we receive' and rest upon him alone for salvation,' as he is offered to us in the gospel."

Acts xvi. 31. And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. Heb. x. 39. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

Jno. i. 12. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.

Phil. iii. 9. And be found in him, not having mine own right eousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.

" Rev. xxii. 17. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

Q. 87. What is repentance unto life?

A. Repentance unto life is a saving grace," whereby a sinner, out of a true sense of his sin, and apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ," doth, with grief and hatred of his sin, turn from it unto God, with full purpose of, and endeavor after, new obedience."

2 Cor. vii. 10. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of; but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

Acts ii. 37. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

Luke i. 77-79. To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

* Jer. xxxi. 18, 19. I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the LORD my God. Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth.

a Rom. vi. 18. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

Q. 88. What are the outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption?

A. The outward and ordinary means whereby Christ

communicateth to us the benefits of redemption are, his ordinances, especially the Word, Sacraments, and prayer; all which are made effectual to the elect for salvation.

b

Acts ii. 41, 42. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread and in prayers.

Q. 89. How is the Word made effectual to salvation ? A. The Spirit of God maketh the reading, but espe cially the preaching, of the Word, an effectual means of convincing and converting sinners, and of building them up in holiness and comfort through faith unto salvation.

d

• Neh. viii. 8. So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading. Jas. i. 21. Receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

d Acts xx. 32. I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. Rom. xv. 4. That we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

* 2 Tim. iii. 15. From a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Q. 90. How is the Word to be read and heard, that it may become effectual to salvation?

A. That the Word may become effectual to salvation, we must attend thereunto with diligence, preparation," and prayer;" receive it with faith' and love,* lay it up in our hearts,' and practice it in our lives."

Deut. vi. 6, 7. And these words, which I command thee thiɛ day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

91 Pet. ii. 1, 2. Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.

Ps. cxix. 18. Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.

Rom. i 16. I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth. * 2 Thess. ii. 10. With all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

'Ps. cxix. 11. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

m Jas. i. 25. Whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

Q. 91. How do the Sacraments become effectual means of salvation?

A. The Sacraments become effectual means of salvation, not from any 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 by faith receive them.°

n 1 Pet. iii. 21. The like figure whereunto even 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. Rom. ii. 28, 29. He is not a Jew, which is one outwardly. But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly.

• 1 Cor. xii. 13. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

Q. 92. What is a Sacrament?

A. A Sacrament is a holy ordinance instituted by Christ; wherein, by sensible signs, Christ and the benefits of the new covenant are represented, sealed, and applied to believers."

? Matt. xxviii. 19. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Matt. xxvi. 26-28. 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 thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. Rom. iv. 11. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised.

Q. 93. Which are the Sacraments of the New Testament?

A. The Sacraments of the New Testament are Bap tism, and the Lord's Supper."

? Acts x. 47, 48. 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.

* 1 Cor. xi. 23-26. 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 cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he

come.

Q. 94. What is Baptism?

A. Baptism is a Sacrament, wherein the washing with water, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost,* doth signify and seal our engrafting into Christ, and partaking of the benefits of the covenant of grace, and our engagement to be the Lord's."

Matt. xxviii. 19. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Jno. iii. 5. 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.

Rom. vi. 3, 5. Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.

Gal. iii. 27. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Q. 95. To whom is Baptism to be administered?

A. Baptism is not to be administered to any that are out of the visible Church, till they profess their faith in Christ, and obedience to him; " but the infants of such as are members of the visible Church, are to be baptized.*

" Acts xviii. 8. And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.

* Gen. xvii. 7, 10. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee: Every man child among you shall be circumcised. Acts ii. 38, 39. 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 gift of the Holy Ghost. 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. 1 Cor. vii. 14. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.

Q. 96. What is the Lord's Supper?

A. The Lord's Supper is a Sacrament, wherein, by giving and receiving bread and wine, according to Christ's appointment, his death is showed forth; and the worthy receivers are, not after a corporal and carnal manner, but by faith, made partakers of his body and blood, with all his benefits, to their spiritual nourishment and growth in grace.*

After the

1 Cor. xi. 23-26. 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. same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he

come.

Acts iii. 21. Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things. 1 Cor. x. 16. 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?

Q. 97. What is required to the worthy receiving of the Lord's Supper?

"A. It is required of them that would worthily partake of the Lord's Supper, that they examine themselves, of their knowledge to discern the Lord's body, of their faith to feed upon him, of their repentance, love, and