me, to c make me by a true faith, partaker of Christ and all his benefits, that he may d comfort me and e abide with me for ever.

c Gal. 3. 14. 1 Pet. 1. 2. d Acts 9. 31. e John 14. 16. 1 Pet. 4. 14.

XXI. LORD'S DAY.

Q. 54. What believest thou concerning the "Holy Catholic church" of Christ?

A. That the Son of God a from the b beginning to the end of the world, gathers, c defends, and d preserves to himself by his e spirit and word, out of the ƒ whole human race, a g church chosen to everlasting life, agreeing in true faith; and that I am and for ever shall remain, a h living member thereof.

a John 10. 11. b Gen. 26. 4. c Rom. 9. 24. Eph. 1.10. d John 10. 16. e Isa. 59. 21. f Deut. 10. 14, 15. 13. 48. h 1 Cor. 1. 8, 9. Rom. 8. 35, &c.

g Acts Q. 55. What do you understand by "the communion of saints?"

A. First, that all and every one who believes, being members of Christ, are in common, i partakers of him, and of all his riches and gifts: secondly, that every one must know it to be his duty, readily and j cheerfully to employ his gifts, for the advantage and salvation of other members.

i John 1. 3, 4. Rom. 8. 32. 1. Cor. 12. 13. j 1 Cor. 13. 5. Phil. 2. 4, 5, 6.

Q. 56. What believest thou concerning "the forgiveness of sins?"

A. That God, for the sake of k Christ's satisfaction, vill no more I remember my sins, neither my corrupt naure, against which I have to struggle all my life long; out will graciously impute to me the righteousness of Christ, that I may never be m condemned before the tribunal of God.

k 1 John 2. 2. 2 Cor. 5. 19, 21. Jer. 31. 34. Psa. 103. 3, 4, 10, 11. Rom. 8. 1, 2, 3. m John 3. 18.

XXII. LORD'S DAY.

Q. 57. What comfort doth the "resurrection of the ody" afford thee?

A. That not only my soul after this life shall be immediately taken a up to Christ its head; but also, that this my body, being raised by the power of Christ, shall be reunited with my soul, and b made like unto the glorious body of Christ.

a Luke 23. 43. Phil. 1. 23. b 1 Cor. 15. 53. Job 19. 25, 26. Q. 58. What comfort takest thou from the article of "life everlasting?"

A. That c since I now feel in my heart the beginning of eternal joy, after this life, d I shall inherit perfect salvation, which e eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man" to conceive! and that, to praise God therein for ever.

c 2 Cor. 5. 2, 3, 6. Rom. 14. 17. d Psa. 10. 11. e 1 Cor. 2. 9.

XXIII. LORD'S DAY.

Q. 59. But what doth it profit thee now that thou believest all this?

A. That I am righteous in Christ, before God, and an heir of eternal life. a

a Rom. 5. 1. Rom. 1. 17. John 3. 36.

Q. 60. How art thou righteous before God?

A. Only b by a true faith in Jesus Christ; so that, though my conscience accuse me, that I have grossly transgressed all the commands of God, and c kept none of them, and am still d inclined to all evil; notwithstanding, God, without any e merit of mine, but only of mere f grace, grants g and h imputes to me, the perfect i satisfaction, righteousness and holiness of Christ; even so, as if I never had had, nor committed any sin: yea, as if I had fully j accomplished all that obedience which Christ hath accomplished for me; k inasmuch as I embrace such benefit with a believing heart.

b Rom. 3. 22, &c. Gal. 2. 16. Eph. 2. 8, 9. c Rom. 3. 9, &c. d Rom. 7. 23. e Rom. 3. 24. f Tit. 3. 5. Eph. 2. 8, 9. g Rom. 4. 4, 5. 2 Cor: 5. 19. h 1 John 2. 1. i Rom. 3. 24, 25. j 2 Cor. 5. 21. k Rom. 3. 28. John 3. 18.

Q. 61. Why sayest thou, that thou art righteous by faith only?

A. Not that I am acceptable to God, on account of the

I worthiness of my faith; but because only the satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ, is my righteousness before m God; and that I cannot receive n and apply the same to myself any other way than by faith only.

7 Psa. 16. 2. Eph. 2. 8,9. m 1 Cor. 1. 30. 1 Cor 2. 2. n 1 John 5. 10.

XXIV. LORD'S DAY.

Q. 62. But why cannot our good works be the whole, or part of our righteousness before God?

A. Because, that the righteousness, which can be approved of before the tribunal of God, must be absolutely perfect, and in all respects a conformable to the divine law and also, that our best works in this life are all imperfect and b defiled with sin.

:

a Gal. 3. 10. Deut. 27. 26. b Isa. 64. 6.

Q. 63. What! do not our good works merit, which yet God will reward in this and in a future life?

A. This reward is not of merit, but of grace. c

c Luke 17. 10.

Q. 64. But doth not this doctrine make men careless and profane?

A. by no means: for it is impossible that those, who are implanted into Christ by a true faith, should not bring forth fruits of d thankfulness.

d Mat. 7. 17, 18. John 15. 5.

XXV. LORD'S DAY.

OF THE SACRAMENTS.

Q. 65. Since then we are nade partakers of Christ and all his benefits by faith only, whence doth this faith proceed?

A. From the Holy Ghost, who works a faith in our hearts by the preaching of the gospel, and b confirms it by the use of the sacraments.

a Eph. 2. 8. and 6. 23. Phil. 1. 29. b Mat. 28. 19. Rom. 4. 11.

Q. 66. What are the sacraments?

A. The sacraments are holy visible signs and seals, ap

pointed of God for this end, that by the use thereof, he may the more fully declare and seal to us the promise of the gospel, viz. that he grants us freely the remission of sin, and c life eternal, for the sake of that one sacrifice of Christ, accomplished on the cross.

c Gen. 17. 11. Rom. 4. 11. Ex. 12. Lev. 6. 25. Acts 22. 16. and 2. 38. Mat. 26. 28.

Q. 67. Are both word and sacraments, then, ordained and appointed for this end, that they may direct our faith to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, as the only ground of our salvation?

A. Yes, indeed: for the Holy Ghost teaches us in the gospel, and assures us by the sacraments, d that the whole of our salvation depends upon that one sacrifice of Christ which he offered for us on the cross.

Q. 68. How many sacraments has Christ instituted in the new covenant, or testament?

A. e Two: namely, holy baptism and the holy supper. e 1 Cor. 10. 2, 3, 4.

XXVI. LORD'S DAY.

OF HOLY BAPTISM.

Q. 69. How art thou admonished and assured by holy baptism, that the one sacrifice of Christ upon the cross is of real advantage to thee?

A. Thus: That Christ appointed a this external washing with water, adding thereto this b promise, that I am as certainly washed by his blood and spirit from all the pollution of my soul; that is, from all my sins, as I am c washed externally with water, by which the filthiness of the body is commonly washed away.

a Mat. 28. 19. Acts 2. 38. b Mark 16. 16. Mat. 3. 11. Rom. 6. 3. c Mark 1. 4. Luke 3. 3.

Q. 70. What is it to be washed with the blood and spirit of Christ?

A. It is to receive of God the remission of sins, freely, for the sake of Christ's blood, which he d shed for us by his sacrifice upon the cross: and also to be renewed by d Heb. 12. 24. 1 Pet. 1. 2. Apo. 1. 5.

the Holy Ghost, and sanctified to be members of Christ; that so we may more and more die unto sin, and e lead holy and unblameable lives.

e John 1. 33. Rom. 6. 4. Col. 2. 11.

Q. 71. Where has Christ promised us, that he will as certainly wash us by his blood and spirit, as we are washed with the water of baptism?

A. In the institution of baptism, which is thus expressed, "f go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, g," "he that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that believeth not, shall be damned." This promise is also repeated, where the scripture calls baptism"the h washing of regeneration, and the washing i away of sins."

f Mat. 28. 19. g Mark 16. 16. h Tit. 3. 5. i Acts 22. 16.

XXVII. LORD'S DAY.

Q. 72. Is then the external baptism with water, the washing away of sin itself?

A. Not at all: for the a blood of Jesus Christ only, and the Holy Ghost cleanse us from all b sin.

a Mat. 3. 11. 1 Pet. 3. 21. b1 John 1. 7. 1 Cor. 6. 11.

Q. 73. Why then doth the Holy Ghost call baptism "the washing of regeneration," and "the washing away

of sins?"

A. God speaks thus not without great cause, to wit, not only thereby to teach us, that as the filth of the body is purged away by water, so our sins are c removed by the blood and spirit of Jesus Christ; but especially, that by d this divine pledge and sign he may assure us, that we are spiritually cleansed from our sins as really, as we are externally washed with water.

c Rev. 1. 5. 1 Cor. 6. 11. d Mark 16. 16. Gal. 3. 27.

Q. 74. Are infants also to be baptized?

A. Yes: for since they, as well as the adult, are included in the e covenant and ƒ church of God; and since g redemption from sin by the blood of Christ, and the h Holy e Gen. 17. 7. Acts 2. 39. f1 Cor. 7. 14. g Mat. 19. 14. h Luke 1. 14, 15. Psa. 22. 10.

Joel 2. 16.

Acts 2.39.