A. The act of covenanting. Every body of persons must have some bond of union, some covenant, some incorporating act.

Q. 9. When did the Church have its origin? A. Soon after the apostacy of man. It is generally supposed, that Adam and Eve repented and believed in the promised Seed. Abel it is certain was a believer.(5)

Q. 10. What qualifies for Church membership? A. Experimental piety or vital godliness; repentance and faith.(b)

Q. 11. Are all who profess religion possessed of this qualification?

A. They are not. Some are hypocritical professors. No Church on earth probably is entirely pure.(i)

Q. 12. What is the design of the institution of the Church on earth?

A. The maintenance and diffusion of the truths of religion, the support of Gospel ordinances, the

(g) Gen. 3. 31. Unto Adam also, and to his wife, did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them. It is supposed by some that these were skins of beasts slain and offered in sacrifice, and that this circumstance is indicative of the faith of our first parents in the great atoning sacrifice Christ, whom these were a type. Heb. 11. 4. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness, that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and by it he being dead yet speaketh. (h) Acts 8. 37. And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. Acts 2. 41. Then they that gladly received his word were baptised; and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

(i) Matt. 13. 47. Again the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind. Matt. 7. 21, 22, 23. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, Have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

promotion of holiness and happiness among mankind, and the edification of the people of God.() Q. 13. What are the special ordinances of the Church?

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.(')

(j) Eph. 4. 11-13. And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ; till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. Eph. 5. 27. That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

(k) Matt. 28. 19. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. 1 Cor. 11. 24, 25. And when he had given thanks, he break 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) Isa. 2. 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. 16. 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.

17*

CHAPTER XXIX.

Baptism.

Q. 1. What is Christian baptism?

A. It is a special or positive ordinance of Christ, and consists in the application of water to a person into the name, that is, the authority, faith, profession and obedience 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 publick 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?

A. It represents the necessity of the sprinkling or washing of the soul from sin and pollution by the 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, and of the parents, who offer their children in baptism. It is an initiatory ordinance, an appointed prerequisite of admission into the

(a) Matt. 28. 19. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

(b) See reference (a).

visible Church. And it is a solemn dedication to God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.(e) 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, or so many of them as are.

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 Jailor, Lydia, and the people of Samaria. This argument, which proves that adults, who can believe, must believe in order, that they may be baptized, does not prove, that infants, who cannot, and do not believe, 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, upon this reasoning, 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

(c) Titus 3. 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 1.5. For John truly baptised with water; but ye shall be baptised with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

necessary in adults, in order to qualify them for baptism, is no argument for, or against, the baptism of infants.(c)

Q. 7. What is the evidence, that the children of 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 baptism, and is to be applied to both males and females, for they are all one in Christ Jesus. The children of believers, under the Jewish dispensation, received the seal of the covenant, which was

(c) Ps. 50. 16. But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth? Acts 2. 41. Then they that gladly received his word were baptised, and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. Acts 8. 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 16. 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 baptised, he and all his, straightway. Acts 16. 14. 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 8. 12. But when they believed Philip, preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptised, both men and

women.