Of the subjects of baptism,
An Exposition of the Assembly's Catechism.
haptizing inEnon, near to Salim,becausetherewas much water there: and they came and were baptized ?
A. The word signifies many waters, that is, springs of waters there; which are knownbytravellers to be small, notcapableofplunging into.
Q. 10. What are the benefits accruing to us by baptism ?
A. The benefits are twofold: some external, called the fatness of the olive-tree ; i.e. ordinances, and visible memberthip; Rom. xi. 17. And thou being a wild olive-tree, wert grassed in amongst them, and with them partakest of the root andfatness of the olive-tree. And some spiritual and saving ;
1Pet. iii. 21. The like figure whereunto, evenbaptifm, doth alfonow save us (not the putting away the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God)by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Q. 11. What engagements are laid on the baptized ?
A. They are engaged to be the Lord's people, and to walk suitably to that engagement; Rom. vi. 4. Therefore we are buriedwithhimbybaptifm into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even fo we also should walk in newness of life.
Q. 12. Is baptism to be reiterated, as the Lord's supper ?
A. No; for the Lord'ssupper is afacrament for nourishing, but this for implantation ; Rom. vi. 4, 5. Therefore we are buried with himbybaptifm 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. For if we havebeenplanted together in the likeness of his death,we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection .
Q. 13. Doth baptism regenerate men, and confer saving grace?
A. No, it doth not, in itsownvirtue, convey grace, no more than the Lord's supper ; but the Spirit of God is the authorofgrace, and works it as he pleases, before or after baptism.
Of the Subjects ofBaptifm.
O whom is baptism to be administered ?
TOA. Baptism is not to be administered to any that are out of the visible church, till they profess their faith in Quest. 95 .
Christ, and obedience to him ; but the infants of such as are members of the visible church are to be baptized.
Q. 1. Who are to be baptized ?
: A. Believers, and their infant-offspring ; Acts i i.39. Fotthe
An Exposition of the Assembly's Catechism. promise is to you, and your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
Q.2. How doth it appear, that the infant-seed of believers ought to be baptized ?
A. It appears by this, that theybeingAbraham's seed,were taken into covenant with God, and ordered to have the sign of the covenant applied to them; andthatgrantwas never reversed; Gen. xvii. 7, 10. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee, and thy feed after thee, in their generations, for an everlasting covenant ; to beaGoduntothee, and to thy feed after thee.
This is my covenant, whichye shall keep between me and you, and thy feed after thee; everymanchildamong you shall be circumcised.
Q. 3. But was not that the covenantofworks ; and so will not hold, to infer their privilege under the covenant of grace ?
A. No, it was not; for God never did, nor will become a God by way of special interest to any people, by virtue of the covenant of works, since the breach of it by the fall.
* Q. 4. But if it were the covenant of grace, how doth it appear the right of believers infants is still the fame it was before in Abraham's time ?
A. It appears plainly from the apostle's own words, and arguments ; Acts ii. 39. For the promise is to you, and to your children, &c.
Q. 5. But though infants then were members of God's visible church among the Jews, how doth it appear they are so now, when God hath cast them off ?
A. It appears, the membership and privileges are as free and completetothem now, that are the children of Gentile believ ers,aseverthey were to the Jewish infants ; Rom. xi . 17. And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou being a wild olive-treewertgraffedinamongst them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive-tree.
Q.6. How else doth it appear they are within the covenant ?
A. It appears by this, that theyarepronouncedholy ; 1 Cor. vii. 14. Else were your children unclean, but now are they holy. Which is a foederal holiness, and none out of covenant canbeholyby covenant.
Q.7. But may not thatplacemean only their legitimacy ?
A. No, it cannot; for then the apostle must pronounce all the infants in the world bastards, that descend not at least from one believing parent.
8. But infants are not capable to covenantwithGod, or
An Exposition of the Assembly's Catechism.
to perform covenant-duties ; and therefore why should they be admitted to covenant-privileges ?
A. Achildnow of eight days old, is as capableofbeing admitted into covenant with God, as children of the fame age were in Abraham'sdays ; and then it is manifesttheywere admitted.
Q. 9. Though they were admitted by circumcision then, will it follow, they maybe so by baptism now,feeingthat ordinance is abolished ?
A. Yes, it will : For though circumcision cease,yet baptism is come in its place; Col. ii. 10, 11, 12. An dye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.
In whomalsoye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the fins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with him inbaptifm, &c.
Q. 10.Butcircumcifionwas a fealofthe covenantofworks; and the argument will not hold, from a feal of the covenant of works, to a seal of the covenant of grace ?
A. Circumcision never was, nor was intended to be a feal of the covenant of works, but of the righteousness of faith ;
Rom. iv. 11. And he received the sign of circumcision, a feal of the righteousness of the faith which he hadyetbeing uncircumcised, &c.
Q. 11. But have we no expresscommandinthe New Testament to baptize infants ?
A. There needed no new command; their privilege had been settled many ages before upon them, and never reversed by Christ, or his apostles, but their former right declared to continue still to them ; Acts ii. 39. For the promise is to you and your children, &c.
Q. 12. But if they have a right, we might expect to find some examples of their baptizing ?
A. It is manifest that believers housholds werebaptizedwith them ; Acts xvi. 15, 33. And when she was baptized, and her houshold, &c.
Ver. 33. And he took them the fame hour of the night, and washed their stripes, and was baptized, he and all his straightway. And if infants are not named, so neither are any of age, born of Christian parents.
Q. 13. But many trust to their infant-baptism, as to their regeneration, and so much mischief is done ?
A. They do fo ; yet the duty is not therefore to be neglected.
The preaching of Christ is to some a stumbling-block; yet Christ must be preached for all that.
Q. 14. But many baptized infants prove naught ?