Colossians, "Ye are complete in Him (Christ Jesus) which is the head of all principality and power: in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ : buried with him in Baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead."*

Baptism is in the Christian Church what Circumcision was in the Jewish; and every child was required to be baptized, or was cut off from God's people. Our Lord also commissioned the Ministers of the New Covenant to " go and disciple all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost,"+ and children are unquestionably as capable of being discipled by being baptized, as they were to be circumcised; and, moreover, when Christ's disciples would have hindered children from being brought to Him, He said, "Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of God,"‡ and on another occasion Christ said, "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven;"§ if, then, we must become as little children before we can enter into the kingdom of Heaven, surely little children themselves must be fit to enter. In accordance with this, we find that the Apostles and Ministers of Christ baptized whole households, in which children must have been included: and the Baptism of infants has been practised by the Christian Church in all succeeding ages."||

* Colosians ii. 10,-12. + Matthew xxviii. 19. Luke xviii. 16. ડ્ર Matthew xviii. 3. || Tomline, on Article xxvii.; and Burnett on the same. See also Wall on "Infant Baptism."

X.

Support by Texts from Scripture the answer in our Church Catechism respecting the spiritual grace given in the Lord's Supper.-Shew that the qualifications for communicating enumerated in another answer are rendered necessary by the very nature of this Sacrament.-Explain the Text, “He that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body."-What sin, analogous to that, which is here referred to, may be committed by Christians in the present age?

66

That the answer in our Church Catechism respecting the spiritual grace given in the Lord's Supper is Scriptural, appears from the following, and many other Texts, "Whoso eateth my flesh," said Christ to his disciples, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day: for my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed; he that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him."* And again, "the cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the commnnion of the body of Christ ?"+

As the nature of the Lord's Supper is commemorative of Christ's dying for our sins, it makes a solemn call upon those who communicate to "repent them truly of their former sins, stedfastly purposing to lead a new life;" and as the means whereby this Sacrament is truly received is Faith, so a lively faith in God's promise" is essential in the communicant; and it being moreover, a feast of love, a brotherhood of Christian fellowship, so it is necessary that every member of it be "in charity with all men."

This Text signifies that he who eateth and drinketh at the Lord's Supper to excess, and who joins in this Christian feast from the unhallowed motives of satisfying the desires of the flesh, instead of partaking of it with that moderation and reverence, and with those dispositions which the very nature of this Sacrament requires in them that communicate, brings upon himself "damnation," (xpua, condemnation, or judgment), that is, either some bodily disease, as the effect of his intemperance; or the temporal judgment of God for profaning this divine Institution, because in so partaking of it, he makes no difference (Saxpiva) between partaking of this Supper, and any common meal or feast, not properly considering that the meats and drinks used herein are consecrated, or religiously set apart, and are to be esteemed as emblematical of the Body and of the Blood of Christ.*

That of partaking of the Lord's Supper with improper dispositions, and from improper motives; for though the manner in which this Sacrament is now celebrated, prevents those who communicate from eating and drinking to excess, yet as the commandments of God are exceeding broad, reaching even to the thoughts and intents of the heart, all who partake of the sacred elements without true" repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ," do not partake of them with a thankful remembrance of His death, and a pious consideration of what they represent-the BODY of Christ which was broken, and His BLOOD which was shed, for our redemption.

* 1 Cor. xi. 17-34.

XI.

What is the doctrine of our Church with respect to the Trinity?—What light is thrown on this doctrine by the circumstances which occurred at our Saviour's Baptism?

That "there is but one living and true God; and yet that in the unity of this Godhead there are three Persons, of one substance, power, and eternity; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost."*

The circumstances which occurred at our Saviour's Baptism, afford strong proof of the truth of this doctrine, as there were evidently three distinct personal agencies, the VOICE of the Father, the PERSON of the Son, and the VISIBLE APPEARANCE of the Holy Ghost."

* Article I.

XII.

What are the Declarations of our Church on the following subjects, and against what errors were they particularly directed ?

I. The sufficiency of Holy Scripture.

2. The one oblation of Christ once offered.

3. The manner in which the Body and Blood of Christ are received in the Lord's Supper.

1. "Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation: so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as an article of the Faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation."* This Declaration was directed against the doctrine of the Church of Rome, that the New Testament did not contain all things necessary to salvation, but that the Apostles had delivered to the Church many oral traditions which were necessary to be known and believed in order to be saved.

2. “The offering of Christ once made, is that perfect redemption, propitiation, and satisfaction for all the sins of the whole world, both original and actual; and there is none other satisfaction for sin, but that alone."+ This was directed against the doctrine of transubstantiation, by which the Church of Rome taught that as often as the Eucharist was celebrated, Christ was again offered for the living and the dead.

3. "The Body of Christ is given, taken, and eaten, in the Lord's Supper, only after a heavenly and spiritual manner: and the mean whereby the Body of Christ is received and eaten in the Supper is Faith." This was declared in contradiction to a doctrine of the Church of Rome, necessarily following upon that of transubstantiation, which was that the Body and Blood of Christ were not received after a heavenly and spiritual manner only, but in reality; the Bread and Wine being not only consecrated Emblems, but the material Body and the material Blood of Christ.

JEWISH HISTORY.

I.

Give the dates of the following events and persons:The call of Abraham.-The Israelites go into Egypt.-The Exodus.-The division of the Tribes.-Nehemiah.-Daniel.

Malachi.-Jonah.-Isaiah.

The call of Abraham, 1921, B.C.*-The Israelites go into Egypt, 1706, B.c. † —The Exodus, 1491, B.C. ‡—The division of the Tribes, 1444, B.C.§—Nehemiah lived about 445, B.C.||—Daniel, about 606, B.C.¶—Malachi prophesied about 400, B.C.**-Jonah lived about 840, в.c.++-Isaiah prophesied about 758, B.C.‡‡ *Tomline's" Christian Theology," vol. I. p. 142. + P. 160. + P. 164. § Pp. 194, 195. ¶ P. 117. ** P. 130. ++ P. 123. tt P.p. 105, 106.

P. 91.

++

II.

With what design were the Jews separated from the rest of the world?—Mention any circumstances in the early part of their History, which seemed calculated to hinder the accomplishment of God's promises respecting them-Enumerate the different forms of Government, under which they lived during the period of the Old Testament History, and give the dates of the several changes.

To preserve and propagate in the earth the knowledge and worship of the only one true and living God.*

The preparation for the slaying of Isaac, through whom the blessings promised to Abraham were to come;-the oppression of the Israelites in Egypt, and the attempt of Pharoah to destroy all the male children among them;—the utter impossibility, by human means alone, to escape when they was pursued by the Egyptian army to the coasts of the Red Sea ;--and the many strong and warlike people they had to contend with, while passing through the wilderness, and also after entering the Land of Canaan. All these were calculated, without the direct interference of God, to hinder the accomplishment of his promises respecting them.

From Abraham, to the death of Joseph, in the year 1635, B.C. the Government of the Israelites was Patriarchal; from this time to the Exodus in 1491, B.C. they were in Egyptian Bondage, with probably " Elders" among themselves; from the year 1491, B.C. to 1095, B.C. they were under a Theocracy, God himself being their King, who appointed Moses and Aaron to bring them out of Egypt, and Gen. xii. 1,-3. Deut. xxvi. 16,-19. Gal. vii. 8,-16; with many other Texts.

afterwards Joshua to lead them to the promised Land, and He then raised up Judges at different periods to deliver them from the frequent oppressions of their enemies; from the end of the time of the Judges, until the commencement of the Babylonish Captivity, in the year 606, B.c. their government was Monarchial, or that of Kings; from 606, в.c. during their Captivity, and until beyond the Old Testament History, they were subject to the Kings of Persia, but were permitted to have as Governors, men of their own nation.*

* Tomline, Vol. I, pp. 231,-240. Horne's "Introduction," Vol. III, part II, chap. I. Jenning's "Jewish Antiquities," Book 1, chap. 1.

III.

Translate the following passage:

"Post Christi tempora Scripturam in iis, quæ momentum "habeant, vitiatam neque probari potest; neque verò credibile "fiet, si quis rectè cogitaverit quàm longè latèque sparsa esset "per orbem terrarum gens Judæorum illos ubique libros custo"dientium. Nam primùm ab Assyriis abductæ in Mediam "decem tribus (), duæ posteà (); et in his quoque post con"cessum a Cyro reditum (3) multi in terris exteris subsederunt. "Macedones in Alexandriam magnis commodis eos invitaverunt. "Antiochi sævitia (1), Asmonæorum civilia arma (5), externa "Pompeii et Sossii multos disjecerunt (6). Plena Judæis erat

Cyrenaïca, plenæ urbes Asiæ, Macedoniæ, Lycaoniæ; etiam "insula Cyprus, Creta, atque aliæ. Jam Romæ numerus eorum "ingens vel ex Horatio, Juvenali, et Martiali discatur. Tam "dissitis inter se cœtibus imponi nullâ arte potuit; nec magis "ipsi in falsum convenire. Adde quòd, trecentis fermè ante "Christum annis, curâ Ægypti regum, Hebræorum libri in "Græcum sermonem ab his qui LXX. dicuntur versi sunt (7); "ita ut jam et a Græcis, sermone quidem alio at sensu in summam "eodem, possiderentur, eòque minùs mutationem reciperent."

Explain the historical allusions here referred to, and give the Dates. Quote any passages, which you may remember, from Sacred and other writers, which allude to the settlement of the Jews here specified.

"Neither can it be proved that after the time of Christ the Scripture was corrupted in those things which have importance; nor indeed made credible, if any one rightly considered how far and wide the nation of the Jews, everywhere the guardians of those books, was spread over the earth. For first ten tribes were led away by the Assyrians into Media (1), afterwards two (2); and amongst these, many settled in foreign countries after a return indeed was granted by Cyrus (3). The Macedonians invited them with great advantages into Macedonia.