Sivut kuvina
PDF
ePub

renewed by the Holy Ghost; and through his sanctification, to become members of Christ, that we may more and more become dead unto sin, and live holy, and without blame.k

71. Q. Where does Christ promise us that he will as certainly wash us with his blood and Spirit, as we are washed with the water of baptism?

A. In the institution of baptism; the words of which are, "Go, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned." This promise is repeated, where the

Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. John iii. 5. And such were some of you : but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Cor. vi. 11. By one Spirit are we all baptized into one body. 1 Cor. xii. 13. He saved us by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Tit. iii.5, 6. Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. Col. ii. 12. 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. Rom. vi. 4. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. John xiii. 8. And if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. Rom. viii. 9, 10.

1 Go, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Matt. xxviii. 19. He that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned. Mark xvi. 16.

scripture calls baptism the washing of regeneration,m and forgiveness of sin.n

72. Q. Is, then, the outward baptism of water the washing away of sins?

A. It is not. For the blood of Christ alone cleanses us from all sin. P

73. Q. Why, then, does the Holy Ghost call baptism the washing of regeneration, and forgiveness of sins?

A. God does not speak so without great cause; viz. not only to teach us that as the filthiness of the body is purged by water, so our sins also are

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. Tit. iii. 5.

"And now why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. Acts xxii. 16.

• The like figure whereunto baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 1 Pet. iii. 21. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance; but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear; he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire. Matt. iii. 11.

P The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 1 John i. 7. And-there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin. Heb. x. 26. But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Cor. vi. 11. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh; 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? Heb. ix. 13, 14.

purged by the blood and Spirit of Christ; but to assure us much more, by this divine symbol and pledge, that we are as verily washed from our sins with the inward washing, as we are washed by the outward and visible water.r

74. Q. Are infants also to be baptized?

: A. Certainly. For as they equally belong to the covenant and church of God, as they who are of a full age; and to them no less than to adults,

s Unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood. Rev. i. 5. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Rev. vii. 14. Christ hath loved us, and hath given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour. Eph. v. 2. Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many. Heb. ix. 28. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin. 1 John i. 7.

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. Mark xvi. 16. And this I say, that the covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. Gal. iii. 17. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. Acts ii. 39. And now why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. Acts xxii. 16. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. Gal. iii. 27, Col. ii. 11, 12.

⚫ And I will establish my covenant between me and thy seed after thee, in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. Gen. xvii. 7. Ye stand this day, all of you, before the Lord your God; your captains of your tribes, your elders, and your offi. cers, with all the men of Israel: your little ones, your wives, and thy stranger that is in thy camp, from the hewer of thy

remission of sins by the blood of Christ is promised, and the Holy Ghost the author of our faith; by baptism they are to be grafted into the church of God, and to be distinguished from the children of unbelievers, as in the Old Testament was done by circumcision,w in the place of which, baptism is substituted in the New Testament.*

wood unto the drawer of thy water; that thou shouldest enter into covenant with the Lord thy God. Deut. xxix. 10, 12. Gen. xvii. 12, 13.

* And Jesus said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of heaven. Matt. xix. 14. Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost. Acts ii. 38.

" And he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. Luke i. 15. I was cast upon thee from the womb; thou art my God from my mother's belly. Ps. xxii. 10. I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring. Is. xliv. 3. For the promise is unto you, and to your children. Acts ii. 39.

▾ Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Acts x. 47, 48. Gen. xvii. 13.

And the uncircumcised man child, whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant. Gen. xvii. 14. Gen. xxxiv. 14.

In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins, and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses. Col. ii, 11–13.

OF THE LORD'S SUPPER.

75. Q. How are you admonished and assured in the sacrament of the Lord's supper, that you are a partaker of that one sacrifice of Christ, and of his benefits?

A. Because Christ hath commanded me and all the faithful to eat of this broken bread, and to drink of the cup distributed, in remembrance of him, with this adjoined: first that his body was as cer

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of this; for this is my blood, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. Matt. xxvi. 26-28. Mark xiv. 22-24. And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup, after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. Luke xxii. 19, 20. The cup of blessing which we 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, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. 1 Cor. x. 16, 17. For 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 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 is the new testament in my blood: this do, as often as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 1 Cor. xi. 23—25. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether

« EdellinenJatka »