3. Of the Sacraments

Question 64: Seeing then that only Faith maketh us Partakers of Christ and his Benefits, whence doth it proceed?

Answer: From the Holy Ghost⁹¹⁶ who kindleth it in our Hearts by the preaching of the Gospel, and other Ordinances, and⁹¹⁷ confirmeth it by the use of the Sacraments.

1. 916. Ephesians 2:8; Ephesians 6:23; John 3:5; Philippians 1:29
2. 917. Matthew 28:19–20; 1 Peter 1:22–23

Question 65: What are the Sacraments?

Answer: They are sacred Signes, and Seals, set before our Eyes, and ordained of God for this cause, that he may declare and seal by them the Promise of his Gospel unto us, to wit, that he giveth freely Remission of Sins, and⁹¹⁸ Life everlasting, not only to his all in general, but to every one in particular that believeth, for that only Sacrifice of Christ which he accomplished upon the Cross.

1. 918. Genesis 17:11; Romans 4:11; Deuteronomy 30:6; Leviticus 6:25; Hebrews 9:8–9; Ezekiel 20:12; Isaiah 6:6–7; Isaiah 54:9–10

Question 66: Doth then both the Word and Sacraments tend to that End, as to lead our Faith unto the Sacrifice of Christ finished on the Cross as to the only ground of our Salvation?

Answer: It is even so; for the Holy Ghost teacheth us by the Gospel, and assureth us by the Sacraments, that the Salvation of all of us standeth in the only Sacrifice⁹¹⁹ of Christ offered for us upon the Cross.

1. 919. Romans 6:3; Galatians 3:17

Question 67: How many Sacraments hath Christ ordained in the new Testament?

Answer: Two; Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper.

Question 68: What is Baptism?

Answer: Immersion or dipping of the Person in Water in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, by such who are duly qualified by Christ.⁹²⁰

1. 920. Matthew 3:16; John 3:23; Acts 8:38–39; Romans 6:4

Question 69: Who are the proper Subjects of this Ordinance?

Answer: Those who do actually profess Repentance towards God, Faith in, and Obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ.⁹²¹

1. 921. Acts 2:38; Acts 8:36–37

Question 70: Are no Infants to be baptized?

Answer: None by no means; for we have neither Precept nor Example for that Practice in all the Book of God.

Question 71: Doth the Scripture any where expressly forbid the Baptizing of Infants?

Answer: It is sufficient that the Divine Oracle commands the baptizing of Believers, unless we will make our selves wiser than what is written. Nadab and Abihu were not forbidden to offer strange Fire, yet for so doing they incurred God’s Wrath, because they were commanded to take Fire from the Altar.⁹²²

1. 922. Matthew 28:18–19; Mark 16:16; Leviticus 9:24; Leviticus 10:16

Question 72: May not the Infant Seed of Believers under the Gospel be baptized as well as the Infant Seed of Abraham under the Law was circumcised?

Answer: No; For Abraham had a Command then from God to circumcise his Infant Seed, but Believers have no Command to baptise their Infants Seed under the Gospel.⁹²³

1. 923. Genesis 17:9–12

Question 73: Seeing the Infants of Believers are in the Covenant of Grace with their Parents, as some say, why may not they be baptized under the Gospel, as well as Abrahams Infant Seed was circumcised under the Law?

Answer: By the Infants of Believers being in the Covenant of Grace, it must either be meant of the Covenant of Grace absolutely considered, and if so, then there is no total and final Apostacy of any Infant seed of Believers from the Covenant, but all must be saved then.⁹²⁴ Or, 2. They must mean conditionally, on consideration that when they come to years of maturity, they by true Faith, Love, and Holiness of life, taking hold of God’s Covenant of Grace, shall have the Priviledges of it. This being their sence, I then demand what real spiritual priviledg the Infant-Seed of Believers, as such, have more than the Infant Seed of Unbelievers, if they live also to years of maturity, and by true Faith and Love take hold of God’s Covenant?⁹²⁵ I further demand, whether the Seal of the Covenant do not under those considerations belong as much to the Children of Unbelievers as to the Children of Believers? yea, and more too, under consideration the Infant Seed of the Unbeliever should take hold of God’s Covenant, and the Believers Infant-Seed do not; as often this is seen to the sorrow of many Godly Parents.⁹²⁶ 3. Suppose all the Infant Seed of Believers absolutely in the Covenant of Grace; yet Believers under the Gospel ought no more to Baptise their Infant-Seed, than Lot to circumcise himself or his Infant-Seed, if he had had Males as well as Females, albeit nearly related to Abraham, yea, a Believer, and in the Covenant of Grace too: forasmuch as Circumcision was limited to Abraham and to his Family. Also by the same rule we may bring Infants to the Lord’s Table, forasmuch as the same qualifications are required to the due performance of Baptism, as there is to the Lord’s Supper.⁹²⁷ 4. We must know the Covenant made with Abraham had two parts: first, a spiritual, which consisted in God’s promising to be a God to⁹²⁸ Abraham, and⁹²⁹ all his Spiritual-Seed in a peculiar manner, whether they were circumcised or uncircumcised, which believed as Abraham the Father of the Faithful did. And this was signified in God’s accepting such as his People which were not of⁹³⁰ Abrahams Seed, but bought with his Mony, and this Promise was sealed to Abraham by Circumcision, that through Jesus Christ (whom Isaac typified out) the Gentiles, the Uncircumcision which believed, should have their Faith counted for Righteousness, as Abrahams was before he was circumcised.⁹³¹ 2. This Promise consisted of temporal good: so God promised Abrahams Seed should injoy the⁹³² Land of Canaan, and have plenty of outward blessings, so sealed this Promise by Circumcision. It was also a distinguishing character of the Jews being God’s People from all the Nations of the Gentiles, which as yet were not the Seed of Abraham: but when the Gentiles came to believe, and by Faith became the People of God as well as the Jews, then⁹³³ Circumcision, that distinguishing Mark, ceased; and the character of being the Children of God now, is Faith in Christ, and Circumcision of the Heart. So that whatever pretence there may be for the Infants of Believers to be Baptised first, as their being the Seed of Believers; or 2dly, their being in the Covenant; or 3dly, that the Infant-Seed of Abraham a Believer, was circumcised; all this you see avails nothing: for Circumcision was limited to such a Family, the Family of Abraham, all others, though Believers, were excluded; also limited to such a day, the eighth day, and what ever pretence might be made, it was not to be done before nor after; limited also to such a Sex, the Male, not the Female; which if Baptism came in the room of Circumcision, and is the Seal of the Covenant under the Gospel, as Circumcision was under the Law, none but the Males must be Baptised, because none but the Males were Circumciled; but as under the Law respecting Circumcision, so now under the Gospel respecting Baptism, it depends purely upon the will of the Law-giver, at what season, upon what Persons and terms Baptism is to be administred; unto which Prophet we shall all do well to hearken, Acts 3:22.

1. 924. Jeremiah 32:38–40; John 10:28
2. 925. Isaiah 56:3–8; Acts 10:34–35; John 3:16
3. 926. Isaiah 56:3–8; Acts 10:34–35; John 3:16
4. 927. Acts 2:41–42
5. 928. Genesis 17:19,21; Genesis 21:10; Galatians 4:30
6. 929. Acts 2:39; Romans 9:7–8,&c
7. 930. Galatians 3:16,28–29
8. 931. Romans 4:9–14
9. 932. Genesis 15:18; Genesis 17:8–11; Genesis 12:6–7; Genesis 13:15–17; Genesis 15:16
10. 933. John 1:12; Romans 2:28–29; Philippians 3:3; Galatians 3:26–28

Question 74: How art thou admonished and assured in Baptism, that thou art Partaker of the only Sacrifice of Christ?

Answer: ⁹³⁴ Because Christ commanded the outward washing of Water, adjoyning⁹³⁵ this Promise thereunto, that I am no less assuredly washed by his Blood and Spirit from the uncleanness of my Soul, that is, from all my Sins, than I am⁹³⁶ washed outwardly with Water, whereby all the Filthiness of the Body useth to be purged.

1. 934. Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38
2. 935. Mark 16:16; Matthew 3:11; Romans 6:3
3. 936. Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3

Question 75: What is it to be washed with the Blood and Spirit of Christ?

Answer: It is to receive of God Forgiveness of Sins freely, for the Blood of Christ which⁹³⁷ he shed for us in his Sacrifice upon the Cross; and also to be renewed by the Holy Ghost, and through his sanctifying of us to become Members of Christ, that we may more and more dy to Sin, and⁹³⁸ live holily and without blame.

1. 937. Hebrews 12:24; 1 Peter 1:2; Revelation 1:5; Zechariah 13:1; Ezekiel 36:25,&c
2. 938. John 1:33; John 3:5; 1 Corinthians 5:11–13; Romans 6:4; Colossians 2:12

Question 76: Where doth Christ promise us that he will as certainly wash us with his Blood and Spirit, as we are washed with the Water of Baptism?

Answer: In the Institution of Baptism, the words whereof are these,⁹³⁹ Go, teach all Nations, baptising them in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost:⁹⁴⁰ he that shall believe, and be baptised, shall be saved; but he that will not believe, shall be damned. This Promise is repeated again when as the Scripture calleth Baptism the washing of the New-birth, and forgiveness of Sins.⁹⁴¹ the washing of the New-birth, and⁹⁴² forgiveness of Sins.

1. 939. Matthew 28:19
2. 940. Mark 16:16
3. 941. Titus 3:5
4. 942. Acts 22:16

Question 77: Is then the outward Baptism of Water the washing away of Sins?

Answer: It is not; for the⁹⁴³ Blood of Christ alone cleanseth us from⁹⁴⁴ all Sin.

1. 943. 1 Peter 3:21; Ephesians 5:25–26
2. 944. 1 John 1:7; 1 Corinthians 6:11

Question 78: Why then doth the Holy Ghost call Baptism the washing of the New-birth, and forgiveness of Sins?

Answer: God speaketh so not without great cause, to wit, not only to teach us that as the filth of our Body is purged by Water, so our Sins also are⁹⁴⁵ purged by the Blood and Spirit of Christ, but much more to assure us by this divine Token and Pledg, that we are as verily washed from our Sins with the inward washing, as we are⁹⁴⁶ washed by the outward and visible Water.

1. 945. Revelation 1:5; Revelation 7:14; 1 Corinthians 6:11;
2. 946. Mark 16:16; Galatians 3:27

Question 79: What Principle of Christ’s Doctrine in the holy Scripture followeth Baptism in order?

Answer: Laying on of Hands, as in Hebrews 6:1–2

Question 80: What is the form and end of this Ordinance?

Answer: Christ’s Ministers laying their hands solemnly upon the Head of the Baptised, with Prayer to Almighty God for an increase of the Graces⁹⁴⁷ and Gifts of the⁹⁴⁸ Holy Ghost, to inable us to hold fast the Faith which we now visibly own, having entred into the Church by Holy Baptism, and also be helped thereby to maintain a constant War against the⁹⁴⁹ World, Flesh, and the Devil.

1. 947. 2 Timothy 1:6; Acts 2:38–39
2. 948. John 14:16–18,26; John 16:7
3. 949. Ephesians 1:13–14

Question 81: Is it the Duty of every Christian to be under this Practice?

Answer: It is so: And appeareth plainly, if we do first consider the Practice of the Primitive Saints, we may read in Acts 8:12–19, of Men and Women that were baptized by Philip in Samaria, which when the Church at Jerusalem heard thereof, they sent down St. Peter and St. John (two Apostles) to them, who when they came thither, laid their Hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.⁹⁵⁰ What, them! some may say? were these they that were baptized which were Men and Women? So likewise in Acts 19:6–7. When Paul came to Ephesus he found certain Disciples there who were baptised, but had not heard whether there was any Holy Ghost, nor I conceive of the Promise of the Holy Ghost mentioned in Acts 1:4 then the Apostle layeth his Hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost; and it is said the number of them was about twelve; and Reason sheweth us from this place, and Acts 8 where St. Peter and St. John laid hands on Men and Women, that had here bin twelve score, he would have laid his Hands on them all. And whereas ’tis objected, we do not find the three thousand in Acts 2 under this Ordinance, nor many others which were baptised. As to the three thousand ’tis plain enough they had bin taught it, and doubtless so practised this Ordinance, if we consider the Apostle writing to the Jews, in Hebrews 5 telleth them they had need be taught again the first Principles of the Oracles of God, of which Oracles, Laying on of Hands was one. And as for others which were baptised, where mention is not made of their being under this Ordinance, we may also say many hundreds were baptised which we have no mention of. Shall we conclude many of the Apostles were not baptised, because it is not particularly mentioned? so we must conclude the primitive Saints were not short in this point, although it be not always specified; forasmuch as it is called one of God’s Oracles, as we all know the Moral Law was, wch is perpetually binding, and universally obliging; also called a⁹⁵¹ Principle of Christs Doctrine, yea one of the first Principles; and that is not all, but called a foundation Principle, this with the other five must be laid first in that foundation, on which the Superstructure of Christianity must be built. And would it not have bin very unbecoming the Jews when God gave them ten Commandments, for them to have excluded the fourth? is it not also as unbecoming for any to exclude the fourth Principle of Laying on of Hands, a practical Principle of the Doctrine of Christ, and so practised by the Primitive Christians?

1. 950. Hebrews 5.1–2; Acts 7:38; Hebrews 1:2
2. 951. Hebrews 5.1–2; Acts 7:38; Hebrews 1:2

Question 82: Did not the extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit follow upon laying on of Hands in the Apostles time?

Answer: It did so: But not simply as the end of that Ordinance. For that Ordinance was appointed for the Ordinary Gifts of the Spirit to the Worlds end; though it is true, God honoured and crowned that Ordinance with Signes and Wonders in the primitive time, as he did others of his Appointment: as for instance, Acts 4 the Place was shaken, as the effect of the Churches Prayer; so Preaching was extraordinarily crowned when St. Peter converted three thousand at one Sermon; and in God’s giving the Holy Ghost to the House of Cornelius while Peter was preaching, so that they spake with Tongues, Acts 10. Also God crowned the holy Ordinance of Baptism extraordinarily, when the Spirit came in the likeness of a Dove, and sate upon our Saviour Christ as he came out of the Water, Matthew 3 and a Voice heard from Heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Also the Eunuch’s Baptism was wonderfully confirmed to him in God’s taking away Philip as soon as he came up out of the Water, insomuch that he went away rejoycing. Now, Beloved, as Prayer, Baptisme, Preaching, doth not cease, though it be not so miraculously owned as in the Primitive times; neither doth laying on of Hands cease, from the same Parity of Reason, though it be not so crowned now, as in the Apostles Days. Moreover our Brethren generally do hold, that five of those Principles in Hebrews 6 are the Duty of every individual Member to believe and practise, namely, every Member (say they) ought to repent, believe, be baptized, believe the Resurrection of the dead, and eternal Judgment; and why this of laying on of Hands should be excluded from being the Practice of every Christian, being a practical Ordinance, the bare belief of it not being enough, it being among the universal Principles of Christ’s Doctrine, I never yet did, nor cannot see any good Reason.