To whom is baptism to be administered?

1. Who may administer the sacrament of baptism?

Neither of the two sacraments “may be dispensed by any, but by a minister of the word, lawfully ordained.” [Confession, Chap. xxvii. § 4.]

2. How do you prove, that ordination by presbyters, is lawful and valid, without a diocesan bishop?

From express scripture testimony, asserting the validity of ordination to the ministry, by “the laying on of the hands of the PRESBYTERY,”

3. Why should ministers lawfully ordained, and no other persons whatsoever, dispense the sacraments of the New Testament?

Because they only are the stewards of the mysteries of God; 1 Corinthians 4:1 and have the sole commission and authority from Christ to preach and baptize, “Go ye therefore and TEACH all nations, BAPTIZING them,” &c. Matthew 28:19

4. Is public prayer requisite before the administration of baptism?

It is evident, that our Lord, at the first institution of the supper, and his apostles afterwards, according to his example, did pray for the divine blessing to attend the dispensation of that solemn ordinance: 1 Corinthians 11:24 and therefore, by a parity of reason, ministers ought to pray, and the people to join therein, for the same blessing upon the administration of the sacrament of baptism.

5. Ought not teaching or preaching of the word to go before baptism?

Yes; because our Lord has joined them together, “Go ye therefore and TEACH all nations, BAPTIZING them,” &c. Matthew 28:19 And accordingly it was the uniform practice of the apostles to preach when they baptized. Acts 2:38, 41; 8:35, 38; 16:32–33

6. Is naming of children necessary at baptism?

No: baptism dispensed by sprinkling of water, together with the words of institution, is every way valid and complete, though the person baptized is not named at all.

7. But was not the naming of children, at circumcision, an ancient practice among the Jews, Luke i. 59.?

It was so: and the names of children may be published at baptism still, provided it is not looked upon as essential to that solemn ordinance; for it is the parent, and not the minister, who gives the name.

8. May baptism be administered in private?

It is more agreeable to the nature of this ordinance, when the Lord gives his people peace and opportunity for their public assemblies, that it be administered where-ever the congregation is orderly called together, to wait on the dispensing of the word. [See Act X. Assembly 1690.]

9. What if the child shall be removed by death, before such a regular opportunity can be had?

Then the parents may comfort themselves in this, that they were neither guilty of an unnecessary delay, nor of contemning the ordinance; and that in these circumstances, the want of it cannot harm the child.

10. With what frame and disposition of mind ought this sacrament to be dispensed and witnessed?

With a firm persuasion that it is an ordinance of God; with a filial and reverential fear of him on our spirits; and with gratitude and thankfulness for the inestimable benefits that are signified and sealed therein.

11. How often is baptism to be administered to any person?

But once only.

12. Why but once only?

Because when our ingrafting into Christ (which is the comprehensive benefit signified and sealed in baptism) doth once take place, it is never repeated, but remaineth firm and inviolable for ever.

13. To whom is baptism NOT to be administered?

[Baptism is not to be administered to any that are out of the visible church].

14. Whom do you understand by those [that are out of the visible church]?

All infidels, or such as are Jews or Heathens, and their children.

15. Why may not these be baptized?

Because being strangers from the covenant of promise, they can have no right to the seals thereof.

16. May infidels in no event be baptized?

Yes, they may; so soon as [they profess their faith in Christ, and obedience to him].

17. What is it to [profess faith in Christ]?

It is to profess a belief of the whole doctrines of the Christian religion.

18. What is it to profess [obedience to him]?

It is to yield an external subjection to all the ordinances and institutions of Christ.

19. Whom doth such a profession respect?

It respects only the adult, or such as are grown up to ripeness of age.

20. Have not INFANTS [who can make no such profession] a right to baptism?

Yes: [The infants of such as are members of the visible church, are to be baptized].

21. Who are [the members of the visible church]?

They are “all such as profess the true religion, and their children.” [Larger Cat. Quest 62.]

22. What are we to understand by the true religion?

We are to understand by it the whole of these doctrines, deduced from the holy scriptures, which are contained in our Confession of faith, and Catechisms, as agreeing, in the main, with the Confessions of other reformed churches, “Hold fast the form of sound words.”

23. What is it to profess the true religion?

It is openly to acknowledge, on all proper occasions, a stedfast adherence to the whole of divine truth, without espousing or countenancing any opposite error.

24. Is a bare profession of the true religion sufficient?

No; for “faith without works is dead,”

25. Upon what ground have the infants of such as are members of the visible church a right to baptism?

Upon the ground of the grace and goodness of God in the promise, assuming them into the same covenant with their parents; as in the promise made to Abraham, “I will establish my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee,—to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.”

26. But what if this promise, of assuming the seed into the same covenant with the parents, have a respect only to the natural offspring of Abraham, and to none else?

The apostle Peter plainly affirms, that it is a promise of the covenant of grace, extending to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews; and at the same time, that it is the foundation of church-membership, and consequently of baptism, when he says, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you;—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.”

27. How doth it appear from this text, that the promise of assuming the children unto the same covenant with their parents, extends to the Gentile nations?

Because the apostle says, that the promise is unto “all that are AFAR OFF, even as many as the Lord our God shall call;” namely, by the external call of the word, which is appointed to be published to every creature.

28. How doth it appear, that this promise is the foundation of church-membership, and consequently of baptism?

It appears from this, that the apostle inforces his exhortation to repent, and be baptized, upon the adult persons to whom he is speaking, from this powerful and encouraging motive, that then their children should have a right and title to the privileges of the same covenant of promise, the seal whereof they themselves were to receive in their baptism; “Repent,” says he, “and be baptized;—for the promise is unto you, and to your children.”

29. What promise doth the apostle here point at?

He points at the promise made to Abraham, “I will be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.”

30. What seal was annexed to this promise, or promulgation of the covenant of grace, made to Abraham?

The seal of circumcision, “This is my covenant, which ye shall keep between me, and you;—Every man-child among you shall be circumcised.” Genesis 17:10 And “He that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you.” Genesis 17:12

31. What connection is there between circumcising the seed of Abraham on the eighth day, under the Old Testament, and baptizing the infant-children of professing parents under the New?

The connection is, that though circumcision and baptism be different signs, yet they are both of them seals of the same covenant of grace; and since the infant-seed of Abraham received the seal of circumcision, under the Old Testament, by parity of reason, the infant-children of professing parents should receive the seal of baptism, under the New; especially as baptism is now come in the room of circumcision.

32. How do you prove, from scripture, that baptism is come in the room of circumcision?

From Col ii. 10, 11, 12. “Ye are complete in him.—In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made WITHOUT hands:—Buried with him in baptism, wherein also you are risen with him.”

33. How doth it appear, from this text, that baptism is now come in the room of circumcision?

From the plain and obvious scope of it, which is to shew, that there is no need now of that circumcision which was outward in the flesh, in regard we have all the blessed fruits and effects of Christ’s death and resurrection more clearly, and at the same time more extensively, represented and sealed in baptism; which is dispensed equally to both sexes.

34. What would be the consequence, if the infants of professing parents, under the New Testament, were not admitted to the initiating seal of the covenant, as well as the infants of the Jews under the Old?

The consequence would be, that the privileges of the New-Testament church would be more abridged and lessened, than these of the Old; whereas they are rather increased and enlarged.

35. How can infants be baptized, when they are incapable of making a profession of their faith, which seems to be required in order to baptism, Acts viii. 37.?

An explicit or formal profession of faith, is only required of them that are adult, or come to age, when they are to be baptized; but not of infants now, any more than when they were circumcised of old, on the eighth day after their birth.

36. Are infants capable of the blessings signified and sealed in baptism?

Undoubtedly they are: for some of them have been filled with the Holy Ghost even from their mother’s womb; Luke 1:15 and consequently, by grace, capable of regeneration, pardon, and eternal life; wherefore the sign and seal of these blessings, ought not to be withheld.

37. How are children of professing parents designed in scripture?

If any one of the parents be a visible believer, or regular church-member, the children, on that account, are called holy, “The unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife; and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; else were your children unclean, but now they are holy.”

38. What holiness is here meant?

Federal holiness, or being admitted to church-membership, together with their believing or professing parent.

39. May not this holiness be understood of legitimacy, or being lawfully begotten?

No; because marriage being an ordinance of the law of nature, the children of married parents, though both of them infidels, are as lawfully begotten as those of professing Christians.

40. How doth federal holiness intitle an infant to baptism?

Federal holiness necessarily supposes a being within the covenant, in virtue of the credible profession of the parent, and consequently a right to the initiating seal thereof.

41. Is there any express precept in the New Testament for baptizing the infants of visible believers?

The privilege of the infant-seed of visible church-members, having been settled ever since Abraham’s time, and never reversed, there was no need of any more than the general precept, “Go teach and baptize,”

42. Why is there need of no precept more express than this general one?

Because the privilege of infants, their being assumed into the same covenant with their parents, is declared to be continued in New-Testament times, “The promise is unto you, and to your children.”

43. Have we any scripture-example for infant-baptism?

Yes: the apostles baptized whole households or families at once; such as the household of Lydia; Acts 16:15 all the jailor’s family; Acts 16:33 and the household of Stephanas. 1 Corinthians 1:16

44. But there is no mention of their baptizing infants in those families?

Neither is there mention of their baptizing adult persons in them; only since they baptized the whole, it is not to be supposed, but that there were some infants, or young ones, among them.

45. “How is our baptism to be improved by us?”

“——By serious and thankful consideration of the nature of it, and of the ends for which Christ instituted it;—by being humbled for our sinful defilement, our falling short of, and walking contrary to our engagements;—and by endeavouring to live by faith, to have our conversation in holiness and righteousness, as those that have therein given up their names to Christ, and to walk in brotherly love, as being baptized by the same Spirit into one body.” [Larger Cat. Quest. 167.]

46. When should we thus improve our baptism?

“All our life long, especially in time of temptation, and when we are present at the administration of it to others.” [Larger Cat. Quest. 167.]