh bleeding in the guilty memories of the people now assembled.
2. The present miracle of tongues bestowed on St. Peter, and his unlearned compnions, did wonderfully make way for the word delivered.
And, 3. His auditors were devout men, Act_2:5 ignorant enough by yet brought with them minds fairly disposed for information and conviction.
4. The Holy Spirit wrought now extraordinarily by and with the word, and caused this miraculous immprovement. How did our Saviour fulfill his promise to his disciples, Greater works than these shall ye do, when I go to my Father. Joh_14:12.
Now was Peter the disciple above his Master in success; Christ all his life-time was angling for a few fishes, whilst St. Peter comes with his drag-net and catches three thousand at one cast.
Observe, 2. These three thousand were baptized by the same day in which they were converted, and probably in the same place, which was at Jerusalem; either in the temple, or in some house, where the sermon was preached. We need not inquire, whether the apostles did it by dipping or sprinkling, both being lawful: but this may be said, it is hard to guess how such a quantity of water could be brought to the place, as might serve for the decent dipping of three thousand persons in so short a time.
And, upon supposition that the water was not brought to them, but they went down to that; baptizing so many by dipping, would have required a week rather than a day to dispatch it in.