Q. 164. How many sacraments hath Christ instituted under the New Testament?

A. Under the New Testament Christ hath instituted in his church only two sacraments, baptism, and the Lord's supper. (1)

Q. 165. What is baptism?

A. Baptism is a sacrament of the New Testament, wherein Christ hath ordained the washing with water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, (2) to be a sign and seal of ingrafting into himself, (3) of remission of sins by his blood, (4) and regene.ation by his Spirit; (5) of adoption, (6) and resurrection unto everlasting life: (7) and whereby the parties baptized are solemnly ad

(1) 1 Cor. xi. 23. See figure (1), page 335.

Matt. xxviii. 19. Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

(3) Gal. iii. 27. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. Rom. vi. 3.

(4) Acts xxii. 16.-Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins. Mark i. 4. John did baptize in the wil derness, and preach the baptism of repentance, for the remission of sins. Rev. i. 5.

(5) John iii. 5.-Except a man be born of water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God, Tit. iii. 5.-According to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.

(6) Gal. iii. 26, 27. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ.

(7) 1 Cor. xv. 29. Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?

mitted into the visible church, (1) and enter into an open and professed engagement to be wholly and only the Lord's. (2)

Q. 166. Unto whom is baptism to be administered?

A. Baptism is not to be administered to any that are out of the visible church, and so strangers from the covenant of promise, till they profess their faith in Christ, and obedience to him; (3) but infants descending from parents, either both or but one of them, professing faith in Christ, and obedience to him, are, in that respect, within the covenant, and are to be baptized. (4)

(1) 1 Cor. xii. 13. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles; whether we be bond or free: and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

(2) Rom. vi. 4. Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death; that like as Christ was raised up trom the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

(3) Acts viii. 36, 37.-And the eunuch said, See, here is water: what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Acts ii. 41. Then they that gladly received his word, were baptized.

(4) Acts ii. 38, 39. Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. Luke xviii. 16. But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God. 1 Cor. vii. 14. The un

Q. 167. How is our baptism to be improved by us?

A. The needful but much neglected duty of improving our baptism, is to be performed by as all our life long, especially in the time of temptation, and when we are present at the administration of it to others, (1) by serious and thankful consideration of the nature of it, and of the ends for which Christ instituted it, the privileges and benefits conferred and sealed thereby, and our solemn vow made therein; (2) by being humbled for our sinful defilement, our falling short of, and walking contrary to, the grace of baptism and our engagements; (3) by growing up to assurance of pardon of sin, and of all other blessings sealed to us in that sacrament; (4) by drawing strength from the

believing husband is sanctified by the wife; and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean: but now are they holy. Rom. xi. 16. Gen. xvii. 7 to 9, compared with Gal. iii. 9 to 14, and Col. ii. 11, 12.

(1) Ps. xxii. 10, 11. I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother's belly. Be not far from me; for trouble is near.

(2) Rom. vi. 3, 4, 5.

(3) Rom. vi. 2, 3. God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death? 1 Cor. i. 11, 12, 13.

Gal. iii. 1.

(4) Phil. iii. 7 to 10, 11. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ :-That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; if by any means I might attain unto the resur

death and resurrection of Christ, into whom we are baptized, for the mortifying of sin, and quickening of grace; (1) and by endeavouring to live by faith, (2) to have our conversation in holiness and righteousness, (3) as those that have therein given up their names to Christ, (4) and to walk in brotherly love, as being baptized by the same Spirit into one body. (5)

Q. 168. What is the Lord's supper?

A. The Lord's supper is a sacrament of the New Testament, (6) wherein by giving and

rection of the dead, &c. Rom. iv. 11, 12. 1 Pet. iii. 21.

(1) Rom. vi. 2, 3, 4.—How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death; that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

(2) Gal. iii. 26, 27. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ.

(3) Rom. vi. 22. But now, being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

(4) Acts ii. 38.-Be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ.

(5) 1 Cor. xii. 13 to 25, 26. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free;-that there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

(6) Luke xxii. 20. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the New Testament in my blood, wnich is shed for you.

receiving bread and wine according to the appointment of Jesus Christ, his death is showed forth; and they that worthily communicate, feed upon his body and blood, to their spiritual nourishment and growth in grace; (1) have their union and communion with him confirmed; (2) testify and renew their thankfulness (3) and engagement to God, (4) and their mutual love and fellowship each with other, as members of the same mystical body. (5)

Q. 169. How hath Christ appointed bread and wine to be given and received in the sacrament of the Lord's supper?

A. Christ hath appointed the ministers of his word, in the administration of this sacrament

(1) Matt. xxvi. 26, 27.—And said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it. John vi. 55, 56.-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. 1 Cor. xi. 23 to 27.

(2) 1 Cor. x. 16. 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 communion of the body of Christ?

(3) 1 Cor. xi. 25.-This cup is the New Testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

(4) 1 Cor. x. 16 to 21. 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 communion of the body of Christ?-Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.

(5) I Cor. x. 17. For we, being many, are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.