Q1. What is the proper signification of the word baptism?

A. It is of Greek origin, and properly signifies a washing, sprinkling, or pouring out, in order to cleansing, Mark 1:8 - "I indeed baptise you with water, but he shall baptise you with the Holy Ghost;" that is, he shall pour his Spirit upon you, according to the promise, Isaiah 44:3 - "I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring."

Q2. Who is the author of baptism?

A. The Lord Jesus Christ, the Mediator and Head of the church.

Q3. When did he institute and appoint it, as a sacrament of the New Testament?

A. A little before his ascension into heaven, when he gave his apostles that solemn charge, 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."

Q4. Was not baptism used before that time?

A. It was used long before by the Jews, in receiving their proselytes, but not by divine institution.

Q5. When came baptism to have a divine warrant and restitution?.

A. When God sent John the Baptist to baptise with water, John 1:33.

Q6. Was there any difference between the baptism of John, and the baptism dispensed by the apostles after Christ's ascension?

A. There was no essential difference between them; for both of them had the same visible sign, and the same blessings signified by it. The difference was only circumstantial, in respect of time, and the objects of administration.

Q7. How did they differ in respect of time?

A. The baptism of John was dispensed before Christ had finished the work which his Father gave him to do; but the baptism of the apostles was mostly after Christ had suffered, and had entered into his glory.

Q8. How did they differ as to the objects of administration?

A. The baptism of John was confined to Judea only; but the baptism of the apostles extended to all nations, to whom the gospel was preached, Matt. 28:19.

Q9. Did not Paul rebaptise some disciples at Ephesus who had been before baptised by John?

A. No; he only declares, that they who had heard John preach the doctrine of repentance and faith in Christ, were by John baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus, and so needed not to be rebaptised by any other.

Q10. Why did Christ, who had no need of it, condescend to be baptised by John?

A. He gives the reason himself; "It becometh us," says he, "to fulfil all righteousness," Matt. 3:15.

Q11. Did Christ himself baptise any?

A. No; "Jesus himself baptised not, but his disciples," John 4:2.

Q12. Why did not Christ baptise any himself?

A. That he might commend the ministry of men of like passions with ourselves; and to show that the efficacy of the ordinance did not depend upon the administrator, but upon the divine blessing; even as the words spoken by him on earth, when they were efficacious, were so, not merely as spoken or uttered from his lips, but as accompanied with his own almighty power, Luke 5:17.

Q13. What is the visible sign, or outward element in baptism?

A. Only water, pure and unmixed, Acts 10:47.

Q14. How is water to be applied to the body in baptism?

A. "Dipping of the person into the water is not necessary, but baptism is rightly administered by pouring or sprinkling water upon the person."140

Q15. How does it appear from scripture, that baptism is rightly administered by pouring or sprinkling water upon the person?

A. From repeated instances of the administration of baptism by the apostles in this manner; particularly when three thousand were baptised by them, Acts 2:41, water must have been sprinkled upon them, as the apostles could not have time, in a part only of one day, to take them one by one, and plunge them into it. Nor is it probable that the jailer, Acts 16:33, had such store of water in the night season, as was sufficient for himself and whole family to be dipped into; or that they went abroad in quest of some river for that purpose; it is much more reasonable to infer, that in both the above instances, they were baptised by sprinkling. The same may be said of Paul's baptism, Acts 9:18; and of the baptism of Cornelius and his friends, Acts 10:47, 48.

Q16. Why is it most expedient to sprinkle water upon the face in baptism?

A. Because the face is the principal part of the body, and the whole person is represented by it, Ex. 10:29.

Q17. What is signified by water in baptism?

A. The cleansing virtue of the blood of Christ, Rev. 1:5, and Spirit of Christ, Titus 3:5.

Q18. What is the difference between cleansing by the blood, and cleansing by the Spirit of Christ?

A. The blood of Christ cleanseth meritoriously, 1 John 1:7; the Spirit of Christ efficaciously, Ezek. 36:27. By the former, the guilt of sin is, at once, taken away in justification; by the latter, the blot and stain of it is gradually carried off in sanctification.

Q19. What is signified by sprinkling of water upon the body?

A. The application of the blood of Christ to the soul, by the Spirit of God, Titus 3:5, 6.

Q20. What is the analogy, or resemblance, between the sign in baptism, and the thing signified?

A. Water makes clean, what before was foul; so the blood and Spirit of Christ purify from the guilt and pollution of sin, Zech. 13:1 water is open and free to all; so Christ and his benefits are freely offered to all the hearers of the gospel, Rev. 22:17.

Q21. In whose name are we baptised?

A. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, Matt. 28:19.

Q22. What is it to be baptised in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost?

A. It is not only to be baptised by the will, command, and authority of the Threeone God; but likewise to be, by baptism, solemnly dedicated and devoted to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, as our God and portion for ever, Isaiah 44:5.

Q23. What is it to be baptised by the command and authority of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost?

A. It intimates that the Trinity of persons do not only authorise and appoint baptism to be a sacrament of the New Testament; but that they become jointly engaged to make good all the blessings of the covenant, signified and sealed by that ordinance, Jer. 31:33 - "I will be their God, and they shall be my people."

Q24. What is included in our being by baptism, solemnly dedicated and devoted to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, as our God and portion for ever?

A. It includes a solemn profession, that these three adorable persons have the sole right to all our religious worship, Psalm 5:7; that all our hope of salvation is from them, Psalm 62:1, 5, and that we should be wholly and for ever the Lord's, Psalm 48:14.

Q25. Is it necessary that baptism be dispensed in these express words, "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost?"

A. Yes; because ministers are peremptorily commanded by Christ, to baptise in this very form, 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."

Q26. Did not the apostles baptise in another form, when they baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus? Acts 8:16.

A. It is not to be supposed, that the apostles would alter the form, so expressly delivered to them by their glorious Master; and therefore, when any are said to be baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus, it is not designed by this to notify to us in what form of words they were baptised; but only that they were baptised by the authority of Christ, who appointed this sacrament; and to faith in him, and communion with him.

Q27. How ought the mentioning of the holy Trinity to be introduced in baptism?

A. It is proper that it be introduced by words in the first person, expressing the present act of administration; and likewise setting forth the authority that a minister, lawfully called, has to dispense this sacrament; such as, "I baptise thee, in the name," &c.141

Q28. What are the ends and uses of baptism?

A. They are to signify and seal our ingrafting into Christ, and partaking of the benefits of the covenant of grace.

Q29. What is it to signify and seal our ingrafting into Christ?

A. It is to signify and seal our union with him, and consequently the imputation of his righteousness to us, Gal. 3:27 - "As many of you as have been baptised into Christ, have put on Christ."

Q30. What are the benefits of the covenant of grace, the partaking of which is signified and sealed in baptism?

A. They are "remission of sins by the blood of Christ; regeneration by his Spirit, adoption, and resurrection unto everlasting life."142

Q31. What is the consequence of its being signified and sealed to us in baptism, that we partake of such great and glorious benefits?

A. The consequence is, that on this account, we enter into an open and professed engagement to be - the Lord's."143

Q32. What is included in our engagement to be the Lord's?

A. That we shall be his "wholly and only."

Q33. What is it to be his wholly?144

A. It is to be his, in all that we are, soul, spirit, and body, 1 Cor. 6:19, 20; and in all that we have, whether gifts, graces, or worldly comforts, 1 Chron. 29:14.

Q34. What is it to be the Lord's only?

A. It is to be his in opposition to all his rivals and competitors, every one of whom we profess to renounce in baptism, Hos. 14:8.

Q35. Who are these rivals and competitors with God, whom we profess to renounce in baptism?

A. They are sin, Rom. 6:6; Satan, Acts 26:18, and the world, John 17:14.

Q36. Does baptism make or constitute persons church members?

A. No; they are supposed to be church-members before they are baptised, and if they are children of professing parents, they are born members of the visible church, 1 Cor. 7:14.

Q37. Why must they be church-members before they are baptised?

A. Because the seals of the covenant can never be applied to any, but such as are supposed to be in the covenant; nor can the privileges of the church be confirmed to any that are without the church.

Q38. Why then do our Confession,145 and Larger Catechism,146 say that "the parties baptised are solemnly admitted into the visible church?"

A. Because there is a vast difference between making a person a church-member, who was none before; and the solemnity of the admission of one, who is already a member. All that our Confession and Catechism affirm, is, that, by baptism, we are SOLEMNLY admitted into the visible church; that is, by baptism we are publicly declared to be church-members before, and thus have our membership solemnly sealed to us: "For by one Spirit we are all baptised into one body," 1 Cor. 12:13.

Q39. Is it warrantable to call the baptising of any, the Christening of them?

A. No; because this is an encouraging of the superstitious Popish notion, that baptism makes even those who are born within the visible church, to become Christians; and that by the want of it, they remain infidels, and are left to uncovenanted mercy.

Q40. What are the extremes about the necessity of baptism?

A. The Socinians and Quakers deny that it is necessary at all; on the other hand, the Papists, and some others, maintain that it is so absolutely necessary, that no salvation can be expected without it.

Q41. What is the doctrine of our Confession of Faith, on this head?

A. That "although it be a great sin to contemn or neglect this ordinance, yet grace and salvation are not so inseparably annexed unto it, as that no person can be regenerated and saved without it; or that all who are baptised are undoubtedly regenerated."147

Q42. In what consists the greatness of the sin of contemning and slighting this ordinance?

A. It consists in despising an express and positive institution of Christ, appointed to be administered in his church to the end of the world, Matt. 28:19, 20; and in slighting all the great and glorious benefits and privileges signified and sealed by it, Luke 7:30.

Q43. How does it appear that grace and salvation are not inseparably annexed to baptism?

A. From the instance of Abraham, who had the righteousness of faith before he was circumcised, Rom. 4:11; of Cornelius, who feared God, and was accepted of him, before he was baptised, Acts 10:2, 4; and from the instance of the thief on the cross, who was saved without being baptised at all, Luke 23:43.

Q44. How does the scripture evince, that all who are baptised are not regenerated and saved?

A. From the instance of Simon Magus, who was baptised, and yet, after baptism, remained "in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity,"149 Acts 8:13, 23.

Q45. Does baptism give a right to covenant-blessings; or, is it only a declarative sign and seal of them?

A. It is only a declarative sign and seal of them, as circumcision was, Rom. 4:11.

Q46. What, then, gives a right?

A. The promise of the covenant, which is endorsed to the children, as well as to the parents, Acts 2:39 - "The promise is unto you, and to your CHILDREN."

Q47. Is baptism designed to make the covenant more sure, or our faith stronger?

A. It is designed only to make our faith stronger; for the sureness of the covenant flows from the faithfulness of God, which is inviolable and unchangeable, Psalm 89:33, 34; Isaiah 54:10.

Q48. In what consists the efficacy of baptism?

A. It consists in sealing and ratifying the right to covenant blessings, which persons have from the promise, so infallibly, that they shall certainly be put in possession of them, Eph. 5:25, 26. For, according to the doctrine of our Confession, "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."148

Q49. Is baptism efficacious at the time of its administration?

A. Not always: "the efficacy of baptism is not tied to that moment of time wherein it is administered,"149 but may take place afterwards, as God in his sovereignty has fixed it; "for the wind bloweth where it listeth," &c., John 3:8.

Q50. What may we learn from the nature of baptism?

A. The infinite goodness of God, in appointing an initiating ordinance, irreversibly sealing all the blessings of the covenant to the elect seed, Gen. 17:7.

Q1. What is the external part of baptism?

A. It is pure unmixed water; Hebrews 10:22. And our bodies washed with pure water. And therefore it is a vile practice of Papists, to add oil, salt, and spittle, to water in baptism.

Q2. What does water in baptism signify?

A. It signifies the blood of Christ; Revelation 1:5. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.

Q3. What is the first resemblance it has to Christ's blood?

A. In the freeness of it to all, it represents the unpurchased blood of Christ; Isaiah 55:1. Ho, every one that thirsts, come you to the waters; and he who has no money, come you, buy and eat; yes, come, buy wine and milk, without money, and without price.

Q4. What is the second resemblance to Christ's blood?

A. It resembles it in its refreshing quality; water refreshes the thirsty, so does Christ's blood; John 6:35. He who believes on me shall never thirst.

Q5. What is the third resemblance it has to Christ's blood?

A. The cleansing property of water shows the purifying virtue of Christ's blood; Hebrews 9:14. How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit, offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works, to serve the living God?

Q6. What is the fourth resemblance it has to Christ's blood?

A. It resembles it in the necessity of it: For as the body cannot live without water, so neither can the soul without Christ's blood; Hebrews 9:23. It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

Q7. What is the fifth resemblance of water to the blood of Christ?

A. As water neither refreshes nor purifies the body without application; so neither does Christ's blood refresh or purify the soul until applied; 1 Corinthians 1:30. But of him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.

Q8. Is it necessary to plunge the whole body under water, in baptizing every person?

A. The word [baptize] signifying as well to wash, as to plunge; a person may be truly baptized, that is not plunged. And we cannot think by the circumstance of time and place, that the jailor, in the night, was carried to a river out of the city; Acts 16:33. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes, and was baptized, he and all his immediately.

Q9. But it is not said, John 3:23. That John also was baptizing in Enon, near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came and were baptized?

A. The word signifies many waters, that is, springs of waters there; which are known by travelers to be small, not capable of plunging into.

Q10. What are the benefits accruing to us by baptism?

A. The benefits are two fold: some external, called the fatness of the olive-tree; that is ordinances, and visible membership; Romans 11:17. And you being a wild olive-tree, were engrafted in among them, and with them partakers of the root and fatness of the olive-tree. And some spiritual and saving; 1 Peter 3:21. The like figure whereunto, even baptism, does also now 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.

Q11. What engagements are laid on the baptized?

A. They are engaged to be the Lord's people, and to walk suitably to that engagement; Romans 6:4. 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.

Q12. Is baptism to be reiterated, as the Lord's supper?

A. No; for the Lord's supper is a sacrament for nourishing, but this for implantation; Romans 6:4, 5. 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. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we should be also in the likeness of his resurrection.

Q13. Does baptism regenerate men, and confer saving grace?

A. No, it does not, in its own virtue, convey grace, no more than the Lord's supper; but the Spirit of God is the author of grace, and works it as he pleases, before or after baptism. Of the Subjects of Baptism

Q1. Is washing with water the outward sign in baptism?

A. Yes: I am come baptizing with water, John 1:31.

Q2. Is that well done by sprinkling?

A. Yes: For so shall he sprinkle many nations, Isa. 52:15. Ezek. 30:25.

Q3. Is that sign significant?

A. Yes: If ye are washed, ye are sanctified, ye are justified, 1 Cor. 6:11.

Q4. But is the outward sign alone sufficient?

A. No: Baptism saves us, not as it is the putting away the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God, 1 Pet. 3:21.

Q5. Must baptism be in the name of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost?

A. Yes: Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Sun, and of the Holy Ghost, Matt. 28:19.

Q6. And not in the minister's name?

A. No: Were ye baptized in the name of Paul? 1 Cor. 1:13.

Q7. Is it therefore one?

A. Yes: For there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, Eph. 4:5. There were added to the church daily, Acts 2:47.

Q8. Is baptism a door of admission into the visible church?

A. Yes: There were added to the church daily, Acts 2:47.

Q9. Are we thereby entered into Christ's school?

A. Yes: Jesus made and baptized disciples, John 4:1.

Q10. And listed under his banner?

A. Yes: As good soldiers of Jesus Christ, 2 Tim. 2:3.

Q11. Is baptism a seal of our ingrafting into Christ?

A. Yes: For being baptized into Jesus Christ, we are baptized into his death, Rom. 6:3.

Q12. And of our partaking of the new covenant?

A. Yes: Be baptized for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, Acts 2:38.

Q13. And of our engagement to be the Lord's?

A. Yes: I entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and thou becamest mine, Ezek. 16:8.

Q14. Is the covenant sealed in the baptism a mutual covenant?

A. Yes: Ye shall be my people, and I will be your God, Jer. 30:22.

Q15. Are we bound by our baptism to renounce the devil and all his works?

A. Yes: For the Son of God was manifested to destroy the works of the devil 1 John 3:8.

Q16. And to renounce the pomps and vanities of this wicked world?

A. Yes: For we must not be conformed to this world, Rom. 12:2.

Q17. And all the sinful lusts of the flesh?

A. Yes: For we are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, Rom. 8:9.

Q18. Are we bound to believe all the articles of the Christian faith?

A. Yes: We must hold fast the form of sound words, 2 Tim. 1:13.

Q19. And to keep God's holy will and commandments?

A. Yes: That we also should walk in newness of life, Rom. 6:4.

Q20. And to walk in the same all the days of our life?

A. Yes: If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed, John 8:31.