tal Rites, nor of ordinary ftanding Ufe in the Church, but extraordinary and temporary for that Age. Q. 9. What learn we hence?

A. Hence we learn how apt Men are to corrupt God's Ordinances by their fuperftitious Additions, Matth. xv. 9. -Teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of Mens

Q. 10. What is the second Instruction hence ?

A. How juft and neceffary our Separation from Rome is, who have grofly corrupted God's Ordinances, and left Men no other Remedy, Rev. xiii. 6. And he opened his Mouth in Blafphemy against God, to blafpheme his Name and his tabernacle, and them that dwelt in heaven.

Q. What is the third Instruction ?

A. That the Reformation of Religion is an invaluable Mercy, a great Deliverance from Spiritual Bondage, Rev. xi. 19. And the Temple of God was opened in Heaven, and there was feen in his Temple the Ark of this Teftament, and there were Lightnings, and Voices, and Thunderings, and an earthquake, and great Hail.

Q 12. What is the fourth Inftruction ?

A. That Rome fhall certainly fall, and all her Adherents, for the horrid Injury done by them to Chrift, and the Souls of Men, Rev. xviii. 20, 21. Rejoice over her thou Heaven, and ye holy Apoftles and Prophets; for God hath avenged you on ber. And a mighty Angel took up a Stone like a great Millftone, and caft it into the Sea, faying thus with Violence, shall that great City Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more.... at all.

Quest. 94.

W

What is Baptifm ?

HAT is Baptifm?

A. Baptifm is a Sacrament; wherein the washing of Water, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, doth fignify and feal our ingrafting into Christ, and partaking of the Benefits of the Covenant of Grace, and our Engagement to be the Lord's. Q. 1. What is the external Part of Baptifm?

A. It is pure unmixed Water, Heb. x. 22.-And our Bodies washed with pure Water. And therefore it is a vile Practice of Papifts to add Oil, Salt and Spittle to Water in Baptifm.

Q. 2. What doth Water in Baptifm fignify?

A. It fignifies the Blood of Chrift, Rev. i. 5.-Unto hims that loved us, and washed us from our Sins in his own Blood. Q. 3. What is the firit Refemblance it hath to Chrift's Blood?.

A. In the freenefs of it to all, it reprefents the unpur chafed Blood of Chrift, Ifa. lv. 1. Ho, every one that thirfteth, come ye to the Waters; and he that hath no Money, come ye, buy and eat, yea, come, buy Wine and Milk without Money,

and without Price.

Q. 4. What is the second Refemblance to Chrift's Blood? A. It refembles it in its refreshing Quality; Water refrefheth the Thirsty; fo doth Chrift's Bloon, Johd vi. 35 He that believeth on me, shall never thirst.

Q5. What is the third Refemblance it hath to Chrift's Blood?

A. The cleanfing Property of Water fhews the purifying Vertue of Chrift's Blood, Heb. ix. 14. How much more fhall the Blood of Chrift, who through the eternal Spirit, offered bimfelf without Spot to God, purge your Confcience from dead Works, to ferve the living God.

Q6. What is the fourth Refemblance it hath to Chrifl's Blood?

A. It resembles it in the Neceffity of it; for as the Body cannot live without Water, fo neither can the Soul without Chrift's Blood, Heb. ix. 23. It was therefore necessary, that the Patterns of Things in the Heavens should be purified with thefe, but the beavenly Things themselves with better Sacrifices than thefe.

Q7. What is the fifth Refemblance of Water to the Blood of Chrift?

A. As Water neither refreshes, nor purifies the Body without Application; fo neither does Chrift's Blood refresh or purify the Soul till applied, 1 Cor. i. 30. But of him are ye in Chrift Jefus, who of God is made unto us Wisdom and Righteouffs, and Sanctification and Redemption.

Q. 8. Is it neceffary to plunge the whole Body under Water in Baptifing every Perfon?

A. The Word Baptife] fignifying as well to wash, as to plunge A Perfon may be truly baptifed that is not plunged, And we cannot think by the Circumstances of Time and

place,

place, that the Jailor in the Night was carried to a River out of the City, Acts xvi. 33. And he took them the fame Hour of the Night, and washed their Stripes, and was baptifed, be, and all his, ftraightway.

Q9. But is it not faid, John iii. 23. That John was baptifing in non near to Salim, because there was much Water there; and they came and were baptifed?

A. The Word fignifies many Waters (that is) Springs of Waters there, which are known by Travellers to be small, not capable of plunging into.

Q. 10. What are the Benefits accruing to us by Baptifm? A. The Benefits are twofold; fome external, called the Fatnefs of the Olive-tree, (i. .) Ordinances and vifible Membership, Rom. xi. 17. And thou being a wild Olivetree, wert grafted in amongst them, and with them, partakeft of the Root and Fatnefs of the Olive-Tree. And fome fpiritual and faving, 1 Pet. iii. 21. The like Figure whereunto, even Baptifm, doth alfo now fave us (not the putting away of the Filth of the Flesh, but the Anfwer of a good Confcience to wards God) by the Refurrection of Jefus Chrift.

Q11. What Engagements are laid on the Baptifed?

A. They are engaged to be the Lord's People, and walk fuitable to the Engagement, Rom. vi. 4. Therefore we are buried with him by Baptifm into Death, that like as Chrift was raifed up from the Dead by the Glory of the Father, even so we alfo fhould walk in Newness of Life.

Q12. Is Baptifm to be reiterated as the Lord's Supper? A. No; for the Lord's Supper is a Sacrament for nourifhing, but this for Implantation, Rom, vi. 4, 5. Therefore we are buried with him by Baptifm into Death, that like as Chrift was raifed up from the Dead by the Glory of the Father, even fo we alfo fhould walk in Newness of Life. For if we have been planted together in the Likeness of his Death, we shall be alfo in the Likeness of bis Refurrection.

Q13. Doth Baptifm regenerate Men, and confer faving Grace?

A. No, it doth not in its own Vertue convey Grace, no more than the Lord's Supper; but the Spirit of God is the Author of Grace, and Works it as he pleafes, before, or after Baptifm.

Of

Of the Subjects of Baptifm.

Queft. 95. T

O whom is Baptism to be adminiftred?' A. Baptifm is not to be adminiftred to any that are out of the vifible Church, till they profefs their Faith in Chrift, and Obedience to him; but the Infants of fuch as are Members of the visible Church are to be Baptifed.

Q. I. Who are to be Baptifed?

A. Believers and their infant Off-fpring, Acts ii. 39. For the Promife is to you, and your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God' fhall call.

Q. 2. How doth it appear that the Infant Seed of Believers ought to be Baptifed?

A. It appears by this, that they being Abraham's Seed, were taken into Covenant with God, and ordered to have the Sign of the Covenant applied to them, and that Grant was never reversed, Gen. xvii. 7, 10. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee, and thy Seed after thee, in their Generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy Seed after thee. This is my covenant which ye Shall keep between me and you, and thy Seed after thee, every, Man-child among you shall be circumcifed.

Q. 3. But was not that the Covenant of Works, and fo will not hold to infer their Privilege under the Covenant of Grace?

A. No, it was not; for God never did, nor will become a God by Way of special Intereft to any People, by Vertue of the Covenant Works, fince the Breach of it by the Fall.

Q. 4. But if it were the Covenant of Grace, how doth it appear the Right of Believers Infants is ftill the fame it was before in Abraham's Time?

A. It appears plainly from the Apostle's own Words and Arguments, Acts ii. 39. For the Promife is to you, and to your children, &c.

Q. 5. But though Infants then were Members of God's vifible Church among the Jews, how doth it appear they are fo now when God hath caft them off?

A. It appears the Membership and Priveleges are as fure and ample to them now, that are the Children of Gentilebelievers, as ever they were to the Jewish Infants, Rom. xi.

17. And

17. And if fome of the Branches be broken off, and thou being a wild Olive-tree wert grafted in amongst them, and with them partakeft of the Root and Fatnefs of the Olive-tree.

Q6. How elfe doth it appear they are within the Co venant?

A. It appears by this, that they are pronounced holy. Cor. vii. 14.-Elfe were your Children unclean, but now are they boly. Which is a fodral Holiness; and 'none out of Covenant can be holy by. Covenant.

Q7. But may not that Place mean only their Legiti- · macy?

A. No, it cannot; for then the Apostle must pronounce all the Infants in the World Bastards, that defcend not at leaft from one believing Parent.

Q. 8. But Infants are not capable to Covenant with God, or perform Covenant Duties, and therefore why should they be admitted to Covenant Privileges ?

A. A Child now of eight Days old is as capable of being admitted into Covenant with God, as Children of the fame Age were in Abraham's Days; and then it is manifeft they were admitted.

Q9. Though they were admitted by Circumcifion then, will it follow they may be fo by Baptifm now, fecing that Ordinance is aholifhed ?

A. Yes, it will; for though Circumcifion cease, yet Bap tifm is come into its Place; Col. ii. 10, 11, 12. And ye are complete in him, which is the Head of all Principality and Power In whom, also ye are circumcised with the Circumcifions made without Hands, in patting off the Body of the Sins of thes Fleft, by the Circumcifion of Chrift buried with him in Bap tifm, &ected in

Q. 10. But Circumcifion was a Seal of the Covenant of Works, and the Argument will not hold from a Seal of the Covenant of Works, to a Seal of the Covenant of Grace?

A. Circumcifion never was, nor was intended to be a Seal of the Covenant of Works, but of the Righteoufnefs of Faith, Rom. iv, 11 And he received the Sign of Cireumcifion, a Seal of the Righteoufness of the Faith that he bad, yet being uncircumcifed, &c.

Q. 115 But have we no exprefs Commaud in the New Teftament to baptize Infants ?

A. There