I.

CHAP. XXVIII.-Of Baptism.

APTISM is a sacrament of the New Testament, ordained by

B Christ,

solemn of

baptized into the visible church,b but also to be unto him a sign and seal of the covenant of grace, of his ingrafting into Christ,d of regeneration,e ,e of remission of sins,f and of his giving up unto God through Jesus Christ, to walk in newness of life:s which sacrament is, by Christ's own appointment, to be continued in his church until the end of the world.h

II. The outward element to be used in this sacrament is water, wherewith the party is to be baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, by a minister of the gospel, lawfully called thereunto.i

III. Dipping of the person into the water is not necessary; but baptism is rightly administered by pouring or sprinkling water upon the person.k

IV. Not only those that do actually profess faith in and obedience unto Christ, but also the infants of one or both believing parents are to be baptized.m

I. a Matt. xxviii. 19. [See letter k of the foregoing Chapter.]

b 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.

e Rom. iv. 11. And he received the sign of circumcision, a 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. With Col. ii. 11. In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; Ver. 12. Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

d Gal. iii. 27. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Rom. vi. 5. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.

e 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.

Mark i. 4. John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

8 Rom. vi. 3. Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Ver. 4. 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.

h Matt. xxviii. 19. [See in letter forcgoing Chapter.] Ver. 20. Teaching them

to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

II. Matt. iii. 11. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire. John i. 33. And I knew him not, but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. Matt. xxviii. 19. [See in letter foregoing Chapter.] Ver. 20. [See in letter h.]

III, k Heb. ix. 10, 19, 20, 21, 22. 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 xvi. 33. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. Mark vii. 4. And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brazen vessels, and of tables.

IV. Mark xvi. 15. And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. Ver. 16. He that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 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. Ver. 38. And he commanded the chariot to stand still and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.

m Gen. xvii. 7. And I will establish my

V. Although it be a great sin to contemn or neglect this ordinance,n yet grace and salvation are not so inseparably annexed unto it, as that no person can be regenerated or saved without it, or that all that are baptized are undoubtedly regenerated.p

VI. The efficacy of baptism is not tied to that moment of time wherein it is administered; yet notwithstanding, by the right use of this ordinance, the grace promised is not only offered, but really exhibited and conferred by the Holy Ghost, to such (whether of age or infants) as that grace belongeth unto, according to the counsel of God's own will, in his appointed time.r

VII. The sacrament of baptism is but once to be administered to any person,s

CHAP. XXIX.-Of the Lord's Supper.

I. UR Lord Jesus, in the night wherein he was betrayed, instituted

to be observed in his church unto the end of the world, for the perpetual remembrance of the sacrifice of himself in his death, the sealing all benefits thereof unto true believers, their spiritual nourishment and growth in him, their further engagement in and to all duties which they owe unto him, and to be a bond and pledge of their communion with him, and with each other, as members of his mystical body.a

II. In this sacrament Christ is not offered up to his Father, nor any real sacrifice made at all for remission of sins of the quick or dead;b but only a commemoration of that one offering up of himself, by himself, upon the cross, once for all, and a spiritual oblation of all possible praise unto God for the same;c so that the Popish sacrifice of the mass, as they call it, is most abominably injurious to Christ's one only sacrifice, the alone propitiation for all the sins of the elect.d

III. The Lord Jesus hath, in this ordinance, appointed his ministers to declare his word of institution to the people, to pray, and bless the elements of bread and wine, and thereby to set them apart from a common to a holy use; and to take and break the bread, to take the cup, and (they communicating also themselves) to give both to the communicants;e

I. a 1 Cor. xi. 23. For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread: Ver. 24. 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. Ver. 25. 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. Ver. 26. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. 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? Ver. 17. For we, being many, are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. Ver. 21. 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. 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.

II. b Heb. ix. 22. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. Ver. 25. Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; Ver. 26. (For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world:) but now once, in the end of the world, hath he appeared, to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. Ver. 28. So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many: and unto them

that look for him shall he appear the second time, without sin, unto salvation.

c 1 Cor. xi. 24, 25, 26. [See them in letter a.] Matt. xxvi. 26. And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. Ver. 27. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it.

d Heb. vii. 23. And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: Ver. 24. But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Ver. 27. Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. Heb. x. 11. And every priest standeth daily ministering, and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: Ver. 12. But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, for ever sat down on the right hand of God. Ver. 14. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Ver. 18. Now, where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

II. e Matt. xxvi. 26, 27. [See in letter c.] Ver. 28. For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. And Mark xiv. 22. And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. Ver. 23. And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. Ver. 24. And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. And Luke xxii. 19. And he took bread, and gave tharks,

but to none who
tion.f

are

not then present in the congrega

IV. Private masses, or receiving this sacrament by a priest, or any other, alone;s as likewise the denial of the cup to the people;h worshipping the elements, the lifting them up, or carrying them about for adoration, and the reserving them for any pretended religious use; are all contrary to the nature of this sacrament, and to the institution of Christ.i

V. The outward elements in this sacrament, duly set apart to the uses ordained by Christ, have such relation to him crucified, as that truly, yet sacramentally only, they are sometimes called by the name of the things they represent, to wit, the body and blood of Christ;k albeit, in substance and nature, they still remain truly and only bread and wine, as they were before.1

VI. That doctrine which maintains a change of the substance of bread and wine into the substance of Christ's body and blood (commonly called Transubstantiation) by consecration of a priest, or by any other way, is repugnant not to Scripture alone, but even to common sense and reason; overthroweth the nature of the sacrament; and hath been and is the cause of manifold superstitions, yea, of gross idolatries.m VII. Worthy receivers, outwardly partaking of the visible elements in this sacrament," do then also inwardly by faith, really and indeed, yet not carnally and corporally, but spiritually, receive and feed upon Christ crucified, and all benefits of his death: the body and blood of Christ being then not corporally or carnally in, with, or under the

and brake it, and gave unto them, saying,
This is my body, which is given for you:
this do in remembrance of me. Ver. 20.
Likewise also the cup after supper, saying,
This cup is the new testament in my blood,
which is shed for you. With 1 Cor. xi.
23-26. [See all in letter a.]

f Acts xx. 7. And upon the first day of
the week, when the disciples came together
to break bread, Paul preached unto them,
ready to depart on the morrow; and con-
tinued his speech until midnight. 1 Cor.
xi. 20. When ye come together therefore in-
to one place, this is not to eat the Lord's

supper.

IV. g 1 Cor. x. 6. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

h Mark xiv. 23. [See in letter c.] 1 Cor. xì. 25, 26. [See in letter a.] Ver 27. Wherefore, whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. Ver. 28. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. Ver. 29. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

Matt. xv. 9. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

V. k Matt. xxvi. 26. And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brakeit, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. Ver. 27. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave

it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it: Ver. 28. For this is my blood of the new testa ment, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

1 1 Cor. xi. 26. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. Ver. 27. Wherefore, whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. Ver. 28. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. Matt. xxvi. 29. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.

VI. m Acts iii. 21. Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. With 1 Cor. xi. 24. 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. Ver. 25. 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. Ver. 26. [See in letter 1.] Luke xxiv. 6. He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee. Ver. 39. Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.

VII. 1 Cor. xi. 28. [See in letter 1]

bread and wine; yet as really, but spiritually, present to the faith of believers in that ordinance, as the elements themselves are to their outward senses.

VIII. Although ignorant and wicked men receive the outward elements in this sacrament, yet they receive not the thing signified thereby; but by their unworthy coming thereunto are guilty of the body and blood of the Lord, to their own damnation. Wherefore all ignorant and ungodly persons, as they are unfit to enjoy communion with him, so are they unworthy of the Lord's table, and cannot, without great sin against Christ, while they remain such, partake of these holy mysteries,p or be admitted thereunto.q

CHAP. XXX.-Of Church Censures.

1. HE Lord Jesus, as king and head of his church, hath therein appointed a government in the hand of church-officers, distinct from the civil magistrate.a

II. To these officers the keys of the kingdom of heaven are committed, by virtue whereof they have power respectively to retain and remit sins, to shut that kingdom against the impenitent, both by the word and censures; and to open it unto penitent sinners, by the mi