for the most part adminiftred by dipping, or plunging, the Perfon who was Baptized, into the Water: According to the common Ceremony among the Jews, of Receiving Profelytes with the very fame Ceremony; and from which our Saviour feems to have taken Occafion to inftitute this Sacrament.

Q. Were any Baptized otherwife at the Beginning?

A. It cannot be doubted but that as All who Embraced the Gospel were Baptized, fo many of thefe could not be dipped in Water. Such were very Old, and Sick Perfons; and it may be All, at the first; when Three, and Five Thousand at a time, believed, and were baptized; very likely in a private Houfe; Acts ii. 41. As iv. 4. where it would have been very difficult to have had Water enough, and endless, to have dipped them all.

Q. What are the Neceffary Parts of this Sacrament?

A. Water, and the Word: The One to Reprefent our Spiritual Washing, and Cleansing, by the Blood of Chrift; the Other to declare the Faith into which we are Baptized, and by which we hope to be faved; namely, of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

Q. How came the Cultom of Dipping, to be fo univerfally left off in the Church?

A. Chiefly upon the ground of Charity; becaufe when the Gofpel became every where Received, and the Perfons to be Baptized were the Children of believing Parents; many of which (in thefe Cold Countries, and for a Great Part of the Year) could not be dipped in Water without the hazard of their Lives; it was neceffary either

L 3

Ifa.lii.is.
Ezek.xxxvi.

25.

15,19. Heb.ix.13.

either to Sprinkle them only with Water, or not to Baptize them at all.

Q. What Ground had the Church to admit of Sprinkling, as fufficient to answer the Design of this Sacrament?

A. The Example of the Purifications under the Law, which were made as well by Sprinklings, as Wafhings: Heb.ix. 13,19. The Appli cation of this made by St. Paul, to the Spiritual Cleansing of us from our Sins: Heb.x. 22,24. And by St. Peter to the fame Purpose: 1 Pet.i. Lev.xvi. 14, 2. The Analogy between the Sprinkling of the Water in Baptifm, and that Sprinkling of the Blood of Christ, by which we are Cleanfed from our Sins: All thefe, as they left a fufficient Latitude to the Church to adminifter this Sacrament, in any of thefe Ways; fo the Law of Charity Required that the Church should make Choice of Sprinkling, rather than of a total Immerfion; and we cannot doubt, but that the God of Charity does approve of it. Mat.ix. 13.

-X.4.

SEC T. XLIV.

You faid, that in Every Sacrament there were Two Parts, an Outward, and Vifible Sign, and an Inward and Spiritual Grace: Tell me therefore;

Q. What is the Dutward Wifible Sign, oz Foam in Baptism ?

A. Water wherein the Perfon is Baptized, in the Panie of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

Q. Is this Element fo neceffary a part of this Sacrament, that the Church may in no Cafe depart from it?

A. It is of Divine Institution, and was defigned to denote our Spiritual Cleansing by Christ's

Blood:

Blood: That as our Bodies are wash'd with, and cleansed from their Pollutions, by Water; fo are our Souls purified from Sin by the Blood of Chrift: And for both thefe Reafons it is a Neceffary, and Immutable Part, of this Holy Sa

crament.

Q. Is the Form of Baptifm necessary to the Administration of this Sacrament?

A. It is Neceffary; nor can this Sacrament be duly adminiftred by any Other.

2. Was no Other Form ever ufed in the Apostle's Times?

- xix.s.

A. It is indeed faid of Some in thofe Times, who had been Jewish Converts, or had Received Fohn's Baptifm, that they were Baptized in the Aaii.38. Name of the Lord Jefus. But this does not hin- viii. 16, der but that they may have been Baptized(as no doubt they were) in the Words appointed by Christ for that purpose. All it implies is, that they were Baptized into the Faith, and Gofpel of Chrift; as by comparing the Paffages of Scripture together, it will Evidently appear. See Act.viii. 16. x.48. xix.5. Rom.vi.3. Gal.iii. 7.

Q. Are then the Words appointed by Christ fo neceffary, that to Ufe any Other, will deftroy the Efficacy of this Sacrament?

A. That I dot fay: For as Perfons of all Countries are to be Baptized, fo, no doubt, but the Form of Words may be tranflated into the Language of Every Country; and Baptifm be effectually adminiftred, fo long as the Senfe is preferved. That which we infilt upon is, that every Perfon who is Baptized, ought to be Baptized in the Name, as well as to profefs the Faith of, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft.

Q. What is the Inward oz Spiritual Geace, of this Sacrament?

Pails.

Rom.v. 12.

A&.39.
Rom.9.8.

I Cor.vii.14.

---xxii.16.

Eph 4.5.

A A Death unto Hin, and a New-birth unto Kighteoufnefs; foz heing by Nature bozn in Sin, and the: Childzen of Wrath, we are hereby made the Childzen of G2ace.

Q. Are all Men, by Nature, born in Sin?

A. They are, ever fince that by the Tranf greffion of our First Parents Sin entred into the World: Nor was ever any Exempt from this unhappy State, but he only who knew no Sin, the Lord Christ Jefus.

Q. Are all Men,by Nature, Children of Wrath? A. Being born in Sin, they must of neceflity be alfo Children of Wrath: Seeing All Sin is both hateful to God, and worthy of his Punishment.

2. Have the Children of Believing Parents, in this Cafe, no Privilege above Others?

A. Yes, they have: For being defcended from thofe who are Members of Chrift's Church, they are born within the Covenant; are the Heirs of God's Promifes; and have a Right to Faptifm, as the Children of the Jews had to Circumcifion. And therefore fhould they chance to Die before they have Received it, yet this being no Fault of theirs, we piouЛly believe that it fhall be no barr to their Pretenfions; but that they fhall nevertheless be faved, by the Merits of Jefus Christ.

Q. How are thofe who are Baptized, made thereby Children of Grace?

Mark xvi 16. A. As by Baptism they are taken into CoveA8,39 t with God, are Regenerated by the Holy Spirit and Wash'd from their Sins by the Blood of Chrift: So that fhould they Die before they commit any Actual Sin, we are affured, by God's Word, that they fhall certainly be Saved.

Tic.iii.5.
Galii 27.

Perii 21.

Q. Are all who are Baptized made Partakers of thefe Benefits?

A. They

A. They are all thereby put into a State of Salvation, and become Children of Grace. But those only continue in this State, and hold faft their Right to thefe Benefits, who take care to Live according to the Gofpel of Chrift, and to fulfil thofe Promifes, which either Themselves made; or which were, by Others, made in their Name, and on their Behalf, at their Baptifm.

SECT. XLV.

Q. What is required of Persons to be Baptized?

A. Kepentance, whereby they fozfake Sin; and Faith, whereby they fedfalkly Believe the Promiles of God made to them in that Sacrament.

Q. What Repentance is required to prepare any Perfon for Baptifm?

A. The fame which is Required to qualify a Man for God's Forgiveness after Baptifm. For Baptifm, if duly Received, washes away all Sin: And therefore no One can worthily come to it, who does not heartily Repent of all his Sins; and firmly Refolve never more to Return to any. Act.ii. 38,41. iii.18. viii.37.

Q. What is the Faith which Every One ought to bring to this Sacrament?

A. A firm Belief of the Truth of the whole Mar.xvi.16. Heb.x.22. Chriftian Religion; but more efpecially, of all x 22. xi.11,13. thofe Articles of it, which he folemnly, at his Baptifm, is to profefs his Belief of to the Church. A&t.viii.37.

If fuch a Repentance, and fuch a Faith, be Required of all who are Baptized, How come

Infants