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What is His special grace?'

How may we obtain that grace?

How must we pray for it?

In whose name must we pray?

What are those means of grace wherein He usually gives it?

Who made that which is called the Lord's Prayer?

Why must we always say that prayer?

What do you mean when you say in your prayers, 'through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ?'

Do you pray for all good things in the Lord's Prayer? Why do you there call God Father?'

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Why, Our Father?'

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Why is He said to be 'in Heaven?'

What do you mean by hallowed be Thy Name?'

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What is that Kingdom' of God you desire may 'come?' What do you mean by, Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven?'

What by, 'Give us this day our daily bread?'

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What by, Forgive us our trespasses?'

What by, Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil?'

Why is the Doxology sometimes added and sometimes omitted in our common prayers?

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What is meant by Amen?'

Q. What then desirest thou of God in this prayer?

A. I desire my Lord God, Our Heavenly Father, Who is the Giver of all goodness, to send His grace unto me, and to all people that we may worship Him, serve Him, and obey Him as we ought to do. And I pray unto God, that He will send us all things that be needful both for our souls and bodies; and that He will be merciful unto us, and forgive us our sins; and that it will please Him to save and defend us in all dangers ghostly and bodily; and that He will keep us from sin and wickedness, and from our ghostly enemy, and from everlasting death. And this I trust He will do of His mercy and goodness, through our Lord Jesus Christ. And therefore I say, Amen. So be it.

PART V.

THE DOCTRINE OF THE SACRAMENTS.

SECTION I. OF THE SACRAMENTS IN GENERAL.

Q. How many Sacraments hath Christ ordained in His Church?

A. Two only, as generally necessary to Salvation; that is to say, Baptism and the Lord's Supper.

Q. What meanest thou by this word Sacrament?'

A. I mean an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace, given unto us, ordained by Christ Himself, as a means whereby we receive the same, and a pledge to assure us thereof.

Q. How many parts are there in a Sacrament?

A. Two, the outward visible sign, and the inward spiritual grace.

THE word Sacrament was used by ancient writers of the Church, for any sacred or holy mystery, rite, or ceremony; every one calling what holy thing he pleased a Sacrament. By which means the number of things that have been called by this name is very great and uncertain. Wherefore the question here is not, how many Sacraments there are in general, or how many things have been, or may be called sacraments; but how many Sacraments hath Christ ordained, and that too in His Church, to be always observed there?

Of such Sacraments there be two, and two only, as generally necessary to Salvation. There may be other things ordained, but not as necessary to Salvation: some as necessary to Salvation, but not generally. As the ordination or consecration of persons to holy offices. This is necessary to Salvation, because it is necessary to the right administration of the means of grace and Salvation. But it is not generally necessary it is not necessary for all men; as if none could be saved except they be in holy orders. And therefore

neither can that be said to be ordained by Christ as generally necessary to Salvation; nor any other sacred rites, but only two; that is to say, Baptism and the Lord's Supper.

Baptism was ordained by Him to be the Sacrament, or sacred rite of making Disciples, or admitting persons into the congregation and society of all Christian people, called His Church. For a little before His ascension into Heaven, He said to His Apostles, as it is in the original, "Go ye, Matt.28.19. therefore, and make all nations Disciples, baptizing (or, by baptizing) them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." So that, as before that time persons used to be admitted into the Church by being circumcised, according to God's institution; from that time forward, by the institution of the same God our Saviour, not only Jews, but people of all nations, are to be made His Disciples, and brought into His Church, by being baptized; that is, as the word signifies, either dipped, or washed, or sprinkled with water, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.' And as this was thus ordained or instituted by Christ our Saviour, it must needs be not only necessary, but generally necessary, to Salvation, seeing it is the only way or means ordained by Him, whereby to be admitted into His Church, out of which there is no Salvation.

Acts 2. 47.

The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was ordained by Him the same night in which He was betrayed. For being then at supper with His Disciples, "He took bread, and when He had given thanks, He brake it, and gave it to them, and said, Take, eat; this is My body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of Me. After the same manner He took the cup, when He had supped, saying, "This cup is the New Testament in My blood: this do, as 1 Cor. 11.23, oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me." Where we see 26. that what our Lord Himself then did, He ordained and commanded the same to be continued in His Church, and to be always done in remembrance of Him, until His coming again, to judge the world. And that must needs be 1 Cor. 11.26. generally necessary to the Salvation of mankind, which is ordained by the authority and in remembrance of the only

24; Matt.26.

Saviour we have in all the world, and so for the exercise and confirmation of our faith in Him, without which we can never be saved by Him.

But that we may rightly understand the nature and design of these two Sacraments, ordained by Christ in His Church, we must farther consider what is properly meant by this word Sacrament,' which is therefore here described by the general nature, by the Author, and by the ends of it. As to the general nature, ‘it is an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace given unto us.' So that in every Sacrament,' properly so called, there must be some invisible spiritual grace' or favour given unto us by God, and there must be also some outward and visible sign,' whereby the said grace is signified or represented to us. Where either of these is wanting, there is no Sacrament: where they both are, there is a Sacrament in general.

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But to make it such a Sacrament as is here spoken of, it must be ordained by Christ Himself,' as the Author; not by Moses or the Prophets before Him, nor by His Apostles or His Church after Him, but by Christ Himself,' in His Own person, with His Own mouth, as we see Baptism and the Lord's Supper were.

And as for the end of such a Sacrament, it is twofold. First, to be the 'means' whereby we may receive the spiritual grace there signified. For whatsoever grace God is pleased to give us, He ordinarily gives it not immediately from Himself, but in the use of some means which He hath appointed for that purpose, and which therefore operate or work upon us, not by any power in themselves, but by virtue of His institution and appointment, and by the power of His Holy Spirit, moving and working in them, upon all such as use them aright. And each of the Sacraments is such a means' ordained and appointed by God our Saviour, whereby to bestow His grace upon us, that is there signified.

The other end is, to be a pledge to assure us thereof:' for by admitting us to the Sacrament, and so applying the outward sign to us, He thereby certifies and assures us of His favour, and readiness to give us the spiritual grace signified thereby; and we ought accordingly to believe, depend,

and trust upon Him for it. certainly bestow it upon us.

And if we do that, He will

From all which it appears, that in every Sacrament, properly so called, there are two parts; an outward visible sign,' and an inward spiritual grace.'

QUESTIONS.

Why do we not ask, How many Sacraments there are, but, How many hath Christ ordained in His Church?'

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Why is it said that there are two only, as generally necessary to Salvation?"

Which are those two?

When was Baptism ordained by Christ?

To what end was it ordained?

What doth the word Baptism signify in general?

Why is Baptism generally necessary to Salvation?
When was the Lord's Supper' ordained?

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What is the general nature of a Sacrament?
Who is the author or ordainer of it?

To what ends is a Sacrament ordained?
How many parts are there in a Sacrament?

SECTION II. OF THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM.

Q. What is the outward visible sign or form in Baptism? A. Water, wherein the person is baptized, in the Name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

Q. What is the inward and spiritual grace?

A. A death unto sin, and a new birth unto righteousness : for being by nature born in sin, and the children of wrath, we are thereby made the children of grace.

Q. What is required of persons to be baptized?

A. Repentance, whereby they forsake sin; and faith, whereby they steadfastly believe the promises of God, made to them in that Sacrament.

Q. Why then are infants baptized, when, by reason of their tender age, they cannot perform them?

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