The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1867-02-13
For THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
COVENANT sEALs-rHE sACRAMENTs-

BAPTISM-Shorter Catechism.
/. Has God at different periods APP
pointed special forms of worship as SEN
sible signs of covenant blessings and en-
gagements? What are they called?
2. Is the word " sacrament found in
the Scripture? Ans. Only in its Latin
form in the Latin version, as the occa-
sional translation of the Greek word for
mystery"
8. AS used by the Romans for their
sacred oath of obligation to military ODE.
dienee, does it express an important
Scriptural idea? Cor. iii: %. Gal
iii: u.
4. Is not this covenant engagement Of
the believer to be the Lord 's,---the sec
Ondary and dependent part of every sa-
crament? Gen. xvii: s, 9. Matt. XVI
1928. Does not Gods appointment Of
such sensible signs of his covenant bless.
ings, set forth especially his own gra-
cious covenant engagements?
5. What is one of the Old Testament
sacraments called in Rom. w: IL? How
was it a seal ? Gen. xvii: II. Since 8
seal is thus a visible sign confirming a
covenant, does this word describe the ma.
ture and design of all sacraments?
6. Can anything be a sacrament OF
seal which does not sensibly represent
covenant spiritual blessings? Can the
seal benefit any further than the condi-
tons are fulfilled? Rom. ii %. l Cor.
xi: 81; vii II.
Z. What were the saeraments under
the Old Testament dispensation? Ps,
|: 5.--Gen. xvii: 9--14.--Ex. xii: 81
u. l Cor. V: Tex. XIV: s. Lev
xiv: Al. Mum. xix: Is, 10.
s. Did these sprinklings mentioned in
the last three passages, and the baptismal
conservation of the priests and Levite,,
Eek. xxix:4. Mum. viii: 6, Z, differ essen
TALLY from all those other washings, which
we're performed by the person himself,
without restriction as to mode, and which
were emblems merely of his cultivation
Of personal holiness, and in no sense
symbols and seals of covenant blessings,
as these were? Compare Lev. xiv: 8,
9; XIV: 5-13.
9. Did blood enter in some form into
all sacraments, until the true blood Of
atonement was shed? THE ashes of the
red heifer in the water of separation, wa:
only form of preserving the blood o
sacrifice for permanent and distant ust
in purifying.]
10. What are the New Testament sa
craments? Matt. XVI: 1928; xviii
10. Do not these appear to be just what
was left of the Old Testament seals, after
every thing typical of coming Saviour
and atOnement, were set aside?
BAPTISM, ITS MEANING AND DESIGN.
II. Does the manner in which John:
baptism, and that enjoined by Christ, /;
spoken of in the Gospels, show that bap-
tism was familiar thing to the Jews?
u. Is it certain from the New Tesla
ment, that the word baptism was applied
as the familiar designation, to the Mosaic
and also to the traditional purifyings
Heb. tx: TO-" washings," in Greek,
"6aptism," and compare verse Is.
Mark vii: 4,-"except they wash" in
Greek, "5aptize :" and "washings Of
cups, in Greek, "baptisms. -
Is. In all these "divers baptisms Of
the Jews, both saeramental and eeremo-
nial, what was the one leading idea? See
under Questions 7, s, and Y. In John
Iii; p, rs, compare purifying" in the
one verse with its explanation in the
next.
IA. In all cases both of Jewish and
Christian baptism was not the consecra-
ton of the subject to God by this act Of
purifying prominently set forth See
under Questions 6 and Z. Matt. xviii
10. In the baptism of the priests and
Leyites at their setting apart, was it not
this the main thing, and in the baptism
of Christ, the only thing signifed?
IS, Is it not then a public recognition
of ones covenant relations, claims, and
obligations
16. What is the meaning of being bap-
tized unto or into any one, as in l Cor.
X: ?, and Gal. iii: q ; and az or into the
name of another as in Matt. xviii: 10,
and l Cor. i: Is?
II. Is this idea of justification and
conservation united, implied in every case
in which the word is so used as to give
any indication of its meaning? THE
following, with those already cited, In
clude all except such as are virtual repe-
titious. Matt. iii 6, II, IL, &c. Mark
/: l. Acts ii: IS; viii: II, Is, SO, &c.;
TX: IS; X: At; xvi: Is, So; XIX: 3,
&C.; sSxii. 16. Rom. vi: 3, 4. 1 Cor.
xii: -; XIV: %. Eph. ": 5. Col. Ii
Il. 1 Pet. Iii: q. And fguratively,
Matt. Xxx: %. Luke xii: So Compare
with these John xvii: 10.
Is. Does not " baptism for the dead, -
in l Cor. XIV: 30, refer to the baptism in
Nun. xix: Is, 10, purifying from the
pollution and power of death, and so
pledging the hope of final deliverance
from it?
10. Does not Christian baptism by
representing the purifying or renewing
of the Holy Ghost unto eternal life, in
volye a pledge also of the same resurrec-
ton? Rom. viii: II.
%. In Rom. vi 3, 1, what does "bap-
tizcd into Christ's death" and "bap-
tism into death" mean? See verses 2
and 8. In what great change, and by
what mighty power alone are these spir-
itual results produced Can outward