defcending goodness and tender concern for his peoples good. It is a wonderful condefcenfion in God to difpofe his grace into a covenant form, and enter into a paction with us; but it is yet more, to be content to add feals to it, for our further confirmation and confo. lation.

2. That they might ferve to awaken the affections and excite grace. Sacraments are, as it were, a visible gofpel; the offers of free love and benefits of Chrift's purchase are thereby expofed to the eye, as the word doth found them in the ear. God knows our stupidity and dulness, that we are much more affected with things that we fee with our eyes, than that which we only hear.

3. That he might provide against that prevailing plague of unbelief in his people; and ftrengthen their weak faith, by giving them fenfible figns of his love, and vifible pledges of their intereft in it. For (as Chrift faid to the nobleman of Capernaum, John iv. 48.) "Except ye fee figns and wonders ye will not believe." Q. Are the facraments efficacious to work grace in all that partake of them?

A. No; for we read of baptifm administered to Simon Magus, who ftill remained a naughty man: And that the Lord's fupper may be received by perfons unworthy, Acts viii. 23. Luke xiii. 26. 27. 1 Cor. xi. 27. Q. Whence have the facraments their efficacy?

A. Negatively they have it not from themfelves, ex opere operato, according to the Papists: Nor from the intention or holiness of the minifter that difpenfeth them. But, 2. Pofitively, they have it from Chrift's bleffing, and the Spirit's working in and by them upon the fouls of fuch as partake of them. It is only Chrift, who, by his Spirit, puts life and virtue in the facraments, and makes them effectual means for conveying and apply. ing his faving benefits to his peoples fouls.

Q. What were the ordinary facraments of the Old Teftament difpenfation?

A. Circumcifion and the paffover, which are now abrogated by the coming of Chrift, who was typified by

them.

Q. Hath not Cbrift appointed facraments under the New

Teflamen:

Teftament difpenfation, in the room of those which he abolish.

ed?

A. Yes; viz. Baptifm and the Lord's fupper.

Q. Are not the facraments, both of the Old and New Teftament, for fubftance the fame?

A. Yes; for they both reprefent and exhibit Jefus Chrift, and the fame fpiritual benefits and mercies through him, Rom. iv. 11. 1 Cor. x. 1.

Q. Is there no difference betwixt them?

A. Yes; in feveral refpects: 1. The old facraments reprefented Chrift as to come; but the new, as already come. 2. The old reprefented Chrift more darkly; but the new more clearly and plainly, 3. The old were only to endure till Chrift's coming in the fleth; but the new, until Chrift's coming in glory. 4. Their outward figns differ much one from another.

Q. How doth it appear that circumcifion and baptifm are are the fame in fubftance?

A. In refpect they are both facraments for initiation, typifying and reprefenting our natural pollution and original guilt, the neceffity of being purified from carnal affections, and the way of our falvation by the shedding of Chrift's blood.

Q. How doth it appear that the paffover and the Lord's supper are the fame for fubftance?

A. By the following things, 1. They both reprefent Chrift crucified, and commemorate his love in deliver ing his people from the bondage of fin and fatan.

2. The Ifraelites behoved to prepare themfelves for keeping the paflover, for fome time before; particularly they kept the pafchal-lamb four days in their houses, before it was killed; during which time, (as their wri ters tell us) it was tied to their bed-pofts, that by their conftant hearing of its bleatings, they might be excited to look back and remember their fore bondage in Egypt, and their gracious deliverance from it; and alfo to look forward, and remember the fufferings and agonies of the Meffiah for their fins. In like manner, communicants ought to prepare themselves for the Lord's fupper, by ferious and frequent meditating upon their mifery by nature, the evil of fin, and the bitter agonies which Chrift endured in delivering them from it.

3. As the pafchal-lamb was roafted with fire; fo Chrift, in the Lord's fupper, is held forth as fcorched with the fire of God's wrath.

4. As the pafchal lamb behoved to be eaten, and that wholly; fo Chrift, in the Lord's fupper, must be received by faich, and that wholly in all his offices.

5. As the lamb in the paffover behoved to be eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs; fo Christ must be received, in the Lord's fupper, in truth and fincerity, with bitter repentings for fin.

6. As the lamb, in the first paffover, was to be eaten by the Ifraelites in hafte, with their loins girt, ftaves in their hands, and fhoes on their feet; fo Chrift, in the Lord's fupper, must be received without delay, with holy refolution and preparation for our fpiritual journey, travelling as pilgrims through the wilderness of this world.

7. As the blood of the lamb was to be fprinkled on their door posts and lintels, for fecuring them from the deftroying angel, that cut off the Egyptians firit born; fo, in the Lord's fupper, we must have our whole fouls befprinkled with Christ's blood by faith, for fecuring us from the ftroke of divine juftice; nay, alfo our outward converfation, that is vifible to the world, must be fprinkled that they may take notice of our having been with Jefus, Exod. xii. 1 Cor. v. 7, 8.

Concerning BAPTISM.

Queft. WHAT is the true nature and ufe of baptism? A. Baptifm is a facrament of the New Teftament, annexed as a fign and feal of God's covenant with believers in Chrift; wherein Jefus Chrift hath ordained the washing with water, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft; to be a sign, not only of the folemn admiffion of the party baptized into the visible church; but also a fign and feal of his intereft in the covenant of grace, with all its bleffings purchased by the blood of Chrift, reprefented by that water, and particularly to fignify and feal his ingrafting

into Chrift, his remiffion of fins by his blood, and regeneration by his Spirit; his adoption into God's family, and refurrection unto everlafting life. And likewife his folemn dedication to God through Jefus Chrift; and entering into an open and profeffed engagement to be the Lord's, wholly and only his; and to walk with him in newness of life, Mat. xxviii. 19. Gal. iii. 27. Mark i. 4. Tit. iii. 5. Eph. 5. 26. Rom. vi. 4, 5, 6, II. 1 Pet. iii. 21.

Q. How many forts of baptism are mentioned in fcrip

ture?

A. We read of fix-fold baptism, 1. The Levitical baptifms or washings, Heb. ix. 10. 2. The baptifm of tears or repentance, Luke vii. 38. 3. The baptifm of affliction, blood, or martyrdom: Thus Chrift and the martyrs were baptized, Mat. xx. 22, 23. Luke xii. 50. 4. The baptifm of the Holy Ghoft, or the conferring of the gifts of the Holy Ghoft, Acts i. 5. 5. It is fometimes put for the Chriftian faith or doctrine of baptifm, Acts xviii. 25. 6. There is the facrament of baptifm, which we now speak of.

But principally, baptifm is two-fold, external and internal, fluminis et flaminis, of water, and of the Spirit. Q. What parts doth the facrament of baptifm confift of? A. Of two parts: 1. The outward and visible part fignifying. 2. The spiritual and invisible part thereby fignified.

What is the outward part fignifying?

A. The washing of the body with water, and the ufing of the words of inftitution.

Q. What is the fpiritual part fignified by the washing with water?

A. 1. The washing away of the guilt of fin, or our juftification by the blood of Chrift applied to the foul. 2 The washing away of the filth of fin, or our fanctification by the Spirit of Chrift in the work of regeneration, Rev. i. 5. John iii. 5.

Q. What is fignified by the words of inflitution, or baptizing in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost?

A.

A. 1. It fignifies that minifters have authority from God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, to administer this facrament of baptifm, Mat. xxviii. 18. 19.

2. It fignifies the baptifed perfon his entering into a folemn covenant with God the Father, Son, and holy Ghoft, his chufing and taking God the Father, as his God and Father: God the Son as his Redeemer and Saviour; and God the Holy Ghoft, as his guide, fanctifier, and camforter; alfo it fignifies, his confecration to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, and his coming under engagements to the faith, profeffion and obedience of the holy Trinity; together with his folemn renouncing of the three great enemies of the holy Trinity, viz. the devil, the world, and the flesh, 2 Cor. viii. 5. 1 Pet iii. 21.

Q. Why is the blood of Christ, and blessings of the new covenant, reprefented here by water?

A. Because of the near resemblance they have to one another in these things; 1. Water hath a cleanfing virtue, for taking away filth and pollution from the body, fo Chrift's blood cleanfes the foul from fin.

2. Water hath a refreshing virtue to a thirsty traveller, and the dry withered herbs; fo Chrift's blood and benefits are moft refreshing to the poor thirsty foul.

3. Water hath an extinguifhing quality, for quenching fire; fo the blood of Chrift quencheth both the fire of God's wrath, and the fire of our lufts.

4. Water hath a mollifying virtue; it foftens the hardened earth; fo Chrift's blood hath foftened many a hardened heart into tears, and melted them into a compliance with God's will.

5. Water is moft neceflary, our bodies could not live or fubfift without it; fo the blood of Chrift is the moft neceffary and ufeful thing in the world; our fouls without it would perish eternally.

6. Water is cheap and free to all, no man is denied of it; fo the blood of Chrift is offered freely to all that please to accept of it.

7. Water hath no effect nor operation upon us, unlcfs it be fprinkled or applied; fo neither hath the blood of Chrift any effect upon us, till it be applied by faith.