The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1867-02-20

Is. John iii: D.
2. What is the usual Scripture sym
Dol of these? And by what language is
their application always set forth? Is.
lii: Is, Ez. xxxvi: %. Heb. X: p,
Prov. i: %. Is. xxi: Is; Xiv: 3,
Zech. xii: 10. Acts ii: II, 1S.-Acts
ii: SO. Tit. iii: 5, 6. In each of these
words is there the same allusion to the
rains descending from above?
8. Is it in the very nature of sacra-
mental sign, that there be correspond
ence between it and spiritual things sig
nifed? If there is any correspondence
between the Spirits baptism, and the
outward form, what must that form be?
4. By what visible act was the promise
of the Spirit given in Matt. iii: IL, and
repeated by Christ in Aetsi. 5, fulfilled?
Acts ii: PA. And in what terms is this
baptism of the Holy Ghost afterwards
described in Acts ii: 16, II, SO; XII:
10, 16?
5. What was the only form of the
sacramental baptisms under the Old Tes-
lament, except at the conservation of
Aaron and his sons, when the general term
"aCash" indicating physical purifying
without regard to form, is used? See
last Lesson, and s.
6. Is immersion ever referred to as a
symbol of spiritual publication, or ever
used in the ceremonial law as symbol
of any thing, except the single case of
dipping the living bird in the blood of
his fellow, at the cleansing of the leper?
I. Do the terms ",cash and "bathe, j"
imply any thing whatever as to the
amount of water used? And in all the
circumstances of the tabernacle worship,
and the wilderness sojourn was not i'm
mersion almost impossible?
8. How is it possible that the word
baptism, applied as we have seen it to be,
in Mark vii; 4, to the hand washings al
ways done by pouring, and to the puri-
flying of tables,-and in Heb. TX: 10, to
these very Jewish ordinances, could ne
cessarily even imply immersion, much
less mean it exclusively?
Q. From all this what would we almost
certainly conclude as to the form of
Johns baptism? And if Christ's bap-
tism was in such form as to "fulfil all
righteousness" all the requirements of
the Mosaic law, how must it have been
administered? Is there any thing in the
record of it in any degree inconsistent
with afusion? Does the word transla-
ted "OHt Of, - in Matt. iii: IS, properly
mean trOmP Compare verse Z, "from
the wrath, &C., where the word is the
same. Is not the Spirits descent-the
thing signi6ed-as there described incon-
sistent with any other form?
10, Is the phrase "baptizing in Jor-
dan, as appropriate to one form of add
ministration as another, the parties most
naturally on account of their habits,
clothing, climate, and the numbers bap-
TIED, and the Jewish idea of ceremonial
purity which required running, or at least
unused understanding in the edge of
some stream?
IL. Was it necessary that John should
baptize where water was very plentiful,
not because it required much to immerse
a person, but to supply the wants of
such an immense concOurse? Matt. iii /:
8. John iii: %. Enon, so named from
the Chaldee word for fountains" which
abounded there,-the "much water" lit.
many 10aterS.
L. In Acts viii: 80, can the PROPOSE
tons into and om of, euphatically APP
piled to both Philip and the eunuch, i'm
ply any thing more than their stepping
into the edge of the water, which they
with sandalled feet, would most natural
ly do? And in the very paragraph of
the prophecy from which the eunuch was
reading, and which Philip explained, what
allusion is there that would indicate the
form? Is. lii: Is.
Is. What other circumstances attend
ing the various cases of baptism record
ed, especially of the three thousand on
Pentecost, and of the eunuch are incon-
sistent with immersion?
IA. From what we have already seen
of the meaning of "buried with Christ,
in Rom. vi: 4, and in Col. ii: II, does
not the connection seem to exclude any
reference to the form or even the act OF
baptism, and require a reference to its
effects alone, as the result of the 'death -
which baptism does signify?
Is. Does the whole usage of the sa.
cred writer's show that they lay no stress
on the form of administration, other than
is implied in the stress they seem to lay
on its being such an application Of ,cate'
as shall symbolic the purifying and con
secrati4g power of the Spirit in uniting
us to Christ?
10. As baptism represents the bestOw-
ment Of the Spirit, and our rights in the
kingdom of Christ, does not the admin
istratOr act as the representative OF
Christ, he being King and Head of his
Church? By whOW then should it be
administered?
II. As in the form of baptism, the
subject has nothing to do, but to receive,
what does it teach in regard to our de-
pendenee on the Spirits grace for spirit
ual life?
Is. As the form of baptism directs us
to the promise of the Spirit to be poured
out like the rains of heaven which are
indispensable, exhaustless, and as gentle
as they are mighty, what does it teach,
and what feelings should it awaken? Is.
xxi: II, 10. John XIV: 5.-Jer. xviii /:
6. ? Cor. !: 81. 22-Mnl iii. 10