Of facraments, as means of falvation,
An Exposition of the Affembly's Catechism.
word, andexcites us all to evidence and exerciſe more faith, love, and obedience, inhearing it.
Of Sacraments, as Means of Salvation.
H OW do the ſacraments become effectual Quest. 91 . means of falvation ?
A. Thefacraments become effectual means offalvation, not fromany 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 byfaith receive them.
Q. 1. What is the firſt proper ſenſe ofthis word facrament ?
A. It primarily fignifies a folemn oath taken by foldiers, when they lift themſelves under a prince or general ; and this oathwas mutual.
Q. 2. Whydo weuſe it, ſeeing it is not aſcripture word?
A. Though the word be not found in fcripture, yet the thing intendedby it is, andthat brings theword inufe : for inthe ſacramentsGod obliges himselfto usby confirming his covenant by it ; Rom. iv. 11. Andhe receivedthe fign ofcircumcifion, a feal ofthe righteousness of the faith, which he hadyetbeing uncircumcifed: that he mightbe the father of allthem that believe, though they be not circumcised ; that righteouſneſs mightbe imputeduntothem alſo. Andwe oblige ourſelves to God ; Rom. vi. 3, 4. Know ye not that fo many of us as were baptized into Chriſt, were baptized into hisdeath ? Therefore we are buriedwith himby baptifm into death, that like as Chriſt was raiſed up from the dead by the gloryofthe Father, even ſo we alſo ſhouldwalk 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 hispeople 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 falvation ?
A. Amean ofſalvation fignifies any appointment of God, wherebyhe promotes and accomplishes his deſign of faving our fouls ; fo the word is a mean ; Rom. i. 16. For Iam not ashamed ofthegospel ofChrift, for it is the powerofGodunto falvation, to everyone that believeth.
Q. 5. How doth the word and facraments differ as means of ſalvation?
A. Thewordis appointedtobe the firſtmeansofbegetting
An Expofition of the Assembly's Catechism. faith ; 1 Cor. iii. 5. Who then is Paul ? Andwho isApollos ?
But minifters bywhom yebelieved, &c. Sacraments are to feal andconfirm it ; Rom. iv. 11. And he received the fign ofcircumcifion, a ſeal of the righteouſneſs of faith, &c.
Q. 6. What is meantbyan effectual mean offalvation ?
A.Byan effectual mean,is meantſuchamean as fullyobtains and accomplishes the end it was appointed for,
I Theff. ii. 13 .
Becauſe when ye received the word ofGod, which ye heard of us,ye received it not as the wordofmen ; but (as it is intruth) the word of God, which effectually worketh alſo inyou that believe.
Q. 7. Do not allthe means of falvation prove effectual to men?
A. Though themeans offalvation prove effectual to all God's elect,yet they are ſo not to others ; Acts xxviii. 23 , 24.
Andwhen theyhad appointed him a day, there came manyto himintohis lodging, towhom he expounded and teftified the kingdom of God, perfuading them concerning Jeſus, both out ofthe law of Mofes, and out ofthe prophets, from morning till evening. And fomebelieved the things which were ſpoken, and ſome believed not.
Q. 8. Do not the ſacraments ſave allthat partake ofthem ?
A. No, theydo not ; baptifm may paſs on a caſt-away ; Ats viii. 23.
For I perceive that thou art in the gall ofbit- 'terneſs, and inthe bond of iniquity. And the Lord's ſupper may be received unworthily ; 1 Cor. xi. 27. Wherefore, who- ' foever 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 inGod ; 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 notthat for wantofwisdom,holineſs, or zeal inthe minifter, thatthey have nomore efficacy ?
A. No, it is not principally, or only from thence; for it is not inthe power ofthe 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 facraments become effectual ?
A. It is only from the Spirit of Chriſt working inthem, andbythem on the fouls ofmen ; 1 Cor. xii. 13. For by one
Spirit are we all baptized into one body, and havebeenall made todrink into one Spirit.
An Exposition of the Affembly's Catechism.
Q. 12. What is the firſt inſtruction hence ?
A. Thatmenenjoying all the ordinances of the goſpel, and partaking ofthe facraments annexed to the covenant ofgrace, mayyetperiſh for ever ; 1 Cor. x. 3, 4, 5. Anddid all eatthe ſame ſpiritual meat; anddid alldrink the ſame ſpiritual drink;
(for they drank ofthat ſpiritual rock that followed them : and that rock was Chrift). But with many of themGod was not well pleaſed: for they were overthrown in the wilderness ;
Luke xiii. 26, 27. Then ſhall ye begin to ſay, wehave eaten anddrunk in thy preſence, and thou hasttaught in our ſtreets.
Butheſhallfay, I tell you, I knowyounotwhenceyou are ; depart fromme allye workers ofiniquity.
Q. 13. What is the ſecond inference ?
A. That men ſhould not idolize ſome ministers for the excellency oftheir 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 falvation, we should be careful to beg the Spirit and bleſſing ofChrift, withoutwhich they cannot be effectual to our ſalvation .
Of the Nature of Sacraments.
W Hat is a facrament ?
Queſt. 92.
J A. Afacrament is anholy ordinance inAitutedby Chrift ; wherein by fenfiblefigns, Christ and the benefits of the new covenant are represented, fealed, and applied tobelievers.
Q. 1. Howmanyforts offacraments are found in fcripture?
A. Of facraments there are two forts, ſome extraordinary and tranfient, 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 ſhouldbe ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all paſſed through the ſea ; and were all baptized unto Mofes inthe cloud, and in the fea ; anddid all eatthe ſame ſpiritual meat; anddid alldrink the ſame ſpiritualdrink; (for they drank ofthat ſpiritual rock that followed them; andthat rock was Chriſt.) And ſome ordinary and ſtanding, as circumciſion and the pafflover, before Chrift ; and baptifm and the Lord's ſupper, ſince Chriſt's death.
Q. 2. How many things are to be conſidered in every facrament?
A. Inevery facrament five things mustbe confidered ; (1.) The author. (2.) The parts. (3.) The union of thoſe parts.
(4.) The fubjects. (5.) The ends anduſes of it.
An Exposition of the Affembly's Catechism.
Q. 3. Who is isthe author ofthefacraments ?
A. The Lord Jeſus Chriſt asKing ofthe church,bywhoſe fole authority baptifm was inftituted ; Matth. xxviii.19,201 Goye therefore and teach allnations, baptizing them in the name ofthe Father, and ofthe Son, and ofthe HolyGhost :
Teaching them to obſerve allthings, whatsoever Ihave commandedyou, &c.
Andthe Lord's ſupper ; 1 Cor. xi. 23, 24For I have received ofthe Lord that which alſo I delivered untoyou, that the LordJeſus, the ſame night inwhich he was betrayed,took bread, and when he had giventhanks, he brake it,and ſaid, take, eat, this ismybody,which is brokenforyou:
This do in remembrance of me.
Q. 4. Are the old facraments yet in beinganduſe inthe church?
A. No, they are paſſed away, andthe new come in their room.
Baptifm takes place of circumcifion; Col. ii. 11, 12.
Inwhom alſo ye are circumcisedwith the circumcifion made withouthands, inputting off the body ofthe ſins of the flesh bythecircumcifion of Chrift ; buriedwithhim in baptifm,&c.
Andthe 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 facrificed for us.
Q. 5. Ofwhat partsdoth every facrament conſiſt ?
A. Every facrament confifts oftwo parts, one external and earthly; another internal and heavenly, or ſpiritual.
Bread, wine, andwater, are the external, Chriſt's blood and Spirit the internal parts ; Rom. vi. 3. Know yenot, that fo many ofus 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. Whereinconſiſts the facramental unionofthoſe parts ?
A. Itconfifts, by virtue of Chriſt's inſtitution, in three things; (1.) In apt fignification.
(2.) Firm obfignation.
And,(3.) Real exhibition ofthebleffings fignified and fealed.
९. 7. What arethe bleſſings fignifiedbywater inbaptifm?
A. It ſignifies ourimplantation intoChriſt, and communi onwithhim inhisdeath and refurrection; Rom. vi. 4. Thereforewe are buried with him bybaptifm intodeath, that like as Chriſtwas raifed upfrom thedead by theglory ofthe Father; even ſo we alſo ſhould walk in newness of life.
And our fo. lemn admiffion into the viſible church ; Gal. iii. 26, 27, 28, 29. For ye are all thechildren ofGodby faith in Chriſt Jeſus.
For as many ofyou ashavebeenbaptized into Chrift, have put
An Exposition of the Assembly's Catechism.
on Chriſt.
There is neithe: Jew norGreek, there is neither bondnor 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 thepromife.
Q. 8. What are thebleſſings ſignifiedby bread and wine ?
A. Theyfignify Chrift's body andblood,broken and pouredout for us,with allthe bleſlings ofremiffion,peace, and falvation,purchaſedby his blood ; 1 Cor. x. 16, 17. The cup of bleffingwhichwe bleſs, is itnotthe communion oftheblood ofChrift ? The breadwhich webreak, is itnotthe communion of thebody of Chriſt ? For we being many, are one bread, andonebody; for we are all partakers of thatone bread.
Q. 9. Dothe facraments ſeal, aswell as fignify theſethings ?
A. Yes, theydo; Rom. iv. 11. And he received the ſign of circumcifion, a feal ofthe righteouſneſs of the faith, &c.
Theiruse is to confirmGod's covenant with believers.
Q. 10. Who arethe proper ſubjects of the ſacraments ?
A. Believers, andtheirfeed, arethe ſubjects ofbaptifm, but adult Chriſtians only ofthe Lord's ſupper ; Acts ii. 38, 39.
Repent, andbebaptized every one of you ; for the promiſe is untoyou, andtoyourchildren,even asmanyas the Lord our
Godshall call.
1 Cor. xi. 28. But let amanexaminehimself, andfo let him eat of that bread, and drink ofthat cup.
Q. 11. What isthe main uſe and endoffacraments ?
A. It is toratifyandconfirmGod's covenantwithbelievers ; Rom. iv. 11. And he received the ſign ofcircumcifion, a feal ofthe righteouſneſs ofthe faith which he had yet being uncircumcifed, &c.
Cor. xi. 26. For as often asye eatthis bread, anddrink this cup, yedo ſhew the Lord's death tillhe come.
Q. 12. What is the firſt inſtruction from hence?
A. That the abuſe ofſuch holyand folemn myſteries is a fin ofdreadful aggravation, and ſuch as God will puniſh
1 Cor. xi . 27. Wherefore, whoſoever ſhall eat this bread, and drink this cupofthe Lord unworthily, ſhall be guilty ofthe bodyandbloodofthe Lord.
Q. 13. What is the ſecond inſtruction ?
A.Hencewe learn the tender care and love of Chriſt over the church, in inftituting fuch useful and comfortable ordi nances forus.
VoL. VIII