Of sacraments, as means of salvation,
An Exposition of the Assembly's Catechism.
word, and excites us all to evidence and exercise more faith, love, and obedience, in hearing it.
Of Sacraments, as Means of Salvation.
H OW do the sacraments become effectual Quest. 91 . means of salvation ?
A. Thefacraments become effectual means offalvation, not from any virtue in them, or in him that doth administer them, but only by the blessing of Christ, and the working of his Spirit in them that by faith receive them.
Q. 1. What is the first proper sense of this word sacrament ?
A. It primarily signifies a solemn oath taken by soldiers, when they lift themselves under a prince or general ; and this oath was mutual.
Q. 2. Why do we use it, seeing it is not a scripture word?
A. Though the word be not found in scripture, yet the thing intended by it is, and that brings the word in use : for in the sacramentsGod obliges himself to us by confirming his covenant by it ; Rom. iv. 11. And he received the sign ofcircumcifion, a feal of the righteousness of the faith, which he hadyetbeing uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised ; that righteousness might be imputeduntothem also. And we oblige ourselves to God ; Rom. vi. 3, 4. Know ye not that fo many of us as were baptized into 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.
Q. 3. What is heremeantby salvation ?
A. By salvation is meantourcomplete and final deliverance from finand misery, both temporal and eternal.
From fin, Matth i. 21. For he shallfave his people from their fius. From t misery, I Thes. i. 10. Even Jesus who delivereth us from the wrath to come.
Q. 4. What is a mean of salvation ?
A. A mean of salvation signifies any appointment of God, whereby he promotes and accomplishes his design of saving our souls ; fo the word is a mean ; Rom. i. 16. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the powerofGodunto salvation, to everyone that believeth.
Q. 5. How doth the word and sacraments differ as means of salvation?
A. The word is appointed to be the firstmeansofbegetting
An Exposition of the Assembly's Catechism. faith ; 1 Cor. iii. 5. Who then is Paul ? And who isApollos ?
But ministers by whom yebelieved, &c. Sacraments are to feal and confirm it ; Rom. iv. 11. And he received the sign ofcircumcifion, a seal of the righteousness of faith, &c.
Q. 6. What is meant by an effectual mean offalvation ?
A.By an effectual mean,is meantsuchamean as fullyobtains and accomplishes the end it was appointed for,
I Theff. ii. 13 .
Because when ye received the word of God, which ye heard of us,ye received it not as the wordofmen ; but (as it is in truth) the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
Q. 7. Do not all the means of salvation prove effectual to men?
A. Though the means offalvation prove effectual to all God's elect,yet they are so not to others ; Acts xxviii. 23 , 24.
And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to himintohis lodging, to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening. And fomebelieved the things which were spoken, and some believed not.
Q. 8. Do not the sacraments save all that partake of them ?
A. No, they do not ; baptism may pass on a cast-away ; Ats viii. 23.
For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bit- 'terness, and in the bond of iniquity. And the Lord's supper may be received unworthily ; 1 Cor. xi. 27. Wherefore, who- ' soever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
Q. 9. What is the reason they prove not effectual to all ?.
A. Because their virtue and efficacy is not in themselves, but in God ; for we fee they work as God's Spirit concurs, or not concurs with them, as in the instance before given.
Q. 10. But is not that for wantofwisdom,holiness, or zeal in the minister, that they have no more efficacy ?
A. No, it is not principally, or only from thence; for it is not in the power of the holiest minister in the world to make them effectual ; 1 Cor. iii. 7. Neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
Q11 . Whence is it that sacraments become effectual ?
A. It is only from the Spirit of Christ working in them, and by them on the souls of men ; 1 Cor. xii. 13. For by one
Spirit are we all baptized into one body, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
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Q. 12. What is the first instruction hence ?
A. Thatmenenjoying all the ordinances of the gospel, and partaking of the sacraments annexed to the covenant of grace, mayyetperish for ever ; 1 Cor. x. 3, 4, 5. And did all eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink the same spiritual drink;
(for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them : and that rock was Christ). But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness ;
Luke xiii. 26, 27. Then shall ye begin to say, we have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.
Butheshallfay, I tell you, I knowyounotwhenceyou are ; depart from me allye workers of iniquity.
Q. 13. What is the second inference ?
A. That men should not idolize some ministers for the excellency of their gifts, and despise others, seeing it is not in them to make the means effectual.
Q. 14. What is the last inference ?
A. That in all our attendence upon the means of salvation, we should be careful to beg the Spirit and blessing of Christ, without which they cannot be effectual to our salvation .
Of the Nature of Sacraments.
W Hat is a sacrament ?
Quest. 92.
J A. Afacrament is an holy ordinance inAitutedby Christ ; wherein by fenfiblefigns, Christ and the benefits of the new covenant are represented, sealed, and applied to believers.
Q. 1. Howmanyforts offacraments are found in scripture?
A. Of sacraments there are two forts, some extraordinary and transient, as the fiery pillar, manna, and water out of the rock ; 1 Cor. x. 1 , 2, 3, 4. Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea ; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud, and in the sea ; and did all eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink the same spiritual drink; (for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them; and that rock was Christ.) And some ordinary and standing, as circumcision and the pafflover, before Christ ; and baptism and the Lord's supper, since Christ's death.
Q. 2. How many things are to be considered in every sacrament?
A. In every sacrament five things must be considered ; (1.) The author. (2.) The parts. (3.) The union of those parts.
(4.) The subjects. (5.) The ends and uses of it.
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Q. 3. Who is is the author ofthefacraments ?
A. The Lord Jesus Christ asKing of the church,by whose sole authority baptism was instituted ; Matth. xxviii.19,201 Goye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost :
Teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I have commanded you, &c.
And the Lord's supper ; 1 Cor. xi. 23, 24For 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, and when he had given thanks, he brake it,and said, take, eat, this ismybody,which is brokenforyou:
This do in remembrance of me.
Q. 4. Are the old sacraments yet in beinganduse in the church?
A. No, they are passed away, and the new come in their room.
Baptism takes place of circumcision; Col. ii. 11, 12.
In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, inputting off the body of the sins of the flesh bythecircumcifion of Christ ; buriedwithhim in baptism,&c.
And the Lord's supper of the passover; 1 Cor. v. 7. Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be anew lump, as yeareunleavened, for even Christ our pafsover is sacrificed for us.
Q. 5. Of what parts doth every sacrament consist ?
A. Every sacrament consists of two parts, one external and earthly; another internal and heavenly, or spiritual.
Bread, wine, and water, are the external, Christ's blood and Spirit the internal parts ; Rom. vi. 3. Know yenot, that fo many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death ? 1 Cor. xi. 25. This cup is the new testament in my blood, &c.
Q.6. Wherein consists the sacramental unionofthose parts ?
A. It consists, by virtue of Christ's institution, in three things; (1.) In apt fignification.
(2.) Firm obfignation.
And,(3.) Real exhibition ofthebleffings signified and sealed.
९. 7. What are the blessings fignifiedbywater inbaptifm?
A. It signifies ourimplantation into Christ, and communi on with him in his death and resurrection; Rom. vi. 4. Therefore we are buried with him bybaptifm 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.
And our fo. lemn admission into the visible church ; Gal. iii. 26, 27, 28, 29. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
For as many of you ashavebeenbaptized into Christ, have put
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on Christ.
There is neithe: Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female : For ye are allone in Christ Jesus. And ifye be Christ's, then are ye
Abraham's feed,and heirs according to the promise.
Q. 8. What are the blessings signifiedby bread and wine ?
A. Theyfignify Christ's body and blood,broken and poured out for us,with all the bleslings ofremiffion,peace, and salvation,purchased by his blood ; 1 Cor. x. 16, 17. The cup of bleffingwhichwe 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 ? For we being many, are one bread, andonebody; for we are all partakers of thatone bread.
Q. 9. Do the sacraments seal, as well as signify these things ?
A. Yes, they do; Rom. iv. 11. And he received the sign of circumcision, a feal of the righteousness of the faith, &c.
Their use is to confirm God's covenant with believers.
Q. 10. Who are the proper subjects of the sacraments ?
A. Believers, and their feed, are the subjects ofbaptifm, but adult Christians only of the Lord's supper ; Acts ii. 38, 39.
Repent, and be baptized every one of you ; for the promise is unto you, andtoyourchildren,even as many as the Lord our
God shall call.
1 Cor. xi. 28. But let amanexaminehimself, andfo let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
Q. 11. What is the main use and endoffacraments ?
A. It is toratifyandconfirmGod's covenantwithbelievers ; Rom. iv. 11. And he received the sign ofcircumcifion, a feal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised, &c.
Cor. xi. 26. For as often asye eat this bread, and drink this cup, yedo shew the Lord's death till he come.
Q. 12. What is the first instruction from hence?
A. That the abuse of such holy and solemn mysteries is a fin of dreadful aggravation, and such as God will punish
1 Cor. xi . 27. Wherefore, whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the bodyandbloodofthe Lord.
Q. 13. What is the second instruction ?
A.Hence we learn the tender care and love of Christ over the church, in instituting such useful and comfortable ordi nances for us.
VoL. VIII