A. Baptism and the Lord's Supper. (k)

Q. 14. What is the destination of the Church militant?

A. Its destination is to increase until it shall fill the earth, and to continue to the end of the world. (l)

CHAPTER XXIX.

Baptism.

Q. 1. What is Christian baptism?

A. It is a special or positive ordinance of Christ, and corsists in the application of water to a person in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. (a)

Q. 2.

When was this sacrament instituted?

A. After Christ's resurrection from the dead, and just before his ascension into heaven. And it is a public and formal abrogation of the Mosaic economy, and an authoritative establishment of the Christian dispensation. It marks a new era in the history of the Church. (b)

Q. 3.

What is signified by baptism?

It represents the necessity of the sprinkling or washing of the soul from sin and pollution by the

(k) 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.-1 Cor. xi. 21. 25. And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat; this is my body, which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood; this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

(1) Isaiah ii. 2. And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.-Matt. xvi. 18. And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

(a) 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.

(b) See reference (a).

Holy Spirit, in his purifying and cleansing influences. It is an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace. It is not regeneration, but the symbol of it. It is also a seal of the covenant of grace, both on the part of God, and of him who is baptized. It is an initiatory ordinance, an appointed requisite of admission into the visible Church. And it is a solemn dedication to God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. (c)

Q. 4. By whom should baptism be administered? A. By a minister of the Gospel-one who has been properly baptized, and inducted into the Ministerial office. He administers the ordinance in his official capacity.

Q. 5. Who are the proper subjects of baptism?

A. All who profess their faith in Christ, and obedience to Him, and the children of such as are members of the visible Church, if in a state of minority.

Q. 6. What is the evidence that believers are proper subjects of baptism?

A. The fact that the Scriptures require of adults, or those who can believe, faith in order to baptism, and that such as did believe were baptized. This was the case with the three thousand converted on the day of Pentecost, with the Eunuch, the Jailer, Lydia, and the people of Samaria. This argument, which proves that adults must believe in order that they may be baptized, does not prove that infants are not proper subjects of baptism. If it does, then the same mode of reasoning will prove that all infants are lost. For it is expressly said in Scripture, that he that believeth not shall be damned. But infants cannot believe; therefore, according to this reason

(c) Tit. iii. 5. Not by works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost.Acts i. 5. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.-1 Pet. i. 2. Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience, and sprink ling of the blood of Jesus Christ.

ing, they must all perish. But this none will say. The truth is, that when the Scriptures speak of faith as necessary to baptism or salvation, they refer solely to adults, those who are capable of believing. They have not the least respect to infants, who cannot believe. The fact, then, that faith is necessary in adults, in order to qualify them for baptism, is no argument for, or against, the baptisin of infants. (d)

Q. 7. What is the evidence that the children of the members of the visible Church, or believers in covenant, are proper subjects of baptism?

A. Here let it be observed, that in Scripture there is no command not to baptize infants, and no evidence that infants should not be baptized. The baptism of the children of believers in covenant may be argued, 1. From the covenant God made with Abraham. This was the covenant of grace, and it extended not only to Abraham, and his children, and his household, but to all his posterity, especially his children by faith, for an everlasting covenant. The seal of this covenant, under the Jewish dispensation, was circumcision, and was affixed to males only of the Jews and proselyted Gentiles. The seal of the covenant under the Christian dispensation, is bap tism, and is to be applied to both males and females, for they are all one in Christ Jesus. The children

(d) Ps. l. 16. But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldst take my covenant in thy mouth ?-Acts ii. 41. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized, and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.-Acts viii. 37. 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 xvi. 31. 33. And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.-Acts xvi. 11. And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us, whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.-Acts viii. 12. But when they believed Philip, preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

of believers under the Jewish dispensation, received the seal of the covenant, which was circumcision. So the children of believers, under the Christian dispensation, should receive the seal of the covenant, which is baptism. This is a token of their covenant relation. The Christian Church is a continuation of the Jewish Church. Consequently, as baptism is founded on the same relation of parents and children, and as, in regard to the covenant, it answers the same purpose with circumcision, so it comes in the place of it. The covenant remains the same, though the seal of it is altered. (e)* 2. Another argument for the baptism of the children of believers, is derived from

(e) Gen. xvii. 7. 9, 10, 11, 12. 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 thy seed after thee. And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant, therefore, thou and thy seed after thee, in their generations. This is my covenant, which ye shall keep between me and you, and thy seed after thee; every man-child among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. And he that is eight days old, shall be circumcised among you, every manchild in your generations; he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.-Gen. xvii. 26, 27. In the self-same day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son, and all the men of his house, born

*There never was any age, at least since Abraham,' says Dr. Wall, in which the children, whether of Jews or proselytes, that were admitted into covenant, had not some badge or sign of such their admission. The male children of Abraham's race were entered by circumcision. The whole body of the Jews, men, women, and children, were in Moses' time baptized. After which the male children of proselytes, that were entered with their parents, were, as well as their parents, admitted by circumcision, baptism and a sacrifice; the female children by a baptism and a sacrifice. Now, after that circumcision and sacrifice were to be abolished under the gospel dispensation, there was nothing left but baptism or washing, for a sign of the covenant and of professing religion This our Saviour took probably as being the easiest and the least operose of all the rest; and as being common to both sexes, making no difference of male or female, and enjoined it to all that should enter into the kingdom of God. John iii 5. And St. Paul does plainly intimate to the Col. ii. 11, 12, that it served them instead of circumcision al ing it the circumcision of Christ, or Christian circumcision.'— History of Infant Baptism, V. 1. p. 90.

the conduct of Christ towards them, and his declaration concerning them. He approved of their being brought to Him for His blessing, when forbidden by His disciples. He spoke of them with the tenderest

in the house, and bought with money of the stranger, were circumcised with him.--Ġen. xxi. 4. And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac, being eight days old, as God had commanded him.-Rom. xv. 8. Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers.-Gal. iii. 17.7. 29. And this I say, that the covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. Know ye, therefore, that they which are of faith, the same are the chil iren of Abraham. And if ye be Christ's, then ye are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.-Rom. iv. 11. 16. And he received the sign of circumcision, seal of the righteousness of the faith, which he had, yet being uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised, that righteousness might be imputed unto them also. Therefore it is of faith that it might be by grace, to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all.-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 gift of 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.-Rom. xi. 16-20. For if the first fruit be holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root be holy, so are the branches. And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou being a wild olive tree wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; boast not against the branches; but if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off that I might be graffed in. Well, because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith.-Eph. iii. 6. That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel.-Jer. xxx. 20. Their children shall also be as aforetime, and their congregation shall be established before me, and I will punish all that oppress them.-1 Cor. vii. 14. For the unbelieving 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.-Gal. iii. 23, There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.